Sharon T. Chen’s Weight Loss Journey is Incredible
Photo by Abbie Parks on Unsplash
It’s wonderful to read someone else’s weight loss journey @ Facebook. Here is my own ‘story.’
Mine started 3 years ago, though I’d been increasing the exercise for a fair few years gradually.
A couple of things helped change my attitude to my weight: an idle comment made by a doctor about how my weight was keeping in step with the years in Taiwan, a profile photo of me on a photowalk that highlighted how wide I’d become, and the realization that I was actually medically obese, (and not just ‘overweight’ that was scary during Covid).
In fact, I think my BMI was around 35~36. While not terrible, it was already in warning territory. Obesity seems to run in my family, too (my mom & sister were both overweight but I was skinny until I came to Taiwan).
Since my peak, I’ve managed to lose around 50lbs. I definitely feel lighter, my XXL pants are gone as I can get into my L pants again, and I’ve taken up running as a hobby. LOL!
People tell me how difficult it is for an ‘older’ person to lose weight… I’m not so sure about that… but I know that I don’t want the burden of severe ill-health that comes with obesity. It was quite sobering to read the autopsy report of my mother: It didn’t say obesity anywhere on the report, but every cause listed indicated metabolic disorder: renal failure, stroke, afib, heart disease… and I’m guess high blood pressure that hadn’t been treated.
So, good on you, Sharon! And thanks for the inspiring journey. We can change, we just have to find the right keys to open the door of change.