First - I one hundred percent agree that you should love yourself no matter what your weight is. Your value is not equal to how much you do, or do not, weigh at any given time. You are SO much more than that. No doubt about it.
Where I start to struggle is the insistence that weight doesn't affect health. Maybe, for you, that is true. If so - that's awesome and I am truly happy for you. You carry on being your amazing, beautiful self!
But for many of us (me - for example), our weight most definitely has an effect on our health. As I have seen the numbers on the scale go up, there has also been an increase in numbers that are hurting my health- such as cholesterol and A1C. There is a history of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and kidney problems in my family, which can be aggravated by being overweight and those numbers are a warning sign that my risks are increasing.
So - Yes, for me, being overweight does equal unhealthy.
I also notice other, less concerning, problems with my feet, legs, and back aching, my energy levels decreasing, and even my asthma seems to flare up more when my weight goes way up.
This is why I am trying to lose weight.
No, it doesn't mean that I don't love myself. I'm not doing it to meet some ideal of the perfect size or to have a hot bod. And if I only managed to get the other numbers where they need to be and didn't lose all the weight - I would be ok with that.
I choose to write and post about my journey to share my experience and keep myself accountable. It also helps me to feel that by sharing my story, perhaps I can give support to others going through the same experience.
If you are on a similar journey to lose weight and get healthy, I would love to hear from you in the comments! Share what is working for you, or tell me a little about what you have been struggling with.
I think I've shared with you already that I'm using the app similar to WW called I Track Bites. I'm down almost 15 pounds since April 5th... and 50 since my highest recorded with WW several years ago. I do feel better... just wish I'd never allowed myself to get so out of shape. 😔
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your weight loss! It's not easy I know.
ReplyDelete"Those numbers are a warning sign that my risks are increasing." I can relate to that! For the first time in my life my doctor told me that my cholesterol is a little high. And I've noticed when I have ice cream in the evenings, the next morning my back is so sore. I can't say for sure the ice cream is the cause but it's proven itself over and over. When I don't have it, my back is fine. :(
I haven't lost or gained weight in a long time but my body shape sure is changing. About an hour before I read your post I told my husband and daughter that dinner tonight was going to be a protein shake. I really need to start making better choices when it comes to food.