Obesity Hurts My Feelings Too

News broke Wednesday that a New Hampshire physician is being sued by a patient of his. On what grounds? He diagnosed her as obese. And now her feelings are hurt.

Ok it's official. I've heard it all.

This story reaches the utmost height of ridiculous. The peak of Mt. Ridiculousity if you will. So much so, that I barely know where to begin. A doctor does his job. Tries to help his patient understand that her health is in danger (time and time again in fact), but to no avail. Not only does she not listen, but then she claims he has hurt her feelings? We are not talking high schoolers making fun of a slightly overweight schoolmate. We are talking about a clinical diagnosis that was given to a patient, with a BMI of 39.

Would having cancer hurt her feelings due to its emotional strain? Should he refrain from sharing those diagnoses as well, should they arise?

Honestly... let's look at the real story here. This woman is so unhappy with herself, that when someone gives her the truth, she takes her anger and emotion out on him! Not only does she shirk responsibility for something she has done to herself by projecting her problem on the doctor... she goes even farther by trying to get money out of him through the legal system. Her problem is a real, valid one... and all the doctor wants to do is try and help her. Yet she SUES him. She blames the very person who has the guts to confront her about a very serious weight issue.

We have become a society of irresponsible crazy people. We don't own up to things, and when called out on it, we do crazy things like expect a payout. I don't know... maybe there's a hidden message here somewhere. I am deeply offended and hurt that I have to pay so much for gas. Perhaps the oil companies should make it up to me...

A Case of the Mondays

I have a case of the Mondays.

If I were still in school... I would have skipped class, gone for a nice long run, gone out for mexican lunch with margaritas, and stayed by the pool the rest of the day. But no. No such thing as "skipping workday." Here I can't get lost among a large lecture hall. And although attendance isn't necessarily taken, it's plenty noticed.

So here I am in the office... holed up in my cube. When I got here this morning, my hard drive was apparently shot. The fantastic IT guys hooked me up quick snap, so I was at least able to get back to working. However, all these little things (like all my "favorites" on IE and all the shortcuts on my desktop) that I use for quick reference everyday are gone... caput. So it's taken me much extra time to do anything today because I've had to re-find and recreate all these links and find the things I need to do my work.

Not to mention that my weight is fluctuating worse than a low carb dieter's. As any female knows... there are just some days when nothing will do but your favorite pair of pj pants. Unfortunately, this is not considered "proper office attire."

The "to-do" stack is growing, the "have done" stack is... well... less than spectacular.

Sometimes being a responsible adult isn't all it's cracked up to be. However, I did buy 2 new cds yesterday and that is cheering me slightly -- Guster, Keep it Together and The Streets, A Grand Don't Come for Free. One for my cheery hippie side, one for my odd love of brit hip hop. Yes, my taste in music is eclectic bordering on just plain odd.

And I bought an exciting new pack of gum this morning. Extra Classic Bubble (the pink pack). It rocks. It's the taste of my bubble gum youth, except the taste actually lasts longer than five seconds. Who knew sugar free could be so positively nostalgic?

But I'm still wishing myself poolside. Maybe if I click my heels together...

It's Friday... That's All I Got

Random Musings... What is This World Coming To?

I paid almost $30.00 to fill up my little 12 gallon tank sedan this morning -- ridiculous. When I began driving 8 years ago, I could fill up my tank (different 12-gallon tank sedan) for $10.00. Sigh. Honestly, I'll stay home from work if it's better for the environment.

I paid only $0.89 for my large coffee at the gas station this morning -- awesome. I wonder if I can fuel my car on that? But then I was practically accosted as I attempted to put sweetener in it. Some guy grabbed my arm and told me I was going to die if I used sweeteners in my coffee. I patiently tried to explain that not only is it perfectly ok to use sweeteners, that he is a wacko and if he touched me again I may have to retaliate. Who needs this insanity at 8:00am? Reminds me of the preacher who often stood outside the student center at UGA when I was in school. As people would walk by, he would accuse anyone that looked his way of being fornicators, on drugs, going to hell, etc. Ridiculous. I just want my coffee.

I paid about $30 for a new scale a couple months ago. I went on vacation a couple weeks ago, only to come back and apparently have gained about 10 pounds, says the new scale. As any girl would understand... I freaked out. Big time. So I've spent the past 10 days practically living at the gym and mainlining water and diet soft drinks. I weighed myself this morning and in some wacky miraculous way I've managed to drop 5. It's really not possible that I could have lost 5 lbs in 10 days. I certainly haven't been starving myself. Thus I conclude that I hadn't really gained that much weight in the first place.

Seriously... I think the money would have been better spent on gas. Scales are equally as ridiculous as gas station wackos. Neither can be trusted and I want to toss both of them out the nearest window.

That's all I got... it is Friday after all.

Skinny Drinks Trump Diet

A few weeks ago, I wrote, in jest, about the concept of taking diet drinks to a whole new level - the negative calorie level. I wrote in the way of farce and complete lack of seriousness that I normally do (A very odd sense of humor, that is. If you even think I have this sense at all). Alas... apparently I was onto something...

Meet Jana (tm) Skinny Water. It's a fairly new product that claims it's "a no-calorie water, enhanced with a unique combination of ingredients to help people lose and maintain their weight." The web site claims it can help curb appetite, burn fat and help reduce weight. Is this for real? And there are other companies (Fuze, Celsius and supposedly even a Coke company partner) who are getting into the mix.

I understand that ingredients in a drink could help increase someone's metabolism... but really help with weight loss? This sounds like it has the capability to make people even lazier or less responsible for their health than they currently are. "I don't need to work out... I had a few negative calorie drinks today."

If people rely on food, drinks or drugs as magic bullets for weight loss, obesity will continue to stick around like last week's doughnut to my hips. I mean, I'm all for innovation and getting whatever help we can get. But at some point shouldn't we just head out for exercise in pursuit of health, rather than heading to the fridge?

Ode to Free Time

Pepsi announced they plan to open 3 mall lounges in the near future.

Oh to be of the age where free time ran rampant, when lounging didn't need to be scheduled! When it seemed perfectly ok to frivolously spend all of said free time at the mall! What is free time? And where did it go?

More importantly, if these teens had any idea what life will be like for them in 5-10 years, I wonder if they'd actually spend it lounging in a mall...

Has Low-Carb Officially Fizzled?

News from yesterday's USA Today proclaimed the official downfall of Atkins Nutritionals, as the former diet god filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Can it be true? Has the low-carb craze officially passed us by? Will I again be able to order pasta at a restaurant without a look of disgust from the server? Can I once again serve loaves of french bread at meals without my guests feigning feelings of fullness as they ask me to pass the meatballs? Can it be true?!

As one AP reporter notes, "Low-carb might be waning, but no one should write its obituary just yet. About 2 percent of adults remain on a low-carb regimen. And The New York Times best seller list still includes The South Beach Diet."

But although low-carb may be losing its seat at the popular kids' table, that only means it makes way for other, equally as ridiculous fad diets to take over mainstream attention. The 3-hr diet and the French Women Don't Get Fat diet are already patiently waiting in the wings.

But what can I say... I have an extreme bias (as well as complete lack of tolerance) when it comes to fad diets. More power to you if it works... heavens knows these diets can be like Godsends for certain lucky individuals. However I feel like it gives more false hope than anything else. Eat healthy. Exercise. There's no way around it.

Oh yeah... and don't be afraid to indulge in a little diet can of joy every now and then. It's good for the soul. :o)