My husband’s going to hate me for this! Please don’t tell him about this post. But as I wrap up my anniversary celebrations this week, I can’t help think about a talk I gave last year during National Nutrition Month. I started off talking about “The Creep”. That slow weight gain that seemingly comes out of the blue that we never seem to lose.
I used my husband as an example.
We met in 2002. He was 180 pounds.
6 years later when we got married 186 pounds.
This year, he won’t let me look at the scale when he gets on. Buy I can tell you he breathes in a little deeper when he’s buttoning his pants. Ok… It’s 189lb. I’ve peaked.
No one wakes up one morning and says “14 years from now I want to weigh 9 more pounds!”
In fact, many people I know, especially my patients with diabetes say things like:
“I’d kill to be my weight 10 years ago when I thought I was fat. Heck, 20 years ago I’d be calling myself skinny.”
So how does slow weight gain happen and more importantly what can it do to us?
It’s what I call The Creep. That little by little feeling that pants don’t fit right, sweaters are tighter or your underwear shrunk (you have to read that story here). And yes a big culprit is the holidays which essentially are upon us NOW (I heard my first Christmas carol on the radio today while I was eating Halloween candy). People tend to think that gaining weight over the holiday is the norm and in the tune of 2-5 pounds per year.
Thankfully that number is overestimated. The average weight gain is closer to ½ -1 pound.
However, the bad news….. you don’t lose it.
The years truly pass by in a blur especially if you have children where you think 5 pounds isn’t so bad, I can lose that tomorrow. But you don’t. And lives change. Your physical activity changes. Your hormones change. Finishing off your kids dinner happens. And then before you know it, it’s not just 5 pounds anymore.
So what does that do to your body other than make you loosen a belt notch or spend more time in yoga pants?
Well for my husband it meant an extra blood pressure medication. For others it’s an additional cholesterol lowering agent. And for too many of my patients it goes from a normal “see ya at next year’s physical” to “you have pre diabetes.” Or worse from having only a family history of diabetes to now having diabetes.
If that sounds like you or someone you know, it’s time to talk.
KimLeneghan.com is going to be bringing you some exciting things in 2017 including FREE webinars and budget and time conscious e-courses geared toward pre-diabetes, diabetes, weight management and heart disease. To be the first to know about pre-launch sales (that’ll be happening SOON) and time sensitive material, make sure I have your email address. Sign-up through KimLeneghan.com, Facebook Instant Message me or send me a quick email here KimLeneghan@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading and sharing this with everyone you know that wishes they were still their wedding day weight.
Hugs!
Kim
Recent Comments