The weird **** people say

Macrocarpa

I've lost about 18kg (around 40lb) since beginning a food diary and exercise plan last year. None of my clothes fit anymore - even the ones I bought 'speculatively' some years ago hoping that I'd lose weight 'one day'. So naturally I'm interested in buying new clothes - but my target weight is probably another 10kg off, so I don't want to splurge on a new wardrobe only to have to replace it in another 6-8 months.

So anyways, it was a beautiful day today so I went for a 15km (9.375mi) run, which is the furtherest I've run in about 10 years, and I ran it at a pace I haven't run since high school. When I arrived back home, my wife and mother-in-law were back from an afternoon of shopping, and my wife suggested I look into a few sales that are going on in the outlet mall they'd visited.

I said 'I might get a couple of things if they're on special but there's no point in splashing out till my weight's down around target'.

My mother-in-law looked puzzled, then said 'Haven't you reached your goal weight yet?'

I replied no, I was still outside my initial weight goal and still some ways from my ultimate weight goal.

She said 'Well, you're going to lose too much weight!'

I replied that while my weight has improved, my current weight is still in the 'obese' range of BMI, my body fat percentage as measured on scales is above 25% (consistently), that I still have a sizable beer gut and love handles which need to go, and an additional 7-10kg will have me in the right territory again. And it's a long-term change, so I want to do it right.

Her response: "Well, you need to look out, because if you keep going you'll end up with psychological problems' - tapping on the side of her head as she spoke.

I laughed incredulously - joking, right?

Wrong. She was dead serious. She thinks that focusing on a weight or fitness goal beyond what she considers a 'healthy' shape belies some form of mental illness or obsession; that me knowing what the healthy BMI range is and whereabouts I sit on the chart automatically positions me as someone who's a little obsessive and not far off needing a white jacket with a padded cell where I can count dust motes and do my Rain Man impression.

I've got to admit, I've never had someone attempt to undermine mine and fellow weight-losers' achievements with such oblivious, ignorant innocence!

david081

Staying focussed is an essential part of any serious weight-loss programme. I'ts how some of us get past those cravings for things that are ultimately bad for us, and how we manage to make good progress towards our goals.

Not everybody will appreciate just how crucial this focus is, and my answer is to avoid discussing my programme with such folk.

Matthew 7:6 "Do not cast your pearls before swine..." Not that I'm inferring that refers to your MIL....

Regards, David