Tightening my Belt

Here's me in South Park form! Make your own character here.

Dave and I worked out our financial aid packages last night - I'm going to be accepting a LOT of free money, and also a lot of not-so-free money. It's time to tighten our belts and live a little more modestly, so no more mink furs and Fabergé eggs for us.

On the sick bunny front, Zelda actually ate some food last night, so that was a bright spot in an otherwise worry-filled evening for two bunny parents. Dave said, because of the caring way I have treated Zelda, he thinks I would be a great mother someday. Talk about a great compliment.

On a somewhat related thread to yesterday's divorce-related blog post, I have some thoughts about an article I read on CNN about Americans' ignorance/denial about their own weight problems.

Charlotte, North Carolina (AP) — Obese people have a blind spot when it comes to their own weight problem, according to a study that showed only 15 percent of people in that category view themselves as obese.

Such a lack of self-awareness can be deadly.

"If somebody doesn't perceive themselves to be obese, they are most likely not going to pay attention to any public health information about the consequences of obesity," said Kim Truesdale, a nutrition researcher.

A study of 104 adults, ages 45 to 64, showed that only 15 percent of people who fit the body type for obese correctly classified themselves that way.

In contrast, 71 percent of normal-weight people and 73 percent of people classified as overweight were accurate in their self-assessments.

If I were to be honest with myself, I would have classified myself as slightly overweight (and I'd be correct, according to BMI indexes). And I can see where people can rationalize away the line between overweight and obese: the difference between normal and overweight is easier to see than the line between overweight and obese, even when looking at your own weight.

No one wants to believe that they have gained so much weight that it might cause arthritis, heart problems, or diabetes, as the article says are dangerous conditions influenced by obesity. No one wants to label themselves with a word with as many negative connotations as "obese" has. However - no one ever lost any weight by denying they have a problem.

A few months ago, I started a food diary, and it was pretty successful at getting me to realize how many calories I was truly consuming per day. I forgot about it, but I think I'm going to start that again, try to get back into the "normal" weight range for the first time since, well, Salzburg, I guess.

Wish me luck! Oh, and if you see me jogging on the street & panting for breath, give me a ride back to my apartment, will ya??