Is there some rule?
I have a bee in my bonnet today! Yes, something bugs me: Why do some people feel it’s important for dieters to diet and exercise “for the right reasons”?
I was at Curves and happened to mention that I’d lost 3 lbs. This makes me happy. Chris immediately snapped “Don’t focus on your weight! Think about your health!” Ok. I realize that diet and exercise is good for my health. I realize that some people will never be slender; I realize that I’m not going to be as thin as Sarah Jessica Parker.
But what the heck is wrong with my being pleased I’d lost 3 frigging pounds in three weeks? Or that my BMI body mass index has dropped from 25.5 to 24.9? (That is, from the low end of the officially “overweight” to the top of the “ideal” range?)
So, I said something like “mumble.. mumble.. mumble… but health experts advise you to keep your weight in the idea range.” And she started in on “Why not focus on something like your cholesterol?” Well. . . Because last time my cholesterol was measured it was 135! No that’s not a typo. I have bizarrely low cholesterol. Blood pressure? The technician just measured it before my root canal, gave a puzzled look and said, “98 over 52. Does that sound right?” I answered: “Yes. My blood pressure is always low.”
But the fact is, I know that health experts advise that people should work out even if they aren’t obese, even if their blood pressure is low and even if they have low cholesterol. And it will make me lose weight.
As long as I’m not developing an eating disorder anorexia, why shouldn’t I be happy about becoming slender?
(To calculate your BMI, use my BMI calculator. You can even cut and paste a code and display it at your blog!
well @#$@#! that stroppy cow. i hate it when people jump all over someone’s happiness. congrats on the weight loss. we all choose to lose for various reasons and my reasons are really no one’s business.
at my (seriously advanced boo hoo hoo) age, i am much more concerned about health than i was in my 20s and 30s. then i was much more interested in looking better. that’s part of it now, but a bit different on the scale of priorities.
bottom line, we each find our own reasons and hanging on to those reasons and keeping motivated every day is a task we each have to accomplish.
don’t let someone witch steal your joy. you’re kickin ass. keep it up.
lynette (1 comments.) - April 3rd, 2007 at 2:53 amYou know, mostly, Chris is very nice. And she seems to be concerned that you people will develop eating disorders. But.. yeah.. you’re right! I get to have my reasons.
I’m happy to have lost the 3 lbs. I’m hoping to lose about 8 more. That will put me right inside the “ideal” BMI range, which I think is healthy *and* looks good!
Lucia - April 3rd, 2007 at 4:59 am