How understanding has helped me ... what's your journey?
Options
JECole2013
Posts: 65 Member
This weekend I posted on the general weightless board my feelings and experience battling obesity and efforts to be physically healthy.
I wondered in writing how some advice about diets and food might not apply to those of us considered obese or once obese and that sugar might play a mighty role in food addition, which throws a monkey wrench into the basic formula of eating only the calories your body needs. I wrote about the AMA naming obesity as a disease and how that is a good thing.
As some of you saw, the boards went into over-drive with post after post of increasingly offense responds and out right insults as people felt compelled to accuse each other of "laziness" making "excuses" and complicating weight loss, in fact one poster went so far as to imply that obesity as a medical condition was insurance fraud.
I watched in shock as this thread escalated to the point that MFP, finally within a day, took down the post.
I wasn't offended, but I was so surprised to read so much anger among those people who should be supporting each other. Why? I'm not sure.
But it is another variable to understanding obesity, I believe. Obesity has been such a hot topic. Being obese sucks. And even though I'm leaning in the direction of the AMA that now believes that obesity is a disease, the venom displayed on the boards yesterday did effect my heart. .. about mid-way through the day, after reading another post by someone who thought my problem was that I was lazy or in denial, I found myself thinking about junk food.
There was a moment, and had I not noticed what was happening, where I wanted to eat crap. Ummm.... that was interesting. I thought about why, after more than 30 days of eating well, did I want chocolate cake? I felt shame, and I wanted it to go away, no not that my thoughts took that step by step approach, but I think my brain has been trained that chocolate cake and the like soothe me. And after watching more than 100 posts in a morning, many condemning me for my post, assuming that I was stupid, not exercising, and a whole bunch more not true about me, I was feeling a little less than myself.
Well, I noticed the feeling, thank God, and didn't act on it. Instead, I went to work on all the things I had to do that day and stayed with my eating plan, drinking water, etc.
But, I think if I hadn't thought about it, I would have started eating junk and might have added hundreds of calories to my day. To me, that is another variable to consider in this journey. That my brain has been trained to use food as an emotional soothing agent. And when my emotions call out for soothing, food can't be the answer. Anyone else?
I wondered in writing how some advice about diets and food might not apply to those of us considered obese or once obese and that sugar might play a mighty role in food addition, which throws a monkey wrench into the basic formula of eating only the calories your body needs. I wrote about the AMA naming obesity as a disease and how that is a good thing.
As some of you saw, the boards went into over-drive with post after post of increasingly offense responds and out right insults as people felt compelled to accuse each other of "laziness" making "excuses" and complicating weight loss, in fact one poster went so far as to imply that obesity as a medical condition was insurance fraud.
I watched in shock as this thread escalated to the point that MFP, finally within a day, took down the post.
I wasn't offended, but I was so surprised to read so much anger among those people who should be supporting each other. Why? I'm not sure.
But it is another variable to understanding obesity, I believe. Obesity has been such a hot topic. Being obese sucks. And even though I'm leaning in the direction of the AMA that now believes that obesity is a disease, the venom displayed on the boards yesterday did effect my heart. .. about mid-way through the day, after reading another post by someone who thought my problem was that I was lazy or in denial, I found myself thinking about junk food.
There was a moment, and had I not noticed what was happening, where I wanted to eat crap. Ummm.... that was interesting. I thought about why, after more than 30 days of eating well, did I want chocolate cake? I felt shame, and I wanted it to go away, no not that my thoughts took that step by step approach, but I think my brain has been trained that chocolate cake and the like soothe me. And after watching more than 100 posts in a morning, many condemning me for my post, assuming that I was stupid, not exercising, and a whole bunch more not true about me, I was feeling a little less than myself.
Well, I noticed the feeling, thank God, and didn't act on it. Instead, I went to work on all the things I had to do that day and stayed with my eating plan, drinking water, etc.
But, I think if I hadn't thought about it, I would have started eating junk and might have added hundreds of calories to my day. To me, that is another variable to consider in this journey. That my brain has been trained to use food as an emotional soothing agent. And when my emotions call out for soothing, food can't be the answer. Anyone else?
0
Replies
-
I have problems with emotionally eating but MFP has really helped me realize how many calories I'm eating each day. I don't cut out anything. I just eat in moderation. If I want chocolate cake I have it but I figure it in with the rest of my day.0
-
I, too, eat to soothe myself. I got into the habit when I became disabled in 1989 and have done so ever since, with the exception of the five years I was on South Beach Diet, when I lost 126 lbs.
Obesity is definitely a disease, yet it's nearly impossible to get treatment for it. The AMA's now categorizing obesity as a disease will hopefully improve that some day. As of yet, it hasn't helped, because my insurance company still isn't paying for any weight loss assistance other than surgery.
They will pay for the medications to treat the co-morbid conditions caused by obesity: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. But they won't pay for treatment of the original medical condition that caused all those co-morbid conditions to develop: obesity. And they need to do this, since obesity is rampant in our country.
In addition, magazines and newspapers sympathize with people who have anorexia or bulimia, sharing their stories, telling how difficult it is, etc. Yet, when someone has the eating disorder of compulsive overeating, the press mocks them for being "fat and lazy."
This whole attitude has to change or people with obesity and compulsive overeating won't get the help they need. I'd love it if my insurance company would cover the treatment obese people need to recover and lead a healthy life. Hopefully, as I said before, maybe this will happen now that obesity is recognized as a medical disease.0 -
J,
I too was disappointed in posts from yesterday's thread. It became a debate, then bashing that escalated...... support and kindness went right out the window. A few chimed in on your side. They get it. I looked up the profiles of each post. Most never struggled beyond 20 lbs. Others were too young to have had a history of ups and downs of weight challenges. Certainly not worthy of commenting. We know the "real deal" along with many other obese individuals. I've been pleasantly surprised by the responses to other posts like yours, mine and others. People are getting a new education. It's their choice on how they use it.
We'll be here for SUPPORT. NOT CRITICISM
I hope you have an awesome day.
GO SEAHAWKS!0 -
I, too, eat to soothe myself. I got into the habit when I became disabled in 1989 and have done so ever since, with the exception of the five years I was on South Beach Diet, when I lost 126 lbs.
Obesity is definitely a disease, yet it's nearly impossible to get treatment for it. The AMA's now categorizing obesity as a disease will hopefully improve that some day. As of yet, it hasn't helped, because my insurance company still isn't paying for any weight loss assistance other than surgery.
They will pay for the medications to treat the co-morbid conditions caused by obesity: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. But they won't pay for treatment of the original medical condition that caused all those co-morbid conditions to develop: obesity. And they need to do this, since obesity is rampant in our country.
In addition, magazines and newspapers sympathize with people who have anorexia or bulimia, sharing their stories, telling how difficult it is, etc. Yet, when someone has the eating disorder of compulsive overeating, the press mocks them for being "fat and lazy."
This whole attitude has to change or people with obesity and compulsive overeating won't get the help they need. I'd love it if my insurance company would cover the treatment obese people need to recover and lead a healthy life. Hopefully, as I said before, maybe this will happen now that obesity is recognized as a medical disease.
I've been researching the Obesity sites like obesity.org and a few other organizations dedicated to research, treatment and doctor/patient information education. I see insurance companies covering more obesity treatments in the near future. Please check out my blog. Obesity is waaayyyy down on the list of what's treated today. My consultation with my Bariatric (non surgical) weight loss doctor was about $200. Meds are $20 a month.0 -
It is still acceptable to denigrate the obese, just like it was once OK to bash various races, creeds and sexual orientation.
The perceptions will change one day, because if we keep going on the course we are on, the vast majority of our population will be obese.
For what ever reason, the decision of the AMA has helped me greatly in how I look at this in my life. And I have valued the information now made available to the general public how to treat this disease.
It has also answered a few burning questions, like emotional problems and pain may lead to eating to sooth, but emotional unhealth does not cause obesity and more than it causes diabetes.
My step-sister is 4'11" and never breaks 100 pounds. We grew up in the same house and ate like pigs through high school. We ate great, homemade food each night and chowed on Burger King and ice cream all the time. I always put on the pounds with just the slightest mis-step, she never gained a pound no matter how much she ate..... and decades later, she is still skinny.
That alone speaks volumes.
Nevertheless, I'm still trying to read, listen and learn because I belief this is my life's challenge, not something I can ever just cure and never think of that again.
Do you think it's like alcoholism ... you know there are two types, they say .. those who become alcoholics by habit and those who are born with the gene?? Comments?0 -
It is still acceptable to denigrate the obese, just like it was once OK to bash various races, creeds and sexual orientation.
The perceptions will change one day, because if we keep going on the course we are on, the vast majority of our population will be obese.
For what ever reason, the decision of the AMA has helped me greatly in how I look at this in my life. And I have valued the information now made available to the general public how to treat this disease.
It has also answered a few burning questions, like emotional problems and pain may lead to eating to sooth, but emotional unhealth does not cause obesity and more than it causes diabetes.
My step-sister is 4'11" and never breaks 100 pounds. We grew up in the same house and ate like pigs through high school. We ate great, homemade food each night and chowed on Burger King and ice cream all the time. I always put on the pounds with just the slightest mis-step, she never gained a pound no matter how much she ate..... and decades later, she is still skinny.
That alone speaks volumes.
Nevertheless, I'm still trying to read, listen and learn because I belief this is my life's challenge, not something I can ever just cure and never think of that again.
Do you think it's like alcoholism ... you know there are two types, they say .. those who become alcoholics by habit and those who are born with the gene?? Comments?
I think it is similar to alcoholism for some people in the sense of the loss of self control over what you eat and how much. Some people may be more predisposed to it than others in the same way as alcoholism too.0
