Well, I did not write a post last week. I took a nasty spill on my bike on Saturday and Sunday was spent just trying to make it through with what I think was a broken pinky, mangled knuckes, sprained wrist and jacked up shoulder.
I rode 30 miles in the Black Fork Gravel Grinder down near Loudonville, Ohio in a state park called Mohican State Park. The day was perfect and I really rode well, until the last 7 miles when I failed to negotiate a hair pin turn and took a spill. It was a fun 7 mile finish.
This week, I want to continue my thread on obesity and obesity related issues. In our last look, I looked at how physical literacy impededes one’s abilty effectively and comfortable lose weight.
In this week’s discussion, I want to go a bit further and address the impact chronic pain has on one’s life with obesity. Here are some facts:
- 60% of women with fibromyalgia are obese
- Morbidly obese people are 33% more likely to need a hip replacement than a non obese person
- Greater BMI is associated with greater defective changes to knee cartilage
- Obese persons exert greater disc compressive forces when themselves than non obese persons
Chronic pain increases as one moves up the scale. A morbidly obese person can experience up to 240% increase in chronic pain.
As we looked last week, losing weight is not as easy as we would like to think. Pain makes it hard to move, and if you are in pain, you don’t want to do something or anything. I know, for years I suffered with chronic low back pain and at one point, herniated a disc. The disc herniation took 18 months to recover from.
We have to re think our models for weight loss and the realities of weight loss. Weight loss is no longer calories/ calories out. We must consider the amount of movement the obese person is able to conduct and if there is any pain with the movement. Weight loss especially for the obese to morbidly obese person is a long game fraught with set backs and even at times, failures.
If you are looking at beginning a weight loss journey, consider these professionals to help you: a dietician, a physical therapist, a personal trainer, a mental health therapist, a psychiatrist and a doctor who specializes in weight reduction surgery. Other possible professionals would be an Endocrinologist, a doctor/speicialist in diabetes care, a plastic surgeon and openess to a number of other professionals who may be needed to deal with other complexities that may arise in your journey. Expect the journey to be a long one, but well worth it.
This week’s menu:
Meal 1: Roasted Pork with Squash and Apples https://paleoleap.com/roasted-pork-squash-apples/
Meal 2: Beef and Veggie Bowls with Comeback Sauce https://thewholecook.com/beef-veggie-bowls/
Snack: 20 Minute Oatmeal Protein Cookies https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/oatmeal-protein-cookies-20-minutes
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In