The Obesity Epidemic

[annewandering]

Mind if we join you, Anatess? :) I accept the challenge as well! I already do the water and I dont live near any fastfood. lol. Ya for that for once!

My personal challenge is to walk to the end of the sidewalk increasing one walk per day for a week. Not a lot till you consider I have a lot of trouble walking but I CAN do that much.

[Guest]

Mind if we join you, Anatess? :) I accept the challenge as well! I already do the water and I dont live near any fastfood. lol. Ya for that for once!

My personal challenge is to walk to the end of the sidewalk increasing one walk per day for a week. Not a lot till you consider I have a lot of trouble walking but I CAN do that much.

You're on! We start tomorrow and go with this one challenge until Sunday then we re-evaluate on Sunday and see if we want to increase the challenge? Will that work?

Now, this has to be a long-term change. I can't just say I'm only going to drink water this week. When we increase the challenge next week - we ADD to what we are already doing. So, we have to add challenges that we can stick to for long term. Is that good?

[annewandering]

I like it, Anatess. :):)

[Guest]

That's not your fastfood..

Hmm....

[talisyn]

I saw your pics, Ana, and was struck by how cute you are! Adorable, really.

It sounds to me like you need a hobby. Of course there's volunteering, that's an excellent way to get out of your head. Church activities, scrap booking, crafting, MMOs (I recommend FFXI lol). There's so much! Just an idea ^^

You might want to get one of those little bikes, not a huge exercise bike but the one that just has foot pedals. Or a set of dumbells? You can use them while working on your pc, watching tv, reading. I'm getting one of the bike pedals for my husband for when he plays his video games

[talisyn]

The important thing is to remember you are a daughter of God, you have infinite worth. It will be a struggle, but you can change.

I forgot this part. I tend to forget it a lot more than I should, all the time lol. But it's true for the both of us, Ana.

[annewandering]

One thing to keep in mind, use a free web program to calculate your daily calorie needs. It is not a simple 1000 calories kind of thing. As an example, caloriecounter has a tool that lets you input things like your activity rate, your present weight, your weight goal, etc. It will then calculate how many calories you NEED to do body support things to stay alive and healthy. This will change as your weight and activity changes. You NEED more calories right now than, say your sister, does. This is very important. If you do not get enough calories you will be craving food constantly just to keep going, a diet buster if anything is.

[pam]

I do have a few of those here. :)

Namre one besides Morningstar

[FunkyTown]

One thing to keep in mind, use a free web program to calculate your daily calorie needs. It is not a simple 1000 calories kind of thing. As an example, caloriecounter has a tool that lets you input things like your activity rate, your present weight, your weight goal, etc. It will then calculate how many calories you NEED to do body support things to stay alive and healthy. This will change as your weight and activity changes. You NEED more calories right now than, say your sister, does. This is very important. If you do not get enough calories you will be craving food constantly just to keep going, a diet buster if anything is.

I know exactly how many calories I need to keep going. I don't need no stinkin' calculator!

[Dove]

Hello, Anamarzen;

First of all, you are a beautiful person! Secondly, I agree with the post indicating that you struggle with depression....Also, be careful with what they prescribe you.....I had gotten down to 125 lbs (albeit partly due to bulimia. I also became too thin) when the doctors prescribed two different medicines that radically increased my appetite. I now weigh a little less than 300 lbs~The heaviest I've been in my life.....I blame the anti-depressants they put me on for the cause of me gaining soo much weight.

It's sweet and comforting to see all the support here for you as you wage this battle...I'm waging my own with diabetes/high blood pressure/high cholesterol. These are life and death issues for me, besides being at risk for blindness. I feel, given my knowledge of these various health problems and what to do to help rectify them, that I am responsible to God, and myself, to a different dietary standard/exercise standard. I believe He holds me accountable, to a greater degree than normal, to take care of my physical body. Yes, we all should do this. But, for some reason, my consequences are greater if I don't....I was told in a priesthood blessing years ago that I had agreed in the pre-existence to have diabetes while here on earth....So, for my own greater good I am being held to a specific standard in taking care of my physical body.....I hope this doesn't sound too harsh...and I'm not sure why I typed this....I hope it helps you. If not, please disregard~

Some things that help me along is to strive to feel Gods' love for me and to love and forgive myself (as well as others) of those things I punish myself for/put myself down over. One day at a time. Please be really careful as you start to diet. I tend to eat a lot of junk food. I get sick and weak after a few weeks of dieting if I just cut down on eating the junk food. I'm hoping that if I replace junk food with healthy, whole grains, vegetables and some fruit, and everything else, including meat, sparingly, that I'll be able to not feel so weak or depleted from dieting....

I've also prayed to feel hope in life. To look forward to getting up the next day. To have something to look forward to do every day. I'm a rusty musician trying to get back into practicing my violin every day. I have also taken up the mandolin. It is so cathartic to apply myself to these disciplines. Very healing. I have very supportive and kind teachers of both the mandolin and violin. They're support is critical in helping me be gentle with myself as I train my muscles once more to play.

Take it slow, take it easy, be gentle on yourself and, whatever you do, don't give up. You are such a beautiful and beloved daughter of God. Your weight is a manifestation of deep depression, imo. Try to get in touch with those issues, as well as doing the physical adjustments your doing to lose weight. When I pray for self-honesty and why I'm doing/feeling what I am, Heavenly Father always hears and answers my prayer to this effect. He opens up my mind to help me see and understand what and why I'm doing what I am more so. It's the best therapy I've ever had. In fact, I have felt more love/kindness/compassion/gentle guidance from the Spirit than from anyone else. Yes, I have been chastened a few times in my life. But, He always heals and loves me in the process.

I find when I focus less on all the bad things I'm doing and more on doing positive things and feeling good about the efforts I'm making, that this inspires me to keep trying and to keep doing positive things in my life. It is so exciting to endeavor to do those things I know will make me happier, like music. I was a telemarketer for many years. It slowly killed my soul. I am much more artistic/creative than anything else. It gives me joy to be true to these things and encourages in me a love for life/living. What are your favorite things to do? What brings you joy in living life? Seek after those positive things. Focus on the good (you are quiet beautiful) in your life. Do those things that will bring you joy. i.e., living true to taking care of your temple (body, mind and spirit) while here on earth. You are soo worth it. Love yourself, love yourself and again, love yourself. In time, when you are ready, seek to love and help others in their journey of losing the negativity and self hatred we all seem to come to feel here in one degree or another...

Best of wishes

Dove

[pam]

This thread is closed. People you have been had. The images the OP posted are stock photos available on the internet via google search. Especially the one of her "sister."