Obesity Related Diseases

For me, being obese really didn't register in terms of my actual health.  I know that sounds odd, but being obese was more about how I looked and what others thought about me...the way I looked.  Today, after being diagnosed with a-fib, a leftover from the high blood pressure days, I finally understood the articles, news shows, medical advice, etc. about the effect of extra weight on the body.  The light bulb clicked on and I examined the damage I had done to....me.  When you're overweight (ok.. obese), you just take the meds, suffer through the aches and pains (ok, maybe those never go away), and hope you'll lose enough weight by Christmas...or Easter...or whatever date.  You promise yourself that tomorrow is the day you'll make a fresh start.  So I'll eat that extra pizza tonight because tomorrow is "the day."  But the damage was still happening to my body, as I ate that extra pizza, etc.  The damage, that carrying around the equivalency of another human being on my back, did to my body is humbling....scary....sad....and for me, a wake up call to live healthier and work my sleeve.  I have 52.5 pounds to go (sleeved last April) and was letting little things begin to creep back into my eating routine.  Weight loss has stalled to 4-5 pounds per month...yeah...per month.

While I realize that some of the damage caused by obesity can't be reversed, I think I finally get this whole thing and the importance of living healthy.  Why did it take me so long?

Great post.  I could have written it myself ( minus the a-fib).

Not just you.  Anyone who has been obese.

Why?  Because as humans we don't often see the long term effects of our actions.  Hindsight is wonderful, but you can't do anything about the past to change it.  Look forward and don't beat yourself up over the dumb choices you made in the past.  Be proactive now and committed to a healthier lifestyle.  I'm sure that you feel better after dropping weight from surgery, right?

Commit yourself to dropping those 52 pounds.  Today is THE day to start loving yourself and treating yourself better.

Wow, this part really spoke to me!

 When you're overweight (ok.. obese), you just take the meds, suffer through the aches and pains (ok, maybe those never go away), and hope you'll lose enough weight by Christmas...or Easter...or whatever date.  You promise yourself that tomorrow is the day you'll make a fresh start.  So I'll eat that extra pizza tonight because tomorrow is "the day."

Thanks for this post. How many "the days" did I/do I  have? Too, too many.  I see myself in those words above and appreciate the reminder of from where I've come. Sometimes the health benefits of weight loss are not immediate and often times those benefits are "invisible". It's easy to lose sight sometimes of why we have undertaken WLS because we get so caught up in the visual aspect of weight loss.

Same surgery date Melody:-),

Great post and happy 1 year on its way!

tia