A friend just posted about being thinner and it has finally driven me to blog after a long hiatus caused by sunshine, too much TV and not enough cafenet.
I am fat. I have a BMI of about 40 which puts me on the borderline between "clinically obese" and "morbidly obese". I am fat because:
- I have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). PCOS has metabolic effects. These effects mean that I gain weight very easily and retain it when someone with a normal metabolism would lose it.
- For a many years I was taking drugs for PCOS which had weight gain as a side effect. Although I have been off the drugs for over a year it is hard to lose the weight I gained (see above).
- I like food. In particular I eat takeaways a couple of times a week, too much chocolate and slightly too large portions particularly of carbohydrate rich foods.
I try and tell myself that fitness is more important than fatness. Certainly from a health point of view being overweight and fit is better for you than being unfit with a 'normal' BMI. I also remind myself that my blood pressure is excellent, I have no signs of insulin resistance and no other weight related health issues. But fatness is what you can see and our society is not kind to fat people.
Fat is the stigma I wear.
5 comments:
This is a really great post. I just wanted to give you props.
I have been thinking today about how fatness impacts my life, and it does seriously. It is so sad to me that fat people are often invisible and shamed.
Thank you.
e.
I am proud you are being active. Fit is important.
I think you know my opinion on dieting... It doesn't work. Besides the 5 pound loss from the UGH, stomach flu, I lose weight VERY slowly. I don't diet. I don't think it's healthy to rapidly lose weight. Last year, I lost 7 pounds in 12 months. The flu made me lose 5 in a week. I'm delighted they aren't here right now, but given the rapid nature, I'm guessing a few will come back.
7 pounds in a year is NOT a lot. It's been work. I have been slowly changing my eating habits and increasing my workouts. I have devised a very healthy set of eating habits (over the last 2 years) and now really don't crave much sugar. It sounds odd when I say it, but I don't. It couldn't have happened over night though. It takes a LOT of time to make changes to your diet. I'm glad I did though. To lose weight, I wouldn't start with calorie restricting diets..... I'd look at modifying the carbs (going to more whole grain slowly) and cutting sugar (slowly).
Maybe I should do a post on this?
I've missed you!
Great post Ruth. Honest.
Fat is a stigma I wear too.
I don't really have the same reasons as you, except the liking food ^_^
On the bright side I have lost about 7kg over the last year, mostly due to ultimate. I have noticed that you are heaps fitter. You ran hard in Tuesday's game. I was impressed. You had more puff than I did.
I saw some photos of myself earlier this week and just cringed. Hmmm..maybe I'll write up something for my blog.
But fatness is what you can see and our society is not kind to fat people.
This gets to me. Mostly becasue most of the judgement I carry about my fatness comes from me...
Gotta go to ultimate training.
Still thinking about thisone, and will probably also post something soon.
I was also really impressed by how much more puff you have when we were hanging out over Christmas.... you hardly ever get seem to out of breath now, even when I am (not that I am any sort of example)!
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