Fat is like HIV/AIDS

Yesterday was World AIDS Day, and I didn't actually know until after I posted for the day. So, this post is in memory of those we lost to the disease as well as those who are living with it step-by-step and day-by-day. Much love to you all!~

Now, on to regularly scheduled programming...

Fat waits for no one. No one has to give it permission. No one has to invite it over. No one has to even talk to it! Fat is the red-headed stepchild that no one wants to be seen with in public.

Why does Fat sneak up on us? There are a couple of reasons -- 1) it catches you with your pants down (you didn't even see it coming) or 2) you weren't being conscientious about your eating habits even though you knew a visit from Fat was right around the corner. Either way, you've got to clean up your life.

If you are so busy with other things that you can't take the time for yourself to see that you are actually unhealthy, that you aren't taking in the best foods, etc. you need to take a step back and take some time for you.

If you just didn't care either way about your weight, have I got a newsflash for you? It's becoming more difficult as days pass by to "justify" being Fat. Not only is Fat uncomfortable, but it's also disgusting, awkward, and just all around unnecessary. The only reason you should EVER be Fat is if you have a tapeworm or some other disorder that otherwise prevents you from being healthy.

Another thing is, Fat is a DISEASE. It's actually very similar to HIV/AIDS. No one dies of HIV/AIDS, they die of complications stemming from the disease. No one dies of being Fat - they die of complications from it - like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc.

There are only three differences between HIV/AIDS and Fat -- 1) people with HIV/AIDS have access to treatments but no cures, there is nothing they can do to get RID of this disease. Fat is completely avoidable. 2) Everyday people with HIV/AIDS have to live with (or die because of) one bad choice they or someone else made. Everyday Fat people have the choice of making good decisions for their health - it was not ONE mistake that got you where you are, there were MANY. 3) HIV/AIDS is a contagious disease and can be passed to another human by way of certain body fluids. Fat is not contagious. No one put you where you are but you and you alone.

So, on World AIDS Day, think about the fact that you are blessed to not face the illness and all we (myself included) have to deal with is Fat. Pray for the people who have to live with the conditions of this disease. Also, keep up hope for a cure.

Now, what reason is it that you can't put down the food and commit yourself to doing what NEEDS to be done? Do you want to live or die? Each day you get the make the choice while others aren't so lucky.

Hi, I'm FAT - How Are You?

So I haven't blogged in a while. I apologize to anyone who may count on inspiration, laughs, tears, etc. from this blog. I haven't been consistent, and most of all I haven't been losing any weight. It was never my intention to deprive you of what you seek in this blog, so I plan to now get back on track (yeah right, she said that before).

The Thanksgiving holiday has passed, and now it's time to re-evaluate. As always, since the last time I posted, I have undergone quite a few changes in life - we moved to another state, I've completely dedicated myself to working from home, and the hub got a promotion at work. On a more fun level, we also purchased the new XBox 360 w/ Kinect and the game Dance Central. I have been doing a lot with that here lately. I don't think it's anything considerable as far as losing weight, but it is a great way to get moving.

During this time, I also have been real with myself. I don't know if you remember the post about my traumatic experience at Six Flags, but I recently had another personal breakdown - this type about clothes. It used to not be so difficult to find clothes to fit me. I would just go into the store, find the plus sized section, pick out something appropriate, and move on. Well, now this involves going to multiple stores, not find anything, and ultimately settling for the first thing you find just because you're just happy you FINALLY found something that fits. Shopping for clothes is NOT FUN when you're FAT! It's a horrible experience that leaves you feeling depressed, unworthy, and just plain bad.

Have any of you experienced this? Do you know what it's like to want SO BADLY to just find a cute outfit -- without spending an arm and a leg? I wear a size 20. I wear either a 2XL or 3XL in shirts depending on the cut  -- this is mainly due to have HUGE boobs and no other real choices in the matter. For me to be such a person who loves to take the cheapest route possible, I'm not paying attention to all of the money that being FAT has cost me? I'm not deep into buying name brand clothes, but an outfit can easily cost me $40+. I don't buy bras from Victoria's Secret, yet my bras cost me $35+ -- and what's worse is that's for a granny bra - not a cute bra.

I feel isolated as a big woman in America. As my husband says, "when you're big, you have to be in a box". I used to think that was fine and that I could simply build my own little world inside my box. I could start a clothing store selling fabulous plus sized women's clothes for less. But then it dawned on me - that would be me going out of my way to STAY FAT! Who does that? It's like choosing to keep a life-threatening illness. Then, if I did something like that - I would be nothing more than an enabler. I would make women feel better about being FAT, but they shouldn't feel better. They should feel very uncomfortable because uncomfortable inspires change.

It took me 24 years to learn that...

Avoiding Weight Loss Surgery (Gastric Bypass, Lap Band, and Others)

If you're considerably obese, weight loss (or bariatric) surgery may be your only option. The purpose of this post is not to discourage you or put you down from going that route. The only purpose is to open your eyes to other possibilities.

You don't have to get weight loss surgery to lose even considerable amounts of weight. A bit of diet and exercise should be enough for most people. Depending on your size and current activity level, it may be best to start out with diet changes until you have lost enough weight and are healthy enough to move around. It's always a good idea to get approval from your doctor before beginning any workout activity if you, for any reason, are unsure whether or not you should be exercising.

Initially, I did want to get weight loss surgery. Actually, I was still considering it even after I started this blog. My mind has since changed, and I'm of the belief that if you are able to move, you should be able to use diet and exercise to get the weight off without medical intervention. Plainly put, except in dire circumstances where there is no other choice, weight loss surgery is a cop-out. I'm sure we all know that anything that's worth doing is not easy. Not only will have you have a sense of pride after you lose the weight on your own, but you will most likely be able to maintain your weight. Even still, if you take the "easy" way out and have the surgery, you may not truly get past the psychological issues that caused you to overeat and gain weight like you have in the first place.

According to WebMD, weight loss for bariatric patients tends to plateau after 2 years. After that, you will enter maintenance mode, and while around 80% of patients are successful at maintaining their new, healthy weights over the course of their lives, what happens if you fall into that 20% that doesn't do so well? Well, there is a possibility that you gain all (or most) of your weight back and either face going under the knife for another procedure or following a diet and exercise plan.

But, I'm no medical expert. Maybe you'll take it better coming from Dr. Phil. He prepared a list of things you should consider before getting weight loss surgery. He says:

"Is gastric bypass surgery right for you? There are many factors to consider before undergoing this controversial procedure. Keep in mind the following advice from Dr. Phil:

Exhaust all of your non-surgical alternatives first.Before you think about going under the knife to lose 100 pounds, try everything that you can to drop the pounds on your own. This may mean a combined program of diet and exercise or visiting a nutritionist. Dr. Phil says, "If you're medicating yourself with food, if you're entertaining yourself with food, if you're eating when you're bored, anxious, lonely, depressed, upset ... if you have a lifestyle that's consistent with overeating, they're going to be there after the surgery." Try to develop alternative coping strategies.

Surgery is not risk-free.Because nurses see so many botched cases of stomach surgery, they have a phrase for it: "gastric bypass gone bad." There are many risks associated with the procedure, such as blood clots, pneumonia, incisional pain — even death. One young guest, Tiffany, spent three days in the intensive care unit due to complications from her surgery. "It's just not a problem-free situation as no surgery is," Dr. Phil explains. "The truth is, there are alternatives."

You have to maintain a lifestyle post-surgery.Understand that if you do make the decision to have gastric bypass surgery, there is an active management plan that you have to execute after the procedure. According to Madelyn Fernstrom, Director of Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh's Medical Center, among the things you have to keep up after surgery is "watch all of your protein, fluid intake, vitamins and minerals for life ... That would be one thing to consider and make sure that you understand all of the ramifications and how difficult it is." Know that gastric bypass isn't just something you deal with for a few months; post-surgery maintenance lasts a lifetime.

Program your life for success.
"Things often start for one reason, but they continue for another," says Dr. Phil. For example, if you were an overweight kid and you ate when you were lonely and hurt, chances are you will continue that pattern into adulthood. "If you don't get a new way of acting, a new way of coping, then you will continue to do it," Dr. Phil warns. You can't eat what isn't there, so you have to clean your environment. You also have to get your thinking right and abolish the old, negative thoughts. It helps to have people in your corner who applaud your efforts to lose weight, so set up a circle of support. "Weight is managed, it's not cured," explains Dr. Phil."

Ultimately, it's your body and the decision is yours. Just consider all of your options and at least try to see if you can lose the weight on your own first. You may be surprised at your own capabilities.

Six Tons @ Six Flags

The title above was just for fun - FYI :-)

I went to Six Flags today. I haven't been in a while, and boy have things changed. And no, I'm not talking about the rides in the park. The thing (person) that has changed is me. I'm probably about 40 pounds heavier than I was the last time I went.

I have never really felt ostracized because of my weight. I was never ridiculed (at least not in front of my face) about it. As I told the hubby earlier, I was already ready to make a "cheap shot" at myself before someone else did. I would call myself fat or talk about how big I was so that I didn't hear it from anyone else. That way, I was laughing with them about my weight as opposed to be laughed at.

Well, long story short, today while riding some of the rides, it was clear that I was really too fat to be on the rides. I won't name specifics (not now at least), but there were a few where I was not only uncomfortably snug but also barely able to get buckled in. I know a big contributor to that was the size of my boobs (that's a whole 'nother topic of its own), but I've always been top heavy. I haven't always been 240+ pounds. That put a huge damper on my day - all I could focus on was how big I was and how I had no business being there and thinking I could get on any rides. It was incredibly painful, embarrassing, and most importantly - it was a reality check.

I may feel all warm and cozy in my abilities and may even live in denial about what I can and cannot do from time to time. However, the rides don't lie. If you can't fit them, there's no getting around it. You will either still try to get on and risk embarrassment or stand on the outside watching everyone else ride the rides. Either way, you're singled out as the "fat kid".

I've been learning so much about my struggle with weight over the past week or so, it's amazing. I've found that I was living in denial, playing the victim, and not seeing myself at the size I really am. Today, I got a reality check. I'm a big girl and it's a small world. I have to figure out a way to fit in somehow...

Trying to Lose Weight is Hard

I'm one of those "weight loss bloggers". So, naturally, you would think that I have it all together like many others out there. I'm far, far, far from together. As a matter of fact, I was near tears the other day talking about the journey ahead. I was in tears because it's HARD. Even though I have a husband who has lost an entire person, it's still hard for me because I'm so scared to let go of the foods I love the most.

I can exercise and even cut back. But, when it comes to cutting out the foods that I love most, I struggle. The other day I did reach my time goal for working out. But, I have been eating like a pig here lately. I really wish I could get down to the bottom of what my food issue is, but for some reason, I just can't. I'm in this body and I can't stop eating those foods. Sure, I know they taste good - but is that the only reason that I can't stop eating? Or is there something deeper there?

It's almost easier to say that I will opt for the gastric bypass surgery, but I will feel like I'm taking the easy way out. I do wonder, though - will I EVER be able to take the "hard way out"?

Just some thoughts....

I'm going to bed.

Be Honest With Yourself About Your Weight Problem

I didn't do very much working out this weekend. As a matter of fact, I didn't do any working out. However, that's not what this post is about. I want to talk about something that's real. Yes, it may make many of you uncomfortable, but it must be said.

A few days ago, I was in the car listening to the radio. I think it may have been a Russ Parr segment, but I'm not certain. At any rate, they were talking about people motivating their friends to lose weight. That sounds simple enough, right? Well, that's wrong, and I want to take more of what they said and expand upon it to let you know just how important it is to get past that fluff and into the healthy lifestyle you deserve.

One of the reasons that there are so many obese people in this country is because everyone got lazy. Parents got lazy and stopped preparing meals at home for their children. Instead, they ran through the drive-thru at McDonald's and got them some Chicken McNuggets. Now, that's not to say that there'e anything wrong with food from Mickey D's (or any other fast food restaurant for that matter). The key here is moderation. Anything not done in moderation is BAD! To rephrase it...too much of anything is a bad thing. So when you're driving to McDonald's or Burger King 3x a week, please know that you are really doing your children a disservice.

I won't put all of the blame on parents, though. Because, when children grow into teens and adults, they are most likely able to make their own food choices. Instead of then learning to cook for themselves, they continue the same destructive lifestyle their parents put them on and eat fast food everyday.

***Before I go on, I want to let you all know that I am a LOVER of fast food. I could probably eat out every day of the week, and I have done it before, because I am lazy. So, I'm not just pointing the finger at you, I'm pointing that same finger at myself.***

The next problem is that society only presents you with one of two extremes -- either you're badmouthed by those around you and they further kick down your self esteem or you are surrounded by family/friends who don't want to hurt you and they use "fluff" words to make you feel like your situation is not as bad as it really is. For instance (and this was taken from that radio show I was watching), they may say things like:

"My friend is a little heavyset."
"My friend is plus-sized."
"My friend is thick." (my all time favorite)

Your friend/family member has good intentions. They don't want to see you hurt, so they offer you this "fluff" to try to make things appear more sunny. Well, you should ignore those words when you hear them. This will not help you reach the point where you need to be in order to get in shape and lose weight. See the truth for what it really is. You are overweight. You have to do something about it. If you don't do anything about it, you can/will DIE. It's serious business. Take your life into your own hands, and don't let other's continue to build you up (as strange as this sounds) because they are unconsciously doing you much more harm than good.

Write down your flaws, write down the excuses that held you back from losing weight, and counteract each of them with a statement of change. You will be surprised at how powerful you will be on this journey to lose weight.