Obesity sucks. It just does. It makes people suffer an often horrific end, and robs people of family members and friends every day who succumb to it. There's no cure, but there are treatment options which may lead to one being ultimately classified as non-obese.
I had a lightbulb moment as I woke up this morning. What if instead of just being classified as "super obese", I was told I had cancer?? Wouldn't I evaluate every treatment option, and chose to fight for my life with every fibre of my body instead of letting the cancer ravage my body and take my life? Yuuuup...
See, I believe I actually have TOTEL's carcinoma. Don't bother "googling" it - I made it up, but TOTEL for me stands for Too Obese To Enjoy Life.
Let's no kid ourselves here. Obesity is a critical illness. According to www.reference.md, a critical illness is "A disease or state in which death is possible or imminent."
Obesity has co-morbidities including:
- Cardiometabolic syndrome - a "constellation of maladaptive cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, prothrombotic, and inflammatory abnormalities". I didn't know about this until I "googled" it, and I'm shocked. If you are brave check this out: http://www.doctorq.ca/CardioMetabolic-Syndrome.html. This passage jumped out at me: "Fat in the Abdomen is dangerous. It acts like an independent organ that makes chemicals that accelerate many problems. This is what I call the Cardio Metabolic Soup - the collection of chemicals that abdominal fat pours out that worsens blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and so on."
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia (high cholesterol)
- Coronary heart disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Stroke
- Gall bladder disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
If you're like me you've probably heard most of that before, and it sort of just bounced off into never never-land like water off a duck's back.
Not any more.
If I did have cancer, I would choose treatment. I would actively pursue the best Doctor that I could, and I would fight with every fibre in my body. I would not want to sit back and let it take me if I could do something about it. I have things I want to do in life. I'm not done.
By neglecting my nutrition, ignoring my weight and BMI, and avoiding physical activity, I have been choosing to sit back and let this take me.
I know that there are happy and healthy obese people out there... I'm just not one of them anymore.
This seems like your light bulb, ah-ha moment! Fantastic HP. Your analogy is so true. I'm fully supporting you, you can do this!
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a big ah ah moment for you! I had mine with my high blood pressure and imminent heart problems. I'm now off high blood pressure medication and have the heart rate of an athlete :)
ReplyDeleteHP, if I can do it, you can too.... whichever way you choose....
I am so sorry to hear that you became so discouraged. This is a long road whatever path you take and the journey is not easy. If I can offer a bit of advice it would be to look for the small victories. On day at a time.
ReplyDeleteThe two years you have been trying are not wasted. You are wiser now yes but go back and read your early WW blog posts again. Try to regain that enthusiasm.
KateMartinCNE 'A Happy Accident'
That is a great Ah-ha moment! I never really thought of it in that way. I'm a WW Lifetime member (read your old blog religiously, I'm a Newfoundlander as well :D), and struggle with keeping the weight off so I think I need to adapt a similar thought process. I'm glad you seem to be back on the wagan and want to do everything in your power to improve your quality of life! You're definitely an inspiration, everything you write seems to really strike a chord with me! I wish you the best of luck :)
ReplyDeleteIt is offensive to me that you liken your obesity to cancer. Cancer strikes without warning, often through not fault of the person. Obesity however is brought on by the actions of the person.
ReplyDeleteWe do not choose cancer, we do however choose what we put in our mouths.
I also can assure you that there is no such thing as a healthy obese person. That is in itself an oxy-moron. Health and obesity do not go together.
I am sorry if this sounds harsh but it's the truth it's not ment to hurt. We all need a bit of the truth now and then.
Please read today's post. I wrote it just for people like yourself.
DeleteTo the previous poster, HP was not "likening obesity to cancer" in cause or reason - she was simply pointing out that they both kill you in slow, painful ways. But while most of us would fight cancer tooth and nail, we have a much harder time gathering strength to fight obesity. That's all. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteHP, I commend you for putting this out there, because you are totally right. So many of us refuse to fight our weight - we hide behind excuses, we give up. We would not do this with any other illness.
Maybe if more of us look at obesity as the disease it is, we would more easily find the willpower to fight it.