From: shagan@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Susan R. Hagan)
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet
Subject: Re: Swimming (was: One whole week)
Date: 13 Nov 92 16:27:01 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

kauhunen@mits.mdata.fi (Kari Nenonen) writes:

>In article <WVENABLE.92Nov5130207@algona.stats.adelaide.edu.au> wvenable@algona.stats.adelaide.edu.au (Bill Venables) writes:
>>>>>>> "Laura" == Laura Cuzzillo <cuzz@midway.uchicago.edu> writes:
>>
>>the thought of going swimming in public?  Has anyone actually managed to bite
>>the bullet and go anyway?

I did it.  All my female friends are thinner than me, so I don't ask
them to go.  Usually I go alone (at least I used to.  I've slacked off
terribly).  When I go alone, I wear my Speedo *swimming* suit, not
a *posing* suit, like many people wear there.  I also wear a cap and
goggles, so I feel serious.  I feel like I'm there to work and not
be looked at.  

I make a point of looking at people who are also heavy and I think
kind thoughts toward them, which I then transfer to myself.  I think
to myself, 

"Look at that heavy man/woman.  Isn't it great that they are concerned
with their health?  There's nothing wrong with they way they look now,
but there is nothing wrong with trying to look better.  This is what
real people look like - not like people on television.  They look fine
just the way they are."

Its very easy to be generous towards others with kind thoughts.  The hard
thing is being generous with yourself.  So then I think to myself:

"I am just like all of those people.  This is what a real person looks
like and there is nothing wrong with it.  I need to exercise for my
health and happiness, and thats why I'm here.  No one will look at me
because there is nothing strange about me.  I look perfectly normal."

If I think that I want to loose weight to look better, that automatically
makes me feel like I look bad now, which depresses me and makes me
want to crawl into a hole and die.  Thinking that I look great just
the way I am motivates me to do better.  I tell myself that I'm doing
this for my health.  I tell myself that it is easier to get it off now
than when I'm older.

I am now heavier than I've ever been in my whole life.  A combination of
marriage and night school - I'm told.   I'm 5'2 and I weighed in this
morning at 155.  I saw myself on a video tape yesterday and was amazed.
My husband thinks that I am adorable.  I've gained about 25 pounds since
we met 3 years ago.  It isn't what I eat because my eating habits have
gotten better since then.  I eat low fat foods, lean meats, and lots
of grains now, when then I ate pizza every other day and bagels and 
cream cheese every morning for breakfast. 

The problem is that I don't exercise any more.  School work replaced
exercise.  I used to go out dancing a lot when my husband and I were
dating.  We don't do that anymore either.

Do you think that if I could find a half hour each day to use the
Stairmaster, or swim, that it would make a difference.  I mean,
without changing my diet?

I don't count calories.  I make sure that everything I eat is
something good for me.  No emply calories.  Since I'm hypoglycemic,
I try to eat small portions, about 5 or six times a day.

Sometimes I allow myself treats. Actually, a lot more lately, but no
where near as much as before, when I was thin.

I really think the key is exercise.  What do you think?



-- 
Susan R. Hagan (shagan@gandalf.rutgers.edu) 
Publications Coordinator - User Services
Rutgers University Computing Services
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet