An Exploration of the Obesity Epidemic and My Personal Journey to a Healthier Weight and Lifestyle
This is a series of posts on my struggles with attaining and maintaining a healthier weight, starting in early 2019 and working into the present day. They are mostly revised versions of entries written in a food journal I was keeping.
Although there’s a flow to them, I think most stand on their own, though it makes sense to read the introduction first.
Your Own Journey
My theory is that, although every person has a unique journey when it comes to weight, we can learn from and be inspired by one another. This is part of the secret sauce in programs such as Overeaters Anonymous, which encourages people to speak about their own struggles to achieve a healthier weight.
But this is more than a series of individual journeys. Obesity is an epidemic not just in the United States but much of the rest of the world. If you’re struggling with weight, or have struggled with in the past, you are far from alone.
Then there’s the added dimension of bias against overweight people, a topic covered in some of these posts as well. Indeed, some argue that all the emphasis on weight loss is largely misguided. We need to accept ourselves, our loved ones, our colleagues, etc. regardless of weight.
So, your own journey may not be about weight loss but about accepting yourself regardless of your weight status. After all, I’d also argue that there’s also a pandemic of self-loathing in the world. It’s just much less visible to everyone except mental health professionals. We can all do better.
