Born2lbfat

My life with Lipedema & Lymphedema...destined to be fat.

Shine With Me at OAC’s YWM2014

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YWM2014

Come S.H.I.N.E. with me this September at the OAC’s 3rd Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention. This year I have the pleasure of being a topic leader for Lunch with the Experts. I will be leading the Saturday Lunch Topic – You are Your Best Advocate: Leading Your Healthcare Team. Last year I wrote my Top 5 Reasons Why YOU Should Attend OAC’s #YWM2013, and not that you need more convincing but I wanted to write about the 5 elements of this year’s theme SHINE.

Support – Obesity Action Coalition offers support to everyone, no matter where you are in your journey or which path you are choosing, even if you have yet to choose a path. My favorite part of the OAC Vision Statement “All individuals are treated with respect and without discrimination or bias regardless of their size or weight”

Health – Health is not measured by the number on the scale, health is a combination of factors and clinical indicators.  Also being healthy is not just physical health, but emotional and mental health. The YWM2014 will be the opportunity to focus or refocus on your overall journey to health.

Inspiration – Often we seek or find inspiration in others, at YWM2014 I challenge you to find inspiration within yourself and your story, where you have been and where you are going. Our stories our powerful, and together with our stories and experiences we can make a difference. I encourage you to attend one of the Advocacy Training sessions on Thursday to learn more about how you can assist OAC in their mission.

Networking – At YWM2014 you will meet many other individuals working towards the same goal as you, and you’ll also meet many professional dedicated to improving the quality of treatment and life for those affected by obesity.  And those connections will continue even after you return home, the connections you make will provide many new outlets of support and information.

Education – I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Sharma speak last year at the ObesityHelp Conference, his message and perspective is one that is needed among both patients and practitioners in regards to weight and obesity. My favorite topic Dr. Sharma spoke on was the meaning of failure and success.

Mix ‘n Mingle – OH2014 ObesityHelp Conference

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OH2014cardsI am excited to be attending my ninth ObesityHelp Conference on August 15-16 in Los Angeles, California. This year’s keynote speaker is MasterChef judge, Graham Elliot. I look forward to meeting him and hearing more about his post-op journey.

This year I have the pleasure of co-hosting the #OH2014 Friday Opener Mix ‘n Mingle with Diana Vogel, MS, MFT, Intern. I met Diana last year at #OH2013 and really enjoyed her sessions and her overall personality so I’m really looking forward to leading some activities to help attendees get to know each other.

In addition to the support and educational opportunities at #OH2014, there is the socializing and FUN. The Friday Night Meet & Greet is Hawaiian Themed and I have already bought supplies for my costume. Anyone who knows me knows I always take part in the costume parties at conferences!

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I look forward to seeing all my OH friends again, and making new friends at #OH2014!

Find Me at FitBloggin’14

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I took the plunge and submitted a spark for the Fitbloggin’14 Ignite Fitness keynote event. The community voted for my spark so I’ll be sharing my story at Fitbloggin’14 in Savannah, GA in June.

Ignite Fitness is THE FitBloggin’ keynote event. Five minutes, 20 slides, a whole lot of fun…yes, I am limited to 5 mins. Think I can do it?

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Finding Sarah – Just keep splashing: My journey to health in the pool

Weighing more than 500 lbs, I began my journey to health by walking laps in a pool. I progressed to water aerobics and learned that water fitness was actually one of the best exercises for my lipedema and lymphedema. While my physical abilities may be limited, fitting on gym equipment and mobility, in the pool I have freedom with my movements (foot at shoulder level) and the ability to adjust the intensity of my workouts. I have taken classes at many gyms, my favorite being with “Coach” as we called her, thick accent and “more faster” commands. My first day in her class, at a new gym she advised “do your best.” She obviously noticed this was not my first class, and in the midst of an exercise as I was daydreamingly making “rolling” moves with my arms she dropped down into a push up on the pool’s edge so she was in face and yelled. “Faster, faster, faster.” Whoa? What happened to “do your best?” She obviously noticed I was not doing my best, which was appreciated, and funny as heck. My journey to health has definitely been full of waves, and even a rip current, but I keep on splashing. I am healthy, and my lymphedema has amazing improvement.