The Highs and Lows of Losing 100 Pounds By Kenlie Tiggeman

[WillParkinson]

The Highs and Lows of Losing 100 Pounds
By Kenlie Tiggeman

I used to dread simple tasks like going to the grocery store and walking to the mailbox. I was constantly overwhelmed with anxiety when I knew I'd have to ride in someone else's car, so I avoided it as much as possible. I bought two plane tickets for every flight I had to take because I knew that one seat wouldn't be enough for me, and I felt shame every time I had to walk back into a rental car company to upgrade because I couldn't fit into a mid-size car. But that shame was mild in comparison to shame I felt when the weight of my body broke the driver's seat of my own car.

I know it's my own fault that my small frame grew to almost 400 pounds. I was disgusted with myself—disgusted with the fact that I couldn't go to dinner without asking for a table instead of a booth because it was obvious that I wouldn't fit into the latter. My life, which was so good in some ways, was completely overshadowed by my body. And while people looked at me in disgust, no one was more repulsed by me than I was.

So I changed my ways and lost 100 pounds. Losing it made everything in my life easier and more fun. I was happier than I had ever been! But in reality, 100 pounds down is just the tip of the iceberg for me—I'm still obese.

<snip>

Last April, as I ran (yes, ran) to a gate to catch a connecting flight, I was singled out by a gate agent who told me that I was "too fat to fly." The story made national (and international) news stirring a lot of unwelcome emotions inside my head. To that gate agent, I wasn’t the healthy, athletic person that I‘m turning into according to my doctor’s chart. I was just a fat girl who didn’t deserve the same treatment as skinny passengers.

Many faceless Internet users hid behind the anonymity of their computer screens as they spewed hurtful and hateful remarks about me when the news story broke. Apparently they thought that negative remarks would motivate me to take better care of myself.

www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=the_highs_and_lows_of_losing_100_pounds

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I'm posting this because some people on DU jumped in on the 'fat person' comments.

Like Ms. Tiggeman I, too, am obese. Last year I was morbidly obese. I've lost 70 pounds and am nearing 'just' overweight. I completely admit I made some really bad decisions regarding my health, especially after an accident left me pretty much couch-ridden for 6 months while I healed.

So while I remember many people on DU being sympathetic to the person in the story, I also remember others being pretty damn cruel and harsh in their treatment of this individual. I'm certain this story will be met with the same derision. I probably will be, too, because, you know, I'm fat and it's my fault.

But at least you'll get the chance to say it to my DU face because, like the author, I'm on my journey and those who are with me are my friends. Those who aren't are merely roadblocks.

[Ilsa]

1. Obesity: the last frontier of discrimination and bullying.

Thank you for your story. I lost 30 pounds to be " normal" again. (Normal weight, normal blood pressure, no aching feet, etc) I've gained back some because it has been difficult for me to get out and exercise. Thank you for your post and good luck.

[WillParkinson]

8. Believe me, Ilsa...

People will always find something to discriminate against. I think it makes them feel like they are validating their own self-worth.

[Dreamer Tatum]

15. unless you're Chris Christie. Then it's perfectly acceptable.

Learned that here.

[Lucinda]

2. KnR

I don't remember Ms Tiggeman's story, but I have seen the behavior in question here at DU.
Many of us are dealing with serious health issues, and those dog pile posts don't help.

[Puglover]

3. I used to run marathons and then somewhere in my mid

40's I lost my weigh(so to speak) and gained 60 pounds. At 56 getting off the couch was hard and I was full of aches and pains. Something finally clicked and I stopped eatting white food, bread,rice,potatoes etc. and got my ass back on the treadmill. And am steadily heading down the scale. Once again. Aches and pains are diminishing and I am moving like my old self again. I can totally relate to this.
Thanks for posting.

[barbtries]

4. you're not alone.

since i moved to NC in 2007 i've gone from merely fat to obese. and i don't have the energy to combat it really. i work all day in a sedentary job and when i get home after i walk the dog i just collapse. congratulations on your weight loss!

[WillParkinson]

7. Barbtries...

If you haven't already done so come to SparkPeople. Logging your food definitely helps. Paul works a sedentary job, too, but just logging his food and watching what he's doing has helped him a great deal.

[HipChick]

5. My sister is morbidly obese..

and has been for the last 20yrs..she has been refused service in eateries...

She must be somewhere in the range of 400lbs+...It's a source of a lot of pain for her, however, she gets angry whenever anyone broaches the subject with her...I've had to live with the fear of getting that phone call in the middle of the night, saying something happened to her...we all worry about her, she doesn't seem to care....

Last June, I got that phone call...she was rushed to hospital with a heart attack....I worried myself sick, finally I thought she would see it as a wake up call...she did, for a short while...then she went back to her old patterns...I've kinda given up...just waiting for the next phone call...

[WillParkinson]

6. Best wishes to your family from ours...

Paul and I were headed in that direction. At our highest we were each close to 300 pounds. After comments from his doctor about his weakening heart we finally (hopefully) wised up. We started watching what we ate and logging it on SparkPeople.com. We were pretty stunned to find out that even though we thought we were eating healthy stuff we weren't, not by any stretch.

So now we keep closer tabs on what we're doing. We probably will till we die because it's working for us.

I hope that your sister one day finds the strength to start the journey again.

[HipChick]

11. That is great progress..I know it is not easy...

[RebelOne]

9. My daughter was also obese.

She weighed over 400 pounds. Then she finally opted for gastric bypass. She lost over 200 pounds, and since she is fairly tall she can carry that weight. But unfortunately, she has gained some of it back. I know it is not easy to keep weight off. I have been fighting the battle of the bulge most of my life. I have never hit the obese mark, but mainly because I am constantly dieting.

[WillParkinson]

10. I had considered a bypass...

But heard too many times of people gaining it all back. When Paul told me about SparkPeople it took me a while to warm to the idea but eventually I did and am glad of it. It requires a bit of effort on my part, but at least it keeps me honest.

[Odin2005]

17. I have considered bypass surgery myself.

My big problem that has caused me so much weight trouble is that my appetite is simply too big and I tend to "boredom eat". But I like food and I like to cook and I have heard that many people who have the surgery end up with depression because they can't eat big meals any more.

[KitSileya]

12. Many people don't realize how difficult it is to lose weight,

and are quick with the comments. However, I also think that we overweight and obese people often like to think of it as more difficult than it is - often (not always!) we're ovwerweight because we are not honest with ourselves as to how much we eat and how we can change our lives. We always have an excuse (or in my case, several.)

It takes time and effort, and sometimes we will never reach our goal of being the weight we were in high school or whatever goal we think we ought to reach, and so we give up before the race starts. On the other hand, people who do not need to lose weight often don't realize how society is built to make weight loss more difficult. Infrastructure that demands using a car even for a trip of less than 3 miles. Food advertising everywhere, and good nutritional food more expensive than fast food makes eating healthy harder than it needs to be.

Thank you for the tip of sparkpeople.com, Will - I just signed up, and sat down and planned my dinners for this week. Now I'm going to take advantage of the gorgeous fall weather we're having here, and walk to the store, and after that I'm going to use the iTouch I bought last week expressly to spur me to walk more and take a walk.

[WillParkinson]

13. Enjoy your walk, KitSileya...

And you're right. Logging my food intake daily. Getting up and moving a little more. Paying attention. Those are the things that helped me drop nearly 70 pounds.

The other thing is not having to try to face it alone. I could not be doing this without Paul's support and the additional support of the folks on SparkPeople has helped a great deal.

[KitSileya]

14. These are the things that work

Logging what you actually do and eat, removes your ability to lie to yourself about it. And support is invaluable.

I did enjoy my walk, thanks. Checking on google maps, I found out I ended up walking 3 miles, pretty much uphill on my way back, in an hour. We've gotten that wonderfully crisp, chilly November weather, and I got home just before dark. It was very enjoyable - I didn't push myself to walk any faster as I've just gotten prescribed asthma meds for a persistent cold/cough I've had since September.

[WillParkinson]

18. Walking...

Paul and I bought a home treadmill that we can hook up to our TV and walk virtually through towns in the world that have been mapped by Google. It's fun to see the streets of Paris or Japan or even Iron River, Michigan. It keeps us interested in seeing and doing more. Very helpful during the upcoming winter.

[Odin2005]

16. I'm in the same boat as she and you are. 3 years ago I was up to 370lbs.

Now I'm down to 290lbs and the edema in my legs I had been suffering from is gone.

The bashing of that woman was disgusting!

[WillParkinson]

19. Agreed...

Bashing anyone for their weight is wrong and people should really know better. It seems, though, to be much easier to disrespect someone when you hide behind your keyboard and can say things you wouldn't say to their faces.