Got an email from a reader asking my advice. OK, I'll throw it out there, because I think it's a great question. And it's not too far off from where I was a couple of years ago — I wasn't as fit, but my other health markers were always good.
Here is my problem and I hope you have some encouraging words:
Everyone says, "Don't focus on losing weight, just get healthy." My problem is that I feel healthy! My blood pressure is good (120/60 or lower), I have a naturally muscular build (strong legs, strong arms), my cholesterol is fine. I actually enjoy exercise although I admit that I have struggled with making it a regular part of my routine. I go on and off the wagon, usually off during stressful periods but I have even started to change that since I know that exercise helps considerably to keep anxiety and stress levels down. So, really… I just need to lose weight! Realistically based on body frame size, height, BMI, and recommendations from my doctor…about 40 pounds. But I FEEL healthy and don't have any physical indications that I'm not. We have been using a Wii Fit since June and even though it tells me I'm OBESE, I also have the top scores in everything from step aerobics to sit-ups to ski jump.
I know I need to change my eating habits and deal with my emotional eating tendencies and I am taking steps to do that but I get so frustrated when people say "You should focus on getting healthy and not the weight," because right now, my weight is the only thing unhealthy!
Sometimes I get discouraged because I think I'll never be able to do it. I look at how many overweight people there are in the world and I think I'm doomed. My husband is great about not letting me sink into that pit of despair. Do you have any advice you could offer?
The first thing you might do, if it interests you, is read a little bit about the benefits of exercise and of being physically fit even if you're overweight. There's a lot out there and much of the information is conflicting, but it might help you be at peace with the blessings of being fit and healthy in and of themselves. Here are a few articles:
"Is it okay to be fat if you're fit?" (Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide 2005)
"Fit and fat?" (Forbes.com 2005)
"Fit and fat: US Study shows it's possible" (Reuters 2008)
"Health at Every Size: New Hope for Obese Americans" (USDA Agricultural Research Service 2006)
A few books have been written on this too. I mentioned The Obesity Myth by Paul Campos. I have also heard good things about Gina Kolata's Rethinking Thin (still waiting for it to come from the library). Both are capable science journalists.
Next. What to do?
I think you've already got the answer:
I actually enjoy exercise although I admit that I have struggled with making it a regular part of my routine. I go on and off the wagon, usually off during stressful periods but I have even started to change that since I know that exercise helps considerably to keep anxiety and stress levels down.
It strikes me that the obvious next step for you is to make exercise a regular part of your routine.
Does it seem like you should tackle the eating habits first, or at the same time? It depends on your personality, but I am biased towards building one habit at a time. I, too, struggled with unhealthy eating patterns for years and years. It was not until after I had been swimming twice a week for six months, not until that habit was really good and strong, that I finally could take the steps to get control of my disordered eating.
You could look at it this way. Forty extra pounds, in and of themselves, might be bad for you, and losing some of them might be good for you. (It's not as certain as you might think.) But the habit of regular exercise, which you CAN start now and continue for the rest of your life, is practically certain to improve your health.
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