Is it possible to be fat and healthy??

The general belief nowadays is that if you are fat you are unhealthy.  Period.  Doctors tell you it is unhealthy, the media talks about how all the fat people in the world are messing up health care with all their fatness, and it is drilled home you must not have a shred of self-respect for yourself if you are fat because, as we all know, only skinny people respect themselves….blah, blah, blah.

I recently read an article that points out that being fat is not all bad and that losing weight just may not be the answer.  In this article, More Curves Ahead – Hefty Can Mean Healthy, http://www.lfpress.com/life/healthandfitness/2012/01/03/19194466.html it states, “Nobody disputes the fact that losing weight and maintaining healthy weight is a job unto itself. But fat is not all bad: A York University study published last year found that obese people who are otherwise healthy live just as long as their slim counterparts – and are actually less likely to die of cardiovascular causes.”

“Our findings challenge the idea that all obese individuals need to lose weight,” said lead author Jennifer Kuk, assistant professor inYork’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science. “Moreover, it’s possible that trying, and failing, to lose weight may be more detrimental than simply staying at an elevated body weight and engaging in a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a balanced diet.”

As I have said all along, for those of us with the fat gene it does not make sense to bust our asses trying to exercise hours on end or eat rabbit food as a staple because biology will win every time people!!   I am fat and happy and I will continue to lose weight and work towards losing another 50 pounds but am I going to let it run my life?  No way!  Am I still eating Denny’s nachos, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and Chili’s southwestern egg rolls?  You bet I am!  Am I happy?  You bet I am! Oh, and healthy…imagine that!!

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

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Is fat the new skinny?

Of course not!!! Not even me, the fat chick from way back, would take that sort of view on the subject of fat.  It is a little befuddling though how all these years have gone by and society still has the same view point on fat people – they eat too much and do not care about themselves and that is why they are fat.  Obviously anyone who is fat eats too much, right?

Over the past couple of years I had lost approximately 60 pounds with the best ever Scarsdale Diet taking liberal breaks in between the serious dieting.  After I stopped focusing on dieting I was teetering within 10 pounds of what I lost for several months.  At the beginning of October I was still at that weight, but right before Thanksgiving I got on the scale because I had a feeling I had put more weight back on.  Well was I shocked to see it was a whopping 20 pounds in a matter of four to six weeks.  Was it because I was stuffing my face morning,noon, and night?  No.  Was it because I was no longer exercising 12 hours a day?  No, because I do not even exercise 12 hours in a month 🙂  I was talking to a friend about it and she actually reminded me about October and November when I had an extra doctor to transcribe with all my regular work and she remembered me being totally stressed out about my work load.  Talking about a light bulb moment…That was it!!

Hate to sound like a broken record here but to say that all fat people are fat because they eat too much is such a bunch of cockamamie hoopla spoken from skinny people who have always been skinny and think the reason why they are so wonderfully proportioned is because of their rigid exercise program and healthy eating….No, you just happen to be one of the lucky ones not born with the fat gene.  If you ate at McDonald’s every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner and topped it off with an evening dessert of my good buddies Ben & Jerry you would still be skinny.  And you would still suck.  Ha!  Just kidding!!

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

Being fat is a choice…is it??

I think we all know where I stand on this issue, pretty sure the answer is a big fat NO.  Being fat is not always a choice.  We do have control of our lifestyle which can absolutely affect weight on a daily basis, however, to suggest that genetics plays only a minor role is seriously a bunch of crap.  Period.  The author of the article, “Confessions of a Chubster – The moral crusade on fatties” states, “Being fat is a choice. Genetics plays a role, sure. So does your upbringing. But you do not get fat unless you’re eating more than you need to nourish your body. That’s basic science.”  http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-18663-confessions_of_a_chu.html

Basic science in his case obviously provided him without the metabolic challenge that many people, including myself, deal with every day.  He says you do not get fat unless you are eating more than you need to.  Again, a bunch of crap.  I hate to repeat myself but we all know someone who can put away food like there is no tomorrow and stay fit and lean while others who even just think about a pint of Ben & Jerry’s gain 5 pounds.  That is just the way it is and, yes, it is science.  To put it simply, those people were not born with the wonderfully nondiscriminatory fat gene!!! 

He mentions upbringing as contributory but does not elaborate whether he was a chubby kid or not.  Back in the years when I was a kid in the 60’s to 70’s, my diet was controlled by what my mother cooked and school lunches.  I was always a fat kid.  Was I overeating??  No.  We did not have an abundance of snacks in house like candy, chips, or other junk food.  If we wanted an evening snack it usually would consist of saltines with peanut butter or fruit.  Ice cream was a real treat, and certainly not daily consumption, and eating out was a rare occasion.  We were not allowed soda with our meals and to really bring home my point, I am from a household where you literally drank juice in a “juice glass” for the portion size.  See where I am going with this??

Kudos to the author for losing 100 pounds in 8 months!  It once again just reiterates my point that everyone is different and what will work for one may not work for another.  I am sure more will agree with me that his success is what is so deftly phrased as “Results not typical.” 

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

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Willpower is not endless…who knew??

Image via Wikipedia

 

So I came across this article that is titled, “The Moments That Make Us Fat.” http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/17/ep.fat.moments/index.html?hpt=T2

According to the article, our willpower is not inexhaustible and when it’s gone… well, you are pretty much screwed.  Some of the tips the author is offering when this willpower obviously has lost its effect include when you are on vacation you should share your goodies with your friends.  Good suggestion. 

Another would be to not arrive hungry at a party with lots of scrumptious food and to eat some protein or have a snack before you go.  Also, limiting the amount of alcohol would be a big help because we all know that intoxication plays a major role in just randomly pigging out.  Seriously.  Good suggestion but highly unlikely to happen. 

The solution to not overindulging at a buffet is to not go to a buffet.  Not go to a buffet??  That is your answer?  Who can turn their back on a good buffet?  I bet the author of this article still goes to buffets…

To deal with big portions in a restaurant, the recommendation is to get your doggy bag packed ahead of time.  You know, have your server actually put half your food packed to go and not even bring it to you.  Creative, but not a good suggestion because some things are just not as good heated up after you take them home and, therefore, must be eaten at the restaurant.  Period. 

After a break up it is suggested to call one of your good friends and go for a power walk.  A power walk??  Noooo….how about heading to the nearest Denny’s for a nacho platter and an All American Slam with a side of mayo to dip your fries in that you got instead of hash browns.  Oh, with a Diet Coke.  Power walk??  Really??

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing! 

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Weight loss reality TV…good or bad?

I think there might be varied opinions on this one, but for me personally I do not even watch them because it really isn’t “reality.”  I remember when the Biggest Loser show first aired.  Having been a professional dieter my entire life, I was curious to see how these people were going to lose such huge amounts of weight because some of the results on the previews were quite shocking to me.  Early into the show I discovered how this was being accomplished and never watched another episode. 

These shows are very popular and I think they have some good points as well as some bad points.  To name a few, I really dislike is that they are in no way realistic with an isolated environment, 24/7 access to doctors, dietitians, fitness instructors as well as other professionals, and most importantly the absolute ridiculous amount of exercise each day.  For the average professional dieter such as myself, I have a few responsibilities like my family and work that takes up about 75% of my day which would make it virtually impossible to achieve their routine.  And besides, there is no way I am going to miss an episode of NCIS, CSI, or Castle…seriously no way.

Now on the upside, they do provide a good dose of inspiration for someone who just hasn’t jumped on the ol’ diet bandwagon.  Just as important, some discuss health, diet, cooking and meal preparation, motivation and attitude, as well as targeted exercise. 

With that said, it is unfortunate that society has created such as warped sense of body image that these shows actually exist to begin with.  The global message should not be directed at what is perceptually wrong with you, but rather what is great about you!  Healthy people come in all shapes and sizes and once you feel good about yourself, everything else will fall into place including weight loss.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

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Surgery, the answer for weight loss – No way!

No matter how much I weigh, I would never consider the Lap-Band, or gastric bypass, or anything else surgically to “correct” my obesity.  Statistically I am sure many people have had these surgeries and are happy.  Good for them.  It is just not for me.  I knew a couple of people I worked with in Florida who had gastric bypass and they lost like 100 pounds in four to six months or something crazy like that, but long-term they ended up back where they started from.  So was it really worth it?

I have been a medical transcriptionist for 18 years and my very first account was with a gastroenterology office.  I used to type reports on women that underwent the Roux-en-Y surgery, commonly known as gastric bypass, and five to ten years later had medical issues directly related to that surgery. 

The whole concept doesn’t make sense to me.  After the surgery you eat very small portions.  Please correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t cutting back on portions to lose weight kind of a no brainer which you can do without major surgery?  How many times have we heard, “I have tried every diet and I just can’t lose weight.”  I think that’s a cop out just to go for the easy way out, or what is perceived as the easy way out – body altering surgery…Yikes!  Diets do work but I will admit that in my career as a professional dieter some work better than others and it is totally up to the individual.  With that said though, even if you have the surgery, if you are not meant to be a skinny person, you will not be a skinny person.  Period.  Same thing goes for dieting, if you are not meant to be a skinny person, you will not be a skinny person.  Sure you will lose weight, but the inevitable outcome is what your body decides is right for you.  Remember those little things called genes?

So stop stressing about it and be happy people!!  If you want to override your body’s genes and teach them a lesson then go ahead – starve yourself and exercise 12 hours a day.  I would rather be fat and happy then skinny and miserable – just sayin’…

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy   Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

http://newsatjama.jama.com/2011/03/21/author-insights-long-term-benefits-from-gastric-banding-are-questioned/

Fat tax will affect skinny chicks too…

If you have been reading my blog, you already know my opinion on this whole fat tax thing. To be honest though, I hadn’t thought about how it will affect people on the other end of the fat spectrum – those who are skinny and have trouble maintaining their weight. 

ClassyRose makes a valid point in her blog article, “A Fat Tax – It Won’t Work.” 

“Every time I go to the grocery store I find there is another product I’m used to purchasing that is now lower in fat, calorie, sugar, salt.  A jar of jam now has 50% less calories but I’m paying the same price and would have to use twice as much to get the same amount of calories as I did before.”

“I need all that so-called “unhealthy” stuff just to maintain my weight, never mind trying to gain some. And so does anybody else who suffers with Crohn’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Cancer and other ailments where maintaining and gaining weight is difficult.”

“Don’t we have enough problems to deal with already without having to find the extra money needed just to pay for the calories we need.”

Over the years as a professional dieter I have read a lot of information that the low‑fat versions of food aren’t any better for you because of what they need to do to make it low-fat to begin with.  For years and years it has been drilled into our heads that a low-fat diet is the way to go and now all the shelves in the grocery store are filled to the brim with low-fat versions of just about everything.  Look around you, do you think it is working??

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

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Tips for Making Light of Being Heavy…

I do not think there is a number of different ways to do this, actually only one. Change your reaction to whatever the incidence may be. Sounds vague but it really isn’t. Let me give you a couple of examples not related to being fat, but same concept. Years ago when my stepdaughters Nadia, age 10, and Natasha, age 12, and I were driving to the mall some teenage kids in the back seat of the car in front of us made obscene gestures…. you guessed it, they flipped us the bird. Well of course the girls were horrified and were like, “Kandy did you see that!!” and I started laughing. I told them to start waving and smiling at them like they knew them and so they did. Needless to say the teenagers turned back around seeing that their instigation did nothing to upset us. As we were walking into the mall the girls were laughing no longer the least bit concerned about the rudeness of the other people.

Another example would be when my son Nick played the sax in the school band. He was getting upset about this boy in front of him who would always turn around and scowl at him if a loud “squeak” was made during the music, basically insinuating it was my son that made the annoying noise with his instrument. After he mentioned it a couple of times I told him that the next time the boy turned around to scowl at him to just give him a wink and smile. Nick started laughing when I said this but I told him I guaranteed it would work.

Relating to being a fat chick, one incidence comes to mind a few summers ago when Nick and I were at the beach walking down the sidewalk to the pier. The area was really crowded because it was the 4th of July and everyone was in good spirits and having a great time. All of a sudden some guy, obviously under the influence of something, leaned out his window in his truck and yells sarcastically to me. “Hey beautiful!! I love you!! Please marry me!!” I blew him a kiss and yelled, “I love you too baby!!” Nick lost it laughing and we continued with our great day at the beach.

We cannot control the actions of other people, but we can control our reaction.

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

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I’m not fat…I’m big boned!

My mother to this day will tell you that I was not fat growing up.  There are pictures in my book that prove otherwise…Oh the love of a mother.  Fat gene or skinny gene…it’s a roll of the genetic dice that I lost.  I believe that it was my mother’s point of view that inevitably gave me mine. I have a very good friend that has struggled with her weight since childhood too but she has told me before how her mother would make negative comments about her weight rather than being supportive. I think she has bitter feelings about being fat directly related to this. I know that given the opportunity to be left alone with little Johnny who did not pick her for the kickball team in the fifth grade – because she was the “fat kid” – it could get a little messy….and not for her.  My mother never harped at me about my weight or told me I was fat. According to her I was just “big-boned.” To me I was fat. Today I am fat. I am not angry about, mad at anybody because of it, and know that there are reasons for it but also know that even as I lose weight I will never be skinny. And I do not want to be skinny. I was not born to be a skinny chick even if my doctor tells me that at my height of 5’6” and large frame I should weigh something like 130.  Sorry, that is never going to happen – it is a physical improbability!

In Making Light of Being Heavy there are pictures of me at around 170 my senior year in high school. I had dieted like mad to get into a dress that I bought for senior prom and I was “skinny.” I can remember my dad coming up beside me at the dinner table one night pointing out my shoulder bone and hip bone and telling me to stop with the dieting. But according to the weight guidelines I was obese!

People should find a comfortable weight for them and consider that their weight guideline and just smile politely at their doctor who whips out the chart that says otherwise. A person’s main focus should be that they are healthy. I may be fat but I am healthy. People will ask how that is possible… if I am fat I must automatically be unhealthy. I am 44 and even though I am considered in the medical field “obese,” I do not have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, varicose veins, joint problems, etc. Am I just lucky?

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

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Cruise ships and fat chicks…

First let me intro this with a little history.  Many may recall the show The Love Boat back in the 1980’s.  I loved that show! I still remember the song – “…The Love Boat soon will be making another run, The Love Boat promises something for everyone, set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance…” I used to daydream about being on a cruise ship and going to exciting places and having fun all night dancing and going to the shows.

I couldn’t wait until the day I could go on a cruise myself and the day did finally come a couple of years after my son was born. We were going on a five-day Carnival cruise stopping in Key West and Cozumel. I was so excited. It was everything I had imagined and even better with yummy drinks, great entertainment, and food everywhere – that is until I went to use the shower.  Now I understand that they design these ships for maximum capacity and that is all good unless you are a little heavier than the average cruiser.  I was attempting to take a shower in my luxurious shower stall, which seriously didn’t appear to be more than a foot wide, when it seemed like there was a problem with the water.  It kept going on and off, on and off. I was starting to get a little irritated until I realized that with every move I made because it was such a tight fit I kept hitting the knob and turning the water on and off! I still laugh when I think about it!

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!