Log: Day 20
Here’s my truth: obese people have the right to be treated with dignity. Body shaming is inexcusable. And obese people should be supported in efforts to become healthier, inside and outside of weight loss. Without quesion. Today I’ve been thinking a lot about where to draw inspiration.
Everyone who is on a diet needs obvious and immediate returns for trimming the fat. I constantly read about fat and health and most seem to focus on medical conditions that can kill or disable. I know all of the medical scares – arterial plaque, cardiac arrest, pulmonary hypertension, stroke, cancers, diabetes. I’ve discussed the biomarkers with my doctor and what they indicate about my body. Glucose tolerance, triglycerides, cholesterol, kidney function, blood pressure … all measures of my health.
I also know that health is a direct function of my weight. I know that the years of carrying this much extra weight have harmed my body. I stumbled onto a website about the “health at any size” movement, suggesting that obesity is harmless. That it’s not bad for you – that having excess body fat is of no consequence if you exercise and eat healthy. Just about every research study would say otherwise.
I guess the hopeful feelings that “someday I’ll look great” inspire me, but it’s hard to sustain those feelings when I’m looking at long-term weight loss and then maintenance. Just a glance in the mirror reminds me how far I have to go.
So what are some good reasons for losing weight? I’ve been spending WAY too much time online lately, reading a lot about current, evidence-based, weight loss trends, quality-of-life studies and the reasons people are successful in the long-term. So here they are:
Reason #1: Osteoarthritis. When you’re healthy you don’t think much about osteoarthritis because it’s common. It’s likely you’ll experience some as you age. Everyone’s grandma has some kind of arthritis. So it seems normal. But it can be debilitating, and it’s a vicious cycle. I already have arthritis in some fingers and in my back. The problem is your joints hurt, so you move less. Moving less means your joints stiffen and the condition worsens. More osteoarthritis means more pain. My point? Obesity makes osteoarthritis more likely. I read one study that said the chance of getting osteoarthritis was 12 times more likely in heavy people. Declaration: I’m going to lose weight to reduce joint pain and improve my movement. These are things I can benefit from almost immediately.
Reason #2: Sleep. I’ve mentioned before that I struggle with sleep. I have gone through many sleep troubles in my life, from extreme insomnia to sleep apnea. Just so you know, sleep apnea is more than a little snoring. You stop breathing, over and over, while you sleep. Clearly, this is a bad thing. More body fat means more sleep apnea. Statistics say at my body weight, I am 250% more likely to have severe sleep apnea than a person at a normal weight. Since sleep is a major regulator of our metabolism, if my sleep is bad, so is my metabolic health. It means I’m at a higher risk for all kinds of chronic diseases later in life. Declaration: I’m going to lose weight so I can sleep better. I hope this means I will feel, think and live better, right away.
Reason #3: Tasting my Food. I know this sounds weird, but apparently people who struggle with their weight don’t really taste their food very well. You’re saying … what? People who eat more food can’t taste it? Yep, although I’m not sure of the reasons, either excess body fat changes your tastes, or your tastes change your appetite and cause weight gain. People do vary in how they respond to different flavors and textures, but I read that people with high BMIs seem to avoid bitter foods more, and have a stronger “disgust” response (think of kale). There does seem to be a relationship between excess body fat and our wants and likes related to food flavor. Declaration: My taste perceptions may be leading me to eat more of the wrong foods. By losing weight, I hope to crave less high-fat or high-sugar foods.
Reason #4: Fear of Surgery. I avoid any conversation of surgical options because I don’t do surgery easily. I have issues with anesthesia, both going under and coming out. It’s really hard for me to lie on my back or move in a hospital bed. Even my cataract surgery (which I had to do in the hospital because of my weight) was difficult for those exact reasons. But when I think about any emergency that might arise (I’m back to worrying) I know that people with a lot of body fat are at greater risk in a number of ways – hard to intubate, higher risk of incisions problems, longer operation times, higher risk of site infection, and higher rate of serious post-operative complications. Surgery is risky for people who are obese. Declaration: Having a healthy range of body fat makes a safe surgery and recovery much more likely for me. And I may be able to consider a surgical option for my back.
Reason #5: Take away the Pain. Pain management is challenging at any weight. But with obesity, the challenge is greater because there is more body mass to absorb medication. Keeping things balanced as far as my daily meds – thyroid, blood pressure, and pain – is made more difficult by my weight. I must admit, I do self-prescribe (much like my Dad). I am very attuned to how I feel and I can gage my blood pressure and glucose changes pretty well. My doctor doesn’t love me for it, but I do make minor adjustments to my meds to keep myself balanced. Declaration: Less weight will mean less pain, or at the very least an easier management of and less reliance on pain medication.
Summary: I’ve devoted more than one blog to motivation. It’s obviously a constant in the path to weight loss. In the end, there are so many incentives — frightening disease statistics, need for fitness, vanity — and they can all help. Today I pondered “quality of life” reasons for weight loss. But honestly, being able to grab onto motivations from a variety of sources, putting them in print, really thinking about what I’m doing, maybe that’s my need. Reminding myself just how important this journey is for the rest of my life!