Random Wanderings

Rethinking thin : the new science of weight loss–and the myths and realities of dieting / Gina Kolata.

This book is very enlightening. Gina Kolata is a science writer for the New York Times. The book is clear full of the latest research (the last 20 yrs) and the unexpected results of that research. She pretty much lets you draw your own conclusions about that research.

The messages I got from the book:

Contrary to popular belief we don’t have as much control over our weight as we are led to believe and being fat is not as bad as we are led to believe.

We have about as much long term control over our weight as we do over our height or skin color. It is genetically determined. There is about a 20 to 30 lb range that our bodies will let us maintain over an extended period of time. At the lower end of that range takes diligence, at the higher end you can pretty much let yourself go. There are a few rare exceptions to that rule but those are usually caused by disease. If we go below that point our bodies will go into starvation mode (whether our weight shows us as being fat or thin) with the resulting consequences.

Obsession with food

Out of control bingeing (like trying to keep holding your breath)

Depression and or anxiety

Hording and secreting food

Lethargy

It will stay in that mode until our bodies gain back the weight to within that safe range.

It is also true for trying to gain weight, when we go above that range our metabolism will increase to the point of where it will be impossible to maintain that weight gain. For me that is a relief to know. I can get rid of the long term fear of becoming morbidly obese if I don’t keep extreme control on my weight.

I have lived a lot of my life in that starvation mode with the resulting poor health and insanity consequences. In many ways I feel healthier now than I have in years even though my weight is considered in the obese range.

After reading this book, and understanding the truths that the long term research are telling us, I got really angry when I heard on the news yesterday about companies charging fines per week to those people who are considered over weight. I also fear for the self-esteem consequences to the children who are considered over weight and the emphasis on trying to get them to loose the weight. (there is a whole chapter on long term research done with the children that blows those prejudices out of the water) This information needs to get out into the mainstream media and counteract those prejudices.

I think it is really important to continue to focus on healthy eating and exercise, but it needs to be done with an emphasis on being healthy not on losing weight. As long as the emphasis is on loosing weight there will be many failures and prejudices. If the emphasis switches to health then we can see success.

If you don’t believe this, then read the research. And stop judging fat people!!!!

This book sure opened my eyes!

Help me change those prejudices, pass this information on to everyone you know!

I think my van is getting lazy!

It decided it wanted to be towed again—- for the 2nd time in 3 weeks.

While I was driving home last night the front tire came off.

The things that I am grateful for:

That I was able to get off to the side of the road safely.

That there was no damage to the car that was right behind me when it happened.

That all the sparks that were flying did not start the van on fire (I am glad I didn’t just fill up with gas like I thought about doing) or start a forest fire. 

That it didn’t happen on the highway at a much higher speed with many more cars around.

That it didn’t happen the day before and cause me to miss a very significant event in my oldest daughters life….

Or even earlier in the day when I had the van full of a bunch of my 12 yr old daughters friends (taking them home after Lydia’s Birthday slumber party)

That it didn’t happen last week when my husband was at scout camp and unavailable to help out.

 LIFE IS FULL OF ADVENTURE!

Today is our 25th wedding anniversary. Our marriage has definitely been full of challenges but is better now than it has ever been. I am grateful for the things I have learned in working through those challenges.

To celebrate my husband and I took a trip to Leavenworth. As with our marriage, this trip had its challenges but was well worth it.

We dropped our 2 youngest girls off at the bus to take them to camp and then headed out of town. We usually rent a car when we travel but decided to spend the money on the hotel room instead for this trip (costly mistake). Just as we were pulling out, the air conditioning went out on the van. About an hour after we got into Leavenworth, while we were checking out the area, we stopped at the ski hill parking lot. When we tried to start the van, it would not start. We ended up without transportation for the whole time we were there.

Leavenworth is a whole village and activities based on a Bavarian theme. It is beautiful. We stayed at the Enzian Inn in a romantic suite, got to listen to the Alpenhorn being played while we enjoyed our complimentary full breakfast buffet. We played a couple of rounds at the Enzian Falls Championship Putting Course.

We attended the production of the Sound of Music at the Ski Hill amphitheater built specifically with that play in mind. Then we walked back to our hotel at 10:30PM.

We went on a white water rafting trip (about 4 hours). I never would have thought as a grandma I would be white water rafting.

I came home sunburned and with sore muscles but no regrets.

Emily Cheryl

born 9:32AM

weight 8lbs

check out the pictures

  Reunion 07