LIFE RANT!!! (Disclaimer: I'm normally a happy and Positive person)

[punk-a-doodle]

There are many reasons your body may be gaining weight right now. I definitely have some hormonal related issues, and constantly go up and down from 140 lbs. (healthy for me, though higher than the unreliable BMI states) to 165 in direct correlation with monthly cycles that thankfully are no longer monthly for me with Yaz being taken semi-continuously per my doctor. I'm still looking for a doctor who directly can address the many issues I have that seem to be hormonal including hot spots, TMJ, white hairs since the age of six, bad cystic chin acne until I finally found a program to control and suppress it (did not show up until a few years after high school though), lifelong insomnia and anxiety, and circulatory problems to the point they won't let me donate blood because they have such a hard time finding veins (I mention those in case you see anything similar). Some other common reasons are disrupted sleep patterns and eating certain things as it has definitely been shown again and again that all calories are not created equal. I also ran cross country, but never lost weight while doing so. It helped me maintain my weight, but the long, slower plods are what are bodies are great at doing. I hated track, but exercise like that burned more fat...or those awesomely ridiculous 80s workout videos.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but no, not everyone wants to be your track coach. Not everyone wants to be any one person. Nor is everywhere you look around going to have thinner women (or men!) than you. Unrealistic thoughts like that both point to and worsen self-esteem issues. It's great to want to be at a healthy weight to live a healthier life. It is damaging to compare yourself rather than know yourself, to believe everyone is concerned with looks even if thinking it semi-seriously to yourself, and to think your life would be better if you were someone else especially based on face value. That doesn't mean that the way we look can't have serious effects on our feeling of self, but rather, get away from comparisons in life in general and begin practicing seeing the value in all things and in differences. Things like people treating you differently depending on how you look is a more realistic concern. I do understand because, while a few males just start paying me more attention (which I don't like) when I am heavier because all my weight goes to my chest and butt, adult cystic acne was a nightmare to not have an ounce of control over. I was treated like a teenager, carded constantly in a state that never cards, and talked down to as if acne somehow affected my ability to think. It was hard to not compare myself to people with clear skin who didn't have to do a thing for it, but I finally learned how to shift my focus, brush off and challenge the rudeness or ignorance of others (Oh why yes, how silly of me sir. If I would only stop sleeping on a bed of pepperoni pizza every night, I wouldn't have acne...), and do much better when I do have an outbreak.

 

[rancher hicks]

Now I don't know what "sparkpeople" is, but if it's not working for you then you need to try something else.

See the thing is you might be concerned or not like yourself cuz your 35 pounds overweight. Me I couldn't care less. So don't think I'm out to get the fat people of the world. Lord have mercy I know I need to lose 40. I do have a membership to the Y, but I'm just can't get focused on losing weight. Not when I got chickens and church and whatever else I got going on. So I don't focus on what I eat and exercise.

It's not the amount of calories, it's what's in those calories I eat. I know sugar is a killer but I like my sugar cookies. I could eat watermelon till it comes out my nose though. I love watermelon. I hate salad and vegetables.

The folks like you post a pic of ? Losing weight and looking like that IS their life. It's what they do.

I know someone who was huge and she lost over 100 or more. But her focus is food and weight loss. She use to have a sewing shop and smock little girls dresses, but now it's all about weight loss and losing and keeping it off and exercise and eating right. She doesn't have time for any of the things she used to do.

So what to do? Try another program and try to find a counselor who can help. Might not even be a weigh loss counselor but a mental health counselor. Not that your crazy but Lord knows we all have issues. If it doesn't work don't waste time on it. Try something else til you find what works for YOU. If friends bring you down or are a hinderence. Dump them for friends who are an encouragement and help to achieve your goal. That includes family too. Don't hang with people who get in the way of what you hope to achieve. Fact is sometimes it's the people who should love and encourage us who don't. Friends are family we chose for ourselves.

You can do it , you just need to find what works for you.


I wish you success,

Rancher

 

[theoldchick]

Well, I don't know about anybody else but I think that trainer needs to work on her abs, tone her thighs, and get rid of her fluffy butt. So there. She's not perfect. Neither are you. Neither am I.

In this country losing weight is not easy. We are visually bombarded with food items. Told what is the perfect diet, told what is the perfect body, told what is the perfect life. Let me tell you those models aint so perfect. They got flaws the camera takes care of. Us females see those perfect bodies parade around, and we don't know the emotional trauma these gals (and guys) have to go through to keep those perfect bodies perfect. They are constantly starving. Constantly looking in the mirror for a gray hair, another wrinkle or some other minor defect that will cause a catastrophe in their skinny world. Wax jobs, liposuction, plastic surgeries. I'd rather spend all that body work on my 66 mustang.

My advice is to find a weight in which you feel good. Let me tell you those skinny people aint so healthy. They stand up too fast and faint. Been there. Done that. Nearly died. Now I maintain my 5 5 frame at 150 and go from there. No, I can't run a marathon but I can walk all day and kick up my heels when needed. I would love to get down to 135 but folks say I would look gaunt and they are probably right. I would love to have that taut look of today's bodies but I know that is not healthy for me.

I've learned long ago who you are is not how you look. People who are so obsessed with their body are not fun to be around. Terrified of calories, terrified they'll scratch their skin. Exercise all day long. Ehhh, that's not for me. My exercise is riding my horses, grooming them, toting bags of feed around. Cleaning the coop, shoveling poop. Washing and waxing the cars. Walking all over to take photographs.

Live your life to the fullest. You are who you are no matter what you weigh.

 

[cuntryuppiechick]

Most food has additives in it, fake sugars, soy derivatives, and preservatives. These are hard for the body to digest. Maybe a natural food, raw food combo might be better. I would also say that stress and sleep are major factors in overall health and the body's ability to repair. That is my layman's opinion. I'm not a nutritionist.

Here's my professional opinion. Women in America have major esteem issues because of marketing designed mostly by men who are selling products designed by men to profit men which are most likely manufactured by men, or Asian children. I no longer look at beauty mags, rarely watch tv or internet media. I ignore things that show traditional values. Evey person is different. In sports you are taught competition which is good. But you are not competing to be hottest. You are an individual. All people are beautiful. I have taken photos of 300 pound women and they are far sexier than most size 5 girls. Take care of your outward appearance, good nutrition, good sleep, good grooming. Good healthy glowing skin can make a person more attractive to the eye than chiseled abs. What I find attractive about your coach is that she appears to eat well and takes time to take care of herself and looks positive. It is the positivity in the image that pulls me in. Not the muscle definition. Take more care of your inward appearance, grow yourself into the person you would admire to be. You will be far more content than if you continue to fit the false beauty ideal. Also studies have shown that the great majority of beauty junk we do is actually unattractive to men. We are doing it to impress other women. Part of my lowest times of self esteem have been when I've been around others who are hung up on the beauty standard. Removing yourself from those people helps greatly. I have the same bust size as Cindy Crawford when she was at her peak of fame. If you put me in front of any random shopper at Walmart and they will tell you I'm too flat and look like a boy. It is just perception.

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
For some it's not about health. It's about feeling good about ourselves. If we feel good about ourselves, we're less stressed and stress kills. I have unfat friends, two of which had heart attacks this past year or so. One was even younger than me. So like I said it's not so much about health as about our self esteem.

If we feel good about ourselves we'll be healthier and look great. So folks don't look at the BIG picture, just focus on one pound at a time. IMFO (in my fat opinion)

Rancher

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Thanks guys I am feeling better today. I like the new coach and just met her so maybe she will have some insight and be able to help me better than the last coach. We'll have to wait and see.

I don't want my weight to rule my life or be a slave to it, that's why I say I just want to be a normal weight (for me). Oh and I forgot to mention she doesn't just LOOK good, she is a marathon runner.

It's just so frustrating when I can't even seem to lose 5 pounds. That's what I am working on 5 pounds at a time. BUT I have been for the last four years. Progress is VERY slow, almost non-existent. I just don't know what else to try... eat less?

Ok time to go for my morning run.

 

[RoeDylanda]

That's the spirit!

All I can add to the good advice above is that it may be time to throw out the bathroom scale. I had no scale in my home for about 10 years and just adjusted my intake based on whether my clothes fit well or not. For an inveterate cheapskate,

that worked really well. Unless you're a wrestler or a heart patient, there's no real need to know exactly what you weigh.

Good luck!

 

[CluckyJay]

Try adding more beans to your diet. Your body has to work hard to digest them. I added lots of beans to my diet and since doing that, with my normal gardening type exercise, I have lost 16 pounds!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
If ya'll can get a copy of Readers Digest February 2011 issue, Theres an article in it "Eat This, Lose Weight" It is amazing. and it works. All the best.

 

[Hennyhandler]

I totally understand. It is hard to lose weight. You are doing good just by sticking to it for FOUR years when you are dealing with the constant discouragement of not losing any weight this whole time.

I mean, I expect after a day of dieting for there to be results the next day and am angry when there isn't any. (Yes, I know. I know. Irrational to the extreme but it is the way I feel.)

Heather lynn: I give you kudos for putting in THREE hours of exercise!

If I may, HOW did you manage that? I like to run myself but that is really good.