The importance of our obsession

[L Sass]

I have no problem admitting I'm obsessed with fitness. And I'm probably a bit too "preachy" to all of my relatives who carry extra weight. But I found this so interesting.

My mom is 65 years old, 5'5" and weighs 157 - somewhat overweight. In May she fell off of the roof while cleaning gutters and messed up her knee pretty badly. After some minor surgeries and a whole summer of various orthopedists, she finally went to a new one this morning. He told her that sometime in the future she'll be a candidate for knee replacement, but in the meantime - she needs to focus on losing 30 pounds!!!!! That for every pound of overweight she adds an extra 4 pounds of pressure on that knee. I think it's so awesome that a doctor told a patient she is in control of her own situation by working on diet and exercise. To hear my mom call me and say that maybe my fitness obsession isn't such a bad thing - total vindication. Hats off to all of us!

Lorrie

 

[amyg]

Lorrie-

What great vindication from your Mom!! I love that she called you to tell you- that's wonderful. And hats off to the doc, too! I have to agree- those aches and pains definitely increase with added weight.

I'd have a plan all set for my mom within about 5 seconds, I think! LOL Good luck trying to balance "supportive" and "preachy" with her. Hats off to your mom, too, for getting up on the roof at 65- I wouldn't do that at 28!!

 

[sblordita]

It is so nice to see somebody tell a patient the way it really is. I'm tired of nobody being given the responsibility of their own health and body, as if NOTHING is their own doing!!!

The coolest thing, though, is that your mom respects what you do enough to tell you right away that you are doing the right thing. Yay!!

My obsession does pay off occassionally. Because of all my videos, equipment, and the fact that I relentlessly buy certain workouts with my mom in mind, she plugs away at it year after year. She's not as consistent as she needs to be, but she does continue to go back. She actually gets upset when I stop pushing her. Her absolute favorite workouts are Pure Strength

Sara

 

[Runcrazy]

Yeah! That's good validation for what you do - for what we all do!
It's good to hear some straight talk is going on out there!

Jo

 

[nancy324]

Awwww, Lorrie, that's great. Good doctor!

-Nancy

 

[robin4health]

It is nice to see a doctor say that. I love it when they just 'say it like it is'. I think we get so much sugar coated, and sometime we just need to hear the raw truth. It's also nice that your mom gave you a call to tell you about it. It is nice motivation for us all to keep up with our obsession

 

[lorajc]

I used to work for a Neurosurgeon that would tell his patients to lose 30-50 pounds before he would EVEN consider doing surgery on them.

We once had a somewhat older (early 60's?) overweight woman ask him to write a prescription for one of those little motorized things to drive around on all of the time because walking was too difficult and he wouldn't do it. He told her she needed to walk!! and should lose some weight and her joints wouldn't bother her so much. He always told patients to exercise because some times that is the only thing you can do to help a bulging disc (strengthing your muscles).

 

[lorihart]

Habit or obsession? Will we ever know?
I was just thinking how uncomplete my morning is b/c I didn't workout and I won't be able to wokrout until tonight.I use to always work out in the evening but lately it as been more mornings.So now I am worried that I will be to lazy by the time I get home.But I guess the ball is in my court isn't it? Ill have to drink some red bull around 6:30 and when I get off...hit the road for my run
I had a girl tell me I was obssess once, and it didn't go over to well.There was no need and she didn't know me that well.Someone asked me a question and she got all up in arms,probably b/c she was niffed at herself b/c she didn't workout.

We were also at a party the other night and there was a girl there who wasn't feeling very well.They informed me after that she was just dignosed with some sort of disease.Besides for that she as diabetes(really bad), tyroid problems and a few other things.She is only my age, around 28 or so,she is also overweight and on a lot of medications.And I was thinking, I know some things are out of our control considering genetics but would she have so many problems if she weren't overweight and more active?

I think we are doing pretty good.We are diffently not the norm but this is one time I am happy not being normal
Lori

 

[Timber99]

I think this topic of "obsession" has gone round and round this board. It seems that a lot of people look at a good exercise regime and healthy eating habits as an "obsession!" I say "if that is the thing that I do to excess, then god bless me b/c there are a lot of other things that I could do and that would cause a greater issue!" I used to get annoyed, and still sometimes do, but now I honestly don't really care what others think!

As for your mom's doc, hoorah to him! Unfortunately, I think that a lot of people won't get serious about managing weight and being healthy until a doc either really lays it on the line or tells them the very worst consequences and once a year at a physical isn't going to do it.

 

[candi]

I don't like the word obsession because it has a negative connotation. I think I have a passion for fitness and eating right. I think that's much more positive than an obsession because that would mean overlooking other things in my life for just one thing. I make a very conscious effort not to do that.