Stating the obvious

I hope I'm putting this in the right section...
The other day at work we had wellness exams...totally voluntary and easy. I opted to take the exam because for each section I passed, I got credits of $$ amounts to use against my annual insurance deductible.
There were 4 general health sections: Blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, body fat/BMI, and the 5th section was just filling out the questionaire.
You can guess which one I failed...
I knew going in that I would get 4/5 at best. When the nurse administered the body fat test (the machine that you hold onto) I stood there and watched as the little thing was calculating my body fat and the little ticker went from below>>average>>high>>very high. *Sigh* I knew it would be high, and I actually chuckled as the machine was shaming me to my face!
Here's the kicker. When it finished, the nurse took down the results and actually looked at me and said "Just so you know, these numbers are really high." NO shit sherlock! I mean, I had no idea...what with the extra 90lbs I'm carrying around, and the damn machine registering on VERY HIGH right before my eyes. Thank you for telling me though, and for not saving your judging tone or look. I was ready to say-Listen bitch! I've already lost 70lbs in the past year, I'm doing the best I can!!
I was happy to see that my BMI is down to 36! I started at my initial consultation appointment at at BMI of 40.5. Oh and the other tests came out EXCELLENT according to the test administrator (who was not the nurse). Blood pressure was great, cholesterol was below average and glucose was 'spot on' to quote the administrator.

They had no idea I'd just had the surgery, or that I'd lost 70 lbs in the last year and it really irks me sometimes when folks pass judgement on you, knowing little to nothing about you. I am not easily sensitive about my weight issues anymore. I think I'm doing fabulous so I honestly do not think I was reading into that nurses reaction...she was quite clear in my opinion. The look, and the tone of her voice said it all. There was a woman waiting to have her exam that probably weighs over 400lbs and that is what concerned me...her acting like that to someone else who may already feel bad about their body and do not need someone shaming them.

36 BMI sounds positively svelte to me!! I started at 62 and now I'm at 34 and mighty proud of it!! Bet there were some whose BMI might have been less than yours BUT their labs were NOT....healthy living it's what it's all about and sounds like you've got that handled!! Good job!!

It sounds like you are doing a great job 70lbs is wonderful. There are always going to be people who don't understand and we will always have to deal with them. Whether its about our weight, or clothes, or whatever, some people are just ignorant about certain things. Do you know how many overweight medical professionals there are?! Do you know how many doctors smoke?! Those are things I really can't understand. At least we are making the effort. I would have told her...really?? I thought it was bad 70lbs ago! You go girl! You are doing great!

LOL! Isn't it amazing what a little perspective does? Maybe if she knew you'd lost 70 lbs in the past year already her perspective would have shifted from judging to encouraging. Who knows? I thought about that when I got a new PCP this month after moving away from my old one. I got on the scale and just hoped that I wouldn't get any grief about still having a BMI in the obese catagory...I'm doing the best I can!! I know what you mean, totally. Fortunately, the NP saw in my history that I had had surgery and was supportive of my success so far.

Thanks for the kinds words!

You know gkeyt I totally understand what you are talking about in hoping your new doc wouldn't chastise you. Lord knows, it's their job to help us be as healthy as possible, but there is a right and wrong approach and unfortunately many take the wrong route.

K@t- My Lap Band doctor smokes! LOL!! When he was doing my pre-op stuff and asked if I was a smoker I immediately responded NO!! Smoking is nasty, I'm very anti-smoking, etc...I later found out he was a smoker. Ha Ha.

go figure....i really don't get that......

Ugagirl-I had that happen to me just this past Thursday night-I haven't been banded yet-date is March 25th! But I started on my new life way of eating January 8th and have lost over 51 pounds so far. Thursday night I went to the emergency room with a horrid bladder infection-passing blood clots from places I shouldn't! (excuse the grossness) Anyway, when the nurse came in, she asked my weight and when I told her, she chastized me and said that with my weight was probably causing my infection-I am 46 years old and this makes a total of 3 UTI/bladder infections I have had in my life and I have been overweight all of my life, so the probability of weight causing the infection would be low. And since I have already lost over 50 pounds in a couple months, that would make it more unlikely-then the doctor came in and said I had a whopping bladder infection (duh) and along with the prescriptions, he gave me diet literature. 5 years ago I would have punched them both in the mouth and waddled out-thank goodness I have matured a bit since then.

Hey 4 out of 5 that is a B! that seems like a good grade to me. All the important one's came back great and the last one was kinda like getting a B in PE when you used to make an F.

My current PCP is a doll. I almost didn't go to him because I heard he was young and cute but he has been a doll. He told me he lost 70 lbs in Med school using less than healthy practices. Oh anyway....he says he can tell how sick I feel based on what I am wearing. Jeans sweatshirt and hiking boots....very sick because I don't care about the extra 5 lbs that adds to the scale. I have actually refused to get on the scale before. Too much emphasis on my weight only depressed me and stressed me more. soon that will be changing!

A weight loss of 70 lbs is so great. I always opted out of these type of tests........I was the ostrich with my head in the sand.

Good luck with the next 70! I am sure you can do it....you have already been so successful!

Marion