I know, I should have way more blogs but it's just that I spend so much time exercising I can't get any blog time in. I can't type and treadmill at the same time. Maybe I could if I was going 2mph but that won't burn enough calories for my liking so I huff and puff and my blogging falls by the wayside.
I just want to tell all of you, I am living proof that you can be Fit AND Fat. If you caught me on the scales and put my height and weight into any BMI calculator, I would be either overweight or obese. To look at me, ya you would say she is chunky but looks happy. Overall I am pretty happy except for doctors and BMI charts and people frowning because I am not the ideal size that an insurance company came up with 60 years ago.
Now for a little background. I grew up as a F-A-T kid. Compared to today's kids I would look again chunky but not fat. Let me just say kids are HORRIBLE. They will tease each other about anything. Your hair is to long, your hair is the wrong color, but when you are fat...That is universal. On Valentines Day. I always got the pig Valentines. Fatty fatty two by four was a standard song I heard. I was ALWAYS selected last in P.E. class. You get the picture. I can very much relate to overweight people and the things they suffer through. Been there done that.
In high school things improved slightly. One summer I dropped over 50 pounds. People didn't recognize me. I liked it. It didn't help in gym class but at least the fatty fatty jokes stopped. How did I lose the weight? I quit eating. I would only eat dinner and maybe an apple for lunch. I was in high school and you can do anything in high school.
Then came college. I put on the freshman 15 at least and some of the comments came back. I was devastated. I didn't know what to do so I found these pills called Dexatrim. They helped me not be so hungry so I could starve again. Life was good. I was to naive to know how bad for me they were. I am pretty sure they messed up my metabolism or something... Anyway...
After college I went to work. They had a health fair at work. I attended being the naive 20 something I was. What could it hurt? It did. They told me I was over weight. My BMI was at like a 23 or 24. I needed to lose some weight and tone up. Again - devastation hit. I am 5'6" and probably weighed around 135 pounds yet they told me I was in serious trouble.
Now I added exercise to my diet routine. I began walking at lunch. I remember walking 20 blocks or so in my suit at lunch to get my lunch of a bag of popcorn. I was trying. After work I would go for bike rides. I would take aerobic classes. Once I started, I have never stopped. I have been exercising 4+ days a week for 25 years or more. The type of exercise has varied over the years but I have always did something. I exercised up to the day of giving birth on all 3 of my children. (The folks at work still talk about that.) I started exercising after they were born before the doctor gave me the OK to exercise. I was busy chasing kids but still exercised. My weight crept up even with all that. I did stop taking those evil diet pills and began the never ending cycle of constant hunger.
So here I am now well into my 40's. Still exercising and still obese. I personally think I am in pretty good shape. I can R-o-C-k the treadmill. In one hour I can burn 600+ calories. If you know anything about a treadmill workout, that isn't bad. Some days I even do multiple workouts a day. Those kill me. I am so sore. This old body is getting tired, but on I keep going.
To look at me you wouldn't know it but my resting heart rate is 56-58. My blood pressure is right around 100/60. I am not on any medications. I am fit AND fat.
So now I am sure you are thinking I also rock the McDonald's a lot to do all that working out and still be fat. WRONG. I do NOT eat fast food. As a matter of fact I have given up eating out almost 95% of the time. Even good choices of restaurant food contain to much sodium. In the last two years I have overhauled my eating. People thought I ate healthy before. HA. Now I watch levels of everything in my foods. Am I perfect? HELL NO, but I really am trying hard to eat well.
I do use a website to help me stay on track. It is: Calorie Count There are a lot of sites out there but this one is free and easy to use. It tracks food and activity and a must if you are serious about being healthy. I average an A or A- on eating via that website. Yes, they give you grades and food will surprise you. I also eat between 1200 and 1600 calories a day - not a lot. Again, I should be thin but I am not.
I guess I am writing this blog to give Hope to all those out there who are overweight. You don't have to be a size 0-6 to be healthy and happy. I am currently a size 14/16 just to show you I am being honest and sincere. You don't hear to often about people like me but I am here to share the news. Do your best. Keep a record of activity and food that enters your mouth. Make changes as you can. Keep on truckin!!!
I just want to tell all of you, I am living proof that you can be Fit AND Fat. If you caught me on the scales and put my height and weight into any BMI calculator, I would be either overweight or obese. To look at me, ya you would say she is chunky but looks happy. Overall I am pretty happy except for doctors and BMI charts and people frowning because I am not the ideal size that an insurance company came up with 60 years ago.
Now for a little background. I grew up as a F-A-T kid. Compared to today's kids I would look again chunky but not fat. Let me just say kids are HORRIBLE. They will tease each other about anything. Your hair is to long, your hair is the wrong color, but when you are fat...That is universal. On Valentines Day. I always got the pig Valentines. Fatty fatty two by four was a standard song I heard. I was ALWAYS selected last in P.E. class. You get the picture. I can very much relate to overweight people and the things they suffer through. Been there done that.
In high school things improved slightly. One summer I dropped over 50 pounds. People didn't recognize me. I liked it. It didn't help in gym class but at least the fatty fatty jokes stopped. How did I lose the weight? I quit eating. I would only eat dinner and maybe an apple for lunch. I was in high school and you can do anything in high school.
Then came college. I put on the freshman 15 at least and some of the comments came back. I was devastated. I didn't know what to do so I found these pills called Dexatrim. They helped me not be so hungry so I could starve again. Life was good. I was to naive to know how bad for me they were. I am pretty sure they messed up my metabolism or something... Anyway...
After college I went to work. They had a health fair at work. I attended being the naive 20 something I was. What could it hurt? It did. They told me I was over weight. My BMI was at like a 23 or 24. I needed to lose some weight and tone up. Again - devastation hit. I am 5'6" and probably weighed around 135 pounds yet they told me I was in serious trouble.
Now I added exercise to my diet routine. I began walking at lunch. I remember walking 20 blocks or so in my suit at lunch to get my lunch of a bag of popcorn. I was trying. After work I would go for bike rides. I would take aerobic classes. Once I started, I have never stopped. I have been exercising 4+ days a week for 25 years or more. The type of exercise has varied over the years but I have always did something. I exercised up to the day of giving birth on all 3 of my children. (The folks at work still talk about that.) I started exercising after they were born before the doctor gave me the OK to exercise. I was busy chasing kids but still exercised. My weight crept up even with all that. I did stop taking those evil diet pills and began the never ending cycle of constant hunger.
So here I am now well into my 40's. Still exercising and still obese. I personally think I am in pretty good shape. I can R-o-C-k the treadmill. In one hour I can burn 600+ calories. If you know anything about a treadmill workout, that isn't bad. Some days I even do multiple workouts a day. Those kill me. I am so sore. This old body is getting tired, but on I keep going.
To look at me you wouldn't know it but my resting heart rate is 56-58. My blood pressure is right around 100/60. I am not on any medications. I am fit AND fat.
So now I am sure you are thinking I also rock the McDonald's a lot to do all that working out and still be fat. WRONG. I do NOT eat fast food. As a matter of fact I have given up eating out almost 95% of the time. Even good choices of restaurant food contain to much sodium. In the last two years I have overhauled my eating. People thought I ate healthy before. HA. Now I watch levels of everything in my foods. Am I perfect? HELL NO, but I really am trying hard to eat well.
I do use a website to help me stay on track. It is: Calorie Count There are a lot of sites out there but this one is free and easy to use. It tracks food and activity and a must if you are serious about being healthy. I average an A or A- on eating via that website. Yes, they give you grades and food will surprise you. I also eat between 1200 and 1600 calories a day - not a lot. Again, I should be thin but I am not.
I guess I am writing this blog to give Hope to all those out there who are overweight. You don't have to be a size 0-6 to be healthy and happy. I am currently a size 14/16 just to show you I am being honest and sincere. You don't hear to often about people like me but I am here to share the news. Do your best. Keep a record of activity and food that enters your mouth. Make changes as you can. Keep on truckin!!!
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