Leavin’ Las Vegas…and pre-conceived weight perceptions

I had a fabulous weekend, and will have a great photo up soon. I managed to capture photographic evidence of my extremely nutritious breakfast Sunday morning.

I got home about 5 yesterday afternoon to a sick little kitty. Poor monkey isn’t hungry and looks like I do when I feel achy and flu-like.

In other news, Bitch, Ph.D. linked to an excellent photo-stream in Flickr of people’s weight categories (underweight, overweight, obese, morbidly obese and normal) based on their BMI. It’s interesting to see how the straight BMI calculation fails to always take into account muscle and other things. Which is why BMI isn’t the most useful tool for calculating your overall health. When doing a straight calculation, my body fat percentage is in the obese range, but when using calipers and other measurements to determine my lean muscle mass and fat percentage, I am fit & healthy and just need to lose a few more pounds.

This woman is overweight. Which I wouldn’t have guessed by looking.

(Photo thanks to Lucysol)

And that is why we maybe should never try to guess by looking.

Speaking of weight, one of the things that is frustrating when one is trying to lose weight – and not only a little, but a great deal of weight – is the reactions you get from different people. There are a handful of people that are great. A lot of people who don’t care (at least not out loud). And then, there’s the (admittedly small group) of everyone else. I have never encountered anyone who’s told me I can‘t do it – just a whole lot of people who’ve told me I shouldn’t.

“You’re wasting away to practically nothing!”

“If you lose any more weight, you’ll be invisible!”

“Should I call the anorexia support group?”

And on, and on, and on. These same people keep trying to get me to eat when/what I don’t want to and to let me know that it’s okay to overeat because “I’m on vacation” or “It’s the weekend” or “You just lost weight, have some pie.”

I think that by and large (hee, weight pun), most people think that they’re being complimentary, and to tell you the truth, there are only a couple of people that really seem mean when they say it (and just in case anyone was wondering, it’s not you that I’m talking about) – like they really wish that I would just stop losing weight and exercising and just gain it all back. I’m probably guilty of it myself, although I am trying to train myself to say, “You look terrific. Your hard work is paying off!” and other such bonhomie’s.

I have been talking about my weight loss. I’m very proud of myself, and although I still have a little ways to go, I’ve done an amazing job. But, just in case there are any doubts, my goal weight, which is still 18.4 pounds away is at the top end of the weight range that is healthy for my height and age, has been approved by my doctor, my weight watcher leader, my personal trainer, my husband, and most importantly, me.

So this is me six weeks ago:

Height: 5’2″

Weight: 155.8

BMI: 28.5

Which makes me overweight. BUT, I’m still hella physically fit. And, for every piece of evidence that being overweight isn’t so bad, there’s a piece that says it is – so make your own decisions. But, I choose to be thin because it’s easier on my knees when I run. I’m lucky that I can make that choice, but since I did, I ask that you respect it.

And, because I hate to be all preachy, bitchy, sermony (well, I don’t really hate it, I’m just afraid you’ll go away and never come back) and not leave you with anything, I give you:


and:

Both from my boyfriend Kenneth.

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