Howdy! Me again! The last column I wrote discussed stress levels and how it pertained to weight loss and/or weight gain. Luckily, I must have mastered the strategy of weight loss in relation to stress. I did lose weight, despite all of that. The proof is in the pudding (I like tapioca) that it is possible to lose weight despite that darn stress!
The latest number on the scale is 284 pounds. That is a loss of at least 5 pounds if not more! Yeah for me!
With all seriousness though, I want to discuss "the body image" issue that most of us can relate to on any given day. The term "body image" happens to loosely mean "how one views his/her body (type). In my opinion, society once impressed upon young individuals (and even adults) to maintain a "certain size." This still has some issue with even current times. That being, from Hollywood to the catwalks of New York, the media and society plays a part in influencing impressionable minds.
You may ask, "why in the world are you bringing this stuff up?!" This topic is rather close to my heart and needs to be told in order to help others. It is ironic that as a child I was thin. Not really ironic, I guess. It is more so how I've come almost "full circle" with my weight.
What I mean by this is in my years growing into adulthood, I experienced anorexic and bulimic tendencies. I call these very serious issues "tendencies" because they were short lived. Well, not that short lived. I would say each separately lasted a couple of years.
When I was a kid, around age 6, I believed I was fat ... but I wasn't. My classmates were "stick-thin" and I grew up with an unflattering body image. The "tendencies" didn't manifest until I was in high school and beyond. In high school I had quit eating and lost about 30 pounds due debilitating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder issues. Well, that quick weight loss "motivated" me to remain thin and/or to lose more.
In college, the evil Freshman 15 took hold and I didn't care for that at all. After a while, I moved down to Florida for a change of pace. At my retail job, my manager taunted me about hanging around the vending machine. It upset me (naturally) and it changed my mindset once again. "Oh, she must think I'm fat! I have to change that, I'll show her!" So, that I did. I ate infrequently, exercised hard and popped weight-loss pills like candy!
I eventually moved back to Ohio. I eventually suffered from debilitating depression which left me incapacitated. The whole family is "whacked," even the cat (who's got narcissism and antisocial personalities) and the dog (who hears things that aren't there). Just kidding! Anyway, I received treatment and started on medication, which began to help pack on the pounds. Bummer. I wound up pigging out on everything also; and naturally I got super full. So, I got the bright idea ... wouldn't it be fun if I made myself throw up? Not! But I did it anyway.
Well, I eventually abstained from both the anorexic and bulimic tendencies until I had gallbladder problems. If you've had gallbladder problems, you know you get really ill. I was so sick with this illness that after the gallbladder surgery, I still threw up habitually. Beats the heck outta me?!
I am pleased to say I have permanently abstained from bulimic and anorexic tendencies. How did I overcome this issue? I'm not really sure. For me, I think I just got tired of all the "stuff" in my life and wanted to change it. That includes the current state of mind. I don't want to have a weight issue anymore. I want to be healthy and I am succeeding ... the right way. Slowly and surely, I'm overcoming obesity and developing that healthy body image that I deserve! Until next time ...
Casi Stewart can be reached at casichilstew@yahoo.com. A Weighty Issue appears every other Monday on the Life page.
