Weighty Issues

This afternoon while Max was away I watched the show "Too fat for 15" followed by "Huge". Both are shows about weight loss boarding school/camp for teens and pre-teens. Huge was very much a television show, complete with unrequited love, forbidden love, and a politically correct cast. They also concentrated a lot on weight as a measure of success. The entire show centered around the dreaded weigh in day, when everyone would find out if they were successful or not. Hmm.

"Too Fat for 15", was a bit more realistic. I liked fact that they talked a lot more about the emotional side of food and eating. They showed group therapy sessions, counselors that worked at the school, and the families of the kids. I found it interesting that several of the parents bringing their children to the school had recently gotten lap band surgery, or other forms of surgery to aid in weight loss. I really hope the camp works for these kids. I hope they can learn to live healthfully and value themselves even if they aren't the commercial ideal of what people should look like. I hope they don't see what their parents are doing as a quick fix. Losing weight takes time and effort, and I hope these shows don't detract from the work it takes to accomplish and sustain good habits.


Meanwhile, I continue to struggle with my own issues. I have been tracking what I eat and exercising. I feel healthier, but I don't think I have lost a bit of weight. I know I just have to keep plugging away, but it's difficult when you feel like nothing is happening, or when you feel like you are doing something wrong. I have been trying to figure out my BMR, but every site gives me something different. One will say 1100 calories a day, the other will say 2100 calories a day, how am I supposed to figure out how many calories to eat, if I don't know how many I actually burn? I really wish I could get some sort of medical consult or personal nutrition/training consult, but that will have to wait until I get Rent, Parking pass, utilities, books, medical supplies, and groceries paid for. Hopefully in that order. Blurrgh. All of this should get easier once school starts. I'll be able to get some sort of schedule going, be able to put my budget into practice and have a huge distraction in the form of school. That's what helped me lose weight the first time. The less I think about it the better.

Losing weight isn't that hard if you just stick to the basics, diet, exercise, emotions. I just have to stay mindful of of that, and keep going. Hopefully I'll start seeing results soon.

P.S. The pictures are from Zooborns.com. They are Puggles, or baby Echidnas. I think they are super cute!