This isn’t my first weight-loss rodeo.
But instead of giving you some boring sob story about my personal weight loss yoyo, you might be more interested a bigger picture background on health and fitness. (But in case you were wondering, I didn’t pay attention to my weight until I stopped running cross country and ate a bunch of junk in college and had no body issues until I woke up one day, revolted at my saggy-ness. I am guilty of eating my feelings and waiting to grow taller to displace my tummy.)
The hard, unemotional facts are these:
- I was 5’4″ and 120 pounds in high school
- When I graduated from college, I hadn’t grown vertically, but had gained 45 pounds
- With my then boyfriend (now husband) and I dieted and successfully to lose 30 pounds; plateauing at 138. Hubs lost 80.
- Over three years, I bounced back
- I’ve lost five pounds, and unless I am VERY pregnant, I don’t want to see the other side of 170 again.
I’m part of a large group of women in this country. 50% of women and 25% of men are on a diet. Falling back into bad habits is also extremely common, according to the National Institutes of Health, which reports that dieters will regain 2/3 or more of the weight they lost within a year.
Throughout time, people have aspired to the body type in fashion. Take a look at this Perceptions of Body Image timeline. You’ll notice that as the 1700s progressed, corsets got tighter and tighter. Then the 1800s favored the fleshy. The 1900s moved at a faster pace, demanding an “S” shape body type during one decade, and an athletic one during another. Then Twiggy made her debut in the 70s and and models have looked more like Smeagol every year since.
Getting to the point. I’ve made it clear that I’m done with the “follow the bouncing ball” diet, and ready for the downhill slalom. So, given my history, what do I shoot for? The goal in my head is 125 pounds, but the Ideal Body Weight calculator (check it out!) recommends 135. It’ll shoot for 130.
Skinny 365 