tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post817035001854067203..comments2024-03-27T03:15:55.367-04:00Comments on EPBOT: This Is For Posterity: The Moobly MovementJenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11888187687405622408noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-17550797848629210242017-02-05T16:24:02.788-05:002017-02-05T16:24:02.788-05:00Do you like to swim, Jen? You don't sweat! Ser...Do you like to swim, Jen? You don't sweat! Seriously, though, I love to swim because under water I can only hear my own breath, which calms me tremendously. Because I never learned how to swim properly, I use a snorkel. In the gym pool. Because I don't care what people think. I've been asked if I was getting ready for a Caribbean trip! Cute. Actually, I have found that other swimmers either mind their own business, or are very encouraging to me because I have found a way to make my choice of exercise MY OWN, even if it looks a bit silly. More than one person has told me that they were going to do the same thing, so that they could swim for more than five minutes (that is why I do it - I usually can do 20-30 minutes with the breathing tube before I crap out!)<br />Laura in Poway, CAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-23265195252800077052017-02-05T16:10:39.276-05:002017-02-05T16:10:39.276-05:00yes
yes<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-3632252029400343202016-05-24T22:20:15.221-04:002016-05-24T22:20:15.221-04:00First off, UGH to that jerkface who treated your f...First off, UGH to that jerkface who treated your friends that way! It is one thing to have a preferred body type that you're attracted to but it's another thing to be a completely rude and superficial and mean butt-head. Hmph. <br /><br />Secondly, I hear you. I'm a smidge under 5 foot which, according to one chart, would have me weighing something like 95 pounds. Um... I have HIPS and BUTT and BOOBS. Ain't happening. <br /><br />As my dear mother once said in frustration, "Angie, weigh your tits, subtract that, and then we'll know what you really weigh." XDShortcakgreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13233634088855365101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-27222235699495330532016-05-23T15:14:16.615-04:002016-05-23T15:14:16.615-04:00Floofy mooble here as well. Was extremely small (r...Floofy mooble here as well. Was extremely small (read:unhealthy) until I got a desk job, and began to floof. Went through a period of non-desk jobs, and lost the floof because of constant stress and walking (again, unhealthy). Now with PhD and faculty job in hand, having regained the floof, I came around to the opinion of "Screw it, be happy." <br /><br />Dr.Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11699496036458555343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-69427747608933292392016-05-23T11:48:49.939-04:002016-05-23T11:48:49.939-04:00A week and a half ago, I was *insert awesome badas...A week and a half ago, I was *insert awesome badassery of your choice here* (ie: walking outside) and my ankle rolled and I went down - hard. By the middle of last week I'd gone through favoring my now-strained ankle and gotten around to a completely swollen left leg that would not move or support my weight at all so I loaded up on ibuprofen and went to the doctor. While at the doctor, getting checked out (they brought the ortho/sports doc in too) they decided I needed and MRI. The physical therapy nurse came in to talk to me about options for the MRI, because of my weight there is apparently only one place in the metro that can do one. She kept on and on and ON mentioning my size and my weight every four words, it seemed. One of the sentences was "Someone who is morbidly obese, as you are, is limited in the treatment options." *Morbidly obese*. By the time she left and I was talking to my doc about pain meds and such for the next few days, I was in a complete daze. I had just been told by a medical professional that my weight and size were almost preventing me from receiving medical treatment. I drove home in tears. I've been overweight for several years and I struggle with it daily. I've been to counseling and tried so many things and I just can't seem to break through a particular number. I have bad days and good days. But this...this almost broke me. I drove home almost in tears - and not from the pain of my knee. And then when I got home, I was looking around online to find something to distract me and found this post. And I did cry then, but not tears of sadness or embarrassment, but tears of relief. <br /><br />The medical community can call me "morbidly obese" if they want (and that makes me wonder what the people who are 100-200 pounds heavier than me are called...dead and don't know it yet obese?), but I know I'm moobly. And I'm ok with that because we're all a little moobly.<br /><br />Thank you, Jen, for this post. I needed it. And to add my comment to all the others, no, you are most definitely not obese or chunky. You're awesome. Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02817912475251054871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-32181171831844234312016-05-22T21:07:48.520-04:002016-05-22T21:07:48.520-04:00Jen,
I hate sweating too. I don't understand ...Jen,<br /><br />I hate sweating too. I don't understand people that say how good they feel when they sweat. I literally hate the feeling. My solution was water zumba and water aerobics. Sure, I'm usually the youngest person in the class but there is no judgment.I'm cool as a cucumber while doing cardio with resistance. <br />I'm in the "morbidly obese" category. As someone with severe RA, there was a period of years, while the right treatment protocol was being sorted out, that I couldn't do anything physical. My doctor described it as trying to "exercise on a broken limb". So I packed on the pounds due to sheer lack of activity, inflammation induced stress, and diet change. I was in so much pain that I spent much less time in the kitchen making healthy meals and instead eating what was convenient. I couldn't grip, open a jar, lift a cup of liquid, etc without lancing pain and joint weakness which usually caused me to drop things. <br />People probably see me now and think I'm fat and lazy, but in actuality I'm a strong determined woman working her way back to a body that feels comfortable and healthy, regardless of what the scale says or what size I wear. <br />Moral of the story...no judgment. A size 16, 4, or 8 may all be equally healthy. What matters is how we feel. Rock on!<br /><br />-NikiNikihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05198826901406216426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-69490125947060247062016-05-21T23:17:57.678-04:002016-05-21T23:17:57.678-04:00I've always had a high BMI - as a kid because ...I've always had a high BMI - as a kid because I had a lot of muscle (and some fat, but not an excessive amount by any stretch). Then as an adult, the fat levels gradually increased, but still with more muscle underneath than the 'average' person since I come from a naturally muscular family line and have had a range of physically active jobs. So my BMI has never been an accurate reflection of real fat : muscle proportions, although it took a loooong time for me to realise that and stop being so stressed by my weight.<br />Over the years, I've realized that being 'fat' is as much a concept as a reality. Look back through history, and the beauties of the day have been thin / fat / short / tall / ... I now think of myself as 'Rubenesque' - like the rounded, curvy women in paintings by artist Peter Paul Rubens in the early 1600’s (e.g.: The Three Graces, or The Fall of Man). If I'd lived 400 years ago, I'd be one Hot Mama ;-). “I’m not fat, I’m just 400 years behind my time!”<br />Okay, yes, I could do with losing some fat, and I'm not in denial about that in the least - but that doesn't mean I can't/don’t look good or that my health is in the 'OMG-Panic' range. I wish someone would develop a proper Condition Scoring system for humans - I use them for horses and dogs all the time, since they give a real assessment of the actual amount of fat coverage. Based on generic condition scoring methods (amount of fat overlaying various bony areas of the body), I'm about a 7 on a 1-9 scale, and while that's not ideal, it's not horrendous either.<br />If you want to know the real composition of your body (%'s of fat, muscle, water etc), then find someone who can do some Body Composition Testing (often at a gym or health clinic) - there are many different methods, some which work better for some people than others. Especially if you’re planning a new exercise program and in the past have been put off by plateaus in your progress, a good composition test can tell you if things are moving in the right direction even if the scales and BMI aren’t. I wish shows like The Biggest Loser used BCT, it would give a much better reflection of progress and probably change the end results.<br />As for cardio exercise, I'm with you in some aspects – e.g.; I hate, Hate, HATE running. But there is bound to be something out there that will suit you if you search around. Think of the things you've done in your life that left you feeling breathless and worn out, but were a total blast while you were doing them (okay, drag your mind out of the gutter - but that does count too!). It doesn't matter what it was - skipping, roller blading, dancing, hoola-hooping, trampolining, walking a beautiful trail, etc etc. If it raises your heart rate for a little while (and you feel good doing it!), then it counts. Or perhaps something that you can use as a semi-meditation method (that's me with swimming - I zone out while counting lengths, breaths, strokes, converting lengths to metres, how far I've done v's how far I planned to swim, etc etc). It might help to have an exercise buddy/class, or it might not - depends on the exercise and how you feel about that. It also might work (or not) to have some sort of reward / consequence system, whereby if you do stick to your new exercise / diet / whatever, there’s an additional positive benefit ($, a pretty necklace you’ve been oogling, etc), and/or if you don’t, then there’s an added consequence (paying a fine, having to do a chore you usually don’t, etc). <br />And regardless of whether you make changes or not (and how well those changes work or don't), enjoy life and be true to yourself - you're the only one who can :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-15921209999804757452016-05-21T11:27:31.386-04:002016-05-21T11:27:31.386-04:00Well, for the language portion of the post ... I&#...Well, for the language portion of the post ... I've always liked "zaftig".Deb Morrisseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15866601029884250228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-69416212234193501482016-05-21T02:33:14.013-04:002016-05-21T02:33:14.013-04:00I'm 5'2" and for years I weighed 102 ...I'm 5'2" and for years I weighed 102 lbs. Not 100 lbs, not 105 lbs. One hundred and TWO. At times I would sit on the couch with my feet up & slap my calves, and because they moved, I thought I was a cow. When I was 25, I completely let myself go & got up to 112 - I wouldn't put on a swimming suit & hit the pool with my friends ... because I was a cow. I'm now 59 years old & my doctor has told me I'm obese. I feel obese. I know I'm obese. But I've finally realized that it's stupid to put your life on hold while you wait for the perfect 'whatever.' There's always something we don't have, and we're not guaranteed tomorrow. <br /><br />So I'm going to go eat a cinnamon roll now. p.u.who?https://www.blogger.com/profile/08101963401356941955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-24823592749164232152016-05-20T19:48:17.158-04:002016-05-20T19:48:17.158-04:00Flabbergasted : Aghast at how much flabber you fee...Flabbergasted : Aghast at how much flabber you feel you have acquired.<br /><br />When I was young I did lots of sports. As I got older I did less and gained a little "marshmallow". Now I'm in my 50s and plan all my exercise around jogging Disney races. Running is for the young. So I jog. The marshmallow is less but not gone. It will never be gone. I can live with that as long as I am happy and healthy.<br /><br />You hate cardio? You love Disney (I know you do.) Have a look at the RunDisney web pages (http://www.rundisney.com/) and see if jogging around Epcot on a 5K interests you a bit. Motivation and setting targets and goals is a great way to make sure your fitness doesn't get left behind when your enthusiasm for exercise droops. <br /><br />5K - 10K - Half Marathon - Marathon. Goofy Challenge or even the Dopey Challenge. If you can dream it.....well you know the rest :)<br /><br />They are great events for participants of all shapes and sizes. Nobody judges you but yourself. The objective is to finish within the time (Which is generous), grab the medals, and use the experience to keep exercising for the next event. because RunDisney events can be addictive.<br /><br />Hope to see you at one of the events.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00983842730621937230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-29067841708562600922016-05-20T14:10:18.475-04:002016-05-20T14:10:18.475-04:00P.S. Nia is cardio for people who hate cardio ---s...P.S. Nia is cardio for people who hate cardio ---signed, someone who hated cardio until Nia. And everyone can tap into the joy of movement, as long as you have a body. Nia is super welcoming for all body types and levels.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-56720078565036692432016-05-20T14:10:17.746-04:002016-05-20T14:10:17.746-04:00When I saw Anony's comment up there last night...When I saw Anony's comment up there last night, my immediate gut-response was to defend Jen and John by tearing the commenter a new one. But...I've gotten wiser in my old age, so I decided to leave it for someone who is a pro at diplomacy. Yay, Tal! Responses like yours and RevAnne's the other day (on the Scruffy Guardian Angel post) make me sooooo proud to be part of this community. Like tears-in-my-eyes proud.<br /><br />And then Jodi D., on her 10:49 post below, added something I wanted to point out to Anony above. Not everyone who is "obese" got that way by overeating and under-exercising. For many people, it's genetics, medical issues, and/or prescribed medications and no matter how well they eat and how much they exercise, the extra weight doesn't come off. And others never had a chance because of the families they were born into where everyone overeats and is sedentary. You're a product of your upbringing. If you become obese as a child because your parents don't live a "healthy" lifestyle, it is nearly impossible to lose that extra weight and keep it off as an adult. <br /><br />So, yes, I'm one of the people in the "normal" weight range stating unequivocally that BMI charts, used alone, are "a bad tool for a health assessment." Many moderately active people (not just athletes) who have a higher BMI than me are also WAY healthier than me. Anyone who doesn't have weight-related medical issues and who feels fine about their weight and their body can completely disregard whatever category that BMI chart lumps them into: underweight, overweight, obese...who cares? Your BMI doesn't define who you are as a person and should not be used as a tool that only serves to make you feel self-conscious about the label you are given. <br /><br />Okay, and just one teensy dig. It struck me as hilarious how the "reads books" is in there with all the other evil sedentary habits like "runs two blogs" (the height of laziness!) and "sleeps all day" (not because you're up all night working on two blogs or anything!). Anyway, I can recommend some books with themes of empathy, tolerance, and acceptance if Anony wants to sit on the sofa after his/her next workout and broaden her/his mind.<br /><br />KWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-43805863396915348662016-05-20T14:06:24.550-04:002016-05-20T14:06:24.550-04:00Just chiming in for another fun cardio suggestion:...Just chiming in for another fun cardio suggestion: Nia. It’s a bit like Zumba dance (group fitness format--or home video) but with a lot more mind/body components and emphasis on safe, anatomically-correct movement. The best part is the emphasis on the JOY of MOVEMENT. Instead of being driven by ‘exercise’ language, Nia teaches us how movement is just plain pleasurable. We move and dance because it FEELS GOOD. Of course, it comes with all the usual fitness/cardio benefits, plus some extra mind/body/emotion/spirit ones-- but it feels like eating chocolate instead of working out. <br /><br />http://nianow.com/node/1054052Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-39916773980983444622016-05-20T12:58:48.352-04:002016-05-20T12:58:48.352-04:00WOW Max. The fitness tests they have kids do now-a...WOW Max. The fitness tests they have kids do now-a-days is ridiculous.<br />Thanks for being a great mom!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-77656047257083586502016-05-20T12:43:55.121-04:002016-05-20T12:43:55.121-04:00Thank you, tal! Spoke the words much more classily...Thank you, tal! Spoke the words much more classily than I could've.<br /> <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-4352389186885679212016-05-20T11:37:27.150-04:002016-05-20T11:37:27.150-04:00I like Manfred's response on Ice Age: "I&...I like Manfred's response on Ice Age: "I'm floofy."<br /><br />I remember when some news commentator remarked that President George W. Bush would be considered "overweight" by BMI charts. Like him or not, you have to admit he is an extremely active man: mountain bikes, jogging, horseback riding. That was when I decided that the medical community is occasionally nuts! :)Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122010407341817008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-37635527967086296832016-05-20T10:49:05.987-04:002016-05-20T10:49:05.987-04:00Forgot to add that one thing that bugs me about th...Forgot to add that one thing that bugs me about the fat shamers is that not everyone gets fat simply through lack of activity or poor eating habits. Granted, the majority of us obese people probably fall into those categories, but not everyone. But sometimes it's due to medication you were given by doctors, who then act completely aghast when your BMI rises meteorically. Due to my health problems I have to go on the steroid Prednisone about three times per year. One of the side effects for some of us is that Prednisone makes us ravenously hungry. ALL the time. Like, insatiably hungry. And a healthy snack doesn't quell it one little bit. I gain 10-20 pounds in one month every time I'm put on that damn drug. Then, I either don't feel well enough to exercise in between illnesses or I do, but get sick again before I can lose more than 5-7 lbs. Grrr. When I do feel decent I'm able to take walks and lift hand weights. Wish I could find a guy in my super tiny town that liked a marshmallow gal like me. Cowgirl68https://www.blogger.com/profile/03345602558147085951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-20868015771936835172016-05-20T10:37:57.768-04:002016-05-20T10:37:57.768-04:00Hi Jen! So I wanted to chime in to add that it isn...Hi Jen! So I wanted to chime in to add that it isn't just adult women who get inaccurate classifications about their weight. Look at your photos I would never guess you are overweight. So here is a story about what happened to my daughter this week.<br /><br />My daughter Allie (you featured her here in this exemplar from 3 years ago... yes I saved the link, I'm a Mom... http://www.epbot.com/2013/06/epbot-exemplars-6413.html) had a fitness test last month at school. Part of the presidential fitness bs stuff. We received her results yesterday evening in a letter sealed from the school and addressed to us.<br />My daughter, now 10 is 4'4 weighs 54 pounds. Other than the fact that she can't run 1/2 a mile in under 4 minutes like "normal" children her exercise looked pretty okay. I was disturbed to find that the test actually did a breakdown of body facts then ranked them. For my daughter's 4'4/54 pound frame they determined that she had 19.6% body fat and warned her that she was getting towards the edge of normal and she should strive to lower her body fat to keep from developing heart problems, obesity, diabetes. I was outraged. You can see the bones in my child's back and we have been struggling with her doctor to get her to gain weight for years and then this report tells my child she may be getting FAT! <br />The rage didn't end there, when on the next page it broke down her BMI, a startling 13.1. The report then went to warn us her parents she may have an eating disorder, and we may want to monitor her. That's right, one page after calling her fat they said she was so skinny she had to have an eating disorder. Not that they know she has a metabolism that is hyperactive and now matter how much food we put into our very active little girl she cant seem to gain weight. Not that they know she has been on medications to help her put on weight for about 3 years.<br />NO, my little girl, tiny and just about the same size she was in those photos you featured 3 years ago, is either FAT or Anorexic.<br /><br />I hate that today we are all hounded by unrealistic expectations for physical appearance. We use outdated methods in which to determine if someone is healthy (BMI being the main one) and little girls as young as 10 are getting told to watch their fat. I have struggled with my weight for over a decade, because I wanted to live up to those unrealistic expectations. But I think for the sake of the next generation of little girls, We all need to stop. Myself included. <br />I vow to never say I'm on a diet again. I will be "eating healthy"<br />I vow to never say I need to lose weight. I will be "getting active and healthy"<br />I vow to tell my daughter everyday that she is beautiful and perfect just the way she is, so she doesn't turn out the way I did. <br /><br />Sorry, this was so long, I just needed to get it all out.<br />Max - Mom of a wonderfully geeky perfect 10 year old.Max Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11385425756690355155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-43928245292614448622016-05-20T10:32:52.767-04:002016-05-20T10:32:52.767-04:00Jen, thanks so much for sharing the Facebook posts...Jen, thanks so much for sharing the Facebook posts on here. I'm a Luddite and don't have a Facebook account, so I really appreciate it. <br /><br />I am soooooooooo with you on hating cardio!!! Blech! Yuck! GAH! I have a health condition that makes cardio extra hard. I would like to see a trainer trying to do a workout with swimmer's nose clips on their schnozzle while breathing through a straw, because that's what I experience. <br /><br />You're awesome girl!!Cowgirl68https://www.blogger.com/profile/03345602558147085951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-36345942480258559922016-05-20T08:46:17.534-04:002016-05-20T08:46:17.534-04:00It is mentioned when people are over-weight or und...It is mentioned when people are over-weight or under-weight. Why aren't people ever just "weight"? Oh wait, they just say "healthy" because that can be told just by the way we look. <br /><br />Like others say, find what works for you. Hate running? Don't do it. I like working out with YouTube videos. My sister uses the treadmill. I used to take tap and ballet with a different sister - as adults! It was awesome!! I need to pull out the DDR pad again now...Mindy Sebastianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03253104741470705413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-5750810517638809462016-05-20T07:52:15.572-04:002016-05-20T07:52:15.572-04:00I loved this post. You make a great point about h...I loved this post. You make a great point about how we react to someone saying they are overwieght. <br />and...I cast a second vote for belly dance! Renhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04262857365019275624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-88923510262475893202016-05-20T07:29:13.532-04:002016-05-20T07:29:13.532-04:00How about DDR? That can be a fun and happy way to...How about DDR? That can be a fun and happy way to be active.bridgetwhoplaysfrenchhornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00944714770867649886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-2969238184505256192016-05-20T04:21:50.908-04:002016-05-20T04:21:50.908-04:00I remember requesting a doctor's notes and see...I remember requesting a doctor's notes and seeing, "Patient is a friendly, obese woman," and literally laughing out loud as I read it and considered getting it on a t-shirt.wildmavenhttp://wildmaven.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-89366115652489301482016-05-20T02:53:27.389-04:002016-05-20T02:53:27.389-04:005'3, maybe 120 lbs, size 4 woman here, and I&#...5'3, maybe 120 lbs, size 4 woman here, and I'm one of the above commenters calling BMI bullshit. I haven't looked at the Facebook page, but I didn't see one person here advocating a sedentary lifestyle or making excuses for their size. What I saw were a bunch of people complaining that BMI isn't something that really tells a person what their overall health is. I guarantee that many "obese" people have much healthier eating and exercise habits than I do. I walk a lot, and used to belly dance more when I was a student and it was a free club I could join rather than a class I had to pay for, but I've never had a gym membership or paid attention to whether or not I'm getting enough cardio, and my eating habits aren't great. But when I go to the doctor, nobody lectures me about changing my own lifestyle because they're basing what's healthy on what size people are. THAT'S what people are complaining about here.<br /><br />I don't know how regularly you read this blog (presumably for a while since you can comment on how "inactive" Jen and John are) or how long you've been reading, but even if you only read this piece, she openly states that she's been waiting on the all clear from doctors regarding cardio, and it's not like this is the first time she's mentioned needing more physical activity or is unaware that losing weight would probably be a good thing. This whole piece is a response to the previous one where she calls herself overweight. It isn't like she's looking for an excuse not to change her habits. We're talking about people who went to the trouble to build a treadmill desk from scratch here. That doesn't strike me as looking for excuses or not taking it seriously. She's blogged about John cutting back on soda, about her experiences trying to get other health issues under control, and about trying to get more exercise.<br /><br />And as for the people commenting on Facebook with "moobly facebook profiles," assuming they're complete strangers to you, how do you even know their photos are pictures of themselves? My mother was overweight, and since she died of breast cancer a couple years ago, my sister and I (neither of us have ever been overweight) have had Facebook photos featuring on our mother. If either of us had commented on Facebook about how unhelpful BMI is, (and that's something which we both do--her professional background is in nutrition and nursing, by the way) based on the judgments you're making here, you'd assume that we were "moobly" and just making excuses.<br /><br />All I've seen here and on the previous post are people (most of whom have mentioned that even their doctors have admitted that they don't have any health problems--which is more than I can say at 120 lbs or less) saying that the BMI by itself is an inadequate method for determining whether or not a person is healthy, and promoting self-love regardless of where one is in their journey. And then there's your comment, which was presumably made from the same place of good intentions as the other comments, but comes with a fair amount of judgment for a bunch of total strangers. Not one person today with any access to the media is unaware that they need to eat a balanced diet and exercise to do that. Criticizing people based on the snippets of their life you can glean from blog posts or the even smaller amount of information you ascertain from looking at their Facebook profile picture isn't helping any more than making excuses would be. It's possible to show concern without passing unnecessary judgment. A simple "from what I can tell from your blog," would have been enough. As it stands, your comment comes off as pretty judgmental.talhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15327605692592378883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724594058209899258.post-41810123282388888332016-05-20T02:39:47.453-04:002016-05-20T02:39:47.453-04:00Interesting timing of this post, because I'm g...Interesting timing of this post, because I'm going through some "issues" right now. I've always been overweight, and generally fine with it. I hate people who comment on each other's weight, whether or not to "defend" someone. I just feel it's personal and not something we should be talking about -- more important things. I also hate the BMI, but I've come to appreciate it's just a medical measure. The categories of "overweight" and "obese" might as well be in Latin because they are what they are *medically* and then we lay people have our own notions of what is overweight, obese, healthy, unhealthy, comfortable or uncomfortable. I've always been in the overweight BMI category, which I felt is unfair because I have a much larger frame, but now recently I took part in a fitness study and found out I am in the obese category. My heart really sank at this. No one likes being called *obese*. How could an *obese* person hike up hills like I've been doing all winter? Well anyway, I've come to accept that A. it's a medicine term and it's accurate for what it is medically measuring, B. I actually *do* feel uncomfortable with my weight which has steadily increased in the past year. It isn't a healthy weight. When my mom got cancer, which she eventually died of, she was the heaviest she had ever been (for sure "morbidly obese". I don't want to go down that road. I want to fit more comfortably in my clothes without having to buy new ones, and I want to be able to get up and down stairs more comfortably. I also simply don't feel *comfortable* with this extra weight. I feel worried that it might be a kind of "trap" to lose weight in a tug-of-war I can never win, but I've decided to take look to resources for help to become more comfortable. Starting next week I'm meeting with a dietician and fitness instructor. So thank you, Jen. This was remarkable timing, and it's helpful to know I'm not on this journey alone! Katnoreply@blogger.com