Is fat really the worst thing a human being can be? Is fat worse than vindictive, jealous, shallow, vain, boring, evil or cruel? Not to me.
-- J.K. Rowling
Anyone who has ever had a weight problem has probably had some insensitive person say, "You just need to eat less" when we mention we are working to lose weight.
Yes, it's true, we do need to change our eating habits. But most of us don't need anyone to tell us that, really.
Trust me, we already know.
After asking readers to share their weight loss and fitness goals for 2015, I finally got a few responses, some of which I want to share.
• Petra, like me, is shaped like an apple, carrying weight around the midsection. She joined Weight Watchers online and signed up for their Personal Coaching sessions.
The program offers interaction with a coach who has been where the member is. Members can connect through phone or email as often as needed. The coach will also set up an action plan to help get them to their goal, and they'll receive text reminders to help them stay motivated.
I did Weight Watchers for years and had a lot of success in my early 20s. But after 27 years I'm still trying to lose the baby weight.
It's a sound program, but the bottom line is, you have to stick to it.
• Carolyn celebrated a 50-year high school reunion in 2010. She realized then that she was unhappy with herself because she'd put on weight and was so bloated she had trouble walking.
She went to the Mayo Clinic and was told she had heart problems and 22 pounds of excess water weight. They drained the fluid, but a while later it started coming back. Then she found the book The False Fat Diet by Dr. Elson M. Haas.
It states that not all weight is really fat. Much of being overweight, the author says, is caused by allergylike food reactions. And that kind of weight is easy to put on and hard to take off.
Carolyn says the book helped her understand things she wishes she'd found out years ago. After allergy testing she learned of her intolerance to chicken, gluten, sugar, dairy, eggs and 30 other foods.
• Maggie wrote to tell me that in the new year she resolves to exercise five days a week on her Rebounder trampoline, and eat no bread or sugar for four months. She takes dietary supplements faithfully and has cut her food portions by a third.
She also takes digestive enzymes and probiotics, works to get plenty of rest and has decided to be happy.
Bless your heart, girl. You are inspiring.
• Kathleen wrote to tell me she has been reading my column for more than two years, since she moved to Arkansas. She has rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
She appreciates the concepts I wrote about from the 5 Skinny Habits book. Many people seemed to really embrace the concept of making only one change at a time. It's solid advice that works with eating and exercise.
Kathleen recently bought Dr. Phil McGraw's new book The 20/20 Diet Plan, and she's reading it now. She likes that he writes in the same easy-breezy way that he talks.
In the book, McGraw examines seven recurring reasons people rebel against their diets and fail at weight loss. And he seeks to inspire readers to create a perfect 20/20 vision of what their lives will look like when they reach their weight-loss goals.
• Vicki wrote to tell me that her plans for the new year are to start the Weight Loss Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
She struggles with osteoarthritis and other ailments that affect her mobility. And like me, she hates giving up the activities she used to do because of mobility problems.
The Weight Loss Program, she says, requires quite a commitment in time and money.
The hospital offers a free screening evaluation where it reviews medical history, checks vital signs, gives an overview of the program and discusses individual needs. Some medical problems may need to be coordinated with the participant's primary care physician, and it encourages participants to discuss weight loss efforts with their doctors.
First comes a physical examination. There will be lab tests, blood will be drawn and an electrocardiogram (EKG) will be done if a doctor feels it is necessary.
It works with the participant on behavior modification and nutrition. And the program can be tailored to individual needs, whether it's diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
The hospital contends that traditional and trendy diet programs do not offer the level of expertise that UAMS has.
Betsy Day is the clinical manager of the Weight Loss Program at UAMS. She says that their program is set apart because it's medically supervised and offers one-on-one coaching by registered dietitians.
"We do not have hard statistics on our success rate," Day says. "But I can safely say that we are in line with any other weight loss program [Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc.] in terms of weight loss and maintenance. Approximately 60 percent of people who lose the weight will maintain the weight loss at five years."
There are health issues, Day says, that should be monitored by physicians when someone is losing weight rapidly. The liver might be overworked, and that can lead to long-term damage.
Another concern is an increase in uric acid levels that can lead to complications with the gall bladder.
UAMS is home to Dr. Monica Agarwal, the only physician in the state who is board certified in obesity management.
Whatever we choose to do in this new year, my bottom line is that we should follow a safe program that doesn't require us to jump through hoops and contributes positively to our overall health and well-being.
'Nuff said!
Email me at:
rboggs@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 01/12/2015