Looking for Other FATTIES

I signed up for Google alerts on “diet” and “calories” ... just to see what else is out there. Everyone is trying to sell you something. I’m not.

I’ve lost 80 pounds. I’m trying to lose another 30. This blog is about how I’ve done it and … well, a lot of other stuff I find interesting. I don’t belong to any weight loss program. I don’t have a personal trainer. I’m just eating les junk and walking.

And since I’m miles from perfect (I used to weight 270 … so MILES from perfect), I’m also pretty open about my mistakes.

I’d like to talk to other people, like me, who want to feel better and weigh less.

FUNNY Tueday: Diet Rules

1. If you eat something, and no one else sees you eat it, it has no calories.


2. When drinking a diet soda while eating a candy bar, the calories in the candy bar are cancelled by the diet soda.

3. When you eat with someone else, calories don't count as long as you don't eat more than they do.

4. Foods used for medicinal purposes NEVER count. Example: hot chocolate, brandy, toast, and Sara Lee Cheesecake.

5. If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look thinner.

6. Movie-related foods do not have calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel. Example: Milk Duds, Buttered Popcorn, Junior Mints and Tootsie Rolls.

7. Cookie pieces contain no calories. The process of breaking the cookie causes calorie leakage.

8. Late-night snacks have no calories. The refrigerator light is not strong enough for the calories to see their way into the calorie counter.

9. If you are in the process of preparing something, food licked off knives and spoons have no calories. Examples: Peanut Butter on a knife and ice cream on a spoon.

10. Food of the same color have the same number of calories. Examples are spinach and pistachio ice cream, mushrooms and white chocolate.

11. Chocolate is a universal color and may be substituted for any other.

Diet Quote from Kirstie Alley

I was really tired of words like 'plus size,' 'round' and 'large.' I thought, 'Come on, we're fat.' -- Kirstie Alley

FACING FACTS: Hunger

TV. The Internet. Even the radio stations I work for. They are all full of ads promising weight loss without hunger and THAT”S CRAP!

Now I am not advocating slashing calories below 1000 or anything drastic. But you have to look at what hunger is. Our bodies are set up with warning signs. If you’re sick, you feel bad. That lets you know things are out of balance. If you’re not taking in enough calories to maintain your weight, your body lets you know. You feel hungry. This is not bad … a little uncomfortable, but not a big deal. You can not lose weight without taking in fewer calories than you burn up, so occasionally feeling hungry is just part of it. Man up and move on.

This is the lecture I’m giving myself. I was extremely overweight in the beginning – 270 pounds. I’ve gradually cut back and gradually lost. I haven’t been really hungry very often … until recently. Now I’m closer to a healthy weight, so I’m feeling hunger more.

Quote for 11/12/09: SNL on Upper Arm Fat

I have so much upper arm fat that if I was pushed out of a tree, I'd glide. - SNL 11/7/09

Should I Make a Big FAT Change?

Change sucks.

Well, let me rephrase that. Change, that I didn’t choose, sucks. Change, that was forced on me, sucks. But change I want, yeah, that’s an improvement.

My current weight loss plan is not working like it did in the beginning. I have 2 choices: Accept weighing 30 more pounds than the charts consider healthy. OR change what I’m doing till it starts working.

I really don’t care how much I weigh, but I do care how I feel. I feel great, now. 75 pounds less is wonderful! Will another 35 pound make a difference?

FAT Art: Peter Paul Rubens

I am losing weight for my health. My knees don't hurt any more. My blood pressure is … well, better. Yea, I look better, because 270 pounds was pretty ugly. But visual appeal is not my main motivation. If I wanted to be a model, I'd need to rinse away 30 years and have a nose job.


Look at the pictures below. You don't have to be skinny to be attractive. These women have tummies and hips. A couple of hundred years ago, they were fashionistas … you know … without the wardrobe.

Quote for 10/23/09: Jane Thomas Noland on Fat

Fat is not a moral problem. It's an oral problem. ~Jane Thomas Noland

Quote for 10/17/09: Jackie Gleason on FAT and Thin

Thin people are beautiful, but fat people are adorable. -- Jackie Gleason

Quote for 10/16/09: Dawn French about Rubens and Kate Moss

If I had been around when Rubens was painting, I would have been revered as a fabulous model. Kate Moss? Well, she would have been the paintbrush. ~Dawn French

The Size-4 Model Who Was "Too FAT"

The lowest healthy weight for a 5’10” woman with a small frame is 132. (Medium frame is 142.) Filippa Hamilton weights 120 pounds and was fired by Ralph Lauren for being too fat. She’s a size 4. How can that be “too fat? "They fired me because they said I was overweight and I couldn't fit in their clothes anymore," she said.


The average American woman is 5'4", weighs 140 lbs, and wears a size 14. You can’t do anything about height, but why would you glamorize a woman who is 10 to 20 pounds below a healthy weight? What’s wrong with the fashion industry?


I always thought the point of models was to sell clothes. Why not show those clothes on average bodies? And if the clothes you’re selling or designing don’t look good on average bodies … hm-m-m, maybe you should go back to the drawing board!


Want to know more?
http://www.examiner.com/x-14380-NY-Celebrity-Fitness-and-Health-Examiner~y2009m10d14-Ralph-Lauren-model-Filippa-Hamilton-Fired-for-being-fat
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2009/10/14/2009-10-14_model_fired_for_being_too_fat.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/14/filippa-hamilton-ralph-la_n_320396.html
http://gothamist.com/2009/10/14/ralph_lauren_model.php

Why Was I FAT?

No one is hungry enough to justify weighing 270. I know. That’s what I used to weigh. What got me there was not hunger.


The FTO-gene did not make me fat. I may or may not have it, but that’s not the reason I was 3-figures over a healthy weight.


I was not fat because I have big bones. As it turns out, I have the bone structure of a 6-foot tall man, but that doesn’t justify weighing 270 pounds. Even the 6 foot tall guy would be unhealthy at that poundage.


I was fat because I ate more than I needed and then sat on my butt. Period.


I’m not losing weight, so I can look like a model. That would require a nose job and a magic potion to rinse away 35 years. Besides, who cares? I love how much better I feel without the extra weight. I need to keep that.


So the question is why? Why did I eat more than I need? Why do I still? Why do you?

1. It feels good. Eating is an enjoyable experience. The taste … the smell … the warm feeling, yeah eating is a sensory experience.

2. Food is cheap. When you have no money for other indulgences, you can always afford brownie mix.

3. If you’re lonely, you associate plentiful food with good times … family get-togethers, celebrations.

4. If you’re tired, you associate food with recharging. Instead, you may need more sleep or less stress.

5. Orally fidgeting. Rather than take a cigarette break, you hit the candy machine. You want a 5-minute escape, and food is an excuse.

6. A sugary snack will make you feel good for a few minutes. It’s am emotionally soothing pick-me-up.

7. If you think of others, let me know. I’m happy to ad to the list.


This is one of the things I have to deal with … not only undoing the weight I’ve put on … but controlling why I did it. Otherwise, I’ll end up here again in a few years. Look at Oprah. A lot of people lose weight to gain it back. I have, although never this much.


Fat is just a symptom. I need to address the problem.

Quote for 10/8/09: Eat This, Not That on the "FAT" Gene

It's official—your propensity to lose or gain weight isn't written in your genes. Swedish scientists reporting in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conclude that the oft-maligned FTO-gene—which previous studies have linked to runaway weight gain—will only increase your risk of obesity if you also lead a sedentary lifestyle. Bottom line: Being fat is a choice, not an inherited trait. - Eat This, Not That

Are Your FAMILY and FRIENDS Making You FAT? (part 2)

It’s my fault. When my daughter comes home, she expects ice cream. This is the female bonding I taught her – girl-talk over brownies. I created this problem.  Now, I want to change … or I feel I ought to change. Perhaps “want” isn't the right word. I “want” to climb into a vat of fudge and emerge a healthy weight. Wanting and reality are 2 different things.

Just because I’m trying to change, doesn’t mean the people around me are interested. They were comfortable with fat-me. So was I … but it was really unhealthy. I feel better now. The looking better part is just a bonus.


As I’ve lost weight, I noticed a change in some of my acquaintances. Fat people are a lower form of life – the only group it’s socially acceptable to condemn for their appearance. If you have to feel superior to someone, pick a fat gal. Family members. Co-workers. Clients. The pecking order in their minds changed, when I reached an average weight. Women, who used to weigh less than me, have the biggest adjustment. They're worried. What if I weigh less than them now?


Then, there are the enablers. “You don’t want to lose too much.” “Don’t pay any attention to those height and weight charts.” “Haven’t you lost enough?” Maybe they’re trying to understand? Maybe.


Change isn’t just hard internally. Ask someone in AA. Sometimes, the people around you make it more difficult.

Are FRIENDS and FAMILY Making You FAT? (part 1)

It’s not celebration without overeating. A social gathering in more fun if you indulge in junk food … at least seconds … maybe appetizers … especially dessert. I’m not saying this is how it OUGHT to be. But this is how I react, and it’s making it hard to keep losing

I started out 110 pounds overweight. Cutting back most of the time was all I needed to lose. Now it’s different. With these last 30 pounds, I need to be on task all the time. I’m having trouble with that.


Today is Michele’s 39th birthday. We celebrated at the Cellar. (Tradition in the sales department is the birthday girl picks the restaurant. The person with the last birthday buys her lunch.) All those wonderful Italian aromas started in the parking lot. Everybody else got calzones – spinach and artichoke or meatball, or pineapple, tomato and cheese. I was really hungry, but I’m trying to focuses on the calories. I had a salad with citrus dressing, but all I could smell was the calzones. Some people feel noble when they eat less than their friends, maybe even a little superior. I just feel like I didn’t do anything special.


Everyone has associations with food. One of mine is social eating. I keep trying to picture how I will celebrate when I hit goal. Visualize my success. My imagination inevitably shows me bringing treats to work or going out to dinner. Not a good idea.


Losing weight involves more than exercise and counting calories. I have to confront the reasons I over eat.

FAT Changes

I got my passport today. The new passport picture was on the post office counter next to my 2006 driver’s license. It looked like 2 different people. The license says 175 pounds, but I was closer to 250. My goal is not to be a liar anymore and tell the truth on my driver’s license.


My face isn’t the only thing that’s changed. I put on my size 22 jeans last week. I could get both legs in one side. I just couldn’t get the feet out the bottom, because they are tapered. I carry most of the remaining excess in my waist, so this picture isn’t as dramatic as I’d like.  Beth told me the baggy T-shirt didn't help.  I'm used to baggy clothes and uncomfortable with something that fits ... but I'm working on that.

There was a fire last week. The gal who lost her home, wears one of the sizes I used to. Anything that wasn’t already at Goodwill is going to her.

Are You FAT Because You’re FAMISHED? (Part 2)

I used to weigh 270 pounds. No one is “hungry” enough to justify weighing that much. “Need” for food is not the reason you and I gain large amounts of weight. It’s all about DESIRE.

• DESIRE for a huge steak because it makes you feel important … king of the hill.
• DESIRE for ice cream because it means celebration and happiness … a reward, like “You got an A! Let’s get ice cream.”
• DESIRE for big steaming baked potato, because it makes you feel like home … warm and comfortable.

These foods are not bad. And if they are occasionally used for more than nutrition, what’s the harm? It’s a quantity issue. If you have increased to an unhealthy weight, then it’s time to change. First, look at what you’re eating.



What have you eaten in the past 24 hours that nutritionally you didn’t need?

• I had a latte between appointments this morning. At 100 calories, it’s better than the 400-calorie mochas that I love, but I still didn’t NEED it.
• About 3 this afternoon, I’m going to break into my stash of 100-calorie packs. It’s better than the Snickers bar (M-m-m) I would have had in 2007. Even better than yesterday, when someone left half a bag of chocolate chip cookies in the break room. Every time I filled up my water bottle, I snagged a few. Amazing how thirsty I was yesterday.
• And there’s the TV time snack. Clicking through the DVR burns 1 … maybe 2 calories. You don’t need to refuel. Yet we all do it. Last night at about 9, I had a sliced banana mixed with a 100-calories caramel pudding cup. You can make a case for the banana, but pudding is not a food group.
• A note on meat: You do not NEED a 12 to 16 ounce steak. 3-ounces of lean hamburger is plenty, if all you are considering is nutrition.

Secondly, it’s time for a little introspection. WHY are you eating? If it’s just a bad habit, it can be changed. Create a new one. Every habit had a starting point. Or is it more than habit? Are you using food to make yourself feel better?



Change 1: I don’t think I can eliminate all non-nutritional eating. That’s just not reality. But I can change the frequency, choices and serving size of the DESIRED foods.


Change 2: Change whatever it is in your life that makes you turn to food to address those desires. Either find other ways to handle it or think about why you have the need in the first place. Food is not there to solve your (or my) problems.

FAST FOOD FACTS: Taco Bell

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s unlikely that I will completely give up fast food. It’s so convenient. But I am trying to choose what I order with care. Beth and I ate a lot of Taco Bell over the summer, so I thought I’d look over their menu and find out what the low calorie options were.

First, avoid their salads. Their Chicken Ranch Taco Salad has 960 calories and 1710 mgs of salt, while the Chipotle Steak Taco Salad comes in at 950 calories and 1760mgs of salt.

Originally I was looking for entrees under 350 calories, and had a page long list. Then, I added 2 additional criteria – less than 35% of daily sodium and roughly one third (or less) of calories from fat. That last one dramatically shrunk the list.

Here are FOUR Lo-Cal FAVORITES from Taco Bell:

• GRILLED CHICKEN SOFT SHELL TACO – 200 calories – 32% of daily sodium – 70 calories from fat
• SOFT TACO – BEEF – 210 calories – 31% of daily sodium – 80 calories from fat
• SOFT TACO SUPREME® - BEEF – 240 calories –33% of daily sodium – 100 calories from fat
• GORDITA SUPREME® - CHICKEN – 300 calories – 34% of daily sodium – 120 calories from fat
• I got this information from http://m.tacobell.com/nutrition.do?pid=7

Eat this, Not That agrees with me. They listed a Taco Bell salad as the Worst Meal at the place. The Fiesta Taco Salad with Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, and Large Mountain Dew has 1,690 calories, 60 g fat (14 g saturated fat, 3 g trans fats) and 2,540 mg sodium. The web site went on to say, “Grilled Stuffed Burritos, anything prepared with multiple ""layers"", and anything served in a bowl are your worst options at Taco Bell. Despite the chain's switch the trans fat-free frying oil in April of 2007, the taco salads still contain an unhealthy dose of this heart-threatening fat.” (See http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/worst-fast-food-meals-america?article=19&page=1  for more.) If you're going to eat at Taco Bell, they recommend the following meal: two Grilled Steak Soft Tacos, Fresco Style Mexican Rice, and Medium Diet Pepsi. It has 430 calories, 12 g fat (3 g saturated fat) and 1,660 mg sodium. Personally, I’m trying to stay below that.

Last month, I did a post on McDonald’s. (http://fatfamilyotherfwords.blogspot.com/2009/08/fast-food-mcdonalds.html ) I did not include the percentage of calories from fat in the criteria, because I didn’t think of it then.  Eat This, Not That says the Chicken Selects® Premium Breast Strips (5 pc) with Creamy Ranch Sauce with Large French Fries, and Large Coke is the Worst McDonald’s Meal. It has 1,670 calories, 87 g fat (13 g saturated fat) and 2,370 mg sodium. Instead, they like the Quarter-Pounder without Cheese with a Side Salad with Low-Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Large Iced Tea. It has 470 calories, 22 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat) and 1,490 mg sodium. Find out more at http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/worst-fast-food-meals-america?article=14&page=1

Are You FAT Because You’re FAMISHED? Part One

Diet gurus from TV to the Internet promise that with their special plan you can loose weight and not be hungry. Adkins says that fat is more filling. The Full Plate Diet pushes fiber for the same reason. In the United States over the past month, 671,000 web pages have addressed hunger and dieting. I’ve lost 75 pounds over the last year and a half. I have a few thoughts on the subject.



If you buy your 2-year-old a toy every time you’re at the store, guess what? He’ll expect you to keep doing it. If you regularly overeat, the 2-year-old in your body will throw a tantrum, when you stop. So what? Drink a glass of water, iced tea, coffee or diet pop. Wait awhile. If that doesn’t work, eat a piece of fruit, carrot sticks or some kind of 100-calorie snack. Get busy. Do something else. Don’t be a drama queen and fixate on it. Move on.



What makes you lose weight is eating fewer calories than you need, so your body burns the stored calories. A little hunger means you’re succeeding. I don’t recommend radical diets. Most people (including me) can’t stick to them. Starving yourself for a week solves nothing. Cut back enough so you loose a pound a week or 5 a month. When it quits working, you’ve reached the even point. Then, cut a little more. The idea that you won’t occasionally be hungry is just silly.



I’m pretty disgusted by the diet industry’s empty promises, but why do they get away with it? Because we want something for nothing! We want to lose weight without sweat and without hunger. Talk about spoiled 2-year-olds.

Quote for 9/16/09: Variations on a Theme

Imprisoned in every fat man a thin one is wildly signalling to be let out. -- Cyril Connolly (The Unquiet Grave, 1944)




Outside every thin girl is a fat man trying to get in. -- Katharine Whitehorn



Outside every fat man there is an even fatter man trying to close in. -- Kingsley Amis (One Fat Englishman, 1963)