I’m Losing Weight

Diana Ross I am not, but after stepping off the scale today, I am so happy, I could sing:

I’m losing weight
I want the world to know
Too bad it doesn’t show
I’m losing

The lost weight is probably all “water weight”, but as long as I weigh less today than I did yesterday, I’m happy. The doctor part of my persona keeps telling me “now Kathy, you know too rapid a weight loss isn’t healthy and could lead to health problems”. I’m not at all interested in that “know it all” part of me. The vain part of me, the part that wants to be a famous writer, the part of me that knows that being a famous writer means lots of public promotion of my work, she wants to look good and will take weight loss any way she can get it.

The current recommendation for effective weight loss is to reduce calories and increase exercise enough so that you lose 1 - 2 pounds per week. That is fine if you have a spare tire you need to lose. But for those of us who look as if we could be trying to smuggle someone under our one size fits all t-shirt and “could clothe a whole family with one pair” baggy jeans, one to two pounds per week lost seems barely a drop in the bucket.

I have lost weight before - sixty pounds over a six month period. After the weight loss, I had the first of two major surgeries. Thirty pounds came back after the surgery; the other thirty pounds came back with the progression of the endometriosis that was discovered with the first surgery - pain had me almost immobile.

I have figured that the reason I am losing basically a pound a day is that after all the forced rest, any exercise is going to result in some kind of weight loss. Combine that with a moderate, definitely not painful, change in my dietary habits, and the weight loss makes sense. I have added many more fruits and vegetables to my diet, and I eat a lot less meat. I do like dairy, and will substitute dairy for meat. I’ve even found some vegan dishes that I like (spaa Naturals Thai dinners - prepackaged, ready to serve, no preservatives, DELICIOUS).

Is it wrong that vanity is behind my desire to be healthier? Is it wrong that my motivation to become a leaner, more fit person is so that I don’t embarrass myself in public? Hell to the NO! If vanity is the only reason propelling me to exercise and make healthful food choices, I’ll say that the ends justify the motivation. I’ll embrace all the “isn’t it wonderful to lead a healthy lifestyle” rhetoric when others can see my weight loss, when it’s not just numbers on a scale. Until then, I’ll be losing weight, singing my Diana Ross at the top of my lungs, vanity leading me all the way to a leaner me!

©2006 Kathleen M. Wooton, M.D. See my column at Savvy Women's Magazine - Kathy's Kaleidoscope