How much is too much?

Most of us who struggle to lose weight or maintain our ideal weight know that we have legitimate weight issues. We have a need to lose weight (for either medical or cosmetic reasons) as well as a desire to lose weight. Both the recognition of the “need” to lose weight and the “desire” to lose weight are symptoms of a healthy, normal view of one’s self.

A normal, healthy pursuit of weight loss can be an exciting journey, but it is one that should begin with reasonable goals and a system of accountability. With that said, not everyone has a “normal” or “natural” perception of their ideal weight or even what is healthy. Even if you are absolutely sure that you are not in this category, it is important to understand this issue.

Some people do not have reasonable expectations or a healthy view of what they should look like. Images from Hollywood and airbrushed tabloid celebrity photos create expectations and desires that are not reasonable. While most people do not get caught up in extreme weight loss, some people do, and even a reasonable pursuit of weight loss can become an unhealthy obsession that leads to an eating disorder.

The most well known eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. According to WebMD:

Anorexia nervosa (anorexia) is an eating disorder with both physical and emotional traits. A person with anorexia is very underweight, yet the person severely limits the amount of food he or she eats, has a distorted body image, cannot maintain a healthy body weight, and is intensely afraid of gaining weight. Long-term or severe anorexia can lead to starvation, serious health problems, and even death. (http://my.webmd.com/hw/mental_health/hw46499.asp)

Bulimia nervosa (bulimia) is known as the binge-purge eating disorder. A person with bulimia binges by eating a large amount of food in a short time, over a couple of hours, and then purges by vomiting, overexercising, or misusing laxatives, diuretics, or other medications. A person with bulimia obsesses about their body shape and size and has poor self-esteem. (http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw49747.asp)

As someone who was born in the early 1960’s, I vividly recall hearing that the beautiful and talented Karen Carpenter of the music group “The Carpenters” had died from the effects of anorexia nervosa. That a person would essentially starve himself or herself to death was nearly unbelievable. As time goes by, the extremes get even more extreme. I was shocked to discover that there exists an overt counter-culture that embraces eating disorders as a lifestyle choice.

In the interest of health, I’ll refrain from posting any of the links, but a simple web search will identify several such groups. A review of these pages reveals a peek into a dark and grim world. The typical person cannot relate to the upside-down opinions and impressions that rule there.

While doctors don’t know exactly what causes this extreme response, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have found abnormal levels of seratonin and/or dopamine in the brains of recovered or recovering anorexics and bulimics. Hopefully this discovery and other research will lead to effective treatment for those who suffer from eating disorders.

Even if you don’t ever suffer from an eating disorder, there are some important lessons for the average person fighting the Battle of the Bulge.

As I said in the beginning, most people have a healthy and reasonable set of expectations. Take a moment and evaluate yours right now. Have you ever discussed your weight with your physician? Is your physician in agreement that you need to lose weight? Is your physician in agreement that your weight loss goals are healthy and reasonable? Your doctor should know that you are losing weight, how much weight you plan to lose, and over what time period you plan to lose the weight. If you have not done this, call your doctor and make an appointment right now.

The second lesson has to do with accountability. Chances are you have someone or some people in your life who know that you are trying to lose weight. Think about who they are. Are these people “safe” people who will encourage you in a way that is healthy for you? Do these people have a normal and healthy view of what is reasonable for you in terms of weight loss? Will these people be likely to tell you that “enough is enough” when you finally reach your ideal weight? Be certain that you are able to answer each question affirmatively.

Just like with any battle, fight or struggle, we are rarely successful when we try to do it all alone. Start by involving your doctor and finish by informing all the “safe” people in your life. So, how much is too much? This is a question that must be answered at the beginning – rather than the end – of your adventure in weight loss.

Article by Michael Callen © 2005 All Rights Reserved

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