Friday 29 January 2010

More than a pebble, but not quite a rock

I've lost a stone! Yee-haw. 14 whole pounds have disappeared into the ether, never to be seen again (I hope).

17st 10lbs - 248lbs - BMI 41.3 (still morbidly obese. grr)

Good news is that I only have to lose 8 more pounds to be considered 'obese' (albeit 'Class II obese'), which sounds soooo much better than morbidly obese, don't you think?! Imagine being pleased to be able to announce 'Hey, listen up everyone, I'm OBESE!'

After my last post and the verbal kick up the behinny from Tina, you may be pleased to hear that today I went to Starbucks and had... wait for it... a tall skinny latte with sugar-free vanilla syrup, coming in at a total of 90 calories. Compared to the grande hot-choc with cream which comes in at a whopping 370 calories. Now I just have to make sure my brain doesn't come up with some sort of plan to convince me that because I saved 260 calories in Starbucks I have to replace those calories with something else! Although I am going out for a drink with former work colleagues tonight and will prob have a glass of sauv. blanc, but (I'm pretty sure) it will only be one.

Which leads me on to the perennial dilemma of when/what to tell people about my weightloss. I know I only talked about this about three posts ago, so can you tell it's bothering me? I was playing the scenario over in my head as I walked home from town this afternoon. Chances are no-one is going to notice that I've lost weight yet; a stone isn't really enough to make a difference. BUT, what if someone does notice? What if the convo goes something like this:

Friend: Wow, Justine, you look so totally utterly amazingly fantastic. Have you had your hair done? Eyebrows plucked? Or, wait a minute, have you lost an entire stone in weight since I last saw you only about a month ago?
Me: Oh, thank you dear Friend. Yes, you're right I have indeed lost an entire stone and reduced my BMI from 43.2 to 41.3 in the past three weeks
Friend: Wow, I'd love to lose a little weight myself. What's your secret
Me: Ummm.

And there we have it. What do I replace 'Ummm' with? I know I probably won't face that dilemma this evening, but it will happen at some point. It's not that I'm against telling a little white lie here and there when it's necessary, but I don't want to get myself into a situation where I've told Friend A one thing about how I've lost weight ('I've just been cutting down' - the truth, but not the whole truth) and Friend B another ('I've had a gastric band fitted'), and then Friends A + B get to talking and they realise I've told them different things, and Friend A feels upset/annoyed/disappointed because I didn't tell her the whole truth; and then either Friend A or Friend B or both of them meet with Friend C before I do, and they tell her and then I get annoyed because it's my news to tell, and so perhaps I shouldn't tell anyone at all, but surely the truth will out at some point... and on and on it goes. On top of all this is the fact that I'm actually quite a 'share-y' person when it comes to news/gossip - I love me some gossip - and I'm quite happy to tell people what I've had done but, and I liken this to being pregnant, I feel like I want to be the one to tell everyone who knows me that I've had it done and not for Friend A to tell Friend B to tell Friend C. I know I can't stop that happening as I can't get to everyone first, unless I hold some sort of meeting and announce it.

OMG, I'm rambling again. Must be a lack of sugar, or carbs, or something. I'm going to stop right now and have some (small, mushy) food and then go out and see what happens. I'll let you know.

7 comments:

  1. yaayyyyyy :) You are losing and that is the bottom line. I am having a little problem with doughnuts at my house right now..so don't even think I am perfect at this! I have eaten a couple now and they aren't even half as good as your jam doughnuts in the UK.

    I have just told people about the band when it came up. The risk of that is if I failed they would be looking at me and saying--hmm I wonder what she is doing wrong. In the end it has been O.K. Goodness knows if they think I am a weakling for taking 'the easy way out' but I'm still the one losing weight and I look on it as educating. People who are thin might catch a clue at how difficult it is and those who need to lose might think about the band as an option.

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  2. Way to go Justine! Just tell them you are trying to eat more healthy!

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  3. I have the same dilemma about how to explain the weight loss - 12kg down and so far I haven't said much about how I've lost it - I've told one friend who struggles with her weight about the lap band as I think she is interestd in surgery and she is discreet. But I still have a nagging doubt about telling the world - not sure why, I think it's a combination of a fear of public failure ("she had surgery and she's still fat") and denial (if I don't mention it maybe noone will notice that I was overweight! LOL).

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  4. Well here are some suggestions: try "oh, I'm being good!" - cryptic...a little dismissive...tells people to mind their own business without actually having to say it. Also, you can try telling them you're just eating less of everything...portion control...which is 100% true! Alternatively, you could lie and say Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, any of the diets you've tried in your life, and then just run off as they happily nod, secure within their belief in the weight loss industry. You can play with their minds a bit by saying "DO I look like I've lost weight? I don't think I HAVE..." whilst looking confused.

    I hope some of those are helpful. I like to make everyone's day a little more surreal. Have fun! Oh...and congratulations!!

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  5. I just spent early afternoon blogging about the same thing. I am so on the fence about it all. I haven't been banded but hoped I would be able to "tell" afterwards. Anyway, I think it will just come.

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  6. Me again. Just a quick note to thank you for your words of encouragement you posted on my blog. Without this world of support I'd be lost. So glad I found this community of hugs. XX

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  7. I tell anyone who asks. I am proud of my accomplishment & I figure my friends will be happy for me. (If they aren't friends, so far they haven't complimented me, so I haven't told them. Kind of my own little "Don't ask don't tell" policy!) I am SO HAPPY I had surgery,and I want to help others who are overweight. I want everyone who is struggling with weight to be able to finally succeed, too! :)

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