Comments on: Stone Throwing

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:00:14 +0000

For goodness sake! Dr. Benjamin is obviously disciplined – she’s a doctor!! And one who practices amongst the poor – an heroic choice in this day and age, I think. I’m overweight myself and have struggled for most of my adult life with my weight, due to a genetic propensity to obesity, yet I’m considered to be of superior IQ and managed to accomplish what I’d wanted to do with my life for the most part. And all the while struggling with the weight. I became a critical care nurse (35 yrs. practice) and married an ER doc ( who is in great shape and health) and have a most wonderful daughter also pursuing Nursing as a career. In my younger days I had an hourglass figure, considered pretty voluptious *sigh* but once middle age struck so did RA and diabetes in my early 30′s (when I was still voluptious!). All the various meds I was put on after that have succeeded in helping me pile on weight that is nearly impossible to lose , although I’ve managed to lose 85 lbs over the course of 2 yrs. I eat whole foods and a fairly Mediterranean type at that. I haven’t felt deprived necessarily because I occ. eat some rich foods at celebrations, etc. We don’t keep much unhealthy stuff around the house except when we throw a get together with a crowd. My wt. loss has been slow and steady, and I’m a patient gal. As far as the dear Doctor goes, I think she’s highly qualified for the job because of her intelligence, training, and experience in the trenches – that’s all one needs to suit the job. To hell with those who only look at the exterior. They are too shallow to take seriously anyway. The “Beautiful People”? only beautiful (in their own eyes) but nothing on the inside, I say.

By: Alabama’s Own Regina Benjamin, Advocate For Nick’s Crusade, Named Surgeon General Of US – Nick's Crusade

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:51:47 +0000

[...] community that sees too many rapes and pregnancies endangering the mother). Even dumber, people are attacking her for her weight! These critics have probably never been to the Deep South; she is svelte by Alabama [...]

By: Weekly Rundown – 7/26-7/31/2009 « Small Strokes

Weekly Rundown – 7/26-7/31/2009 « Small Strokes — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:22:06 +0000

[...] Stone Throwing – Musings of a Distractible Mind (via Hilary) Body image, flaws, and Dr. Benjamin’s qualifications to serve as Surgeon General [...]

By: Tex Bryant

Tex Bryant — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:54:31 +0000

I have been blessed to encounter and come to know many who have overcome alcoholism. I have attended a few AA meetings as a guest. I have learned that overcoming addictions is a spiritual and communal journey. One thing I like about alcoholics in AA is that they never admit to having succeeded but that they are always striving against their disease–Hello, I’m Joe, and I’m an alcoholic. Seems we could all learn a few lessons from them as they are so much like us.

By: Eden

Eden — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:17:23 +0000

I went from 279lbs to 155lbs (I’m 5’1) and technically I am still “obese” because I am 30lbs away from a “healthy” weight. I am busty (36F) and have a decidedly hourglass shape. It was NOT easy for me to drop the weight, and it at times feels quite painful to have people still look at me like a greedy fat person. While I have always been chubby, the combination of prednisone and Paxil plumped me up like a thankgiving turkey quickly. Within 11 months I went from 158lbs to 270lbs. Prior to that I had been 155ish +/- 5lbs for all of my adult life (I’m 39).

Seeing someone as accomplished as Dr. Benjamin provides a great deal of comfort to me. I don’t have to lose that 30lbs to be healthy. Eating well 90% of the time (hey, I’m not perfect) getting some heart pounding cardio 4 to 5 times a week and destressing my life is good enough.

I like how I look and feel now and what my body can do. I have better things to do with my time than worry about being chubby and I suspect Dr. Benjamin does as well.

Great post!

By: wellroundedtype2

wellroundedtype2 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:12:44 +0000

My favorite quote here is “We all sell our birthright for some soup at times.”
But I think that for many of us, we are as “unfat” as anyone could reasonably expect us to be. I am currently about 40 pounds lighter than my heaviest weight, and most people would still see me as fat — even though I maintained that golden “10% weight loss” that is supposed to incur benefits for about 9 years now.
I think Dr. Benjamin looks like someone who has a genetic propensity to gain weight and is fit and healthy. Considering what she’s said about her family history, I have no doubt she works hard to avoid gaining weight.
There’s nothing lazy or undisciplined about Dr. Benjamin. Those who are unable to contain their hate and judgement of others, who are eager to find a scapegoat for their rising health costs or who use words about a person’s fatness to mask prejudices about race, gender, class or geography are the ones who lack discipline, in my eyes.

By: Jayne Heetderks

Jayne Heetderks — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:14:21 +0000

great hearing back….I agree that we humans are all flawed and obesity is no reason to devalue any person- because we all have inherent value and dignity. And we all have something of worth/gifts to bring to the table.
We have a lot we agree on here!

I have not found that any/every food addict can show me how to find health just because they have been there and are empathetic. I tried many other support groups and products and people did not lose weight and keep it off, nor find sanity around food. Doctors and Nutritionists steered me wrong with the low fat and portion guides that focused on eat less and move more. We all want to be healthy and we act as we do because of our fears and weakness. I had to see hope in someone’s life before I could see hope in my own.

The solution that worked for me goes right to the spiritual/social problems of the addict- and every human. Meeting our deeper need to find hope in stories, to accept disciplines and mentors, to depend on higher powers not our own, and to change our stinkin thinkin and our insane way of life. The food plan I use is plain unprocessed food- weighed and measured. I exercise less and move more just enjoying life.

Only persons who have found their own long term recovery could show me the path they took that leads out of overeating and obesity. Now, I am trying to pass this path of hope to anyone who suffers and wants to get healthy.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:42:05 +0000

Amen. A well thought out answer. We are so quick to throw stones at other people without stopping to look at ourselves first. People aren’t qualified for a job based on appearance, wardrobe, race, sex or some other lofty standard.

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:25:54 +0000

The point of this post is that viewing this as an obesity epidemic is a narrow view. It is really a human weakness epidemic that is showing in the form of obesity. In Russia, where food is less bountiful and Vodka is plentiful, the big problem is alcoholism. Every person in my office has one problem or another in this way (I have several), and so to disqualify someone on the basis of human weakness is to disqualify everyone.

The substance of your teaching on how to lose weight (eat less, exercise more) is unchanged. The method of change (admit your problem and find support) is, however, different. Again, the problem is not the information, it is the flawed nature of people as a whole. You could never have gotten support from people who did not struggle with their weight; you found support from “other food addicts” who empathize with your struggle. This is my point exactly.

By: Jayne Heetderks

Jayne Heetderks — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:43:14 +0000

If we in the Medical and Health Professions are personally frustrated with our own weight, our patients cannot look to us for the answers. In the past, I taught people how to eat and I know that my teaching was flawed. I should have been listening to those who have victory and serenity in their eating habits. Today, I am humbly learning to think differently and I am using spiritual and social supports. I have found the simple but painful way to recovery and my whole life has changed in the last 14 months. My role models are other food addicts who have little health knowledge in the sense of book learning, but have many years of day by day recovery.

Our national health leader might make poor decisions if she were over-weight because obesity changed my thinking and attitudes (and now my thinking and attitudes changes my weight.) Is it not my expectation that national leaders will be perfect and no one person will have all the answers. That is why solutions come from community and it takes a village. I hope that we could find one compassionate and inspiring MD who is ready to show and tell us truths of all kinds that can give us hope for a reversal of the obesity epidemic.