I suffer from three common delusions. The first is that even if I did lose weight, it wouldn't make any difference to my appearance. I know this is not true, but my heart doesn't believe it.
The second is that skinny people live miserable lives of deprivation. Also NOT TRUE! I watch the skinny people in my office and they seem to eat like normal people--by which I mean pizza and office cupcakes.
The third is that heavier people are constantly eating such huge amounts that I don't need to worry about gaining weight myself. Obviously, NOT TRUE. But the powers of self-deception are strong.
What I want to do here is make a collection of all different kinds of people, sorted by weight, and post what their food and exercise lives are really like. I imagine that some will be much healthier than others, I also imagine that there will be huge diversity in what and how much is eaten and what the activity levels are.
So what, if anything can be learned if everyone is so different? I think there really will be some common threads. While thinner people than me do eat pizza, they maybe eat one or two slices, not three or four. And maybe when they go to the gym they work up a sweat instead of walking around slowly chatting to a friend? And maybe the heavier people aren't gobbling down chocolate cakes by the yard. Maybe, their habits are not so different from my own--maybe it's just consistently a few more potato chips and a few less walks around the office?
Maybe I'll see that I do need to be careful. And maybe I'll see that maintaining a healthy weight isn't that far off or impossible after all.
One thing I'm sure I will see is that all people are beautiful. Weight is probably the least important measure of the value of a person. However, since it does directly impact the health and longevity of a person, I believe it is worth taking a look at.
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THE RULES OF THE DATABASE
Joining the database is super easy. Just send the information below to me at annelibyrd@aol.com. If I don't know you personally, please put something that mentions "database" in your subject line so I don't think you're spam.
Rules:
Be honest!!! I don't care if you're reporting that you weigh 1000 pounds. Nobody is judging here. I'm just glad to have your information
Be over 18.
Include a picture of yourself. You can wear anything you like so long as the picture is of you is current. No pictures of yourself as a high school cheerleader if you are now 45 years old! The picture can be a head shot, full body, formal or informal.
Understand that anything you email me (as long as it's appropriate) will be posted on this blog for the world to see.
Again---BE HONEST.
JOINING THE DATABASE
When you send me your email (annelibyrd@aol.com) this is what it needs to include:
The name you want posted on the blog (doesn't have to be your real name, and I will never post a first and last name anyway).
Your age
Your sex
Your profession
What you like to do for fun
Your weight--BE HONEST
Whether your weight is currently on the way up or down and why. Skip if your weight is pretty much stable. Here are some examples.
Weight is on the way up. Getting steroid treatments at the hospital that are messing with my weight!
Weight is on the way up. Getting steroid treatments at the hospital that are messing with my weight!
Weight is going down. Joined Weight Watchers three months ago and have lost 15 pounds!
For at least four days, but preferably seven, write down your food, drink and exercise as best you can. If you happen to know exactly how many grams and calories the food contains, and what your heart rate was, that's great. But if you don't that's ok. Just do the best you can to give a reader a good idea of what your food and exercise life is like. Here's an example.
Breakfast: skipped.
Snacks: vending machine coffee (black) and a cheese danish.
Activity: ran across the street to get flowers for boss.
Lunch: tuna sandwich with mayo, individual bag of ranch Doritos, sm. apple. 32 oz diet coke.
Activity: About 40 minutes racquetball (fairly intense).
Snack: Gatorade and cheese stick
Dinner: Birthday dinner at Grandmas--Large piece homemade lasagne, 2 slices garlic bread, salad with ranch dressing and croutons. Medium slice chocolate birthday cake and vanilla ice-cream.
For at least four days, but preferably seven, write down your food, drink and exercise as best you can. If you happen to know exactly how many grams and calories the food contains, and what your heart rate was, that's great. But if you don't that's ok. Just do the best you can to give a reader a good idea of what your food and exercise life is like. Here's an example.
Breakfast: skipped.
Snacks: vending machine coffee (black) and a cheese danish.
Activity: ran across the street to get flowers for boss.
Lunch: tuna sandwich with mayo, individual bag of ranch Doritos, sm. apple. 32 oz diet coke.
Activity: About 40 minutes racquetball (fairly intense).
Snack: Gatorade and cheese stick
Dinner: Birthday dinner at Grandmas--Large piece homemade lasagne, 2 slices garlic bread, salad with ranch dressing and croutons. Medium slice chocolate birthday cake and vanilla ice-cream.
