What on earth is Operation Skinny Cow?

Operation Skinny Cow was born after a few of us in Blogland decided it might be nice to lose some weight and/or get a bit fitter. We decided it would be even nicer if we encouraged each other along the way.

You can read about how it started in this post.

If you want to be part of the fun and add your own posts to this blog then send an e-mail to Emily Sue at reachingforgreen@gmail.com and she'll set you up as an author.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Worst Gift Ever (Givinya)

I like the term Cow Girls! I looked for some pictures of cowgirls on the internet, and wow there are so many risque cowgirls out there! But they're all skinny, so I guess that bodes well for all of us.

Hippomanic Jen visited me yesterday on her way through to her fortnight away. She kindly gave me some scales that were a freebie from somewhere. I got on them and set them up. In return, they gave me an obscene number. (What a great gift, thxvrymchJen!)

Congratulations me. One more BMI point higher and I'm "obese."

Now call me a crazy fatwoman, but really, yes I am a little heavy but "obese"?? Wow. I decided to get Sonny Ma-Jiminy to take a few pictures of me on my phone to get your opinion on whether I really deserve that.

Here was his first attempt:






And here was his second attempt:





Then with Mr de Elba at work and Smoochy Girl too young for domestic usefulness, I decided I'd try to take some pics of myself.



It's fine if you pull a silly face or plaster on a whacky smile. Now I don't think I or any of you deserve the term "obese". Do we?

So here's my problem with the beast we call "BMI." I know I'm a fair bit heavier than I should be. But "obese"? We don't have any hope. I think you can create your own "obesity epidemic" by re-classifying the term "obese".

Well enough of that. I am two or three kilos away from my heaviest ever. I have 10 kilos to lose before I am back in the acceptable weight range. I have 15 kilos to lose to get to a weight I used to enjoy, but it was pre-children and I'm not sure I'm supposed to judge my body by pre-kids standards.

So what do I do? Aim to lose 10 kilos, then re-evaluate my goals according to the body I have at the time? I think that I'll know by then whether losing more is reasonable, healthy or achievable.

But wow - 10 kilos. That's a whole Smoochy Girl. I am feeling a little overwhelmed.

4 comments:

Femina said...

Healthy weight range is a better indicator than BMI, but both of them are only approximate anyway. My sister (curse her) is 150cm and she weighs 41kg. By any scale that's absurdly underweight, even for her height, but she happens to have teeny tiny bones. I mean seriously tiny, and BMI can't factor that in.

The important thing is, you've started and you're aiming to get HEALTHIER and FITTER. If 'skinnier' happens to come along with that, it's just a bonus! :)

I do think, though, that we should call ourselves the Delusional Cow Girls... I think every single one of us has posted on here saying, "Wow, I weigh more than I thought I did!"

Dee said...

According to the BMI, I am close to underweight, which is not right in my opinion. I must have bird bones or something. You do not look anywhere near what I would class as Obese - nowhere near.

My mum's side of the family seem to start to spread around age 50 (those that got that gene anyway, the others are like sticks) and mum is way bigger than you, still not obese to me. That is such horrible word too. Good luck with your goal, I think Feminia is right that the healthy weight range is a better guide.

Long dark hair, blue eyes said...

I think those goals sound great Givinya. Once you get down closer to what you were you will be able to tell what feels right (and healthy) for you. No need to make a final decision now.

Great photos by the way! You are certainly not obese and whoever created that silly BMI thing should get a nice sharp slap across the face for even suggesting that you are.

Givinya De Elba said...

Thankyou, you lovely lovely people. My 10 kilo loss is derived from the healthy weight range instead of the BMI.

I used to have a BMI of 19, now that's "underweight" but really, I wasn't. I was slight, I was healthy, and I was fine! The BMI has made me raise my eyebrows at both ends of the scale!

I AM delusional! I have heard (and one of the links in the sidebar says) that we women often think we're larger than we are. I'm the opposite. I picture myself as a smallish woman, looking mighty fine. Then I'll walk by a mirror or a shop window, and get a fright.

So I'M happy - its the poor old Rest Of The World who has to see me they way I really am! (Sux to be them!)