This is a real book. The subtitle: “Naughty hypnosis to rocket your pulling power.” Egads, so many double entendres! My head might explode! It’s almost as if they can read my… Actually this has “unintended consequences” written ALL over it.
“If you could live longer as an obese person verses a thin person, how many years would have to be added to your life to make you choose obesity?” Gym Buddy Krista came up with this one-question survey for her final project for a graduate school course on overcoming weight bias. Go take her survey – take you 2 seconds! – and then come back here and tell me if you are surprised by the results. I sure was. But perhaps I shouldn’t have been. Unless you’re an alien invader (in which case, welcome, my kids have been expecting you) then you already know our society is weird about weight. You’re too fat. You’re too skinny. You’re never ever just right.
So it makes sense that in an effort to lose weight, people are willing to try almost anything. Some things like diet pills, diuretic teas, the latest cure-all book and tapeworms may make me cringe but at least I can understand them. Other things however, I don’t understand but I’m learning that some of these so-called alternative therapies work better than most people might think.
A couple of years ago, Gym Buddy Allison tried acupuncture for weight loss after the birth of her second baby. I’ll admit it, at first I thought it was nuts – they stuck her with needles attached to an electrical current for pity’s sake! – but… it worked. And it was way safer than a tapeworm. She was surprised. I was surprised. And it was all good! To read more of her story and see her before-and-after pics, check out my story on Shape.com “I Tried It: Acupuncture for weight loss.”
My next introduction to an unconventional approach to weight loss was through Reader Georgia who let me interview her for Shape.com about her experience using hypnosis for weight loss. Again, I was skeptical and again, it worked. In fact, it sounds a lot like Intuitive Eating, except kind of better! To read Georgia’s story check out my piece “I Tried It: Hypnosis for weight loss.”
And then I got to interview a bunch of die-hard runners about their favorite destination races – sports + exotic locale = yes, please! – and learned how one woman lost over 100 pounds training to run an Ultra 50-Mile race. Did I mention the race is a trail run that goes over one of Colorado’s tallest mountains? To check out this run plus some other goodies, go see my slideshow “10 Destination Races You Must Do Before You Die.”
If you need more motivation for your own training, the Gym Buddies and I took P90X founder Tony Horton to the gym with us. Courtesy of the new P90X iPhone app. Sure a tiny man in a phone leading a group of grown women through strange motions is a little weird but really it’s nothing after those last 3! Check out my review on Shape.
Also motivating: $50!! Which is what Inside Tracker is offering all GFE readers. They heard you when you said you wished you could try out their preventative health service but couldn’t afford the steep price tag and so they want to give you $50 off to help you out. Just use the code GFEXPB11256 at checkout!
Have you ever tried any alternative or non-conventional therapies? Were you as shocked as I was by Krista’s survey results?
Other articles I wrote this week:
The 8 Parenting Jobs I Wish I Could Outsource. Seriously, please someone save me.
It’s been an exciting week as Redbook’s Motherboard blog council launched “No Judgement Day” in an effort to get women to be kinder to each other. I kicked it off with a really long, heart-felt, reasonably well-written (in my estimation anyhow) essay about all the times other moms could have judged me but didn’t. And they made me cut it down to 500 measly words. Boo. Perhaps I’ll post the whole version here later. At any rate, still fun: End Mom Guilt Now! Plus, check out all the other “Don’t Judge Me…” essays on there.
The Great Mom Debate: Acupuncture for Autism? Would you let your kids try an alternative therapy?
Why My Kids Will Never Love the Muppets as Much as I Do. Muppet Treasure Island remains to this day one of my 5 most fave movies ever. Yeah, I said it.
The debate over the Thanksgiving prayer: do you or don’t you?
Co-Sleeping and Babies with Meat Cleavers – probably the worst parenting ad I have ever seen. (You’ve gotta see the pic on this one.)
Anti-Bullying Week: The Conversation You Need to Have With Your Kids
I could never be an ultra-marathoner. Those people are cut from their own cloth and my hat is off to anyone who can run…like 2 marathons at once, in the same day or same 24 hr time period…50 miles. whoa.
Acupuncture and hypnosis have helped me in the past with things and I don’t discount them being able to help people with weight loss goals.
So interesting – I have to say I’m really intrigued by acupuncture now! I’ve been told in the past that I’m “easily hypnotized” – not sure if that’s an insult or a compliment;)
I’ve never tried any of those things for weight loss. I’m not sure I buy that they would help with that per se, but they may help with other issues that manifest themselves outwardly with weight gain. (I’m pretty sure that sentence made no sense, but I’m too tired to fix it.)
I took the poll when you posted it on Facebook and I wasn’t really surprised by the results. That’s what I voted for, but not because I don’t want to be overweight, but because I don’t want to live a life with all the associated health problems. I know a lot of people that are significantly overweight and have to take 4-5 pills a day for health problems stemming from their weight. Maybe I was assuming too much with that answering, but that’s why I picked that. Sure, vanity was maybe slightly involved in my decision too. 😉
Ooh I hadn’t thought of it this way: ” not because I don’t want to be overweight, but because I don’t want to live a life with all the associated health problems.” I think Krista was assuming all other things (like health) being equal. I wonder how many of the respondents answered that way for the same reasons as you. You have such an analytical mind!
I had been assuming all other things equal…more of an aesthetic question than health related but I should have been more clear. Thanks for your participation tho!
I’m a big believer in the power of the subconscious, and since many of us eat for reasons other than physical hunger, I imagine these methods would help.
I did try hypnotherapy during my first pregnancy. Didn’t take for me, but I was so completely terrified nothing short of a large dose of heavy drugs would have worked.
I’ve often thought about taking my kids to an acupuncturist to see if it would help with their autism, but I’m kind of afraid they would beat the poor guy or gal up, like they did with their dentist a couple of years ago. But I might try it for myself!
I’m off to read your other articles.
Oh, and i LOOOOOVE the Muppets! My daughter’s class is going on a field trip tomorrow to go see the movie, and I’m soooo jealous!
If you try the acu, let me know!! I’m so intrigued by it now. And I did a Hypnobabies course for my 4th son’s birth. Did not work AT ALL.
I would guess that part of the benefit of things like acupuncture and hypnosis is that for that period of time (maybe an hour a week?) you can step out of your life and focus on weight loss and the hows and whys that you are doing it. I get regular acupuncture for various fitness-related issues (tendonitis mainly) and it’s the one hour of the week when I take honest stock of how I feel and remind myself of what I need to be doing (ice, stretching, etc).
I think the inability to press “pause” on our busy lives is one of the main challenges to overcoming obstacles. Status quo is far, far easier. Anything (hypnosis, therapy, acupuncture) that allows us to do that has got to help!
…and that survey was quite a surprise!!
Good point about the therapies helping make you more conscious!
Because being fit and active is such a big part of my life, I wouldn’t want to choose obesity in order to extend it. There’s quality of life to think about too. The three years after I had my daughter where I was carrying an extra 40 lbs were no fun. The weight didn’t affect every aspect of my life, sure, but I was consistently unhappy about it.
Being able to do mud runs frequently, practice muay thai, and do challenging hikes adds a lot to my enjoyment of life. It’s by far not an appearance thing, though I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t an aspect of my feelings on the subject.
On hypnosis – my Mom tried that years ago. It worked beautifully while she was actively going to appointments, and for a while afterward. But it wasn’t a permanent thing and she eventually started putting weight back on. I guess for her it didn’t translate into a change in lifestyle that she could maintain.
I was talking to a very obese intelligent friend of mine recently about his unsuccessful weight struggles. I told him about eating a healthier diet and exercising. His reply,” You know, I’ve tried everything else but that!”
I love Muppet Treasure Island! But I must admit, I find that it pales in comparison to the Muppet Christmas Carol, which is in my top 5 favorite movies of all time (regardless of the season… although it totally works out right now)!
Also, I would agree that I wouldn’t want to extend my life if it meant being obese. I don’t care (in theory) about being super thin or anything, but aging is hard enough, and I’d rather not have to deal with all of the usual struggles that would come with being obese at that time.
Muppet Christmas Carol is our all-time favorite Christmas movie (seriously – more than Wonderful Life!). My 37 year old brother texted me to say that I HAD to take my son to the new movie because he and a bunch of buddies just saw it and it was terrific! 🙂
I also wasn’t surprised by the results of the survey. But that’s because my immediate response was, people already live too long! I wouldn’t want to add any more time to the end of my life to extend that, because people have so many associated health problems with being elderly. If Krista intended the question to be “assuming that your health would be the same” or “assuming that you could add these years right now” then that should have been made a little more clear in the question. There are a ton of really great things I’d also turn down before choosing to extend my life. (granted, I had a 97 year old grandmother who just died and my other 90 year old grandmother is still going strong, so I have had a lot of close hand observation of how difficult it is getting older, which may have colored by response) Also, I just had a thought, this answer may change also depending on where you are in your lifespan. I’m 32, but maybe I’d have answered different at 62? Lots to think about with this one.
I wasn’t surprised by the results of the survey. I don’t exercise to extend my life—I do it because I like how it makes me feel. I like the sense of accomplishment that comes with doing a difficult workout or completing a race.
Adding or subtracting years to your life is a poor motivator. Most of us discount the importance of those far-off years. Cigarette companies rely on this—people take up smoking because they figure, “Who cares if it cuts 10 years off my life? I don’t care about years 70 through 80 anyway.”
How about another poll—would you chop 10 years off your life to be thin/beautiful/rich now? I’ll bet a very high percentage of respondents would say, “You bet!”
I love that Kevin! Would you chop off 10 years of your life to be thin now? That would have been a great question.
I’m just kind of weary at the “Do this and lose 10 Lbs!” on every cover of every health and fitness magazine. Being healthy is a way of life for me now, and not a weight loss thing anymore and it’s hard to bombarded with that all the time and remain happy with where I’m at.
Having said that, I can’t even count the number of people who, after I haven’t seen them in a long time, ask me how I got healthy and frown and then say they could never do what I do…which is just eat healthy and exercise regularly. I think there are extenuating circumstances where you might want to lose weight and need hypnosis or acupuncture, and I’ve no doubt they work, but I like to hope that I don’t get so fixated on a weight that I lose sight of just being healthy and living my life. I’d rather have a long healthy life than a shorter beautiful one…but then I think I’m pretty OK as I am now 🙂
So much to read!
First, yes, the poll results did surprise me a little bit, though it shouldn’t.
Next, I don’t think I could ever been an ultra-marathoner. I’m not even sure I’ll ever be a marathoner, but I am registered for two half marathons next summer. I’m a little worried, but considering I’ve already run 10 miles and have five months to train, I think I’ll be okay. One of them is the Chicago Rock & Roll half, so I guess I’m checking off one of the destinations you recommend! I’d also love to do the Vegas Strip at Night half marathon…maybe next year….
As for the alternative therapies/weight loss methods, I’ve always been really curious about hypnosis and would do it if it were affordable.
I’m totally not surprised that these alternative treatments work! Would I try them? No, probably not but only because to my crazy ED-brain that would be cheating in some way for me. And why pay money when I have a “perfect” solution right there?! I have so much respect for people who have lost weight in healthy ways and I definitely include these alternative treatments in that.
Girl – you are so darn prolific! How do you do all this and manage to parent 4 young children??? I’m seriously impressed with you at every new turn. Favorite blogger ever, hands down.
I actually have a huge amount of faith in acupuncture. My mother had a torn rotator cuff for which MDs were prescribing surgery and rehab. After two acupuncture visits, her cuff all but glued itself back together and her range of motion came back almost immediately. Cheaper and easier than surgery BY FAR. So if people want to use it for weight loss…I would never question that.
I was one of those who voted to not live as an obese person in any context, much like everyone else in the poll. I was surprised, actually, to see that so many other people think like me. For social, aesthetic, and health-related issues – I just would not want to be obese. I guess I didn’t realize how pervasive that way of thinking is in American culture. (A thought, though: the sample might be skewed. Folks reading you are fairly fitness-minded. I wonder how this would look posed to a much broader population? Likely similar, I assume. But maybe not?)
InsideTracker: Why does every weight tracking site have a green apple and a measuring tape around it – is this something like the coat of arms of the weight loss guild?
I was really torn about the poll. I am personally super afraid of dying and think that every second of time I can get with my husband is worth it. But the poll description wasn’t really specific. I chose 6-11 years, but wasn’t sure. Would it affect my quality of life? Even if I could be as healthy, would I be able to enjoy life and physical activities and such as I do now? Because if not, then no way. It’s more important to enjoy what you have than to sacrifice happiness only to have more unhappiness.
As for ultra-marathons, um no. First of all, I can’t stand doing something steady state for more than five minutes. I get bored. I’m a straight up sprint/interval/strength training girl. Second, my knees hate running. HATE it. I injured one when I was in middle school and my mother assumed it was something minor and it never healed correctly. Last, I’ve read some scary things about ultras. One of the men that is considered to be super elite said he has bloody urine for about 2 weeks afterward, and that since he has heard the same from fellow ultra-marathoners, it must be “normal.” If you exhaust your body to the point that your organs aren’t functioning, that is not “normal” by any stretch. There are other people with heart disease, eating disorders, cancer, etc, but that doesn’t make it healthy! If that isn’t full-blown exercise addiction, it falls perilously close, at least in my mind.
The acupuncture seems nice, but I’d consider it more for relaxation and health than for weight loss. Focusing on weight loss is a slippery slope for me though, so i have to set more performance oriented goals.
Char, you are EVERYWHERE these days! I love seeing your fabulous writing in new places, especially placed so prominently…where it belongs. Congrats!!
I tried an eating disorder. It worked. Perhaps the FDA could bottle it? It would just have to have a very lengthly side effect list which they are usually ok with!
15 years later here I am. In recovery and staying that way!
Hah! Me too girl (well other than the 15 years part, but I’m working on it and getting there) – and can I just say it always makes me laugh in a dark-humor way when I see “anorexia” listed as a side effect? I know medically it means loss of appetite… but it’s always a bit odd and jarring to see it like that.
I was kind of expecting those results on the longer life/obese thing, though I was hoping I was wrong. And if I’m honest with myself… I don’t want to say that NO amount of longer life would change my mind, and I rationalize it as a quantity versus quality issue (which may be a fair point, as she said obese and not overweight)… but yeah, I voted for the largest time frame to be added for me to choose to be obese. It’s hard to think about CHOOSING that.
As for hypnosis, I could definitely see that working, depending on why you’re overweight. If there are emotional issues with the food or bad habits that need to be broken, I could see it helping. If there’s a medical issue going on, then no, probably not. As for acupuncture, who knows. I’ve noticed a few things with my yoga lately where my teacher just swears a move with do this or do that, and it sounds like hippie dippy new age crap, but it does what she says it will. Power of suggestion? Maybe there’s something to it? I dunno, but hey, if it works for you, go for it, power of suggestion or no.
Re: obesity
You are, I hope aware that people here in the UK think that ALL Americans are morbidly obese, just as Americans think we all wander round in suits and bowler hats!
I’m planning to run an ultramarathon in 2013 – the Keys 50 happens in May and I’m already scheduled for Big Sur in April of 2012 – but it doesn’t have anything to do with weight loss or fitness or anything like that. I’m just kind of obsessed with the whole idea of the ultramarathon and how it forces people to push their psychological and physical limits.
Also, I have to second the person who mentioned how prolific you are. I aspire to be like you!
Well, that book sounds scary as hell and extremely juvenile, but I bet it will be an amazing hit with the guys in the 13-27 age group. lol As far as trying some weird thing to lose weight, the weirdest I got was the Dr’s Weight Loss Clinic where you severely restrict calories, get shots in your butt and take a f*ckton of supplements. I failed miserably at the diet part because I am mostly vegetarian (if those bastards allowed bacon and the occasional steak and burger, I’d totally convert lol) and I suffered severely from the nazi style restriction of my beloved potatoes. IT WAS MURDER! The absolute worst part of it had to be the vertigo I had after 3 days. I was eating my allotted calorie intake and not exercising, but my body was NOT happy with the lack of carbs, fruit and veggies. I achieved the required state of ketosis in 2 1/2 days, but after a day of that (and my husband’s Iron Chef and Chopped Marathon the day I hit “Psycho Cranky”) the vertigo and weird depression took over. After a total of 7 days of that diet, I said EFF THIS and ate 3 pints of tomatoes and a cucumber and washed it down with orange juice and was instantly a completely different person. If I do hit a plateau, I would consider a day or 2 of modified diet similar to that to restart the process, but there is NO way that I will ever dive that hard core into any diet that send my tomatoes to mars where they are not able to be consumed with glorious, almost orgasmic, abandon. Friggin bastards!
I do however, want to try acupuncture for stress relief and see what it’s all about. I also think that alternative therapies for children is a great idea, WITHIN REASON. We are a highly medicated country reliant on pharmaceuticals and I think that many parents are too quick to jump on the meds bandwagon when they don’t know what to do with their child’s behaviors. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANTIBIOTICS AND I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE “ALL ORGANICS NO SHOTS OR DIE” KIND OF MOTHERS. Just wanna make that clear. I do believe that parents should be well informed and make a decision based on all available and reasonable information and options. My children are 8 and 11 and have had all of their shots, unfortunately even the varicella (aka Chicken Pox) even after I stated that I did not want them getting that one. My husband is a carrier of HPV, so our daughter will receive some form of the Guardisil shot when she is old enough. (and for that, the cussing and gasping will ensue, I’m sure. MY KID, MY CHOICE, so back the f*ck up on that, if you wanna attack me) For children with certain forms of autism, some alternative therapies have been shown to help improve their development and social interaction, it’s all got to do with what a parent is comfortable, able and willing to do for their child, which is also THEIR CHOICE.
Now, for that essay, do those mofos know how hard it is to not rant on and on about a subject you enjoy and especially about motherhood? What the hell are they thinking? You have 5 FRIGGIN KIDS! Can you even supply personality descriptions for all 5 in 500 words? Come on! lol Plus, 500 words of your writing isn’t enough for ANYONE that reads your blog, I’m sure. Let alone the fact that a mother has more jobs than fit into a 500 word essay and to just explain 3 that you want to outsource and why would take up about 2500 words, anyway. Did those people pay you for the massive amount of editing that I’m sure you had to go through? lol
Charlotte, I still say that we may have been separated at birth and that makes me sad. I see all of your comments and articles about your gym buddies and am instantly jealous, envious and depressed since I don’t have many buddies, let alone gym ones and they all have their own thing going on. I think you should pack up your entire brood and relocate to central Florida, for my benefit. lol
Have a great weekend, Charlotte!
I would try accupuncture. I tried hypnosis 30 years ago and it worked for me but over time I still fight with those 5-10 pounds that come back. Recently I tried EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) which is tapping. I didn’t believe in it when I first went to give up my Diet Coke addiction but I have been Diet Coke free for 8 months now. The EFT helped me with some of my snacking problems and I am on my way to taking that 10 pounds off but it really is all about changing your mental attitude about things. After I did the EFT I haven’t touched the two snack habits that I had at the time but I’m developing another evening eating routine and thinking about going back for more work.
I voted no extra years if I have to be obese. First of all I am 56 and all my kids are grown but at this age I have watched both parents age and die and I am watching my sister who is obese begin to have health problems and live a very lonely life as a widow and I don’t want to ever get there. I want to die before or with my husband and quickly.
I don’t think I would want to bring on all the other probs of obesity to myself! Of course we have read many stories on people that gain weight as part of a learning so they can help others…
The main dude from The Doctors did it for 1 week & his blood tests & blood pressure numbers changed drastically with his 8 pound gain in 1 week PLUS he felt horrible AND said how just doing this for as short a time as he did started that process of getting “hooked” on sugar & all the other crap.
Nope, not gonna do!
Ok, I’m about to overthink this…
Even if I could live another 15 years as an obese person, I would not choose to IF I still struggled with the health problems and negative treatment. I would rather die sooner and feel good and not suffer emotionally due to negative treatment.
However, if the world suddenly became like the olden times where being fat meant you had enough food and was a sign of wealth, and also if it was actually better for my body, yeah, I’d be fine being obese.
I read this when you first posted it and have been mulling it over. Despite having an eating disorder – and it for years – I have never been interested in weight loss so much as taking up space… Which is interesting as sometimes you can take up less space at a higher weight.
I think I would be more apt to try (and have tried) alternative things to tone my body which as we both know can mean an increase in weight…
I missed the survey as it is closed. As much as I love to eat, I can’t stand it when my pants start to get tight. I don’t think any extra years would entice me to choose to be obese, although at this time of year with Christmas coming and all the goodies on offer it is tempting.
On hypnosis – my Mom tried that years ago. There are other people with heart disease, eating disorders, cancer, etc, but that doesn’t make it healthy! Sure, vanity was maybe slightly involved in my decision too. Muppet Christmas Carol is our all-time favorite Christmas movie (seriously – more than Wonderful Life!).
Also, I would agree that I wouldn’t want to extend my life if it meant being obese. Despite having an eating disorder – and it for years – I have never been interested in weight loss so much as taking up space… Which is interesting as sometimes you can take up less space at a higher weight. Congrats!! I actually have a huge amount of faith in acupuncture.
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