I was hit on today. No, not like that.

A woman tried to recruit me to have “the surgery”. Little did she know I had already spotted her as a post-op so I totally knew where her pick-up lines were leading.

It started when the supervisor who was giving me a tour of the hospital asked her how she was doing, she replied “Good, the doctor took me off one medicine and put me on five. I’m vitamin deficient and xyz med was irritating my stomach.”

The vitamin deficient totally made me look at her hair…which wasn’t that thin but still thin enough to make me wonder.

So while I was observing the guy next to her, she complimented me on my sweater. I thanked her and explained it was more comfortable than a suit jacket on my arms. She then said she loved her sweater and couldn’t get rid of it despite it coming from the Avenue and being too big “on her now”. For any of my non-fattie readers, the Avenue is a plus-size clothing store. So that was her hint that she was a former fattie. So then she says, “I was really big, and it was hard for me to do my job. So I had ‘the surgery”. Here again, code word although even non-fatties typically know “the surgery” refers to weight loss surgery just as “the pill” refers to birth control. Then she got out her before pictures to show me how wonderful she has done.

As this point I’m quite sure she is trying the polite approach to recruit me, so I tell her that I too had “the surgery” seven years ago then gave her the spiel of how I was over 500lbs, I have lymphdema and lipedema which is partly why I’m so fat….blah blah blah…I’ll bring the picture later.

After lunch I felt I couldn’t take my bottle of Diet Sunkist back with me because I’d be judged, and I wasn’t sure of the drinks policy in the work area.

I showed her my “before picture” but honestly it’s like saying ‘you think I’m FAT now…omg I used to be HUGE’. Why must I explain my size to people? Well in this case I did so she’d turn off the recruitment script.

Oh, and then of course in reply I put asked her if she was a member of ObesityHelp. She said no….bawahaha the recruiter is going to become the recruited. I’m taking the pamphlet with me next week!

I love the Olympics, and figure skating is my favorite of the Winter Games! So when I saw this article today I was overjoyed…for her and for the message it sends to women.

Ice dancer Belbin has put on weight, and she couldn’t be happier.

2×4=8

If a serving of cereal is 150 cals for 3/4 cup then a kid who eats 2 servings will be eating…

=300 calories

1 cup = 200 cals
2 cups = 400 cals

And I did all that math in my head…yes, my shoes are off but its Florida and I wear flip-flops a lot…I promise I didn’t need a calculator or my appendages to figure out that math.

So explain why the FDA thinks regulating serving sizes is going to change the way people eat. It’s simple math people. So what now we’re going to have a generation of obese and stupid kids???

One Bowl = 2 Servings F.D.A May Fix That

The information is there, on the box…and actually some smaller potato chip bags give per serving and entire bag nutritional facts. I’ll admit that has NEVER stopped me from eating the entire bag. I mean if I’m to the point of grabbing a snack size bag of Funyuns I’m obviously stressed and usually thankful that the entire bag is less than 400 calories.

I for one can and do eat a serving of cereal; I actually eat less than a serving of some cereal. I have cute little cereal bowls and I put a lot of strawberries on top. I actually feel like it’s a huge Saturday morning bowl of cereal because of how the milk makes the berries almost over flow the edge. Total cereal: 1/2 cup

I will admit I don’t like reading a label and it stating a serving in oz and not a number. For instance don’t tell me a serving of cheese is 1 oz., give me 1/4 cup or how many cubes. And most packages I find that information in the nutritional fact area.

This whole idea reminds me of the idea to make Tylenol by prescription because people are taking too much. Or the FDA wants to reduce the milligrams of the over-the-counter version. Hello, people are just going to take more, lowering the dose isn’t going to help the fact people like to pop pills for any reason and if they don’t get relief in five minutes they will pop more.

People who are too lazy to read nutritional labels now and figure out the damage of eating a triple serving aren’t going to read the new label that does the math for them.

While I was home last weekend someone asked me about being on Oprah. Honestly, I was surprised because it was so long ago and I wasn’t technically “on” Oprah, a video segment of me was shown on Oprah. I never went to Chicago or met Oprah. I had e-mailed the show in response to seeing Stacey Halprin. The first time I saw her on the show was during my senior year in college. I’m quite certain I was skipping class to watch TV in my dorm room and I saw Stacey speaking of how her weight embarassed her and kept her from doing things in life and I actually started to write Oprah a letter that day saying the biggest problem I have with my weight is that it wasn’t a problem. It didn’t bother me enough to want to change it, while I didn’t let my weight keep me from doing things in life it soon caught up with me. After I saw the follow-up segment on Stacey’s weight lose surgery I wrote an e-mail to show to tell how Stacey had long been an inspiration to me. To my surprise the show called me months later when they were planning another follow-up show with Stacey.

One of the first segments I saw.

This is the segment to which I replied.

This was my segment, I have the video on VHS maybe I should look into getting it digital.

http://www.oprah.com/health/Follow-Up-with-Stacey/slide_number/6#slide

It amazes me that people get so upset when their doctors tell them “it’s just your weight” instead of actually diagnosing the problem, yet, they don’t seem to think past blaming all their issues in life on their weight.

They seem to think they must lose weight in order to get a better job, find a boyfriend, enjoy a vacation, be a good mother, etc. Hello, stop and think a minute. I know many skinny or normal sized people who hate their jobs, are single, don’t go on vacation, and suck as parents. It’s the not the FAT people, it’s YOU.

All I need to remind myself of this is a shopping trip with my best friend. Finding clothes that fit and look nice is always an issue for us big girls out there, but my best friend is so lucky to be a normal size and can shop in regular stores and wear whatever she likes….right?

WRONG!

On a recent trip to find jeans she tried on nearly 10 different styles…and did successfully find 1 pair that “fit”. How could this be? She’s not fat…why can’t she find jeans that fit. Ah because it’s not the size that matters, it’s not the jeans, it’s YOU not wanting to take the time to find that right style that fits and flatters your body. It’s easier to just give up and settle for ill fitting jeans or just wear stretch pants…and blame being too fat for not finding good jeans.

I’ll be revisiting this topic…the reason it popped in my mind today is because I saw my PCP this morning about recent weight gain. My doctor is an angel, I knew I could actually talk with her about my concerns and wouldn’t just be told to eat less and exercise more. Of course, part of the conversation was that I have been excercising more and my eating habits have not drastically changed from a time when I was maintaining my weight. It’s frustrating. But my concern isn’t neccesarily getting fatter, it’s that there is something wrong. So despite my hesitation to dive back into the medical tests and surgeon appointments, that is what is needed.

I’m reminded of when my weight first concerned me and my hometown doctor told me yep, you’re fat that’s all your problem is…despite my legs looking like this…ah yeah that’s fluid but it’s there because of you weight. Guess what is was there because of lymphedema which needed treated…despite my weight…sure losing weight will help the treatment but losing weight was not the simple answer.

I went to my college homecoming this weekend. The same college where I worked several years as a student employee and a few months as a temporary employee.

Then I was fired because of my weight.

So guess who I see as I walk into the Alumni reception?

The man who had me fired. This was a huge surprise because he has long since retired from the university and moved to a new state.

As soon as I saw him I knew what I had to do.

No, this isn’t the part where I go tell him off, there is no drama here.

I walked up to him, shook his hand and said “I want to thank you for what happened years ago”
He replied, “whether good or bad.”

I said “what I thought was bad 10 years ago turned out to be very good for me. It gave me the momentum to improve my life.”

Yes, I thanked him. I have actually had thoughts of sending him a thank you letter for years, but never took the time to locate his new address. Despite what the circumstances of what happened at the time, had I not been fired, had I not had my eyes opened to the reality of the toll my weight was having on my entire life, to the fact I had let my entire life revolved around the university, that I was more worried about making others happy than taking care of myself. Had what happened 10 years ago not had happened, who knows where I’d be today. Although funny enough, I’m currently unemployed having been laid off from a job. But now I have the confidence to know I will once again pull myself up and overcome this challenge, because I have overcome far worse in my past.

Thin Mints, Caramel Delights, Peanut Butter Patties…oh yes; it’s Girl Scout Cookie time!

While the names may have changed over the years, your desire for these annual edibles has not.

Lucky for me, the troops in South Florida peddle their wares outside of Publix, so I don’t have to order and wait for my Thin Mint fix. Now I know people who fear this time of year because these cookies are SO GOOD they can’t control themselves and eat an entire sleeve of Thin Mints. I used to do that, eat an entire sleeve of Thin Mints, it’s easy to do without even realizing you are doing it and of course today a sleeve doesn’t have as many cookies as before.

So these cute little cookie pushers must be avoided at all costs. Right?

Or, we could find a little self control.

I often wonder which takes more self control: to completely restrict ourselves from foods we “love” or to learn to “love” the food in a better way?

I often hear people say “I don’t even bring it into the house, because I don’t want the temptation”. That’s all well and good but then what happens when someone brings some to work? Often they will give in and eat too many then BLAME the person who brought the evil into the office.

First, don’t blame others for your actions. I was once blamed for someone eating an entire jar of peanut butter, because I had posted about this great natural flavor. The person loved it so much they finished a jar in 2 days and this was somehow MY fault. While I on the other hand also LOVED the peanut butter but was able to enjoy it with an occasional apple…not eat the entire jar with a spoon.

So back to the cookies. I feel stronger knowing I can keep an entire box of Thin Mints in my freezer (because we all know that is the BEST way to eat them) and eat them 2-4 at a time (4 is a serving) with a glass of skim milk. I’m sure some will argue that cookies are not good for you regardless of whether you can control your portion or not. True, I could find a better dessert or snack option. But avoiding the temptation Girl Scout cookies is nearly impossible and enjoying the occasional treat lessens the possibility of an all out gorge.

Also, I like to have my cake and eat it too…so the longer I can make a box last, the longer I get to enjoy the cookies.

In the spirit of full disclosure I must state I was a Girl Scout for 8 years.

Interesting that there is no mention of Lipedemic fat. Lipedema is the abnormal accumalation of adipose tissue (fat) in the hips, thighs, buttocks and sometimes upper arms. Primarily affects women. Now if your body is just producing excess fat on it’s own, not fat as a result of poor eating habits then it would be “healthy” fat. Perhaps an e-mail to the researchers is needed.

Studies Find That Having More Weight in Lower Body May Be a Good Thing
By JOSEPH BROWNSTEIN
ABC News Medical Unit
Jan. 12, 2010

Public health officials have harped on actively taking steps to reduce obesity, but it seems for some genetically lucky individuals, reducing their body fat isn’t as important.
Research shows that a big bottom is healthier than a big stomach.A new review published by researchers at the University of Oxford and Churchill Hospital in the United Kingdom suggests that people who carry their body fat in their thighs and backside aren’t just carrying extra weight, but also some extra protection against diabetes, heart disease and other conditions associated with obesity.

“It is the protective role of lower body, that is [thigh and backside] fat, that is striking. The protective properties of the lower body fat depot have been confirmed in many studies conducted in subjects with a wide range of age, BMI and co-morbidities,” the researchers write in the most recent issue of the Journal of Obesity.

“If you’re going to have fat, you’re definitely better off if you’ve got some fat in the lower body,” said Dr. Michael Jensen, director of endocrine research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “If you look at people who have primarily the pear shape, they’re healthy in all the ways that this fat behaves. It’s not just less heart attacks or less diabetes, it’s all these ways we think about fat as an important organ for our health.”

For years, researchers have looked into the idea that not all fat is created equal. People who carry their fat in their stomachs, also known as “apple-shaped” people, are said to have more problems from obesity than those who carry their fat in their hips.
People who carry their fat in their thighs and backsides — otherwise known as their gluteofemoral region — appear to be in a similar class to those with fat in their hips.

“There’s a lot of evidence that shows that the fat depots are not the same in the body,” said Dr. Robert Kushner, a professor medicine specializing in obesity at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

He explained that the fat stored in the stomach is harmful because “it is more metabolically active,” sending fatty contents and messages throughout the body, whereas fat in the lower regions of the body tends to be more stable and release fewer cytokines, which have been implicated in the insulin resistance that can lead to diabetes.

“There’s a whole range of these hormonal markers that seem to be more preferentially released from the belly,” said Kushner.

Getting More Back

But it is unclear if the fat in the thighs and backside are better for you than simply being thin, experts say.

But while lower body fat may be healthier than upper body fat, at this point people have little control over where their body chooses to store its fat, with spot-toning a myth and the only options coming from pharmaceutical side effects.

“You can’t direct or drive the fat in one part of your body versus another,” said Kushner. “For the average person on the street, it’s determined by genetics.”

He noted, however, that “One can develop, perhaps, medication to deposit in one area,” a possibility noted by the authors of the review who point out that it is one effect of some existing diabetes drugs.

Different Fat, But Better Fat?

While the review seems to indicate that having fat lower down can be a good thing, not all experts are convinced.

“I think that the article makes a fairly compelling point that there are likely differences between these two fat stores,” said Floyd Chilton, a professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. “But I think it certainly falls short in making a convincing argument that one is protective and the other is the major source of the problem.”

Some of the measurements, he explained, were not performed in a way that would allow for a conclusive judgment. For example, he said a number of studies cited by the researchers used hip circumference to determine where fat was being stored.

Chilton noted that many of the diseases discussed by researchers of the study — including heart disease and diabetes — have been connected to inflammation in the body.

“Many of them are increasing in incidence at a very similar rate to the dramatic increase in obesity,” he said.

Getting the Skinny on Fat

While he is not yet sure that lower body fat can be said to be protective, Chilton said that recent years have shown that biomarkers have helped give a more nuanced picture of how the body regulates itself — and how conditions like obesity really affect the body.

ModernMan? More like ModernAsshole.

First, I have to ask all the REAL men out there: Are you going to let this guy speak for you on this topic?

Second, to my female readers I ask that IF you click and watch the video, in exchange for giving this asshole more views, please send his site an e-mail with your thoughts on the matter. Especially, since he sells dating advice to men. Seriously?????

TheModernMan.com – enquiry@themodernman.com

15 Reasons Why Men Don’t Find Fat Women Attractive

Here is the quick list of reasons for those who couldn’t stand to watch the entire video.

1. A fat woman isn’t the entire package that we’re looking for in a woman.
2. A fat woman looks like ‘used goods’.
3. A fat woman makes unattractive sounds during sex.
4. A fat woman lowers a man’s status.
5. A fat woman attracts less-favorable treatment in society.
6. A fat woman’s true physical appearance is hidden.
7. A fat woman is unhealthy.
8. A fat woman will likely pass on her bad habits to the children.
9. A fat woman is missing the most attractive element.
10. A fat woman is ‘heavy-lifting’ in the bedroom.
11. A fat woman requires more food.
12. A fat woman doesn’t have a natural, female form.
13. A fat woman is usually lazy.
14. A fat woman usually has psychological issues.
15. A fat woman looks older than she is.

While I could take each point and provide a rebuttal, his ignorance really isn’t worth my time. I just want to assure fat women out there and the men who find fat women attractive, that’s it’s o.k. to be who you are and to like what you like.

I see it like this, most everyone has a favorite flavor of ice cream. Many people like chocolate ice cream, some strawberry, and even others like vanilla. While still others, like me, I like orange sherbet. And yet, there are still people who do not like ice cream at all. Some people are lactose intolerant.

It’s the same for people. Some men like blondes, some like brunettes, others redheads. Tall or short, funny or shy, fat or skinny; men’s taste in women is as diverse as the various types of women out there.

And then there are men who don’t like any type of woman, because they are gay. But I guess since Mr. ModernMan is trying to make a buck selling dating advice he’s not concerned with gay men.