Getting heated over weighty issues

By Virginia Winder
Every day there's a new challenge and today's came during a conversation with a grumpy bloke.
"I am sick of hearing all this stuff about obesity," he said. "It's simple, just don't eat so much and do some exercise."
When I countered that perhaps it's not as easy as all that and how a great deal of people struggle with losing weight, he shook his head with a look of disdain on his face.
Then he suggested that we're all getting too touchy feely and the real issue is that fat people (meaning me, my mother and millions of people worldwide) are just lazy and not particularly intelligent.
By this time, I could feel the anger welling up in me. I was indignant for all the people who have struggled with their size, who have been on diet after diet only to put it all back on again (and more), or who have a genetic predisposition to putting on weight.
"That's just an excuse," he said of the latter.
At this point I realised the discussion needed to end, before I said something I might regret.
You see, even though I'm now on the road to fitness and better health, I've spent about 17 years overweight.
But nobody could ever say I was lazy.
In fact, that was my problem - I was so busy working there was no time in my life to focus on exercise. I've always loved food (still do) but I was eating many of the wrong things as a quick fix to get me through each day. I was doing the best I could, but didn't have much energy left over to make other decisions.
I will, therefore, defend anybody who's overweight, because it's a tough place to be.
On my quest, I'm learning what foods will fuel me best, how important it is to have goals, rediscovering the joy of exercising and the wonder of being fit.
But it was my time to change. I had my ultimatum - the knife or my life (see my first blog).
It's important though to accept yourself, no matter what size you are and feel good inside. The truth is, I've rarely felt hideous or unattractive, although I know I'm no supermodel. My decision to change was purely for my health and then came the decision to become an athlete again.
Other people will have their own tipping points and reasons for making changes.
Whether you do, or don't do, I'll never judge you, won't purposely do anything to make you feel guilty and will accept you all, as you are - with an open heart and open mind.

Today, I:
Worked for 7 hours
Slept for 8 hours
Swam 40 lengths of a 50m pool
Walked for 50 minutes
Ate two fantastically nutritious meals, but missed dinner (not a good idea)
Drank two cups of coffee
Drank 1.5 litres of water