Kinda funny!

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kealey1318
kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
in Chit-Chat
So my aunt, who is a personal trainer with the highest of credentials, saw me for the first time in probably 20 years, and said to me point blank "You will never see your daughter get married..." because of my weight. My weight at the time was 250 pounds.

That's not the funny part... Hold the chuckles!

So, while I know she's doling out 'tough love' to me in spades, we don't really have a relationship. That leaves just plain rude...

Anyway, while I tell her I'm in the process of doing the C25K training, she tells me how I need to wear a heart rate monitor for safety precautions and that due to my weight I'll most likely blow out my knees. I calmly told her that my blood pressure is excellent (high is 120/80 for me), my cholesterol is within the acceptable range, my resting heart rate is 61, and that I do not take any medications. Stunned silence greets me on the phone.

Now, here's what I consider to be funny. She lives her life eating all the organic foods, almost no meats (exceptions being turkey and fish), works out all the time, etc. But SHE has the health conditions... She's had several surgeries for a variety of issues, had vertebrae fused, on regular meds, etc.

Sometimes you have to take a step back and say, "Just because the person is overweight, doesn't mean they are SICK..."

I respect everyone for the journey they are on and wish no one ill will. I look forward to being judged for the person inside rather than the one on the outside...

Replies

  • cacrat
    cacrat Posts: 336 Member
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    The unfortunate side of that is that a lot of obese people ARE sick. From diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, to joint problems, obese people deal with more health related problems than those of the slimmer variety. Does every single overweight person out there have these issues, clearly not. But do the majority, probably. If your aunt has had so many issues and she's on the healthy track now, imagine if she were obese. She'd have way too many problems.
  • kelfhouse
    kelfhouse Posts: 16
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    I find this all kinda funny as well. I have an aunt who is by no means a small women but she is smaller then me and she is always telling me I need to loose weight (mind you she could stand to herself) and she is on all kinds of meds for various things. I like you take no medications and am VERY healthy just VERY overweight. Keep your head up your doing AMAZING.
  • GymAnJuice
    GymAnJuice Posts: 512 Member
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    that's awful, but i do feel like giving you a "high five", my bad lol poor woman has zero ppl skills by the sound of it :flowerforyou:
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
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    The unfortunate side of that is that a lot of obese people ARE sick. From diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, to joint problems, obese people deal with more health related problems than those of the slimmer variety. Does every single overweight person out there have these issues, clearly not. But do the majority, probably. If your aunt has had so many issues and she's on the healthy track now, imagine if she were obese. She'd have way too many problems.

    You are correct that there are a lot of people who are obese and have health conditions due caused or related to that. But, there are also loads of people who are not overweight who have conditions too... They just aren't automatically condemned as having caused their own health problems. Most addicts (I am the first to admit I'm a food addict) can hide their problems. I wear my shame everyday for everyone to see. However, people can't automatically see that I don't smoke, don't drink, etc.

    I actually had a person ask me (when I declined buying food from a bake sale, citing that I'm on a diet) "Oh, doctors orders? Diabetes?"

    Um, no... You can't just decide that a person is sick because they are overweight. My aunt was adopted and is Korean... She is genetically predisposed to being slender to begin with. I laughed when she said I should be 125 pounds because the BMI says so. I am aiming for a healthy (and more attainable) 145. I'm 5'4" and so by BMI standards, I'll be walking a fine line of still being overweight... But I will be darned healthy!

    Also, a person at work said that we should pay for health care by the pound. That was truly offensive to me because I know skinny folks with LOADS of health issues. One guy I work with is 155 pounds, 5 foot 9ish... and he's in the ER at least 5 times a year. Poor guy has been hospitalized with some undetermined disease for months at a time. Yet, by the weight standard, he would have significantly cheaper health insurance. The only thing my health insurance has had to pay for is covering my atandard medical care for 3 routine pregnancies. I shudder to think how much money my skinny and incredibly fit aunt's various sugeries have cost...
  • cacrat
    cacrat Posts: 336 Member
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    Blythe same token, there are a number of smokers out there, my grandpa comes to mind, that can smoke and never have any smoke related health issues. But are those people "healthy"? If you consider the financial impact weight has on the medical community as a whole, by the pound, by the cigarette, by the drug is a great way to run a health care business.
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
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    I'm game for them to charge by the pound, by the cigarette and by the drug as long as the genetics are also taken into consideration! No one gets a 'free pass'! :smile:
  • cacrat
    cacrat Posts: 336 Member
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    Eventually, they'll be charging by the sneeze, cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat, etc. Everytime you think of taking a break from the gym/exercising it'll cost you, literally.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    Just goes to show, do not judge a book by it's cover! Glad to hear you're so healthy and working to improve your life!
  • aphrodite0727
    aphrodite0727 Posts: 17 Member
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    So did you point all that out to her....cuz I think I would have. lol I insist on telling people that too...that just because I've overweight doesn't mean I deal with health issues. Almost everyone that has said something to me assumes I have high blood pressure. NEVER ...it's always been perfect. I have no issues with being active either. I hike, swim (actually I'm a very very good swimmer), and other things just fine...if not better than fine. I do have hypothyroidism...but that's not BECAUSE of being overweight! Yea, so I would have told her...ya know..I get that you are trying to give tough love but it's just rude and I'm not the one with health issues. So until you know everything, which will be never. lol (at least I would have thought about saying it. lol)

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