:Obesity Information for all

As a morbidly obese woman, I spent over 30 years trying to “hide” my obesity from my friends, family, and of course, myself. After all, I was athletic, I was strong, I was a P.E. teacher for goodness sakes - how could I be obese?!

The truth is, I was obese for the same reason nearly 100 million Americans are - I simply ate more than I burned off on a daily basis. While it sounds so simplistic, that is the bottom line…more calories consumed (sometimes by 1000 per day) than I burned off in my sedentary life.

Many of us try to insist that we are big boned (I did), or have a slow metabolism (I did), or have some thyroid problem (I did and had it tested). But the painful understanding was that I made myself obese. I ate myself into morbid obesity. And that is where the shame came from - for me. I was the one who didn’t, or wouldn’t, (or COULDN’T) say no to the second and third helping of pasta, or pizza, or burgers and fries.

I realize that many people try to accept themselves as they are - and I am in 100% agreement! No one should let anyone else’s words or actions make us feel shame!!! Only I have the power to do that.

Unfortunately, I didn’t want to be fat, or obese, or big-boned. I wanted to be able to buy clothes off the shelf and feel stylish. I didn’t want to be hollywood skinny! Just a size 14-16! That is where I felt shame - because no one had ever held a gun to my head and told me to eat. No one had ever stopped me from taking a walk.

As obesity becomes more of an issue in our society, the media continues to push the dangers of being morbidly obese. I can honestly say, health was a concern, but only a small one - I wanted to fit into those 34 jeans! I wanted to know that I was a normal size. That was my motivation.

If you are obese or just overweight and like your body - EXCELLENT! Don’t let anyone, not a family member, a friend, a lover, a child, a stranger - NO ONE, take that from you. But if you are unhappy with your size; if you want to stop being obese, or maybe just stop getting larger, start looking today for safe, permanent solutions. There are many available, for free, by means of the internet. You can find friends, groups, coaches - whatever you need to get your body where YOU want it.

A new trend is online support - and I think it is pretty cool. Just by email support, I can check in with someone and be accountable…a great way for me to lose weight!

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Each day, a simple search of the internet will show dozens of results for morbid obesity or weight loss, or weight loss solutions. Men and women around the globe are looking to solve a personal problem that haunts millions of individuals every day. As the condition of obesity becomes more publicly discussed, researchers are starting to focus on solutions to the emotional, physical and medical problem of obesity.

With the advent of cheap, accessible food and little or no need for daily exercise, humans (in developed countries) are getting fatter each year. Even with 200,000 weight loss surgerys being performed annually, surgery will never be an option for all obese individuals, and it is one that many choose not to pursue. Therefore, scientists are looking at other ways to combat the growing waistlines and pending health crisies.

The author of a 2006 study, found that ongoing support deliverd by email was an effective tool in weight loss programs because it has the potential to reach diverse populations across time zones, socio-economic status, and even in different countries, at a fraction of the cost of traditional non-web based programs. More than 1/3 of the participants lost more than 5 percent of their starting weight - a signficant result.

In another 2008 study, a participants in the computer (email) group reported greater weight loss and maintanence than the self-directed group. Even if small increases in success occur, the results of these studies demonstrate the benefit of online support, especially when cost is a factor, for long-term successful weight loss.

As morbid obesity continues to plague millions of us, there are better options available for losing weight. The cost of some online programs can be less than the cost of a daily cup of coffee or soda, and yet the benefit of lost weight and increased self-esteem priceless.

If you are combating obesity, there are inexpensive programs available to help you lose massive amounts of weight, safely and permanently.

I think finding an online program is far better than sitting in a support group…but that is just me. Being very private, I would rather just have some one-on-one support via the internet.

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