Am I Fat?

I was talking to my friend the other day about taking Hudson to this big waterpark close by, Splash Country. She chuckled and said that I should go because it would be a big confidence booster and I'd feel skinny when I left. This week in the news Tennessee was listed as the fourth fattest state in the nation with an obesity rate of over 30%. Wow! I am sure it is all the fried foods and the southern comfort foods such as biscuits & gravy that are catching up to people's waist lines. I have to admit that I have never had a biscuit & gravy and I have only had fried chicken a handful of times. I've never had fried okra and only tried fried green tomatoes. When I tell people this, they look at me with dismay...like I am really missing out on something.

Growing up in California which is actually one of the fittest states I was never served these types of food. I had cold cereal, an english muffin or a bagel for breakfast. My family never really had hot breakfasts such as homemade french toast, pancake or eggs & bacon. Occasionally we would have waffles or eggs and bacon for dinner. As a kid I wouldn't even eat pancakes. I am getting off topic...

As I read this article about the fattest states it reminded me of a radio cast I had heard on NPR telling a similar story about the obesity rates in the south. They interviewed people and asked them to describe people as obese. Most people states above 300 pounds. What? I am a 5'3 female and I think that sadly I am still considered obese at 170. The show focused on how people sometimes don't realize that there is a problem when all the people around them have the same problem. It made me think back to my friend's comment about splash country. Here I am, still overweight but if I went to splash country and saw all the people there that are overweight and sporting their skirted swim suit how I would all of a sudden feel skinny. It makes total sense to me.

I think that is why I think its good to have a strong base of friends and family members with common health goals as you. This holds you accountable and can keep you on track. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have friends that are overweight; how sad would that be. I am so thankful for all of my friends no matter what size they are but I am glad that I have those that bug me for my weigh ins, ask me what I am eating and want to go workout. Without them I would be lost on this journey. I just think that it could be really easy to not realize that you have a problem if everyone around you has the same one. That puts those of us that live in these fat states at a disadvantage already because the normal here is just an illusion and not a good picture of health.

Do you wonder if you are overweight? Click here for a BMI calculator. BMI is not a perfect prediction as we know that muscle weighs more than fat however it is pretty accurate for the typical, average person.