Leave The Weight Behind

Obesity isn't your fault. You're trapped by a gene that piles the weight on you no matter what you try to do. You simply have to look at a slice of cake and another 5 pounds is slapped onto you. Your thin cousins can eat anything and everything they want without even putting on a pound.

As I'm sure you've experienced, to your distress, no-one understands your problem. Employers tend to look on you as lazy, sloppy, less competent, and less conscientious than the slimmer people on staff. The fact that you're probably better at your job than most of them, doesn't enter into the equation. It's what people perceive, however wrong that perception might be.

Research has shown that overweight people tend to miss doctors' and hospital appointments. You dread having to take off your clothes, even in front of a doctor.

Obese children, of course, can suffer terribly. While people may say unpleasant things behind your back, children come right out with the name-calling and all the allied nastiness and bullying. The child who's overweight comes home and simply wants to hide in his or her room, never to come out again.

All this will almost inevitably lead the overweight person to depression and as one who's suffered from this wretched condition, it's something else that no-one understands. They don't understand how it hurts, both mentally and physically.

So now, not only are you suffering from obesity. Depression sets in. Misery piled on misery. A sympathetic doctor is one answer, and a good one. The problem is that all you want to do is hide.

Procrastination is your worst enemy. I hate to say it, but you aren't going to wake up one morning all nice and slender. The decision to act must come from you. Until you yourself decide that enough's enough, you're going to continue in your misery, probably until you're smitten with a heart attack. Thyroid problems, diabetes 2 and high blood pressure are just some of the charming little ailments that may beset you.

Some people even have to suffer abuse from their spouse or other members of the family. But you must do this for yourself. Don't do it for your husband who wants you back in sexy underwear. Don't do it for your wife who wants the stud muffin she married. You do it for you. But do it you must.

As I pointed out at the beginning of this article, obesity isn't your fault, but it is your fault to do nothing about it. If nothing else, the Internet can supply you names of excellent support groups. They, in turn, can point you in the right direction for help.

If you're depressed as well, either go to your doctor for the name of a good psychiatrist, or your local hospital. They often have psych units attached to them. Hopefully, though, your depression hasn't developed into an outright illness. Do something about your weight, and the depression should lift.

Not only did I suffer from depression leading to a nervous breakdown. I'm also an alcoholic. Both conditions thankfully well under control now, but it wasn't until I learned that I must stop drinking for myself, and only myself, that I was able finally to stop. It was a long, hard slog, and you'll find the same thing with your weight, but what's the alternative? It doesn't bear thinking about, does it?

So take the first step today, this minute. Do something. One small step. That can lead to another and before you know it, those pounds will be dropping off you.

I'm indebted to The Obesity Society for some of the facts in this article.

Copyright (c) 2009 Mike Bond