Monday, March 29, 2004

Fat Unhappy Kids

One of my weight loss pals, Dave of The Big Fat Loser's Diet, talked about a study that had the surprising results that fat kids are unhappy.  Like Dave, my first response is "Duh!".  My second response is, as usual, this study has the cart before the horse.

Fat kids aren't unhappy because they're fat. 

They're fat because they're unhappy.  Eating is how they cope with it.   When you deal with an overweight child/teen, you're dealing with so much more than developing a healthy lifestyle.  You gotta find out what is the root of that symptom of weight.  If you don't, your overweight child/teen is going to become an overweight adult.  I know of what I speak.

Fat kids do not corner the market on ridicule either.  I think everyone gets made fun of for something or the other.  They're either too tall, too short, too thin, too fat, too rich, too poor, too ugly, too pretty.  That's how kids relate to each other.  (and some "adults" too).

I actually quit school because of a weight related issue.  I was a 210lb freshman in high school in my first co-ed P.E. class, and we were required to wear shorts.  If that wasn't bad enough, the coach was someone who used to coach football at my old junior high, and now he was demoted to a general PE class. 

I was not able to do what the other average weight students could do, and the coach was unyeilding.  If I couldn't run the entire mile and started walking half way through, he'd make the whole class run it over again.  I went to school a total of 26 days between September and November (my 16th birthday).  I tried to convince the coach to give me a break, but he thought I should "want" to be healthier and pushed me hard.  I even told the associate principal.  He didn't have any sympathy either.  So I quit. 

I went back and got my GED when I was 17 with no real remorse for missing the experience that is high school.   At the rate I was going, my prom would have made Carrie's experience look totally pre-school.

It's not what our kids are eating.  It's what's eating our kids.  (thank you Dr. Phil)  Figure that out and you'll have a healthier, happier child.

Calories: 1903 / 24% fat
Sodium: 2667mg
Water: 89oz
Exercise: Walked 3 miles, ab toner, Pilates

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an excellent entry!!!!! There is no one better to tell the story than someone who has lived it. Your writing ability amazes me and keeps me coming back for more. And props to you for getting into your exercise. Loved the way you set up the pics to tell your story as well. Excellent all around. Take care~RC~

Anonymous said...

back in my HS days we had a "special gym" class for those of us who didn't quite "fit in" the regular gym class- bad knees(me), too heavy, too skinny,asthma- and we did fun stuff - archery,golf,modern dance, weight training. Soon, everyone was trying, to no avail, to get in our class!
keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Hi Gin,
I know you are a highly creative writer and have written some great stories but your own story is worth a book. Have you thought about doing one? You have chapters already written in this journal. :)
"A Woman Worth Loving - Ginger's Story" By Ginger Voight
What do you think?
Jeannie

Anonymous said...

I just want to say , you touch my heart and you inspire me. What you said today that really got me is, No Matter how 'fat' or skinny (yep 5'6" and 125 lbs) I have been I HAVE ALWAYS thought I LOOKED FAT ! Amazing ! I can look back and say, "OMG, I WAS SO THIN !" What matters is how I feel and how I am physically. And I feel GREAT ! I hope you do too.
from 46% Body Fat Nov, 2003 to 35% now.
'A journey of a mile begins with a single step'

Anonymous said...

Stellar job, Gin on the exercises, water, sodium, calories, the whole enchilada!!! Get all your pain out because the joy is just beginning....and we don't want it to be tarnished by anything. NO regrets and NO prisoners (especially ourselves!!!). I have to give a hand to the commenters....Great job commenters (Steven's too)! Steven's is getting so interesting, I find myself looking there first these days....LOL. Great pix!

Anonymous said...

Gin, I love your goofiness. If I'd have known you in school, I would have loved to hang around you & be your friend.
This entry brings back a lot of bad school memories for me. It's all part of the healing process, huh?

"Keep on truckin'" you're getting there & if YOU remember THAT quote, you have my empathy! I seem to remember having a tshirt with this emblazoned on it. <<Cringe>>LOL

Julie