I apologize for not blogging in a while. I just didn't feel like I had much to say. I have been focusing on work and getting back to one of my loves, creating mosaics out of magazine clippings. I feel that I have had a breakthrough in my art and I want to spend every waking moment on it. I have neglected this part of me for a very long time due to my previous job of constantly travelling, and so I am happy to reconnect with my creative self.
There are many ways to connect to ourselves. When talking about health, women like me often find it hard to focus on self love and acceptance. I need to constantly remind myself that it doesn't matter if I am not ready to move toward body positivity and love, it only matters that I move away from self-hate and criticism.
I am many months into my journey now and this month and last I feel like I haven't made many strides can be seen on a scale, measuring tape, or my clothes. It starts to weigh down on me the same way neglecting a diet has done in the past. I need to remind myself of my journey and how it will never end no matter if I have a few down months or weeks.
This week I am trying not to focus on how I can better myself through health. Thankfully I am okay saying this because I know that I have created really great habits that I am sticking too. I eat most meals at home, eat natural foods, drink lots of water, and completely stay away from cheese and milk. Yes, I still constantly struggle with moving my body, but that is going to take years, not months to make a habit for me.
So I am putting my focus into other aspects of my life. When I focus on my creative self, like I have done recently, I have a whole new out look on who I am. I never wanted to create mosaic portraits because I was afraid of my ability, but something called to me recently to just try it and I did and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. With every new portrait I do, I find myself feeling proud and happy and impressed with myself. While that could sound a little self indulgent, as a person who admittedly has low self-esteem, it's just so freeing to fall in love with a part of myself again. I find myself saying, "If I can be good at this part of my life, maybe I can be good at other parts of my life."
In about an hour, I am headed off to a spa to focus on myself in yet another way. My best friend bought me a gift certificate (I'm sad to say a long time ago and I am just now getting around to it) to a local spa and I am using it to get a hot oil scalp massage, a neck, back and shoulder massage, and a pedicure. If I can't quite make my body feel good right now through exercise, then I will make my body feel good through relaxation and pampering. I will focus on feeling good about myself in another way.
If I can feel good about parts of me, then I can eventually feel good about most or all of me. What can you do to feel good about yourself? Is there a part of you that you are neglecting that you are proud of that could pull you out of self-hate and criticism? Sometimes we need to refocus our energy on other things for a while to bring clarity back to the parts of our lives where we struggle most.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
"Acceptable Prejudice?" Chapters 6-8
Of these three chapters, I found that chapter 8 had the most interesting points of discussion. But first, I want to touch on a point that was discussed in chapters 6 & 7. When reading this book, I put myself and my experiences to the forefront of my mind. How is what the author is talking about related to me? Did I experience the same thing these other people are talking about? Is what they are saying true if I didn't have that same experience? Obviously, this book isn't just about me. It is about all fat people and the experiences they have. This line of thought came from the these three summations:
"Puhl and Brownell found in 2001 that fewer “obese” employees are hired into high-level positions and fewer “obese” individuals are promoted. College students have ranked “obese” individuals as “having less leadership potential, as less likely to be successful, and as less likely to be employed than normal-weight candidates”
"Healthism can be particularly harmful, producing a nasty cycle—a fat individual gets a lower paying job because of their fat, which leads to poorer healthcare, which may lead to health issues, which can increase fatness."
"Fat people have a triple whammy—feeling low status, being low…and then because of the anti-fat bigotry, having lower income and less prestigious job opportunities."
This has not been the case for me. I have been successful in college and work regardless of my weight. Perhaps this is because I came from a middle class family and was told I could be whatever I wanted to be and I believed it. This allowed me some confidence that helped me and my employers look past my body and helped my skill set and resume to be the true determining factor in my employment.
Question 1: What are your thoughts about lower income people being heavier and how this effects their ability to move up a job ladder?
Chapter 8 then goes into "Negative Messages at Home" and how parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. can mold a child's mind. Most stories that are told in this section are disheartening, but not uncommon. While my mother did take me to my first 'diet' clinic when I was in elementary school, I never felt at home that I was less than. Everyday she told me how beautiful I was and weight wasn't a common topic of conversation at the dinner table. I felt loved and accepted and that again is probably a main reason I have the confidence that I have.
I was, however, told I was less than by other outside influences. My grandfather often had bets ready for me, "If you lose X amount by X date, I will give you $1000 to go on a shopping spree!" An uncle recently told me, "The whole family hates to see you like this. Why do you hate yourself so much?" And of course, there were the other kids at school. In first grade, my older sister punched a boy for calling me names. In sixth grade, I was pushed to the ground (and landed flat on my face) by an eighth grade bully who felt I needed to be put into my place. He didn't even talk to me or know who I was. He just pushed me down and laughed. Why? Because I was inferior and my body made me open for ridicule.
The other day at the outdoor pool, I overheard a mother talking to another mother about her 7-8 year old daughter. Both mothers were thin and probably haven't had to deal much with their weight over the years. The first mother said, "I don't understand why she keeps saying she is hungry! We had a snack and then lunch and then ice cream and she still wants more!" To which the other mother replied, "Oh yeah, you have to be careful. This is when she could get a weight problem. Maybe she has a thyroid problem." Honestly, I wanted to scream. I saw the girl in question and she was a healthy looking thin girl. Not an ounce of fat on her. She was obviously hungry all the time because she was going through a growth spurt. Hearing her mother talk like that must make her self conscious. At such a young age, she is learning that 'fat' is bad and that she must control her intake even if her body is telling her otherwise.
Question 2: Are people seen as bad parents if they have overweight children? What is the best way to help young children learn about positive body image? How do we discuss the outer influences?
Finally, Chapter 8 discussed the media and its influences. I just want to touch on one particular topic that bothers me and then I will wrap this up. Weight loss reality shows. First of all, 'fix it' shows used to be about houses. How to fix your house up to make it better. At some point, someone got the great idea to turn the 'fix it' show onto fat people. Because as we all know, fat people need to be fixed. Only about 1% of fat people are able to take all of the weight off and keep it off. I feel like these shows are unhealthy for the general population because they perpetuate the notion that weight can 'easily' be removed and so everyone should be able to do it. Thus, fat people are just not trying hard enough. Of the people who do lose weight on these shows, a large percentage of them gain it all back...but they don't show that. We get to see them happy on a scale, crying, getting money...living happily ever after. These shows are as damaging to young children the same way that uber-thin, rich models/actors on the cover of magazines are damaging their perceptions of reality.
Question 3: What are your thoughts about weight loss reality shows? Inspiring or damaging?
And I will stop it there. I'd love to hear your comments. Thank you, Becky Bee, for your comments on the last post. I thought you brought up some interesting points that kept me thinking. For the next post, I will focus on Chapters 9-11.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Reboot Day 2
I did not want to get out of bed this morning for aquatics. And I almost didn't. When I mentioned not going to Joe he said, "But you love it and it's awesome." To which I replied, "I love this bed...it's awesome." A minute later I dragged my butt out of bed and got ready for class.
I'd love to tell you it was so worth it and the class was amazing, but in reality the class was way crowded! 14 people showed up today (normally there are 3-5 people). Exercising in that kind of traffic isn't great, but I got a good work out in. When it was over, I was happy I went and got my 45 minute exercise out of the way for the day.
At home, I had my cucumber juice and it went down much easier today. I had my bowl of strawberries and grapes on hand in case the taste got to me. I like the taste of cucumbers and I like the smell, but like I said yesterday, my mind hasn't quite gotten behind the idea of drinking the cucumber. So I took it slow and before I knew it, the juice was gone.
I then made a big lunch for Joe and I because he is working the evening shift today, so I like to make my 'dinner' for 'lunch' and then have 'lunch' for 'dinner' because I will be eating that alone. It's nice to have dinner in the afternoon. It probably even makes sense digestive-ly so I don't have a big meal to digest right before bed. This way, I have half a day to digest and will have a small sandwich and salad for my evening meal.
Now, I haven't done my lower body strength yet, but I need to get some work done right now and plan to take a break to do my LBS while I work. I still feel more tired today and have less energy than I did yesterday, but Day Two is on track. Come on day three...I'm ready.
I'd love to tell you it was so worth it and the class was amazing, but in reality the class was way crowded! 14 people showed up today (normally there are 3-5 people). Exercising in that kind of traffic isn't great, but I got a good work out in. When it was over, I was happy I went and got my 45 minute exercise out of the way for the day.
At home, I had my cucumber juice and it went down much easier today. I had my bowl of strawberries and grapes on hand in case the taste got to me. I like the taste of cucumbers and I like the smell, but like I said yesterday, my mind hasn't quite gotten behind the idea of drinking the cucumber. So I took it slow and before I knew it, the juice was gone.
I then made a big lunch for Joe and I because he is working the evening shift today, so I like to make my 'dinner' for 'lunch' and then have 'lunch' for 'dinner' because I will be eating that alone. It's nice to have dinner in the afternoon. It probably even makes sense digestive-ly so I don't have a big meal to digest right before bed. This way, I have half a day to digest and will have a small sandwich and salad for my evening meal.
Now, I haven't done my lower body strength yet, but I need to get some work done right now and plan to take a break to do my LBS while I work. I still feel more tired today and have less energy than I did yesterday, but Day Two is on track. Come on day three...I'm ready.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Reboot Day 1
Ah...I do feel better today. Sometimes I just need to put my frustrations out there in writing and let my mind stew for a bit. I woke up this morning with some new found energy and excitement, ready to follow my new plan. I actually slept pretty terribly last night, so I was happy to wake up in a good mood, ready to go.
The plan I created yesterday breaks each day down into the following: Breakfast, Morning Workout, Juice, Strength Training, Lunch, Work, and Dinner. All meals and activities are planned out. This morning, Joe and I made it to Red Rocks and parked closer to the Dreaded Ramp than usual. I began my trek up the ramp and got to the base of the Amphitheater in three strides. I believe I had to do it in 4 strides last time. Then I did my zig zag walk up to the top and did 100 wall push ups as I went. It took me 29 minutes to get to the top from the car and then 5 minutes to get down. I felt great!
On the way home, Joe and I stopped at the grocery store and bought groceries for the first half of the week. Once home, I made lunch (which included a nice big salad) and after some digestion, I did my upper body strength. My arms still feel pumped (I actually understand this term these days...my arms actually feel like someone blew up my muscles when I finish my workout!)
Finally, it was time to juice. So, you all remember my attempt at a green juice when I first got the juicer, right? Well, I honestly haven't tried again with green juice since then. I have been sticking to my Pineapple/Orange/Lime juice, which is amazing, but full of (natural) sugar. So I thought I would use this reboot to try the green juice again. In one of my many awesome books I've been reading, the author suggested starting out with a cucumber juice to get your taste buds used to green juice. So I bought 4 cucumbers today to try my hand at cucumber juice for the next four days.
Juicing the one cucumber was easy and it came to a little less than 10 ounces. My first sip was large and in charge. Down the hatch...not too bad, but not great. My second sip wasn't so successful. My mind got the better of me and I gagged and had to spit the sip out. (Thank goodness I was home alone!) It wasn't pleasant. So I drank some water and calmed myself down. I then drank the rest of the glass much slower, trying to enjoy the refreshing taste. In the end, it wasn't THAT bad. I do think I can get used to it in 3 days time. So bam, I drank almost a whole cucumber. :0)
Aside from all that, I feel like my body is in repair mode today. I have had a number of trips to the restroom (after each activity and after each meal) and I think my body is just on board with me. It says, "Oh, we are rebooting today? Awesome. I'm on it. I'll get this crap out of here." (Pun intended.)
Now time to work and I will make a dinner of Summer Vegetables, Chicken Sausage, and Potatoes tonight. Yum.
The plan I created yesterday breaks each day down into the following: Breakfast, Morning Workout, Juice, Strength Training, Lunch, Work, and Dinner. All meals and activities are planned out. This morning, Joe and I made it to Red Rocks and parked closer to the Dreaded Ramp than usual. I began my trek up the ramp and got to the base of the Amphitheater in three strides. I believe I had to do it in 4 strides last time. Then I did my zig zag walk up to the top and did 100 wall push ups as I went. It took me 29 minutes to get to the top from the car and then 5 minutes to get down. I felt great!
On the way home, Joe and I stopped at the grocery store and bought groceries for the first half of the week. Once home, I made lunch (which included a nice big salad) and after some digestion, I did my upper body strength. My arms still feel pumped (I actually understand this term these days...my arms actually feel like someone blew up my muscles when I finish my workout!)
Finally, it was time to juice. So, you all remember my attempt at a green juice when I first got the juicer, right? Well, I honestly haven't tried again with green juice since then. I have been sticking to my Pineapple/Orange/Lime juice, which is amazing, but full of (natural) sugar. So I thought I would use this reboot to try the green juice again. In one of my many awesome books I've been reading, the author suggested starting out with a cucumber juice to get your taste buds used to green juice. So I bought 4 cucumbers today to try my hand at cucumber juice for the next four days.
Juicing the one cucumber was easy and it came to a little less than 10 ounces. My first sip was large and in charge. Down the hatch...not too bad, but not great. My second sip wasn't so successful. My mind got the better of me and I gagged and had to spit the sip out. (Thank goodness I was home alone!) It wasn't pleasant. So I drank some water and calmed myself down. I then drank the rest of the glass much slower, trying to enjoy the refreshing taste. In the end, it wasn't THAT bad. I do think I can get used to it in 3 days time. So bam, I drank almost a whole cucumber. :0)
Aside from all that, I feel like my body is in repair mode today. I have had a number of trips to the restroom (after each activity and after each meal) and I think my body is just on board with me. It says, "Oh, we are rebooting today? Awesome. I'm on it. I'll get this crap out of here." (Pun intended.)
Now time to work and I will make a dinner of Summer Vegetables, Chicken Sausage, and Potatoes tonight. Yum.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Rebooting
One aspect of the 'diet' lifestyle that I feel has weaseled its way into my fabulous new 'no diet' lifestyle is Rebooting. This is when I have veered off track and I find myself quite content to continue walking in the wrong direction until my guilt gets the better of me and I need to restart my battery to get going back into the right direction. The problem that often comes with the acknowledgement that I need reboot is that since I haven't been following my path properly, I feel completely drained of energy and I would rather sit down on my path than to turn around.
My work load has increased in the last few weeks, which is awesome because I work on a contract basis, so if I am not working, I am not making any money. I had about three months with no work and utilized that time to really focus on myself and my new lifestyle. It was a great blessing. Now, I am trying to learn how to be self motivated and focused on my health as well as work. Couple working with a weekend of volunteering at the Colorado Irish Fest (where I was on my feet each day) and I just feel tired.
While I have still been pretty good at cooking meals at home and staying away from dairy, my strength training, aquatics, hiking, steps at Red Rocks, juicing, vegetable and fruit intakes have gone by the wayside. I know I can fit in aquatics or a hike in the morning, but that means I have to get my butt out of bed before 8AM. When you work from home and don't have that urgency, it's easy to shrug your shoulders and roll over and go back to bed. Why? Because I am out of energy! If I were to pick up each of those items listed above, I know my energy would return. But it's that initial reboot day or two that are the hardest. They are the days my mind can very quickly convince myself to not do what I know is best because 'I'm tired'. It's a vicious cycle.
I am a planner. I love To Do lists and file folders and highlighters and post it notes...so I think today I will plan my week. Not just my meal plan, but my activity plan as well. My first reboot on this journey was my month at Green Mountain. Every meal and day was completely planned out for me and because I paid good money to be there, I followed that plan without complaint. I feel that if I plan out my week (adding each item in a day at a time to not be overloaded) and stick to it, it will reboot my energy and I will be jumping out of bed again to make my juice and attend aquatics. I think I will watch one of my favorite documentaries ("Hungry for Change" or "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead") while I make my plan. I hope for my eyes to be opened again by the end of this day and for my fog to be lifted. I want to be a healthy person. I want to experience life beyond my couch and apartment. I want to be full of energy and life. I can do this....again and again and again. If my reboot plan is successful this week, it will be so wonderful to have that plan in place for the next time I need rebooting. Because let's be honest, I will need it again.
My work load has increased in the last few weeks, which is awesome because I work on a contract basis, so if I am not working, I am not making any money. I had about three months with no work and utilized that time to really focus on myself and my new lifestyle. It was a great blessing. Now, I am trying to learn how to be self motivated and focused on my health as well as work. Couple working with a weekend of volunteering at the Colorado Irish Fest (where I was on my feet each day) and I just feel tired.
While I have still been pretty good at cooking meals at home and staying away from dairy, my strength training, aquatics, hiking, steps at Red Rocks, juicing, vegetable and fruit intakes have gone by the wayside. I know I can fit in aquatics or a hike in the morning, but that means I have to get my butt out of bed before 8AM. When you work from home and don't have that urgency, it's easy to shrug your shoulders and roll over and go back to bed. Why? Because I am out of energy! If I were to pick up each of those items listed above, I know my energy would return. But it's that initial reboot day or two that are the hardest. They are the days my mind can very quickly convince myself to not do what I know is best because 'I'm tired'. It's a vicious cycle.
I am a planner. I love To Do lists and file folders and highlighters and post it notes...so I think today I will plan my week. Not just my meal plan, but my activity plan as well. My first reboot on this journey was my month at Green Mountain. Every meal and day was completely planned out for me and because I paid good money to be there, I followed that plan without complaint. I feel that if I plan out my week (adding each item in a day at a time to not be overloaded) and stick to it, it will reboot my energy and I will be jumping out of bed again to make my juice and attend aquatics. I think I will watch one of my favorite documentaries ("Hungry for Change" or "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead") while I make my plan. I hope for my eyes to be opened again by the end of this day and for my fog to be lifted. I want to be a healthy person. I want to experience life beyond my couch and apartment. I want to be full of energy and life. I can do this....again and again and again. If my reboot plan is successful this week, it will be so wonderful to have that plan in place for the next time I need rebooting. Because let's be honest, I will need it again.
Monday, July 8, 2013
"Acceptable Prejudice?" Chapters 1-5
I have begun reading, "Acceptable Prejudice? Fat, Rhetoric, and Social Justice" by Lonie McMichael, PHD. It is still available for free on Kindle for one more day if you are interested in downloading it and joining in the discussion.
I think what I will do is break the book up into chapters and as I reach the end of the chapter, I will blog about parts that stuck out to me and pose questions to everyone to see if we can start a dialogue. This topic of weight bias or prejudice is quite interesting to me for many reasons. The main being that it is something I have lived with my whole life. It's the idea that I am inferior to others because of my size. From my first mainstream diet in fifth grade, I have been quite aware of my 'problem' and have fantasized about what my life will be like when I am 'normal'. Thus causing a massive diet mentality that I am trying to now overcome.
So let's dive in. Chapters 1 & 2 are a bit of a pain. They are written like a textbook, as my friend Becky said, and are really...not necessary to the overall conversation of the book. So feel free to skip or skim to get to "Chapter 3: Fat, Fat Acceptance, Fat Pride, & Fat Liberation".
First thing's first....the word 'fat' is freely used throughout this book and I found myself cringing a lot at first and it occurred to me that this word alone is part of the prejudice this book is about. As a young child, being called fat was an insult that left me feeling terrible. As a adult, I've adopted the word 'overweight' to describe myself or others because I felt it was a softer word to land on. But is it really? The word 'overweight' implies that the person is 'over the normal'. So right there, I am perpetuating the prejudice, am I not? As I read further in the book, I get more comfortable with the word 'fat'.
Question 1: What are your thoughts on the words 'fat' and 'overweight'?
Chapter 3 discusses the fat acceptance movements that began years ago. Individuals trying to rally others to be aware of fat prejudices and to begin accepting every size. One person states, "The word “acceptance” makes me feel like I have to compromise my value, because as a fat person I am devalued. And I want no part of that."
Question 2: Isn't the overcoming of prejudice a form of acceptance? Can the two be separated?
Chapter 4 is simply an overview of the project that this book is about, so fast forward to "Chapter 5: The Myth of Justified Oppression". Here is where the book starts to get interesting. This chapter begins by laying out two myths: "Fat is unhealthy in and of itself, and anyone can be thin permanently if they eat right and exercise." These concepts aren't new to me as I read about them in Linda Bacon's "Health at Every Size", which is discussed later in this chapter and later in the book. We also discussed the first myth at Green Mountain.
I feel strongly about the first myth, fat is unhealthy in and of itself, because I am a generally healthy person in regards to sicknesses. Ever since I was a child, I have rarely visited doctors for illnesses aside from the occasional cold or sinus infection. I do not have diabetes or high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Every now and then I will sprain my ankle, but other than that my joints are healthy. I can move with ease and the only thing holding me back from running a 5k is my shortness of breath due to carrying around the extra weight. But that doesn't stop me from walking a 5k.
The three main diseases associated with being fat, I think, are the three I listed above, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. But actually, those three things have nothing to do with your body shape. How many people do you know who suffer from those who are not overweight? Two have to do with what foods you put in your mouth and one has to do with your daily stress (one stress could be your weight, of course). It's true that some people who are fat eat poorly (lots of sugar or foods high in cholesterol) so those cause them to get the diseases, not the fat itself. The fat is another symptom of those foods. In reality, it may be the first symptom/warning that your body gives you to cut out that particular behavior. I know that in the time in my life when I was dancing around high blood pressure, I first noticed my middle grow in size. My body was telling me to cut out the stress before something worse came along.
Question 3: This chapter also delves into research that shows people who are fat have a better chance of surviving illnesses. Have you experienced or witnessed this in action?
Finally, the myth that fat is changeable. For someone who is deep in diet mentality, this is the hardest to grasp. Again, a topic that was highly discussed in HAES and one that I have touched on before. I think these sentences really nail it on the head, "The underlying reason for justifying this prejudice lies in the belief that fat is permanently changeable. We have not, however, found a method that keeps weight off for the majority of individuals." It's true. If it could be done, we wouldn't be having this conversation. This chapter also states, "I have found that our society refuses to see a pretty solid truth: fat is seldom permanently eradicated. Our bodies are made to hold onto weight, not to let weight go. Some people believe there is a magic way to lose weight, and we have just not yet found the right combination of foods and exercises. Evidence suggests otherwise."
Question 4: If you are someone who 'struggles' and is deep in diet mentality, how does this statement make you feel?
Okay, I think that is a long enough post. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these questions as they are ones I struggle with and hope to find more clarity. The next discussion on "Acceptable Prejudice?" will focus on Chapters 6-8. I hope you can join in with your thoughts! The book is available for free until July 9th on Kindle.
McMichael Ph.D., Lonie (2013-06-25). Acceptable Prejudice? Fat, Rhetoric and Social Justice (Kindle Locations 260-262). Pearlsong Press. Kindle Edition.
I think what I will do is break the book up into chapters and as I reach the end of the chapter, I will blog about parts that stuck out to me and pose questions to everyone to see if we can start a dialogue. This topic of weight bias or prejudice is quite interesting to me for many reasons. The main being that it is something I have lived with my whole life. It's the idea that I am inferior to others because of my size. From my first mainstream diet in fifth grade, I have been quite aware of my 'problem' and have fantasized about what my life will be like when I am 'normal'. Thus causing a massive diet mentality that I am trying to now overcome.
So let's dive in. Chapters 1 & 2 are a bit of a pain. They are written like a textbook, as my friend Becky said, and are really...not necessary to the overall conversation of the book. So feel free to skip or skim to get to "Chapter 3: Fat, Fat Acceptance, Fat Pride, & Fat Liberation".
First thing's first....the word 'fat' is freely used throughout this book and I found myself cringing a lot at first and it occurred to me that this word alone is part of the prejudice this book is about. As a young child, being called fat was an insult that left me feeling terrible. As a adult, I've adopted the word 'overweight' to describe myself or others because I felt it was a softer word to land on. But is it really? The word 'overweight' implies that the person is 'over the normal'. So right there, I am perpetuating the prejudice, am I not? As I read further in the book, I get more comfortable with the word 'fat'.
Question 1: What are your thoughts on the words 'fat' and 'overweight'?
Chapter 3 discusses the fat acceptance movements that began years ago. Individuals trying to rally others to be aware of fat prejudices and to begin accepting every size. One person states, "The word “acceptance” makes me feel like I have to compromise my value, because as a fat person I am devalued. And I want no part of that."
Question 2: Isn't the overcoming of prejudice a form of acceptance? Can the two be separated?
Chapter 4 is simply an overview of the project that this book is about, so fast forward to "Chapter 5: The Myth of Justified Oppression". Here is where the book starts to get interesting. This chapter begins by laying out two myths: "Fat is unhealthy in and of itself, and anyone can be thin permanently if they eat right and exercise." These concepts aren't new to me as I read about them in Linda Bacon's "Health at Every Size", which is discussed later in this chapter and later in the book. We also discussed the first myth at Green Mountain.
I feel strongly about the first myth, fat is unhealthy in and of itself, because I am a generally healthy person in regards to sicknesses. Ever since I was a child, I have rarely visited doctors for illnesses aside from the occasional cold or sinus infection. I do not have diabetes or high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Every now and then I will sprain my ankle, but other than that my joints are healthy. I can move with ease and the only thing holding me back from running a 5k is my shortness of breath due to carrying around the extra weight. But that doesn't stop me from walking a 5k.
The three main diseases associated with being fat, I think, are the three I listed above, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. But actually, those three things have nothing to do with your body shape. How many people do you know who suffer from those who are not overweight? Two have to do with what foods you put in your mouth and one has to do with your daily stress (one stress could be your weight, of course). It's true that some people who are fat eat poorly (lots of sugar or foods high in cholesterol) so those cause them to get the diseases, not the fat itself. The fat is another symptom of those foods. In reality, it may be the first symptom/warning that your body gives you to cut out that particular behavior. I know that in the time in my life when I was dancing around high blood pressure, I first noticed my middle grow in size. My body was telling me to cut out the stress before something worse came along.
Question 3: This chapter also delves into research that shows people who are fat have a better chance of surviving illnesses. Have you experienced or witnessed this in action?
Finally, the myth that fat is changeable. For someone who is deep in diet mentality, this is the hardest to grasp. Again, a topic that was highly discussed in HAES and one that I have touched on before. I think these sentences really nail it on the head, "The underlying reason for justifying this prejudice lies in the belief that fat is permanently changeable. We have not, however, found a method that keeps weight off for the majority of individuals." It's true. If it could be done, we wouldn't be having this conversation. This chapter also states, "I have found that our society refuses to see a pretty solid truth: fat is seldom permanently eradicated. Our bodies are made to hold onto weight, not to let weight go. Some people believe there is a magic way to lose weight, and we have just not yet found the right combination of foods and exercises. Evidence suggests otherwise."
Question 4: If you are someone who 'struggles' and is deep in diet mentality, how does this statement make you feel?
Okay, I think that is a long enough post. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these questions as they are ones I struggle with and hope to find more clarity. The next discussion on "Acceptable Prejudice?" will focus on Chapters 6-8. I hope you can join in with your thoughts! The book is available for free until July 9th on Kindle.
McMichael Ph.D., Lonie (2013-06-25). Acceptable Prejudice? Fat, Rhetoric and Social Justice (Kindle Locations 260-262). Pearlsong Press. Kindle Edition.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Active Sunday
Well, I did it! I woke up this morning and got my lower body strength training out of the way. And then I began my walk to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. I was feeling pretty good and was happy to have more energy than the last few days.
I made it the 1.5 miles in a little under 30 minutes. The fair is pretty huge. It spans six blocks and the two streets boarding those streets. Each inch covered with artist's booths. I am happy to say that I saw every booth, sat for about 30min to have lunch and then trekked home. I was on my feet for probably 3.25 hours and let me tell you, I am beat!
I excited that I have bought a new piece to add to my collection. Here is a pic:
Also, I was happy to run into an artist that I had bought a piece from in Houston! She said that she remembered me and Joe and the piece we bought, titled "Travelled Thousands of Miles". Here is a pic of that piece:
She said she remembered us because it was her first piece she had done with the traveling theme and she said that ever since she thought of our travels with Tut whenever she created with that theme. Pretty cool!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Free Book About Weight Bias
Green Mountain has alerted me to a book about weight bias that is free on Kindle until July 9th. If you're interested, download it, read it, and let's discuss! If you don't have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle Ap for free on your smart phone, tablet, or computer desktop. Here is a blurb about it:
AMA declaration of "obesity" as disease prompts early publication & giveaway of Acceptable Prejudice? Kindle ebook
The American Medical Association's recent decision to label "obesity" a disease against the recommendations of its own scientific advisory council has prompted Pearlsong Pressto release the Kindle ebook ofLonie McMichael, Ph.D.'sAcceptable Prejudice? Fat, Rhetoric & Social Justice a month early -- and give the Kindle ebook away for free for five days starting July 4.
Lazy Holiday Weekend
Ahh...how nice it is to have this whole holiday weekend off from work. What a great time to get in some extra exercise and strength training, right? Well...I can't say that I have been jumping out of bed in the morning to better myself. I feel myself pulled into my slothful habits that I generally find myself in once a month. I am eating at home and cooking healthy meals, but I don't feel like moving much. My mind bounces back and forth between various different activities I can do to get myself moving, but a three part documentary on Prohibition just sounds like more fun than going for a walk in the 90 degree heat.
I don't enjoy writing about my weaknesses, but I feel that I must in order to get myself moving again. I know that the best way to make that happen is to do activities that are fun and not 'work', but even aquatics and Red Rocks don't seem appealing these last couple of days. I am excited for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival that is happening this weekend and have decided to go tomorrow when it will hopefully not be too crowded. I am even thinking about walking there to avoid parking. I would walk 1.5 miles there, walk throughout the whole fair, and then 1.5 miles back. Is that too ambitious? Maybe I should cap off my lazy weekend with a slow moving 5k + art browsing.
So what, do you ask, will I do today? Especially since I am making a big deal about it in my blog? Well...I still have an hour and ten minutes left in this Prohibition documentary, so I am going to drag out my mat and hand weights and do my strength training while I watch. I don't know why it bores me so much, but it is definitely one of the big things in my healthy life that I generally never want to do. But I think about it so often that my guilt for not doing it is probably worse than me just taking 15-30 minutes out of my day to do it! LynnAnn from GM keeps repeating in my head, "Do NOT stop strength training! Do NOT stop strength training!" It was her big piece of advice to me when I left. It was her number one way for me to keep fit and healthy.
I think now after my four month check in, I really do see how beneficial it is for me. I gained inches in my middle and to combat those, I can do my ab work that is built in to my strength training routine. Motivation, right? Right.
If anyone wants to join me in my strength training, here is my set routine:
I don't enjoy writing about my weaknesses, but I feel that I must in order to get myself moving again. I know that the best way to make that happen is to do activities that are fun and not 'work', but even aquatics and Red Rocks don't seem appealing these last couple of days. I am excited for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival that is happening this weekend and have decided to go tomorrow when it will hopefully not be too crowded. I am even thinking about walking there to avoid parking. I would walk 1.5 miles there, walk throughout the whole fair, and then 1.5 miles back. Is that too ambitious? Maybe I should cap off my lazy weekend with a slow moving 5k + art browsing.
So what, do you ask, will I do today? Especially since I am making a big deal about it in my blog? Well...I still have an hour and ten minutes left in this Prohibition documentary, so I am going to drag out my mat and hand weights and do my strength training while I watch. I don't know why it bores me so much, but it is definitely one of the big things in my healthy life that I generally never want to do. But I think about it so often that my guilt for not doing it is probably worse than me just taking 15-30 minutes out of my day to do it! LynnAnn from GM keeps repeating in my head, "Do NOT stop strength training! Do NOT stop strength training!" It was her big piece of advice to me when I left. It was her number one way for me to keep fit and healthy.
I think now after my four month check in, I really do see how beneficial it is for me. I gained inches in my middle and to combat those, I can do my ab work that is built in to my strength training routine. Motivation, right? Right.
If anyone wants to join me in my strength training, here is my set routine:
- Upper Body
- Concentration Curls
- Bicep Curls
- Forearm/Bicep Raises
- Tricep Lifts
- Tricep Kickbacks
- Lateral Arm Raises
- Front Arm Raises
- Hammer Raises
- Chest Fly
- Chest Press
- Overhead Pec Raises
- Tricep Skull Crushers
- Lower Body
- Calf Raises
- Toe Raises
- Outer Leg Double Lifts
- Outer Leg Box Lifts
- Outer Leg Single Lifts
- Inner Thigh Single Lifts
- Inner Thigh Box Outs
- Inner Thigh Heel In Lifts
- Oblique Curl to One Side
- Oblique Lift and Curl to One Side
- Pelvis Tilt (Tilt and Hold)
- Pelvis Tilt Singles
- Butt Raises Singles
- Butt Raises Doubles
- Leg Extensions and Lifts
I do 15 reps of each twice, alternating sides of the body. If I do the whole body it takes about 30-45 minutes. If I just do lower body or upper body, I can finish is 15-30 minutes. I often find myself doing the whole body workout because I failed to do the other the day before or I feel like I will fail to do the other the next day. Hmm...maybe this is a reason I am not liking it. Maybe I should really focus on doing either the upper or lower each day and not expect that I will fail. If I get it done quicker and make it a habit, maybe I won't dread it as much. And I can't really do the full body each day because a body needs to rest. The rest day may be working against me though and it gets me off track quickly so I don't want to get back on.
In conclusion, I now plan to do my upper body workout RIGHT NOW and I will get up tomorrow and I promise to do my lower body workout. I will even put an alarm on my phone reminding me to do it tomorrow. I can make this a new habit and it will make me feel great inside and out. So there...take that slothful weekend!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Four Month Check-In
I was expecting the worst this morning when I stepped on the scale in the locker room of the community center. (Apparently my home scale felt the need to encourage me not to weigh in more than once a month and broke.) Luckily, I had used the locker room scale last month to compare it to what my bathroom scale said and they were the same. I honestly thought I would be up a couple pounds because of my crazy month of June and was ready to accept it. So you can imagine my surprise when it said I was only up 0.5 pounds! How fantastic! While eating what I wanted for almost a month, I had only gone up half a pound...and that could be water weight, really. So I've maintained. Hurrah.
But, I knew I felt different, so then I got out the measuring tape. (Back at home...not in the locker room. Embarrassing!) And the proof was shown in my middle. The part of my body I am struggling the most with when it comes to 'self love'. We all have those places on ourselves; thighs, arms, etc. Mine is my middle. It didn't feel as great as it did last month and my suspicions were correct. I have gain 1.5" there and 1" in my hips. Everywhere else remained the same, though I did lose 0.25" in my thighs.
So there you have it. In a month where I have eaten what I wanted, but not exercised as I should, I lost muscle mass it seems. Blerg.
This morning I struggled to get out of bed and made it to aquatics. I was glad I did because it felt good to be moving after a rather inactive weekend and the instructor incorporated a lot of strength training today. Tomorrow I plan to make it back up to Red Rocks for my dance with the stairs, ramp, and bleachers.
On another note, I have really enjoyed cooking again this week and can't help but compliment myself on my creations because they are so darn good. And Joe agrees. I stayed away from cheese all week and have started to not think about it. Actually, Joe and I went to the nearby Farmer's Market yesterday (which was awesome and I bought lots of great things for the week) and they had a number of food vendors there as well. We decided to have lunch and I went to this booth that served...well, I don't remember the name of the item. But it was Mexican and a corn fritter with a filling served with cabbage and salsa and guacamole. So delicious. So anyway, I went to that booth because it looked interesting and all but one item had cheese included. Reading the menu, I actually started to think the word 'BAD' every time I saw the word cheese. So I really think I am starting to associate cheese with bad feelings (mucus <---That's for you, Ellie), which is awesome. The longer I practice not eating it, the easier and more of a habit it will be to find cheese-less items. I ended up getting the black bean and sweet corn filing for my corn fritter thingy and it was fantastic. I think I may have it again next Sunday!
But, I knew I felt different, so then I got out the measuring tape. (Back at home...not in the locker room. Embarrassing!) And the proof was shown in my middle. The part of my body I am struggling the most with when it comes to 'self love'. We all have those places on ourselves; thighs, arms, etc. Mine is my middle. It didn't feel as great as it did last month and my suspicions were correct. I have gain 1.5" there and 1" in my hips. Everywhere else remained the same, though I did lose 0.25" in my thighs.
So there you have it. In a month where I have eaten what I wanted, but not exercised as I should, I lost muscle mass it seems. Blerg.
This morning I struggled to get out of bed and made it to aquatics. I was glad I did because it felt good to be moving after a rather inactive weekend and the instructor incorporated a lot of strength training today. Tomorrow I plan to make it back up to Red Rocks for my dance with the stairs, ramp, and bleachers.
On another note, I have really enjoyed cooking again this week and can't help but compliment myself on my creations because they are so darn good. And Joe agrees. I stayed away from cheese all week and have started to not think about it. Actually, Joe and I went to the nearby Farmer's Market yesterday (which was awesome and I bought lots of great things for the week) and they had a number of food vendors there as well. We decided to have lunch and I went to this booth that served...well, I don't remember the name of the item. But it was Mexican and a corn fritter with a filling served with cabbage and salsa and guacamole. So delicious. So anyway, I went to that booth because it looked interesting and all but one item had cheese included. Reading the menu, I actually started to think the word 'BAD' every time I saw the word cheese. So I really think I am starting to associate cheese with bad feelings (mucus <---That's for you, Ellie), which is awesome. The longer I practice not eating it, the easier and more of a habit it will be to find cheese-less items. I ended up getting the black bean and sweet corn filing for my corn fritter thingy and it was fantastic. I think I may have it again next Sunday!
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