Oprah struggling with weight

[rockinrobin]

Originally Posted by Jen415

She admitted that most of her weight gain is attributed to "taking herself off her priority list." That is something we ALL have done.

To me, this just shows she is human, like me...and like you.

Honestly, do any of us EVER "beat" this weight thing??

Nope. I will never, ever be "cured". There will never be a time when I can let up. When I can let my guard down. Never. Ever. This will be a life long issue for me. Can't fix it. But can manage it.

It's a roller coaster, that's for sure.

[Beautiful Ace]

Just because she has money, and is famous, doesn't mean she's not a real person. I think it's kind of rude to just assume that anybody with money could do what those without money can't. Money doesn't give you willpower ffs.

[grneyedmustang]

Originally Posted by Jen415

She admitted that most of her weight gain is attributed to "taking herself off her priority list." That is something we ALL have done.

To me, this just shows she is human, like me...and like you.

Honestly, do any of us EVER "beat" this weight thing??

My two cents - in a nutshell - no.

I realized that for the rest of my life, if I want to continue and/or maintain my weight loss, I have to exercise. I cannot go back to a diet of pizza, fries, burgers, hot wings, and cheesecake. Sure, I've had my periods of "why can't I be naturally skinny? Why is it other people can eat what they want and not gain?" I now realize that if I don't want to gain weight, then I have to keep working out, keep watching my carb intake, keep watching how much alcohol I drink. Much like recovering alcoholics have to monitor and limit their alcohol intake for the REST OF THEIR LIFE.

This isn't the first time in my life that I've lost a significant amount of weight. When I "lose focus" and stop watching what I'm eating and/or stop working out, then I gain weight quickly.

I've realized and accepted this is a battle I will have to fight for the duration of my life. At this point, I think I've made peace with it.

[JuliaW]

Oprah is human, as we all are. Someone should invite her to visit this site and get support here. You folks provide excellent support. I've been lurking for a while and this is my first post.

[kaplods]

I think it's easy to think of weight loss much like a race or at least a journey with a particular destination and a fairly straight path to get there, but if you tried to create a map from the path most of us take, it is far from a linear journey for most of us. Instead, our paths often meander, take detours, backtrack, sidetrack, and end up going in circles (sometimes even when we're not lost).

I think we've got to stop judging folks (whether celebrity or peasantry) for "messy" travel. Of course, it would be ideal (and hail to those who can manage it) to traverse an unobstructed course as straight as "the crow flies," and to never lose ground once the goal is achieved, but I think those folks are by far the exception, rather than the rule.

I think for most folks, weight loss is not so much a simple journey, as a battle or even war, and we're not all facing the same enemy. And not only do each of us have different strengths and weaknesses, but we have a different number of enemies with different degrees of strengths. To make things even more complicated, often our enemies change during our lifetime, as well. When our enemies gain strength (say in the case of a developing thyroid condition) or we lose strength (maybe due to some additional stress in our lives), it's possible to lose ground.

Losing a particular battle, or even a series of battles, doesn't have to mean losing the war.

[ennay]

I heard her say once that what she wanted was to get to a point where weight and food was no longer an issue. I know that is my biggest "wish".

It is a hard thing to realized that it can never be. That to some extent it will ALWAYS be an issue. That it ALWAYS has to be a priority.

[LivingInEgypt]

I'm a newbie and this is my first post - so hope I don't put my foot in it in any way.
I echo many of the prior posts which say that Oprah is, after all, human. Yes she DOES have an advantage from her wealth iro a personal trainer, being able to afford a cook etc - but her wealth can also be a disadvantage, as after all she can afford the best desserts / cheeses (or whatever her particular downfall is) that this world can offer - and boy oh boy lets face it there are so very many temptations out there when it comes to unhealthy food. No doubt she too works long hard hours, and after a hard day eating maybe healthily, how easy it is to just chill out in front of the TV with a box of chocs?? In a cruel kind of way (and actually I don't mean to be cruel) I'm kinda glad; after all if she had stayed permanently slim then it would be all to easy for me and others to just say 'well of course [i]she[i] can afford to stay get/stay slim with all her money, but I'll never be able to as I have a struggle making ends meet'. At least it shows us all that weight loss and keeping it off are a struggle for people 'like us' no matter what walk of life we are from and how much money we have. I hope she does well losing her weight again, and hope too - and maybe some of you won't agree with this - that maybe she doesn't aim to lose SO much weight this time around - maybe sometimes we need to be content with yes losing weight, being active and eating healthily, but also if we are 10 or even 20 pounds overweight but can maintain that kinda weight, then its much much better than the yo-yoing all over the place, surely ?
All the best to all.

S

[JackieRn]

Given that there are plenty of examples in real life, on this site and others as well as on TV and in magazines of regular people losing weight successfully and improving their health, its unfortunate that people might reason that someone with the advantage of wealth is ONLY successful at weight loss as a result of their resources and there for they have an excuse as to why they can't make any changes. I think given her influence by losing the weight Oprah inspires a lot of people some of whom aren't well off. I for one hope for the sake of her health she is able to make the necessary changes and make them permanently.

[kahlua]

So many good points....I confess to being quick to judge..who wouldn't like a cook to make healthy meals..and a trainer to shag out butts off the couch? Obviously the truth with her is the same truth we all carry...it ain't easy. If it were easy, everyone would be happy with their current body. She has hit her 50's...and I truely believe that our bodies change every 10 years..what was safe to eat/drink in our 30's may wreck havoc 10-20 years from now. She has hit another milestone..but it sure beats the alternative. Bottom line, it's up to all of us...even her..to get our butts moving..and eating better. There is no magic pill..if there were, you know she would have it!
K

[kaplods]

In the scheme of things 200 lbs at age 50 is still pretty remarkable, especially after struggling with higher weights when you were younger. To be fifty and not at your highest weight ever, that's pretty good really.

I'm not saying she should stay at 200 lbs, but is this really backsliding or just struggling with the changes that naturally come with age (like the hypothyroid).

It's all a matter of perspective, because what I wouldn't give to reach 200 lbs. If I could "only" struggle with 50 lbs instead of 200 or more, that would be heavenly.

It's so tiresome to see an "all or nothing" judgement when it comes to weight - not only for celebrities, but in our daily lives as well. It can make anyone feel that if they've put on five pounds "what's the use, I might as well keep eating."

I don't know why a more realistic attitude toward weight loss and weight maintenance isn't more common.

[kahlua]

Kaplods,
You are so right. I appreciate your perspective re: "you'd be thrilled to weigh 200 lbs." As you mentioned, Oprah has certainly been bigger than she is today at 200 lbs. I think we are our worst critics. I'm not sure if there are any men that lurke or even partcipate in this 3FC but I wonder if men are as tough on themselves as we woman are tough on ourselves. As you mentioned, someone gains 5 lbs...someone else notices the 5 lbs..makes a snarky comment..feelings get hurt..what the ****..may as well keep eating...etc..etc. I think we need to be more gentle with ourselves..and maybe a little less judgemental in general with regards to weight gain. A big or small casket is still a casket...who cares how much it weighs..we aren't carrying it! . Let's try to enjoy what we have and if we fall off the weight wagon, so be it..if ya want to get back on the wagon, get back on it and forget about falling off...go forward!
K

[170starting]

I feel bad for Oprah... She does in fact have a thyroid problem and like the rest of us, she loves food. I cant imagine how hard it is to be in the public eye, feeling that everyone is commenting on how much weight you have gained... I feel that way, and I am just a hometown girl. I hope she succeeds in achieving her goal again.

[Thighs Be Gone]

I agree with the other posters that this is definitely a lifelong journey with lifelong choices to be made. Really, it is a journey. Sometimes, we get rerouted and have layovers in unexpected cities. The important thing is finding a way to continue the right direction.

[brookypooh]

Food as an addiction I believe with my whole heart is true or I would not be sitting here craving chocolate so bad right now and because I am a smoker to I know what a craving feels like when you are addicted to something. Why wouldn't they make foods that would addict us then we buy more right?

Please lets not forget the being "big" used to be a beautiful thing. Now being almost bones is what the media considers beautiful. I would love to say that if I had operas money I would do this or do that but I can hardly get off my big butt and do my turbo jam even though its not going to kill me and I really should do it and I have unlimited access to it.

Yes people who don't exercise and over eat when they know its bad for them lack will power and I say that with a lot of certainty because I do my self with those things and with smoking. I think will power can come and go right now I have it for eating right but not for exercise. and I feel like the addiction to something greatly takes away from you will power. What a vicious cycle.

Not being able to really be in her world means we have no idea why she eats when she eats or what she eats or what made her not want to get on the treadmill and what did kwim?

But **** why not go get lipo because that is the easiest way I can think of to lose weight fast but she hasn't (as far as I know) and I really respect her for not doing that and struggling like the rest of us!

[ohfaithful]

Hi, food is definitely an addiction but sometimes there are other factors that contribute to weight gain.... I think she was donig well until her thyroid and ovarian hormonal imbalances kicked in and now she is struggling. Those two things alone can make it extremely difficul to lose weight and keep it off. She obviously exercises every day and trys to eat whole foods but the downside is that after a certain age some foods work against you whether they are whole are not. I am dealing with this very thing, although exercise is almost nonexistent but I eat the right foods and the weight still does not come off. I am on hormone replacement as she is and I have low thyroid function as she does...it is tough and makes you want to scream.

I did a 10 week couch to 5k program where I watched my food intake and exercised every day, ultimately ending up doing more than 3 miles at a time and only lost two pounds during that 10 week program. It took me 6 months to lose 20 pounds.

I used to lose well on low carb but now can't seem to lose a pound so I've upped my carbs...it is a constant challenge and one has to be on top of things and constantly tweaking...I thoroughly understand how mind boggling it can be and how many time I just want to give up...