According to the AMA, obesity is an epidemic in the U.S. Unfortunately, we are at a higher risk for serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. According to the CDC, an estimated one-third of American adults are clinically obese.
I mentioned in an earlier post that it’s hard to hear yourself described as “morbidly obese” (a body mass index of 30 or more). The BMI is a calculation that takes a person’s weight and height into account, but does not consider age, sex, ethnicity, and muscle mass; nor does it distinguish between excess fat, muscle, or bone mass. Regardless, BMI is the accepted indicator of excess weight. And there I am – in the “morbid” part of the chart. My doctor talks about other more accurate measures of body fat and body fat distribution – skinfold thickness, waist-to-hip comparisons, and screening tests such as ultrasound, computed tomography (there’s a mounthful), and MRI scans. But seriously, I only have to take a look in the mirror. My doctor orders tests to monitor obesity-related health risks as well. You know – cholesterol and glucose levels, liver function tests, thyroid tests … She also measures the fat around my waist. L
So what causes obesity … and how did I get here? The clinical answer: eating more calories than you burn in daily activity and exercise. For me, it was probably all about heating foods high in fats and calories (because that was easy) and having a sedentary lifestyle. Couple that with not sleeping enough, getting older, and of course, genetics. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is also a culprit, as well as osteoarthritis. So there you go. But I think it’s more complex than people give credit – a mix of genetics, environment, and psychology cause weight gain and make it difficult to lose weight. When I first started gaining weight, it was slowly incremental. I was active at home and work, but as the years wore on and I was on my own at the ranch, I definitely ate stupidly and as I gained, I did less. I was also pretty down about myself and about my marriage. I turned to food for emotional comfort. More weight, less activity … and we’re in the cycle.
Fast forward to today, and the achingly slow process of taking these pounds away. I am such a mix of “yay, I’m doing this” and “how am I ever going to do this?” I feel like an emotional yo-yo about weight loss. I feel highly motivated one moment and desperate to eat something stupid the next. I hope that’s normal, and just the way of it. When I read what I call the “happy blogs” (motivational people with no self-disclosures of issues), I don’t have a clue how their motivation meter is off the charts. I’m not that person. I feel challenged every day. They say when you eat healthy, the “new normal” of eating style takes over. Well, that definitely hasn’t happened yet. Will it?! I don’t know. But here I am … checking my menu for my afternoon snack. And on I go …