Obesity and Binging

Now that you have heard my story let me talk about the other end of the spectrum. Obesity and the confusion of obesity. One of the confusions include, if obesity is considered an epidemic or is it a disease? Well, a disease is a incorrect functioning of the body and epidemic is something that is rising. People tend to say it is a disease in order to relieve themselves from the guilt, or they made fun of less, or even get Medical coverage. Now, what is really considered overweight and how can people overestimate or underestimate weight.
Some of these criticisms include the frame size of a person, if they are more muscular, then muscle weighs more than fat so the BMI would be incorrect. Some insurance companies are determining overweight through phone calls and collecting them to make surveys. These results can tend to be very biased towards the different states these are recorded from. Others say obesity runs within the predominantly white, middle class in which there is no say because this nation is the melting pot so everyone is taken into consideration. People that do surveys over the phone have no say because they didn't actually weigh the people, and giving them the benefit of the doubt can lead them in the wrong direction. Also clothes and shoes weigh more on the scale than they do off the scale, so they did not take that into consideration.
Some methods used include the BMI which is your weight relative to height, and it is easy, but it doesn't distinguish fat mass from lean mass. Also the waist circirmferance, which is the midpoint between bottom of ribs and top of pelvis. This is a rough assessment of the upper body fat deposition, but doesn't assess visceral fat. Skinfold thickness is measured through calipers. This is fairly easy, but high inter-observer variability and no information on visceral fat. Hydrodensitometry which is fat=dry land weight-underwater weight. This is quite accurate, but it is not easy to do and not so great for the very young and very old. Bioimpedence is the difference in the conductance of current between lean and fat mass. This is quite simple, but not as valid as hydrodensitometry for obese and lean individuals.
My Goals:
1. Inform people the live a healthier life
2. The benifits of health and fitness
3. Inspire those with eating disorders to go out and reach help before something serious happens.
4. Inform. people of my story and learn from it.
5. Teach people with eating disorders to love themselves.

Here is my Story

I was 17 years old in high school, I was into my studies and I felt like I had to be perfect in everything I did. I went to school and I was criticized by my peers because they were calling me ugly as I walked down the halls. I came home and my father always use to look at other women, and he use to always tell me I should watch what I eat. My mom never got along with my father and our family dynamics were atrocious with rage. I felt as though I couldn't control anything in my life. I felt as though I couldn't get accepted by anyone. I wasn't loved by anyone, and a part of me felt very lonely and vulnerable. Then my cousin from Texas came to visit me, and she was always getting attention from everyone, and I saw that she was really thin. I wanted to be like that.
Then I started making a strict diet for myself, cutting out EVERYTHING. All I would have everyday was a apple, cereal, and some fruit for dessert. Then I would run 7 miles 7 days a week. The first thing I noticed was that I lost my period. Then 7 monthes later I began feeling really week, but I was in control of my weight and I was receiving compliments from everyone. I was really happy! Afterwards, I went to the gym and I saw a business card for this woman, named Kelly Jean, she specialized in personal training. I wanted to maintain my weight so I called her to get lessons, and she said sure meet me at the gym. I went the next day and she saw me and she just dropped. I was underweight so she took me to Boston Market and I looked at all the food in great fear. Kelly wanted me to take a bite of chicken and I just went into tears. I was afraid of food!
Kelly Jean said "food is god" you should have food. So I embraced it. I began eating normally and then I started gaining weight. All of a sudden one day I passed out in her house, and I was unconscious, so she took me to Scripps Hospital and I was hospitalized for 7 days. They figured out I had Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia and my hemoglobin was down to a 4.0. I was put on corticosteroids that made me gain weight and feel awful. I had to have transfusions, and mild chemotherapy done. Then I started UCSD, while on the medication and it was like a rebirth of the next chapter in my life, living with a life long disease!

How to Approach a Friend

If you know a friend who is going through a eating disorder you have to be very cautious about how you approach them. First, you might want to start by watching their behaviors around food. You can do this eating out with them, offering them to eat a meal with you, and watching them as they go and use the bathroom. However, please do not make it obvious because it will make them furious.
Now if you confront them they will try to deny it, by saying things like, "there is nothing wrong with me". Thus, you might want to set a time to talk. This might be a private place, so they do not feel uncomfortable. Then you want to communicate your concerns to them. This may include their behavior around food, or even their weight dropping. After wards, you will politely want to ask your friend to explore these concerns, even though most of them probably will not think twice about it. In any case, avoid any conflicts or battles of wills with your friend. Also avoid placing any shame, guilt or blame. I believe avoid giving them simple solutions, and just continue to express your continued support.
Now when you bring up the subject, you will use "I" statements instead of using "you" which will turn them away. In all honesty you are the one interested in their behaviors and you want to support them in any way you can!
These are the steps you would take when approaching someone, but I believe the reactions you will get might be: denial, anger, "mind your own buisness", "you're not so great yourself"