Is weight loss the FINAL answer?

Hmmmm... a comment posted by a reader has got me thinking. I suppose in reading my blog you may think that I feel weight loss in my "FINAL solution" to 'all my ails'. It may seem that way, cause this blog only deals with my struggle to lose weight and get weight loss surgery.

However, that is a very small part of my life. My character and identity are not actually very wrapped up in my weight. Before I'd say I was 'fat', I'd say I'm a smart, funny, very intelligent, fun-loving, out-going, out-spoken women. A great mother, a good wife (and working on it still). I'm an entrepreneur - and a VERY good one at that. I'm a home builder. I'm a home-maker. I'm organized, I'm driven, I'm creative and constructive. So many things... and then 'oh yes, I also happen to be morbidly obese'. It doesn't define me, it doesn't box me in, it doesn't paint me a certain color.

BUT, I do feel that for the co-morbidities I'm dealing with, weight loss will make a difference. I'm dealing with joint pain mostly. I work a very physically demanding job with heavy lifting, hard work and lots of moving. I want to be able to do this job without having mornings where I can hardly walk because of my plantars fasciitis. To walk up stairs after a hard days work and not have my one knee almost give out.

I don't have diabetes, I don't have heart disease, I don't have high blood pressure. I do have an addiction to doing and being all that I can every moment of the day... and surprisingly, all that activity doesn't seem to = weight loss. A 1200-1500 calorie a day diet with moderate activity doesn't always = weight loss either (again, surprisingly). But weight loss is recognized as one of the only sure-fire treatments for obesity related plantars faciitis and joint pain.

I'd like to be able to carry in those same 60lb boxes of slate tile without an additional 100lbs of personal weight added onto it. My knees were not designed for that and it shows. Neither were my feet... and it shows.

So there you go. If I didn't hurt would I still want to lose weight? Maybe, just so I can horseback ride easier, or get into roller coasters easier, and plane seats. Stuff like that. But do I want to lose weight to fit societal norms? BAH! I don't do anything to be normal... I tried being normal once: I didn't like it! I have no desire to fit any stereotypes. Weight related or otherwise. I do want to be healthier and to live longer with less pain. So is weight loss my 'final answer'... nope. It's just another part of the puzzle that is my life. Right up there with raising my kid "right"... what does that mean anyhow? BTW: I wouldn't say he's normal either. LOL!