First of all, thank you for your message post. If you read both of my previous posts very carefully, I believe you will realize there is not a hint of any bragging in my commentary. Indeed, it would be physically impossible for me to pat myself on the back because 76.5% of it was surgically-fused in a brutally difficult procedure when I was only 16 years old, to mitigate severe lateral scoliosis. Also, Judy, I must point out that you have mis-spoken about me being “born thin.”, in effect implying that I am the recipient of fortunate genes. May I carefully say that my father was obese, and died of heart disease. I was credited with saving his life when he had his first serious coronary at age 59 years old. My older brother is obese–you see, the same genome, but I have made different LIFESTYLE CHOICES to effect a radically different outcome in my epigenome. Your arguments, Judy, are all specious and without merit. Wouldn’t it make more sense to set aside the denial and focus instead on making essential lifestyle changes to eliminate your morbid obesity? Your vegetarian diet, for example, can still have vastly too many calories (i.e. chocolate is not meat but is quite fattening). You say you love to exercise–but do you perform at least moderately vigorous (i.e. fast walking) at least an hour each day? I run 10,000 meters at a very fast pace each day (i.e. I am living authentically).

Judy, it has been shown that fully 75% of the cost of healthcare in the U.S. is directly related to the overweight/obesity problem–for example, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and senile dementia. This is ALL preventable. This is the key reason that healthcare premiums have “gone through the roof.” Simply by using a bathroom scale every day, charting your weight, making healthy dietary choices, including an hour a day of moderate, or a half hour of vigorous exercise, into your regular routine, your morbid obesity is entirely reversible! You do not have to subscribe to the psychological phenomenon of “learned helplessness.” You can first repeat (frequently) that you will CHANGE what you are doing, and then EXECUTE on this idea, and make substantive changes by which to completely reverse your morbid obesity. Otherwise, you will die a lot sooner and the quality of your life will be orders of magnitude below what is readily achievable. Judy, I struggle with a profound disability-and yet, I (unlike my obese sibling) am in the so-called “caloric restriction” range–like those laboratory mice that live approximately 50% longer lifespans. It is not that I am restricting my calories, but that I make healthy food choices and engage in vigorous physical exercise (i.e. running) every day. Judy, this is not bragging nor patting myself on the back. This is simply stating facts. My genes would lead me quickly into morbid obesity as well, absent my careful lifestyle choices. Why not take prompt, regular, decisive action today and end your morbid obesity? You can do it too! All it takes is courage and discipline. Every single day. And you have to measure it to know if you’re changing it (i.e. weight on your bathroom scale, and chart it in a notebook each day–just like I do).

Also, a comment to Troy on the weight-loss surgery issue…after reaching a high weight of 370, I decided to take responsibility for my health and had gastric-bypass surgery. If anyone thinks this is the easy way out, spend some quality time with someone who has had it. It requires drastic and permanent lifestyle changes, particularly in what and how you eat. I lost 200 pounds and, six years later, have kept it off by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Once I’d lost enough weight for it to be physically possible, I started running. I have since completed four 5K races, two 10K races, and have spent the last five months training for my first half-marathon this month. If that doesn’t earn the respect, nothing will.

I would like to share an inspirational story with readers. At age 15, I was diagnosed with severe lateral scoliosis–and at age 16, underwent major surgery, in which 2/3 of my spine was fused and a Harrington rod was implanted. I am now 57 years old. I am 6 feet 0 inches tall, and weigh 137 pounds, which places me approximately 18.75 on the body mass index scale. This is, of course, below the “normal” range of 20-25. It is in what is referred to as the “caloric restriction” range–and is absolutely the healthiest place to be. I am also a middle distance runner. In fact, I am ranked as #16 in the U.S. (masters) age 55-59 (running against able-bodied runners-not the paralympics) at the 3000 meter distance (i.e. the metric 2-mile).

However, I was denied (by all 3 health insurance companies with which I applied) the opportunity to even purchase health insurance almost 4 years ago because I am a “high risk” for them! I can safely add that if all the managers/underwriting executives at these (or any other) health insurance company tried to achieve my running results, they could not, because it is likely that 2/3 of THEM are also overweight and/or obese. This is clearly wrong.

Until and unless our nation confronts the root cause of the overweight/obesity crisis (i.e. proper diet AND exercise), we will not achieve meaningful results. Being in denial is neither helpful for the overweight/obese person, nor for the delivery of affordable healthcare insurance. I am a strong advocate for universal healthcare, with greatly reduced premiums for those individuals demonstrating a high degree of aerobic fitness (easily determined by your resting heart rate-the sedentary person’s resting heart rate is typically 75 bpm. My own sresting heart rate (this morning) was 44 bpm–among the lowest in the world).

I am working on a book to help inspire indivials to take prompt and vigorous action on this serious national problem. The life expectancy of today’s children is now approximately 3 years less than their parents–because of this overweight/obesity crisis! Today’s kids (and adults) can, and must, do a much better job to correct it.

I wish all of you the joy and satisfaction of correcting your own overweight/obesity issues. You will be amazed at how much healthier you will become!

Many don’t want to think about it or even admit that they could let themselves go or allow themselves to become obese…… So they critisize it, they pretend that it could never happen to them, they deny it is anything but someone’s weakness.

This is the reason people who have surgical proceedures to lose weight have such little respect from society. They are looked upon as lazy and taking a shortcut. Al Roker, Carnie Wilson etc..

They didn’t put one ounce of effort in losing weight, therefore they get no accolades for being thin. You gotta earn it baby and justify the beliefs of society…..