What's wrong with the "I'm much happier being fat" article...
I recently came across this post when a friend shared it on facebook... http://www.today.com/health/meet-joni-edelman-mom-5-who-says-im-much-happier-2D80500771
...and it angered me...but not for the reasons you might think.
I'm fine with her being "fat". I'm fine with her being happy. I'm fine with her preferring her larger self to her skinnier self. Heck, in her position, I'd have probably felt the same.
What I AM mad about is this:
"The other body you see there, the body of "physical hotness," I attained by eating a "plentiful" 1,000 calories a day; by running 35 miles a week (10 on Sunday); by sleeping an average of three hours a day; by counting every bit of food I ate, down to a single cherry tomato; by writing and tracking my weight every day for a year; by running the stairs of the hospital during my 12-hour shifts; by losing my period; by denying myself food when I was hungry; by denying myself sleep. "
Because this tells me that she believes that's HOW she achieves "physical hotness". That in order to be skinny, you have to starve yourself and workout a ton. ...which, I believe, is a very damaging way to think. ...and entirely not true.
There are ways to achieve a skinny physique without torturing yourself...without starving yourself...without even exercising sometimes. You just have to find what works best for your body and/or what foods/food groups are problematic for you. Many people have issues with dairy, wheat, beans, sugars, preservatives, FODMAPs, etc....so if you've tried various diets out there and none of them have worked, try eliminating a particular food or food group for a month or so and see what it does to your weight and how it makes you feel (I'd also suggest taking measurements of your arms/legs/waist/thighs/hips/etc....as weight isn't everything).
For me, personally, I didn't lose my excess weight until I went gluten free and mostly paleo. Years before, I'd tried eating "everything in moderation" (a.k.a. minimal sweets, lots of real foods, whole grains, etc.) and was running 3+ miles 3-4 days/week....and never lost a single pound. I did tone my muscles a bit...but as soon as I stopped running, everything I'd done immediately reversed and I looked and felt worse than ever. I went paleo in January 2012 and the weight just fell off...without even exercising. I went down to my pre-pregnancy weight (before my FIRST child...which I had never gotten back to) within the first month. I wasn't starving myself. I wasn't counting calories. I wasn't exercising....and I still lost. All from restricting a food group (mainly wheat/grains).
That being said, it isn't just wheat that causes problems for me. I've also found that my body has issues with nuts and potatoes...though I'm technically not allergic to anything. Every time I have these, my joints become inflamed and painful; my knees ache, my back aches, and I get very lethargic. So, in addition to being gluten free, I avoid nuts and potatoes as well. My husband does fine with potatoes...and even tolerates wheat fairly well (though he still avoids it)...but doesn't tolerate beans and most high-FODMAP and high-histamine foods. Again, going to show that everyone's different and there's no one right way of eating for anyone. Pay attention to what you're putting in your body. If you're having an issue (whether it be joint pain or weight-related), change things up and try to find out what exactly is bothering your system. If you need to, keep a food journal to keep track of everything.
We found out a few months after going paleo that our children had Celiac's disease...so we've never gone back to wheat. ...and I, for one, honestly haven't missed it. I feel better without it....no more daily headaches, painful menstrual cramps, insomnia, back pain for no reason, joint aches, anxiety/depression, etc....plus more energy, better overall mood, less irritability, more patience, better quality sleep, etc. I definitely do better without it. It's not a temptation for me and I have no trouble sticking to our new gluten free lifestyle (notice I didn't say diet, as I never intend to go back).
...and that's not to say that I don't enjoy the good things in life every once in a while. I still have the occasional ice cream or gluten free brownie/sweet treat. The main thing is I KEEP IT GLUTEN FREE. ALWAYS. My GF "cheats" haven't had any noticeable effect on my weight...or moods. They don't cause any of the negatives that wheat causes for me. I can have my cake and eat it too...as long as it's gluten free.
I've also noticed that my palate has changed. Real foods have more flavor now than they did previously. I used to abhor raisins...and now they're the best thing ever. Between a GF baked good or a fruit, I'll often prefer the fruit. Baked goods are often way too sweet for me and too rich...and I often have trouble finishing them.
...but, getting back to the main issue, the point is I DO NOT starve myself. I eat when I'm hungry...stop when I'm full. I snack as often as I like, even having a "midnight snack" most nights. I've been known to eat as much as 2500 calories/day...most of it paleo...and to still lose weight. ...and I almost never exercise. Most of the year, I'm a stay at home mom to four children and honestly don't have the time (or inclination) to go to a gym. This isn't me bragging...this is me saying, "It can be done." Skinny doesn't have to mean physical torture. Skinny doesn't have to mean continual calorie-counting. Skinny doesn't have to be "hard".
Put yourself first. Get rid of the junk food. Find what foods both help and hurt your body...and avoid the ones that hurt you. Take the time to cook (even if that means you need to cut back on the extra-curriculars)....and, honestly, don't worry about the scale. After all, weight is just a number. As long as you're eating right, the number doesn't really matter much. I'm all for being happy with whatever you look like....but I'm also for being HEALTHY about it.
...and it angered me...but not for the reasons you might think.
I'm fine with her being "fat". I'm fine with her being happy. I'm fine with her preferring her larger self to her skinnier self. Heck, in her position, I'd have probably felt the same.
What I AM mad about is this:
"The other body you see there, the body of "physical hotness," I attained by eating a "plentiful" 1,000 calories a day; by running 35 miles a week (10 on Sunday); by sleeping an average of three hours a day; by counting every bit of food I ate, down to a single cherry tomato; by writing and tracking my weight every day for a year; by running the stairs of the hospital during my 12-hour shifts; by losing my period; by denying myself food when I was hungry; by denying myself sleep. "
Because this tells me that she believes that's HOW she achieves "physical hotness". That in order to be skinny, you have to starve yourself and workout a ton. ...which, I believe, is a very damaging way to think. ...and entirely not true.
There are ways to achieve a skinny physique without torturing yourself...without starving yourself...without even exercising sometimes. You just have to find what works best for your body and/or what foods/food groups are problematic for you. Many people have issues with dairy, wheat, beans, sugars, preservatives, FODMAPs, etc....so if you've tried various diets out there and none of them have worked, try eliminating a particular food or food group for a month or so and see what it does to your weight and how it makes you feel (I'd also suggest taking measurements of your arms/legs/waist/thighs/hips/etc....as weight isn't everything).
For me, personally, I didn't lose my excess weight until I went gluten free and mostly paleo. Years before, I'd tried eating "everything in moderation" (a.k.a. minimal sweets, lots of real foods, whole grains, etc.) and was running 3+ miles 3-4 days/week....and never lost a single pound. I did tone my muscles a bit...but as soon as I stopped running, everything I'd done immediately reversed and I looked and felt worse than ever. I went paleo in January 2012 and the weight just fell off...without even exercising. I went down to my pre-pregnancy weight (before my FIRST child...which I had never gotten back to) within the first month. I wasn't starving myself. I wasn't counting calories. I wasn't exercising....and I still lost. All from restricting a food group (mainly wheat/grains).
We found out a few months after going paleo that our children had Celiac's disease...so we've never gone back to wheat. ...and I, for one, honestly haven't missed it. I feel better without it....no more daily headaches, painful menstrual cramps, insomnia, back pain for no reason, joint aches, anxiety/depression, etc....plus more energy, better overall mood, less irritability, more patience, better quality sleep, etc. I definitely do better without it. It's not a temptation for me and I have no trouble sticking to our new gluten free lifestyle (notice I didn't say diet, as I never intend to go back).
...and that's not to say that I don't enjoy the good things in life every once in a while. I still have the occasional ice cream or gluten free brownie/sweet treat. The main thing is I KEEP IT GLUTEN FREE. ALWAYS. My GF "cheats" haven't had any noticeable effect on my weight...or moods. They don't cause any of the negatives that wheat causes for me. I can have my cake and eat it too...as long as it's gluten free.
I've also noticed that my palate has changed. Real foods have more flavor now than they did previously. I used to abhor raisins...and now they're the best thing ever. Between a GF baked good or a fruit, I'll often prefer the fruit. Baked goods are often way too sweet for me and too rich...and I often have trouble finishing them.
...but, getting back to the main issue, the point is I DO NOT starve myself. I eat when I'm hungry...stop when I'm full. I snack as often as I like, even having a "midnight snack" most nights. I've been known to eat as much as 2500 calories/day...most of it paleo...and to still lose weight. ...and I almost never exercise. Most of the year, I'm a stay at home mom to four children and honestly don't have the time (or inclination) to go to a gym. This isn't me bragging...this is me saying, "It can be done." Skinny doesn't have to mean physical torture. Skinny doesn't have to mean continual calorie-counting. Skinny doesn't have to be "hard".
love this :)
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