fat is still a feminist issue

[parthenia]

1. Hot and bothered. Loft office turns into oven by early afternoon and it's pretty much impossible to work there.

2. Awaiting a project decision. Cannot decide whether I want to win it (yay! money!) or lose it (famously exhausting client, August deadlines)

3. Doing a tonload of exercise, having decided to Do Something about not fitting into summer clothes any more. Also dieting. I managed a full 5 days on the Red Carpet Workout, before deciding that I didn't have the capacity or masochism to pursue a teenyweeny diet while also exercising.



Actually, I pretty much concluded that the people trained by Joe Fournier (whose book is actually pretty entertaining) must have lied about what they ate. It could not be possible to eat that little while supposedly working out 5 times a week. This was before I came across some links yesterday to Liz Jones' (the Daily Mail's in-house 'borderline anorexic') unutterably creepy, self-hating diary of 'Eating normally for 3 weeks' which concludes:

'If now the sun is shining and you are thinking of all the ways you can 'Get that Bikini Body', entering the endless cycle of guilt and recrimination, then DON'T.

Because you never know if you will be able to stop.'

Which is a good warning for the anorexics out there but actually a bit hopeless for the rest of us, because we totally know when to stop. It's starting that's the problem.

Actually, it's a horrible article, which seems to pathologise 'normal' eating as fatty and globby and completely out-of-control. (Although: did she eat 'normally'? I don't think so). She is open about the fact that this is an anorexic talking, but IDK, it also subtly praises extreme thinness as a state of self-control which right-thinking fashionable women should aspire to. Yeuch.

(See Hadley Freeman in the Guardian for a discussion of self-hatred in female columnists. By 'female confessional journalist' she basically means people like Liz Jones, Christa da Souza and Polly Vernon, all of whom are very thin, fashion-obsessed, totally self-hating and mad as a bag of ferrets).*

Anyway. Not being anorexic in any way shape or form, and blessed with the kind of bosoms that would drive FCJs straight to Harley Street, I have simply been eating significantly less and doing metric fucktons of exercise and been rewarded by...well, absolutely no weight loss whatsoever. Bugger. Bugger.

I am dead hard, though.

4. ETA The exercise thing, though: Wow. I was getting very very sedentary and struggling to do more than exercising once or twice a week. In the current Mad Plan, which is just about cranked up to Max, I'm exercising around 5 times a week (last week: aerobics, Zumba, Bodypump, running, gym) and I've gone from aching and creaking to...bendy, fit, and completely red in the face.

I did Zumba (Beware, music!) last week, which is aerobics crossed with Latin American dancing (lots of chachacha and cumbia rhythms) and when I came out I couldn't stop grinning for the rest of the afternoon.

I'd rather be able to run for the bus than wear Louboutin heels.

*Bonus dose of salts from 'Observer Woman Makes Me Spit.'

Comments

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

I bought Wii Fit a couple of months ago because I wanted to be, well, fit, and as a side benefit have lost about 8 pounds, and also 1 1/2" off my waist and 2" off my midriff (measuring at widest point, ie the navel) in that time. And I haven't even been all that consistent with it. I don't diet; but I do try to eat as much Mesolithic style as possible - a big range of everything except stodge; I don't eat much rice, pasta, potatoes or bread.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Oooh, what kind of stuff are you doing with it? I haven't used ours much cos the kids tend to commandeer it.

I just edited to talk about the exercise I'm doing because really, it feels like the exercise part is the most significant and often just as hard of not harder to do.

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

Mostly the more advanced Hula Hoop (you go round both ways), the more advanced Step (I really have to concentrate) and Rhythm Boxing. I'm also working my way through Muscle Workouts and do a lot on Balance, particularly Ski Slalom though I find the bubble going down the river weirdly attractive. The Tightrope freaks me but it turns out to be very good for my balance.

Exercise is hard to do, and this is where I've got most benefit. I don't have to turn out to go to a class but I do get feedback, and that's extremely important! It comes in little snippets of (at the moment) up to 6 minutes, and as well as the score it only lets you move on to the next thing when it thinks you're ready, so you don't push yourself too far too soon.

I'm feeling pretty smug about it because when it assessed my fitness age at the start it was very close to my chronological age, but it's been going down, and I'm now getting fitness ages of about 15 years less - which is very good news since I'm in my 60s!

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

I'm going to look back at your Mesolithic comments because I like the sound of that way of eating.

Today when I stretched after aerobics I noticed I could stretch out a good few inches more than I could 2 months ago, and that's wonderful.

It's all such a mental thing really. When I don't do exercise, it seems like the hardest thing to do, but once get over the hump, you don't understand what the problem was.

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

In theory, it's dead simple; a big range of different meats, fish, vegetable and fruit. In practice in the modern age, it's tricky to do without clocking up the food miles. The key thing is as little as possible of foods that are just starch, without much in the way of vitamins or minerals. As the starchy stuff is usually boring on its own, what it means is I eat more of the stuff I like and less of the stuff I was always told to eat up when I was a child.

[aubrem.livejournal.com]

thanks for reality check posts like this. "Very thin, fashin-obsessed, totally self-hating and mad as a bag of ferrets" is a good description.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Heh. I think it's so easy to buy into it all and then you look at some of the people writing this stuff and think, actually I don't want to be like you at all.

[aubrem.livejournal.com]

Keep reminding us please.

Just saw your eta - omg, I LOVE Zumba! It's the best exercise ever. Fun AND works you right where you need it. What shoes do you wear? I'm too cheap to splurge for the split sole shoes but I did snag some used jazz shoes from Vicky's dance studio.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

I just used my running shoes *blushes* but they don't really have enough support under the ball of the foot. I also have some Nike dance ones which look but I think I was fitted wrongly for them. Meh. I probably need some new ones but not sure I can justify it right now.

[aubrem.livejournal.com]

don't blush! Whatever works. It just seems like you can't slide and twist and all that in regular shoes as well. I mean, you can do it but it's a bit frustrating. I'm not willing to shell out extra money for shoes for just one exercise class though.

[ruric.livejournal.com]

I'd never ever listen to anything Liz Jones said after reading her and her husband posting their very public break up blogs. The one thing I thought then was OMG FFS go see a shrink because you are completely out of your tree and have been for evah! (for both of them).

Liz Jones just makes me feel positively uncharitable and all shut up, stop whining and get yourself sorted. Or makes me want to beat her insensible because I am so mature in my reactions to whiny meedja wimmins. Seriously there's a good reason why I stopped reading newspapers and people like her are part of it. Bah.

Matt Roberts has a brilliant book about balancing exercise and diet with some fabulous receipes (nom nom nom) and sensible portions. Matt's ALL about the healthy eating and building up gradually (for his exercise programmes too). If you stay over Monday I'll dig it out. *G*

David Kirsh is a scary American dude who has a great two week "crash" programme if you want to shock your system out of lethagy. It's very strict - no bread, no fruit, very limited dairy, lots of veggies and protein and supplementing with whey based shakes and his execise programme is a killer. New York Body and New York Diet - but there's no doubt it works it you can manage 14 days of it.

Don't forget the metric fuck ton of exercise will produce muscle which weighs more than jiggly bits!

My (male) personal trainers have always said the two key things you shoudl judge progress on are 1. can you do more? (lift heavier weights, do more reps, run/row for longer) 2. Do your clothes fit better.

Seriously I've always trained with male personal trainers because they have NO freaking hang ups about weight. The first question they ask is not "how much do you want to lose" but "what do you want to be able to do?" Do you want to be strong, fit, are you looking for endurance, flexiblity. We have goals and targets but not one of them has ever suggested I go near a set of scales!

Also I'm personally more motivated by looking at and working out with a pretty man cos I can be shallow too. *G*

*kof* replied before your ETA!

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

It's me who has the weight obsession, not anyone else, although really I care about dress size/appearance rather than poundage. Things are definitely getting more toned but I have a way to go before I can get back into clothes that used to be at the Comfy/Baggy end of my wardrobe.

Dammit, I want results nowwwwww.

Ultimate New York sounds a lot like where I started on the Red Carpet plan - my problem is that if I cut calories too drastically, my hypoglycaemia kicks in and I feel faint and wobbly. Made me laugh that 'breakfast like a king' was actually 3 egg whites with a spray of cooking oil.

I'm currently roughly sticking to the carb/protein plan advocated by the author of 'Skinny chicks don't eat salad', which sounds completely rubbish but at heart is a pretty sound programme based on protein/carbohydrate combinations, with high fat stuff and sugary/blank carbohydrate taken out of the picture. Also, 4 meals a day. *g* Even if they're wee. Also, a lot of exercise.

This is the first time I've really taken training seriously. I was managing minimal fitness by running once or twice a week, so this is all a total shock to the system. I can't believe how much it improves my mood, though.

Current plan...
Running for cardio/endurance
Aerobics for cardio/toning
Zumba for cardio and flexibility (and rhythm!)
Gym for toning and core strength
Bodypump (maybe) for toning.

I'm into my second week of 5x a week exercise. Bloody hell. 5 days on, 2 days rest. Although my various muscles have been burning after some of this (why yes, Bodypump), I am getting fitter and have the beginnings of a very podgy 6-pack. LOL.

[zoepaleologa.livejournal.com]

I started Slimming World three weeks ago and have lost nine pounds. I've never once felt hungry or miserable. I feel very well, too and people have already started commenting on the weight loss. I go weekly and no one gets humiliated or made to feel awful if they've had a bad week and overdone the bread and jam, and wonder why I didn't start months ago.

Plus I've learned how to cook brilliant low fat chips. Nom nom nom.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's amazing. Well done.

As I said to ruric above, I am making progress. I *know* I'm eating considerably less but it's not showing up yet, possibly because of the sudden explosion in exercise.

Yeah. I did have to be reminded of exactly what it was I was eating. Possibly pizza, other people's leftover chips and great quantities of wine is not the perfect diet after all. *g*

[scoradh.livejournal.com]

bread, pasta, cheese, nuts, potatoes, seeds, avocados, cream and sugar

But that's my entire diet! D: Sans avocados.

Lol at the borderline-anorexic who doesn't even look that skinny to me.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what's not to like.

That's her 'after'. She's usually 8 stone and 5' 8", and a very boring person to have round for a meal.

[scoradh.livejournal.com]

IDK, I feel if you eat a lot of salad you're okay. I had a lovely M&S one. 160 calories for HALF the bowl, I love how they do that.

Oops. *is 5'10 and 11 stone*

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

What is this 'half the bowl' of which you speak?

[scoradh.livejournal.com]

It says: 'half a pack provides 160 cals, 0.9g sugar, 5.7g fat' etc.

[lookfar.livejournal.com]

I agree with you that the Liz story was creepy, but in a good, cautionary way. I certainly didn't think she was advertising, or making herself an advertisement for, borderline anorexia as a way of life. Not like those pro-ana sites. She sounds constricted and miserable - I feel more comfortable thin and half-starved than chubby and calm, energetic and kind - and who would opt for that?

I'm in for the chubby and calm. If it were possible to lose weight once and then press a "save" button - like breast implants - I'd do it in a flash. But between the ages of 44 and 50, I lost 25 lbs twice (the same 25, I mean) and gained it back, plus five, each time. Now I'm of the mind that anything I do besides leave it alone will cause more unhappiness than not. I just don't see myself changing my dependence on food in any lifelong, meaningful way, and that's the way it seems to be done. I'm 5'7" and I weigh 190, which is a size 18 or a 1X. Sometimes I'm pretty upset about it but I've noticed that the feeling passes and I resume my baseline level of calm contentment. Yes, I should be thinner - I'd settle for my marriage weight of 160 - but I don't see how to do it.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

She's actually quite a well known columnist who spent 2 years analysing her marriage (now failed) in similar excruciating detail, so some of the reaction is to her overall apparent personality.

Reassuring that the Daily Mail commenters were basically saying 'You need to get a life.'

My weight is very stuck. I've put on about 12 lb and 2 dress sizes in the last few years, and the poundage appears to be completely glued to me. I'm five feet nothing, and my weight is right at the upper end of OK, and has been drifting gently up in that direction for some time.. I was more worried about my fitness in some ways (I think these 2 things are related); having been a pretty fit-on-no-effort person, my stay-at-home job has been gradually turning me into someone with bad posture and stiff, creaky bones.

*nods at the point about losing and gaining* I've done that a bit but mostly I never get to the losing part. Having kept a food diary, I'm kinda sorta beginning to spot what some of the long-term eating issues might be. Pizza, wine and high living...

[lyras.livejournal.com]

That Liz Jones diary is so sad - perhaps saddest because she seems to recognise this herself.

I have given up trying to follow faddy diets while also upping my exercise. For me, exercise is the more important thing - yes, I'd love to lose a stone or so and be back to a comfortable weight, but being able to exercise without extreme discomfort or sending my blood sugar haywire means so much more.

I'd rather be able to run for the bus than wear Louboutin heels.

Exactly.

Zumba sounds fab!

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think exercising is way better than eating less. Not that I remember this when I'm in a slump. But I definitely think you need to eat if you're going to exercise.

Mind you tonight I had 2 hard-boiled eggs, toast, and tablet tastings from my school fete cook-off. Not quite so healthy.

Zumba was excellent, really enjoyable. You get to bump and grind. :D Always a winner!

[wild-thistle.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you find anything that works - I've got 8 weeks to go to fit into my wedding dress. Bugger indeed. I said sometime back in January that I was going to drop some poundage early, so I wasn't in a mad panic. I'm now 5lb heavier. Super.

www.weightlossresources.co.uk is pretty handy. Calorie counts for you and tells you how many calories you're burning with exercise. It works. When you y'know ACTUALLY USE IT.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, yes, I completely hear you. I'm going on holiday in 3 weeks' time. (three?! Aaaargh!)

My rough plan is to eat about 1400 cals, mostly in a super-healthy low fat high protein complex carbohydrate sort of way (avoiding sugar, pastry, biscuits, chocolate, nuts, that kind of thing.

I've lost about 2 lb although none in the last 2 weeks - I hope this is down to the mad exercise building muscle rather than anything else, cos I'm trying my darndest :(