Sunday, June 27, 2004
Letter/blurb in the Hampton Roads Daily Press - Newport,VA,USA
Well put, Ms. Thurman.
Issues of obesity
All of my life I have been obese. Not merely overweight, but obese. I weighed more than 100 pounds by age 6, I weighed more than 200 by my early 30s, and I weigh 230 today at age 50. At one point in my life, I managed to weigh 113, only to quickly put on 50 pounds in a year.
I have listened to the obesity issue, and while I am happy that so much attention is being paid to it, I have become disgusted with the "just push away from the table and exercise" attitude. It isn't that simple. I have tried many diets. All of them have been sensible, all have included all of the food groups, and all have been ultimately unsuccessful. I have exercised, I have counted points, I have moved to beats, and I have avoided junk foods.
There are many dieters out there who have bodies that do not respond to dieting. I have seen physicians, and the upshot is that my metabolism shuts down when I try to lose weight.
I wish physicians would try to understand the mechanisms of fat-retentive bodies better. This "push away from the table" mentality takes the issue away from medicine and puts it into a type of "low character problem," just like the stigma attached to mental illnesses like depression.
Don't assume that obesity is due to an emotional problem only. Don't ridicule the obese person. Instead, support obesity research. Tell me, and others like me, why we can't lose when we want to so badly. Find a way to get us past plateaus in weight loss as we try to diet. Find a way to make us lose the weight that won't come off.
Patricia Thurman
Well put, Ms. Thurman.
Friday, June 18, 2004
No News, Just Reviews
In the past year, I have overcome a major eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, launched a new, successful business venture, bought a house and all while being obese. To boot, I came out to the world as a psychic.
I am proud of myself for all that I have survived, proud that I did this all without bowing to the pressures that weigh so heavily upon me. I wore those pressures like an itchy cloak that has recently been shed.
I am not in your eyes beautiful. In my eyes, I am amazing. For the first time in my life, I am happy with who I am and who I have made myself become.
Six years ago, I was a severely anorexic, lonely, isolated person with no interests or hobbies, money or direction. I have since married, forced myself to make friends, developed dozens of hobbies that I actively pursue and now have a career that I absolutely love. Hell, I have even made a name for myself as a needlework artist.
My success has been due to my hard work, determination and, very much, to my wonderful and supportive husband. There were a number of treatment resources whose full effect has yet to be completely understood.
The most pivotal point in my development, however, was the beginning of this blog.
In the past year, I have overcome a major eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, launched a new, successful business venture, bought a house and all while being obese. To boot, I came out to the world as a psychic.
I am proud of myself for all that I have survived, proud that I did this all without bowing to the pressures that weigh so heavily upon me. I wore those pressures like an itchy cloak that has recently been shed.
I am not in your eyes beautiful. In my eyes, I am amazing. For the first time in my life, I am happy with who I am and who I have made myself become.
Six years ago, I was a severely anorexic, lonely, isolated person with no interests or hobbies, money or direction. I have since married, forced myself to make friends, developed dozens of hobbies that I actively pursue and now have a career that I absolutely love. Hell, I have even made a name for myself as a needlework artist.
My success has been due to my hard work, determination and, very much, to my wonderful and supportive husband. There were a number of treatment resources whose full effect has yet to be completely understood.
The most pivotal point in my development, however, was the beginning of this blog.
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Fat Acceptance
An article in the Orlando Sentinel online (above linked) posted March 2, 2004, states:
The newspaper ad inviting fat people to learn about El Camino Hospital's new weight-loss surgery program held out the opportunity to be not just a thinner person, but a better one.
"It's not what you have to lose," the Mountain View, Calif., hospital ad said. "It's what you have to gain. Pride. Dignity. And Better Health."
I did not realize the degree to which the "Fat Acceptance" movement has grown. More surprising still is the strength of the resistance to bariatric surgery.
Against this trend stands a handful of organizations such as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination, and the International Society for Size Acceptance.
An article in the Orlando Sentinel online (above linked) posted March 2, 2004, states:
The newspaper ad inviting fat people to learn about El Camino Hospital's new weight-loss surgery program held out the opportunity to be not just a thinner person, but a better one.
"It's not what you have to lose," the Mountain View, Calif., hospital ad said. "It's what you have to gain. Pride. Dignity. And Better Health."
I did not realize the degree to which the "Fat Acceptance" movement has grown. More surprising still is the strength of the resistance to bariatric surgery.
Against this trend stands a handful of organizations such as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination, and the International Society for Size Acceptance.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
The Onion: New Nietzschean Diet Lets You Eat Whatever You Fear Most
Fat Is Dead, proclaims the ambitious title of the dense, aphoristic nutrition plan, which was written by Friedrich Nietzsche in the late 1880s and unearthed three years ago. After reaching bestseller lists in Europe, the book was translated into English by R.J. Hollingdale and published by Avon last month.
Fat Is Dead, proclaims the ambitious title of the dense, aphoristic nutrition plan, which was written by Friedrich Nietzsche in the late 1880s and unearthed three years ago. After reaching bestseller lists in Europe, the book was translated into English by R.J. Hollingdale and published by Avon last month.
Friday, February 06, 2004
Bear With Me...
I have been extremely busy lately with too many side projects, etc. but I have not forgotten about this blog! Updates soon!
I have been extremely busy lately with too many side projects, etc. but I have not forgotten about this blog! Updates soon!
Friday, January 23, 2004
The World Is Out To Get Us
The World Health Organization actually has an International Obesity Task Force. Apparently, the U.S. supports an executive resolution that asks the 192-nation World Health Assembly for approval of the WHO's Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.
According to Jonathan Fowler, Associated Press, "Some 300 million people worldwide are obese and 750 million more are overweight, including 22 million children under age 5, according to the International Obesity Task Force. Once largely a problem of industrialized nations, obesity now is hitting developing countries too."
The World Health Organization actually has an International Obesity Task Force. Apparently, the U.S. supports an executive resolution that asks the 192-nation World Health Assembly for approval of the WHO's Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.
According to Jonathan Fowler, Associated Press, "Some 300 million people worldwide are obese and 750 million more are overweight, including 22 million children under age 5, according to the International Obesity Task Force. Once largely a problem of industrialized nations, obesity now is hitting developing countries too."
Guest On A Talk Show
A couple of evenings ago, I happened to be flipping channels and lit on a well-known talk show, Conan O'Brien. The guest that was featured was morbidly obese. He kept making fun of himself. He said things such as, "I make my clothes look fat." Guffaws.
I truly do like to see people being comfortable with themselves. In this case, however, I thought that he was telling fat jokes just for laughs (or, maybe he was beating people to the punch). I don't know.
When we laugh at our bodies, we tell others that it is ok to do so.
A couple of evenings ago, I happened to be flipping channels and lit on a well-known talk show, Conan O'Brien. The guest that was featured was morbidly obese. He kept making fun of himself. He said things such as, "I make my clothes look fat." Guffaws.
I truly do like to see people being comfortable with themselves. In this case, however, I thought that he was telling fat jokes just for laughs (or, maybe he was beating people to the punch). I don't know.
When we laugh at our bodies, we tell others that it is ok to do so.
Thursday, January 22, 2004
The Onion's Commentary
This is great. I can always count on The Onion for some insightful commentary on the diet industry:
"14-Word Diet Stretched To 200 Pages
BOSTON—The Florida Keys diet, which can be adequately described in 14 words, has been padded into a 204-page book: Losing Weight The Florida Keys Way, available in bookstores Tuesday. "The diet is pretty much, 'Avoid saturated fats and simple carbohydrates, eat mostly fresh vegetables and seafood, and exercise," said author Dr. Harris Jegen. "Unfortunately, no one is going to shell out $24.95 for one sentence, so I've got some recipes and charts in there, a bunch of testimonials, and a 50-page Diet Diary." Jegen's previous books include The Florida Keys Diet and The Florida Keys Diet Made Easy."
This is great. I can always count on The Onion for some insightful commentary on the diet industry:
"14-Word Diet Stretched To 200 Pages
BOSTON—The Florida Keys diet, which can be adequately described in 14 words, has been padded into a 204-page book: Losing Weight The Florida Keys Way, available in bookstores Tuesday. "The diet is pretty much, 'Avoid saturated fats and simple carbohydrates, eat mostly fresh vegetables and seafood, and exercise," said author Dr. Harris Jegen. "Unfortunately, no one is going to shell out $24.95 for one sentence, so I've got some recipes and charts in there, a bunch of testimonials, and a 50-page Diet Diary." Jegen's previous books include The Florida Keys Diet and The Florida Keys Diet Made Easy."
