<A HREF="http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/96/1/173A"> Semiparametric Analysis of the Relationship of Body Mass Index to Mortality</A>The mortality risk among "normal" weight men (i.e., those in the BMI range of 20 to 25 kg/m2) was as high as that among men in the mild obesity category (BMIs of 30-35 kg/m2), with a minimum risk observed at a BMI of approximately 26 kg/m2. Among women, the mortality risk was smallest at approximately 23 to 24 kg/m2, with the risk increasing steadily with BMIs above 27 kg/m2.
I have news for you - if that's what you're waiting for, you'll never be happy. A little more sodium than usual one day, and you're back to abject misery because all of a sudden you're 158. Eating disorders are all about our relationship with food, not the actual content of our diets or our weight. I second the other comment that suggested you talk to a professional about this. You deserve to be happy and free.
I've been thinking about this for a while too. But it's not about weight -- I hit my goal of 140 or less, and if I lose more, fine, and if I stick here, equally fine. For me, it's about my numbers -- trying desperately to stay under 140, and not always managing. So I check my BGs a lot, and fiddle with my pump and CGM a lot too. But it has paid off in terms of A1c (last one 5.8), and so I AM happy. Can you be a happy obsessive?
David, I do not see your fretting over 1 pound and enjoying all your hobbies and travel as being obsessive. You appear to be happy with everything except that pound. If you are obsessed with anything it is not being happy about 100% of the things in your life!! Anytime I accomplish a 51% point I consider myself a winner.
I understand what you are trying to say but disagree. Having crossed the Rubicon
of Type-ll, I think for many of us, the 'cure' is a constant effort. I was at one time
undisciplined ONLY in my eating habits. I now am writing this w/ the benefit of just ONE eye...the unholy math you can figure out why. My feet, which I 'get about' with of course? "MIA" several-times each week, especially when I 'let' my "sugars" dictate the rules of engagement. So --- no thankie, "Call me crazy", but I thinks I will stick w/ the strategy of obsession. And oh yeah, thank you David....from a while back, when I first came upon your blog. Your mesage then, absolute gold for this glutton-galoot at the time: [ NO-to-VERY-LOW CARB ] ain't such a bad stategem, at least for this no-room-for error T-ll guy. Did I say "Thank You(!!!)" ?
not sure i agree with the premise- seems to me the difference between discipline and obsession has to do with how much thought is put into something- if i have discipline, i will restrict my diet for health reasons, habituate it and move on- if i obsess, i might weigh myself daily (kinda like a rational stockholder v a day trader)- but i don't think it's zero sum happiness one for the other- discipline can be starkly boring if there's no passion involved, while obsession can be extremely gratifying if fed by passion- either way, it's clear ur obsessed with ur weight, but it's not clear that it's unhappiness that is the essence of ur obsession
Hi David,
I've had type 2 diabetes for about 5 years and OCD for just over 20. Since I'm not any kind of qualified health professional all I'll say is that based on my experiences as a diagnosed OCD patient, sometimes obessession is caused by anxiety. I agree with your friend Michael and the posters who suggest you talk to a professional mental health care provider. I also agree with the poster who said you deserve to be free and happy. And don't forget that BMI is not considered the be all end all of health. Personally I put more stock in body fat %.
Weighing my self every morning has proved helpful. I had not really lost any weight but I certainly refined what I have been eating. The final straw was that one son and his family were all running over 105 BG all of the time. I pointed out rather shocked that was at the least pre-diabetic and a 9 and 10 year old were eating over the top candy and carbs. He said he felt terrible when his BG were under 100 and so he thought that was normal. I bought new testing fluid for his meter and sure enough it was OK. I have been pounding him with web sites and after 2 weeks he is reporting that he is almost always under 85 and feels "normal" even at 73. Now to work on the kids....take the soda pop out of their hands.
Well, now that we have been comparing BG and weight every morning I have gotten off of my plateau and started losing again. I have been grain free completely for 8 months. I have been eating low GI vegetables and allowing only 1/2 a banana or some fruit a day. To keep from being hungry all the time I have upped the porportion of fat in my diet. OK this time I decided to entirely cut out dairy and cut back on fat. To me, being obsessed means striving to find a way to accomplish some goal - and having a goal. I think it was Mark Twain that remarked only the "Unreasonable Man" ever accomplishes anything.
So maybe I am not obsessed just unreasonable ;-) I know I can do it and so can you.
David, I am a 46 year old female, 5'4" and weigh between 105 and 109 lbs. I have never been heavy and for about 8 years suffered from Anorexia. My "ideal" mental weight, my magic number, was 103 lbs. At one point I weighed 95 lbs. I had gestational diabetes. I weighed 111 lbs. when I became pregnant at the age of 31, gained 30 lbs. during the pregnancy and promptly lost 25 with the birth of my son. The dr told me the diabetes was gone. I am now considered insulin resistant and practice a low carb diet and currently utilize no meds. I have to be picky about what I eat because I am trying to save what is left of my pancreas from the years of caffeine, bagels, Yoplait and jelly belly's I lived on. I too have difficulty going to restaurants, I too make my own ice cream and I do not even have pizza.... I eat incredibly healthy now and I eat a lot of food. If I ate what you stated you were eating it would be difficult. I ate more than that when I suffered from Anorexia. Your article sent up red flags for me. My reaction to your words is "Anorexia"! I suffered from it, I have to guard myself from falling back into it and I recognize it in the patterns and mannerisms in others. As a Diabetic, or in my case being insulin resistant, we must be vigilant in how we treat our bodies. I do not depend on drugs to regulate my blood sugar. I depend on food and exercise. This I do not view as obsessive. This is my body, life and my future. I look and feel healthy. This is how you gage your health. Not by a number on the scale. Especially not one pound. In my case Anorexia was my way of controlling something in my life since I had control of nothing else. Please get help to address this focus you have on your weight. To me it is a sign that there are other issues and you are trying to control one thing because you cannot control something else. Every day is a struggle but I am doing well and thriving. Good luck! I appreciate your articles and learn so much and get a level of support from you for which I thank you form the bottom of my heart. Take care of yourself!
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The fact that you absolutely cannot be happy unless you lose that one pound is somewhat worrisome. Have you considered speaking to a mental health professional about the fact that one pound lies between you and happiness?
if this degree of obsessiveness allowed david to shed half his body weight (312 to 156/157), lower his HbA1c without prescription drugs, keep his feet/legs,eyes, kidneys and avoid that myriad of other diabetic complications --- all while allowing him to maintain an incredibly active lifestyle, not to mention his creative pursuits...then maybe the OC behavior doesn't deserve this bad rap ---- and after seeing his photographs, enjoying his blog, and delighting in his succession of adventures and trips, i kind of suspect he's not thinking about jumping off a bridge anytime soon...i think he instead exhibits an admirable joy in life that we would do well to emulate
also don't see america's fixation on never-ending happiness as a healthier alternative to obsessive weight control and stringent dietary control...
in fact, i don't see this so much as an obsession as a health regimen --- and an extremely effective one at that - as everyone here knows, diabetes is an insidious disease, which, without such exemplary "obsessive" control, will eventually end in lost toes, feet, legs, retinal neuropathy, blindness, peripheral neuropathy, gastroparesis, kidney malfunction, wheel chairs, and a list that goes on and on
think we all know plenty of "happy" ADA-compliant patients with sky high Bg levels and their tragic consequences ...i prefer david's path
so, whatever you're doing, david, keep it up! and please keep sharing it :-)
if this degree of obsessiveness allowed david to shed half his body weight (312 to 156/157), lower his HbA1c without prescription drugs, keep his feet/legs,eyes, kidneys and avoid that myriad of other diabetic complications --- all while allowing him to maintain an incredibly active lifestyle, not to mention his creative pursuits...then maybe the OC behavior doesn't deserve this bad rap ---- and after seeing his photographs, enjoying his blog, and delighting in his succession of adventures and trips, i kind of suspect he's not thinking about jumping off a bridge anytime soon...i think he instead exhibits an admirable joy in life that we would do well to emulate
also don't see america's fixation on never-ending happiness as a healthier alternative to obsessive weight control and stringent dietary control...
in fact, i don't see this so much as an obsession as a health regimen --- and an extremely effective one at that - as everyone here knows, diabetes is an insidious disease, which, without such exemplary "obsessive" control, will eventually end in lost toes, feet, legs, retinal neuropathy, blindness, peripheral neuropathy, gastroparesis, kidney malfunction, wheel chairs, and a list that goes on and on
think we all know plenty of "happy" ADA-compliant patients with sky high Bg levels and their tragic consequences ...i prefer david's path
so, whatever you're doing, david, keep it up! and please keep sharing it :-)
I never said that he should completely drop his health regimen. Personally, I keep my A1C at 5.4 and I like it that way, because I don't care to be a victim of the consequences of uncontrolled diabetes.
However, obsessing over one pound? Any health care professional will tell you that a person's weight can easily fluctuate by a pound or two from one day to the next. It simply isn't healthy to worry about it to that extent. I'm an eating disorder survivor, and I can tell you, that way lies madness.
I won't say anything else on this. David, best of luck with the issue. I love your posts - thank you for sharing your thoughts on this, too.