"When I do the best I can with what I have, then I have won my race." Jay Foonberg



Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Being Fat = Choice

That's right, I said it. If you are looking for excuses for the excess weight you carry around, you are looking in the wrong place. There's a low percentage of people who can attribute their weight to something "substantial" other than pure out lazy, selfishness. Since it's beginning, I've watched The Biggest Loser (TBL) and with as much as they have to lose, everyone eventually came to the realization that it began with poor choices.

There are reasons we make bad choices but if we're honest most are due to laziness or lack of self esteem. God never intended for us to be fat but to take care of the bodies He has given us. If you belong to Him, your body is His temple for residing within you. As with anything else, our priorities (another name for choice) take precedence. Unless you are sitting with another person due to illness, are bedridden, or you are taking medication that is known to cause weight or fluid gain, YOU ARE IN CONTROL of your health.

Exerpt: A tribute to my Grandmother: She was bedridden for many years due to muscular dystrophy. She had her right mind until she went home to be with the Lord. But up until the very end, she always exercised. That's right. She found innovative ways to exercise/move her arms, legs and even her eyes. She even watched what she ate because others had to lift her many times in the day. She had plenty of excuses but CHOSE not to use them. Wow! What a testimony! I look at it this way. You can put forth effort to do something about it or you can take the easy road, which is a wide busy one, and be lazy and fat! It's your choice!!

Now, getting back to TBL...if they can do it, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever for you not to be able to. It can be done!! It doesn't matter if you are 20 pounds, 50 pounds, 100 pounds or more than 200 pounds overweight. Success starts with a choice. You can wait until it is out of control or you can do something about it while it is manageable.

When I began Weight Watchers a year and a half ago, some would tell me that I didn't need to go on a diet. And, actually, I never did nor do I now nor will I ever advocate a "diet". I WILL advocate eating right! To me, DIETS = FAILURE. If you do not believe me, try this exercise (no, not the sweaty kind). Listen to those who diet say how much they hate salads and are not losing (or even gaining) weight or hate working out/exercising or all they do is drink diet drinks, eat carrot sticks and are hungry all the time? Ding, ding! They're doing it wrong! If you hear this or have said it yourself, look at what kind of salad you are eating or look at how much soda you are drinking or what kind of exercises you are doing and for how many weeks did it last. Salads are not the answer. Neither is a gallon of diet drink. If you fill your body with what it needs to function, you'll find that it is all you need. In Bible times, people ate many kinds of grains. This spells fiber...which in turn spells full with energy to boot.

Learn to like different foods. There are so many available to us now from all over the world and the options are huge. We're not confined to manna in the wilderness, you know. It will take some adjusting and discipline to drop fried foods and sugary treats. I know, I've been there. Remember, there are great fruits out there for your sweet tooth.

I do believe in eating correctly and keeping our bodies in good working order (exercise of some type). The kind of exercise I enjoyed usually depended on another person to be involved; i.e., racquetball (my favorite!), softball, etc. Since a "buddy" was not available (and had not been for quite a while), I made up my mind to LIKE something that only depended on me. This way no one or nothing else could be my "excuse" not to maintain a program. Please read carefully - I MADE UP MY MIND! This is the key.

I knew after carrying around the weight I had for a while that it wasn't going to get better with age. I mean, I'm not cheese or wine! (No comments about the age, please.) Though I've never been heavy, I've always been able to drop the pounds pretty easy. I like being active and doing things for exercise as oppose to going to some boring, stinking weight room. But this time, the weight wouldn't drop. So, I stepped back and took another look at "me" to see what was going on. My fast path to out-of-control obesity was coming at me strong. It scared me and I knew I had to do something about it. Then it came to me that I needed accountability which in turn enforces discipline. We all do when it comes to doing something we may not stick with whether it is eating correctly, exercising or even reading our Bibles daily. This is one thing I am so high on with Weight Watchers...accountability. Weighing in at the meetings. NO!!! You cannot do it at home. You'll cheat or not weigh. We all love ourselves and will do whatever it takes to protect us even if it is to play psychological games. We're weird, aren't we?

When you start feeling better you won't want to go back. And just think....you may even drop medication if you are using any! What a great perk! So the bottom line is, do you want to live until you're 50 "fat and sassy" or do you want to live until you're 85 and leave this world when God chooses to take you home? Again, the choice is mostly up to you. I beg you...choose life!!

2 comments:

Olga said...

I really liked this post. I, too, don't "diet". I hate the idea of "juice diets" or starving yourself or the like. They do more harm than good. However, eating right and exercising is a necessity. And although I hate to admit it, I know perfectly well that when I do put on weight it's entirely due by my bad habits.
There's a quote I read somewhere, "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels". It may sound vein, but I don't aim to be skinny literary and I don't deny myself food, however it's when I'm thinking of reaching for that 2nd or 3rd cupcake that I try to think really hard whether that's something that's worth it :)

Happy Feet 26.2 said...

Nice blog. Wish all Mississippians could read it. You should submit it to the H'burg American.

2019 Races

  • 05/11/19...9.38 mile Good Life Ride
  • 04/13/19...Raven 5k
  • Dec. 15 - Mar. 8 2019...175 Mile Challenge
  • 02/16/19...Sweetheart 5k
  • 01/19/19...Casio Bridge 5k...DND

2018 Races

12/09/18...MS Gulf Coast Half Marathon
12/01/18...Honeybee 5k (cancelled-weather)
11/17/18...Seville Quarter Turkey Trot 5k
11/11/18...Battleship 12k
10/20/18...Hope Haven Run for Hope 5k
10/13/18...Shrimp Festival 5k
09/29/18...Don McCloskey 5k
09/01/18...Bloody Mary 5k
01/27/18...Casino Bridge 5k

Through December...200 Mile Fall Challenge
Through August...175 Mile Spring Challenge
Through June...150 Mile Spring Challenge

2018 Goals

Bike 500 miles.
Improve gear shifting.
Strength training 2 hours/week.
Run 600 miles.
Improve running without walking.
No processed sugar 75% of time.
Improve positive thinking.
NEVER give up!

2017 Races

  • 12/10/17...MS Coast Half
  • 12/09/17...MS Coast 5k
  • 11/25/17...Kaiser Half
  • 11/18/17...Wild Turkey Trot 5k
  • 11/11/17...Rotary Oyster 5k
  • 10/14/17...Shrimp Festival 10k
  • 02/18/17...Sea Turtle Half
  • 02/04/17...Double Bridge 15k
  • 01/29/17...Big Beach Half

2017 Bike Rides

  • 10/01/17...Southern Magnolia Ride [25.85]
  • 05/13/17...Good Life Ride [26]

Series

  • MS Coast Double Down...5k & Half
  • Run The Beach...3 Half's

2017 Goals

  • Back-to-Back Races [Done]
  • 3 Half Marathons [Done +1]
  • 1,000 Miles-No
  • First Half Marathon Series [3 Done]
  • Work on core/strength 2-3 times a week-No
  • Lose 25 pounds-No
  • NEVER give up! YES!!
  • Control/Eliminate refined sugars-Good

2016 Races

  • 10/15/16...Shrimp Festival 5k
  • 05/30/16...Fiesta Five Flags 5k
  • 03/19/16...Azalea Trail 10k
  • 03/13/16...St. Pat's Leprechaun 5k
  • 03/05/16...Bay to Breakfast 12k...1st trail race
  • 02/20/16...Sea Turtle Half
  • 02/13/16...Double Bridge 15k

2016 Goals

  • Run 1,000 miles-Done
  • Bike 300 miles
  • Half Marathon-Done
  • Eat fruit daily
  • Push through the hard times-Done
  • Cut back on refined sugar

2015 Races

  • 12/19/15...Make It To The Line 4 Miler
  • 11/21/15...Wild Turkey Trot 5k
  • 11/14/15...Oyster 5k
  • 10/10/15...Shrimp Festival 5k
  • 05/30/15...PHind a Cure-W/D
  • 05/02/15...Fiesta Five Flags 5k
  • 04/18/15...Zydeco 5k - W/D
  • 04/??/15...Virtual Remember the Fallen 5k
  • 04/??/15...Virtual Boston Strong 5k
  • 04/11/15...Magnolia 5k
  • 03/28/15...Azalea Trail 10k
  • 03/07/15...Circle K 5k
  • 03/01/15...Gulf Coast Lulu's 10k
  • 02/28/15...Sweetheart 5k
  • 02/07/15...Double Bridge 15k

2015 Goals

  • 1 Half Marathon
  • Eat fruit daily
  • Overlook past failures
  • Push through the hard times/things

2014 Races

  • 12/06/14...St. Jude's Half Marathon
  • 08/16/14...Pinky 5k Virtual
  • 08/15/14...Howl @ the Moon 10k Virtual
  • 02/15/14...Sweetheart 5k
  • 02/01/14...Double Bridge 15k

2014 Goals

  • 1 Half Marathon
  • 700 Running Miles
  • Strengthen my Upper Body
  • Recuperate, Recover, Renew
  • Get active in WW
  • Eat Fruit Daily
  • Start Clean Eating
  • Begin Eliminating Sugar from Diet

2013 Races

11-30-13...Stennis 5k
11-23-13...Turkey Trot 5k
11-08-13...Run For The Kids Virtual Half [St. Jude's]
10-12-13...Shrimp Festival 5k
09-22-13...Talladega Half
07-04-13...Wesson 2 Miles
06-29-13...Emz Liverpalooza 5k
05-18-13...Pursuit of Fun 5k
04-20-13..Warrior Dash
04-07-13...Gulf Coast Half-Pensacola
03-23-13...Azalea Trail 10k
03-10-13...Leprechaun 5k
02-24-13...NOLA Marathon
02-02-13...Double Bridge 15k-Pensacola
01-13-13....Gulf Coast Half-Lulu's

2013 Goals

  • 3 Half Marathons-Done-Plus 1
  • 1 Marathon-Done
  • 1000 Running Miles-No, due to RC Tendonitis & Broken Shoulder
  • Eat fruit daily-A little aggressive but better
  • Maintain weight in 130's-Did NOT happen!

2012 Races

12-08-12...FloraBama Jingle Bell 5k
11-24-12...Jingle Bell 10k
11-17-12...Turkey Trot 5k
10-27-12...Jazz Half
10-20-12...OS Rotary 5k
10-13-12...Race for Grace 5k
09-29-12...5k For Katlyn
07-04-12...Wesson 2 Mile
04-15-12...Gulf Coast Half...[Withdrew-bronchitis]
04-14-12...Diversity Dash 5k
03-24-12...Azalea Trail 10k
03-03-12...MS50 20k...[Withdrew-bronchitis]
02-25-12...Kids Need Heroes 5k
02-11-12...Sweetheart 5k
02-04-12..Double Bridge 15k
01-14-12...Pensacola Half



2012 Goals

  • 1 Full Marathon-Marine Corp filled up
  • 3 Half Marathons-2 Down-Sick had to drop 2
  • 20 Miles-Wkly Mileage-Bronchitis kept me from this
  • Cross Training 2x Week-Poor Commitment
  • Weekly Weights W/O-Again Poor Commitment

2011 Races

  • 11-26-11...Kaiser Half
  • 11-19-11...Turkey Trot 5k
  • 11-11-11...Thumbs Up for Bill 5k
  • 11-05-11...Senior Bowl 10k
  • 10-22-11...Running the Streets 5k
  • 10-15-11...Shrimp Festival 10k
  • 10-08-11...Mullet Run 5k
  • 09-24-11...Waiting for a Cure 8k
  • 09-05-11...Labor Your Legs 5k
  • 07-04-11...Wesson 2 Miles
  • 06-04-11...Bay Fest 5k
  • 05-14-11...Stargazer 5k
  • 04-30-11...Fiesta 5 Flags 5k
  • 04-16-11...St. Benedict's 5k
  • 04-10-11...Gulf Coast Half
  • 03-26-11...Azalea Trail 10k
  • 03-19-11...St. Patrick's 5k
  • 03-05-11...Eco 5k
  • 02-13-11...Mardi Gras Marathon

Secrets to Running a 5k

Here is an excellent site for those who have thought about running a 5k race but just hadn't made that move yet. There's tips, directions and even a section on what to wear. If you have never run a race, you are missing out on a lot of fun. You will have support from most everyone you meet. Now for the site...click here to change your life and get started!

Free Online Health Calculators & Nutritional Databases

* Calories Burned Calculator - you choose the activity, total minutes doing the activity, and your weight.
* Target Heart Rate Calculator - you choose the activity, total minutes doing the activity, and your weight.
* Food Database - you type in the food category, the food and the nutritional label will come up.
* Weight Maintenance Calculator for Women - you input the info and the calculator will come up with the amount of calories to maintain your weight.
* Weight Maintenance Calculator for Men - same as for women.
* Body Mass Index - find out your BMI with this calculator.
* Healthy Weight Calculator for Women - determines your healthy weight for your height.
* Healthy Weight Calculator for Men - same as for women.
* The Longevity Game - a fun question and answer game that finishes with your "lifestyle" and how long you'll live. [I finished with a great 93 years of age!!]