Ads like this are more offensive than saying the word obese

According to studies done in Philadelphia and Atlanta obesity is a major problem and now the term obese and its derivatives are considered offensive.  When I read things like this I get so tired.  In the plus size community we have dealt with abuse so long that when the next blow comes its hard to stomach.  Hearing “medically-obese” was bad enough but now we have to hear that saying the word obese is offensive to many.

As an obese black man living in the state of Arkansas I think I can tell you a few things about words that are offensive and obese is not on the list.  Fat. Jolly. Rotund. Tubo. Lardo. Lard-ass. Dumbo. Fat-ass for example.  I could go on with a few more words that ARE for sure offensive but I digress.  If the people in the Philly study felt bad when their doctor said obese I have sympathy for them but not enough that the word obese should no longer be used.

Why do I have a problem with any word being thrown out especially one that is commonly associated with fat people?  The term obese is more connected to medical terms in conjunction with a persons BMI instead of their actual weight.

For example, a male who is six foot tall and weighs one hundred and ninety pounds and has 15% body fat is considered obese.  How do I know?  The person in the example is yours truly a few years back.  I had the muscle mass of a professional athlete but because I had a gut I was considered obese.

If anything needs to be removed from the books it is the stupid math that created BMI. As crazy as the child obesity campaign is in Atlanta is I do not think that obese should be stricken from the record books as much as I think that the attitudes of people when using the word needs to change. How is this going to happen?

I have a few simple solutions.

• Stop saying the word obese like its a dirty word
• Stop judging people by what the scale says

See that was not too painful was it?  Obese is just a word but the intent behind saying it is where the problem lies.  If you intend harm to the person then the word can cut deeply.  If you are a doctor who is scared to say it then you are just s bad as a person who says it in a venomous way. There are far worse things going on in the world today that are more important than whether or not to say the word obese.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

Did you know most diets don’t work? You lose weight then a short time later the weight is back.  Why?  Lifestyle choices.  Since I am not one to tell a person what to do with their personal time I will concentrate on the one area that plaugues many plus size women this time of year and that is the New Year’s resolution to lose weight through dieting.

My claim that most diets don’t work comes from my own personal experience of having a health condition that required me to be more aware of my diet as well as my over all lifestyle.  The food regiment was one perscribed all the time to diabetic indivduals, high protien low carbohydrates.  In 15 weeks I dropped 72lbs.  Did this happen because I was starving myself or eating meat only?  Not at all the wieght came off because I not only changed the way I ate but I combined a workout regiment.

Back to why diets don’t work.  It is simple you can shed the pounds using any off the shelf program but in order to keep the pounds off you need to workout. Back to my experience.  After the initial 15 week period I stopped the altered eating program.

Did the weight come back.  No, at least not initially, because I continued to workout.  The problem with most people is they feel dieting is a lifelong prison sentence in which you are subjected to bland tasteless foods only.  Lack of choice and flavor are the number one reasons for people to back-slide from diets, but more important than those two involve not incorporating exercise into their lifestyle.

More personal testimony.  Back during the Spring I decided to start working out since I gained back all of the weight I lost those years ago.  I picked up my backpack, hiking boots, and my walking staff and started walking.  No goal other than keeping my body moving.

By the way I did not change my diet in any way what so ever.  Even with slacking off here and there I have hiked 114 miles and dropped 4 inches from my waist all without any type of fancy diet program.

The outfit you see in the photo is my go to workout gear.  If you are not the outdoorsy type then of course your workout gear will be different. Everything including the shoes cost less than $100 total.  This means working out does not mean you have to break the bank.

As we head into 2012 instead of concentrating on the latest batch of diets to suck your bank account dry why not resolve to be more fit and healthy?  You do not have to workout everyday to be healthy but if you workout on a continuous basis you will be ready to tackle life. Hiking saved me back during the Summer while walking through the New York and Atlanta airports.  No diets, yes healthy, and more fit you.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

When it comes to your plus size silhouette have you thought about what snacks and diabetes have to do with your overall health? Diabetes runs deep in my family so at forty-five years old and my wife at forty-one we are both conscious about our health, especially since she has high blood pressure.

At this point diabetes is not something that I have to worry about but something that is common among lots of people I have encountered in the plus size community over the years so when I got this list in my email I thought it would be good to pass along to you guys.

“What kind of snacks can I eat?” This is a good question whether you have diabetes or not. If you have diabetes, gone are the days of two graham crackers with 4 ounces of skim milk before bedtime.

If done in moderation, here are ten things you should know about how snacking affects you:

1. Prevents you from overeating at the next meal
2. Keeps hunger at a minimum between meals
3. Keeps the blood sugar level steady
4. Needed especially when you exercise for an hour or more
5. Is recommended for people who have gastroparesis. They get full or bloated on a complete meal due to delayed gastric emptying
6. May be an answer to help prevent hypoglycemia during the night
7. Can be used to prevent lows when driving for a long period
8. Good when you are on insulin or sulfonylureas and are more at risk for hypoglycemia
9. Is perfect during plane travel when you may not be receiving a meal
10. Is great for type 1 children who are growing and need extra calories between meals and to help prevent hypoglycemia

Remember, snacks need to be factored into your daily calorie allotment; you are just spreading the calories throughout the day. Measuring out portion sizes is important when snacking. They should not exceed 100-200 calories and contain only one serving of a carbohydrate (15 grams per snack). Stick to no more than two snacks a day. Combine protein, mono-unsaturated fats, and complex carbohydrates for the best nutrition and satisfaction.

NOTE: Consult your Doctor first to make sure my recommendations fit your special health needs.
Original post: 10 Tips on Snacking with Diabetes by Roberta Kleinman, RN, M.Ed., CDE

Now that you have read the medical jargon related to snacks and diabetes lets talk about the plus size silhouette as it relates to snacks.  Most of us are guilty of making a snack a meal which if you go by the medical advice will exceed the 200 calorie suggestion by a mile!  Lets face it folks the critics think we are fat because we eat to much so lets not prove them correct by eating unhealthy, getting bigger, and in the worst case having to deal with diabetes.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

I missed being able to preview AdoraOm last month during Love Your Body Day but I am excited about the premise about high quality activewear for plus sizes.  Me and my wife have been working out more and she has been complaining about having something to wear when we hit the hiking trails.  With this new store online she now has options.

My ‘Om Active LLC is launching AdoraOm, a premium fashionable active wear line of garments exclusively designed for the full-figured women, sizes 14W to 24W. AdoraOm is about offering curvy women a premium fashionable active wear line that fits your body and lifestyle. The high quality performance active wear will smooth and flatter curves, encourage, inspire and motivate our customers to feel fabulous. AdoraOm’s motto is “There’s Room For Every Body!”

AdoraOm active wear is launching with a variety of styles including pants, capris, jackets, and fun tops all designed to make the full figured women look great and feel empowered at the gym and during their everyday activities. All of our garments are designed and fitted on a real plus size model, Danielle Line our spokes model and our Curvy Consultant.

AdoraOm apparel is exclusively for the plus size gal

My ‘Om Active LLC was founded by a group of three inspirational women with over fifty years of experience in the garment business. One of the founders was taking a cycling class when she noticed that there were no plus size women in the class, how could this be? This experience was the spark of AdoraOM. As the idea took root, soon the founders would meet in a local coffee shop to begin their journey in changing the lives of plus size women everywhere.

All our garments are manufactured from supplex with Lycra enabling them to hold their shape. We use a very high gauge of weight to insure a smooth fit that shapes the body. The material manages moisture, is breathable, fade resistant and long lasting wash after wash.

“The fabric is like nothing I’ve ever felt before, it holds me in and makes me feel sexy and confident”, says Danielle Line our spokes model and Curvy Consultant. Heather Justice, one of our plus size models who participated in our photo shoots says, “The clothing is comfortable, it’s complementary to any and every shape and it makes you feel like you want to work out. I love it!!!” We are very excited about the feedback of these lovely ladies and we can’t wait for our launch so that we can provide stylish, wearable, high end and expertly produced garments to all women.

Garments are now available at www.Adoraom.com, the online destination to provide our customers with a personalized, private shopping experience. We understand that fit and comfort of any garment, is of the utmost importance. AdoraOm has addressed this concern by providing innovative features such as “fit” videos for guidance on sizing to ensure a successful purchase.

If you are looking to start working out and want to look good while you do it be sure to check out AdoraOm and tell Danielle and the rest that Glen from Full Figure Plus sent you.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

Have you found a workout that works for you?  Over the last month I have been hiking with the thought in mind that as long as I am healthy I can walk.  If you are going to be attending Full Figured Fashion Week™ in a few days and are looking for a jump start to your workouts get your tickets NOW for Walking Curves™

Walking Curves™ is proud to annouce The World’s Largest Fitness Class for Plus Size Women, during Full Figured Fashion Week™. This three-day international event consists of fashion shows, panel discussions, networking socials, and now, in partnership with Walking Curves™, a health and fitness initiative devoted entirely to the curvy community. This is an exciting addition to the schedule of events this year, and Walking Curves™ is thrilled to be on board.

When: Saturday June 18th from 9am-11am

Where: Ripley Grier Studios 520 Eight Ave, rm 16D New York, NY 10018

Price: $20 in advance

For those that can’t make this event if you have a smart phone you can create your own workout and track it online with the app Endomondo.  If you want to peek into my workouts feel free to check my profile out.  It is listed under Glen L Johnson

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

I can’t have that because I am on a diet.  Do those words sound familiar to you?  If so then continue reading.  This post was originally written a year ago but since some of the same issues are at hand its time to dust it off and go it.  For those of us including myself who have lost weight in one way or another only to find it again it is not a situation in which we did anything wrong but we took the wrong road to reach our destination.  In other words dieting is not the answer to being a fit individual and being on the road to total fitness.

Total fitness is about bringing your mind and body together to be fit.  Fitness is not about losing weight its not about losing at all it is about winning.  Winning the race over a long period of time, reaching a goal of dropping some pounds only to celebrate by going out to eat.

This post will spell out the overview of the plan and reveal each of the parts as we get deeper into the series.  I encourage all Full Figure Plus readers to join in and share your stories of getting and staying fit.

Disclaimer:  Let me state up front these are my ideas and my ideas alone.  I will share my story but when it comes to any suggestion of anything dietary or physical be smart and consult your doctor, period.

Lets get the obvious things out if the way first so we can start this journey with a clean slate:

1. Physical exercise only has short term effects
2. Admit you have a problem (the problem is not being as fit as you could be)
3. To go where you have never been, you must be what you have never been, and do what you have never done

Moving on there are seven areas, steps if you may, towards the goal of becoming totally fit.  Remember, this is not any type of diet plan with the goal for us to lose weight.  The goal is to become as fit as possible.  Dropping pounds would be a bonus at best because I am looking at this journey as more of a mind and lifestyle change that will last a lifetime.

7 Steps To Total Fitness

1. Do not neglect your body.  This means absolutely no starvation diets.  Period.
2. Commitment is the foundation of your quest, because when you get started it is not going to be easy to finish
3. Be absorbed in your task.  Make it a part of your daily routine
4. Once you are headed in the right direction people will see your progress there will be no need to ask
5. Pay close attention to the things around you and how they change as you become more fit
6. Be resolute in your promise to become fit, especially when things get tough and doubt creeps in
7. Ensure success by choosing to be fit instead of giving in to peer pressure

I am sure by now you have noticed none of the total fitness steps include going to the gym, dieting, counting calories or anything else typically associated with weight loss.  The reason why is I am not thinking of losing anything but gaining everything through becoming as fit as possible.  In other words, total fitness is not about intentions it is about intentional choices.  The choice is to become fit.  How? You will have to stay tuned for the rest of the story to be revealed.

Personal testimonial:  In September of last year I went 40 days without eating out at any type of restaurant.  Because I was cooking at the house and eating a regular intervals I lost a few inches off my waist.  I do not know how much but I can tell you that my size 40 pants can be pulled off while fastened and the belt is cinched in.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women