Middle of the night weight fear ...

[borrowworrow]

I know everybody is probably asleep, but writing this down might help me!

I'm obese - BMI about 38, and in the middle of the night is when I worry that I am going to get this virus and die and leave my kids alone. And it will be my own fault for eating rubbish and not getting a grip on my weight years ago.

I've just rewatched a 'This Morning' clip where some expert says that fat people are on death row. That's how I feel, and all because I couldn't stick to a diet!

Sorry to hear you are feeling this way. I also have a high bmi (37). I know they have been talking about obese people being twice as likely to do. Please keep in mind these facts

1. The death rate is only thought to be about 0.75% which means even obese you are over 98% likely to survive it.
2. These figures are pushed higher by those with bmi 40+ and those with weight related disorders such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer
3. Older people are also more likely to overweight and therefore also skews the figures.

If you are relatively young and otherwise healthy then you will most likely be OK - (pretty much over 99%). Even so just make sure you stay in as much as possible. Stay healthy and wash your hands x

I have the fear constantly too :(

BMI of 44.7 and freaked out

Another obese person here (36.6) I'm half expecting,any day now,for the government to order all us fatties to 'Stay Home'. It won't be a case of your age or your medical conditions,but your body size. It does worry me.

What Bells3032 said. Hope it reassures you a bit. Try and focus on it if any posters come along trying to scare the crap out of you and make you feel worse. As if you can just instantly make yourself a healthy weight by clicking your fingers!!

That response was based on previous similar mumsnet threads!

I'm overweight too, and have been working hard over the past month or so to lose weight because it's life and death now (my issue before was that I was lacking in motivation).

On the plus side, OP, if you're going to have any risk factors, being overweight is the best one to have as you can change it. You're not going to change a dodgy heart or immune issues with lifestyle changes, but weight is a risk factor that's reversible. Not immediately, of course, but over time, little changes will add up.

I've found that taking little positive steps to deal with my weight each day has helped me to keep my anxiety at bay because I know I'm doing something to maximise my chances of fighting the virus when I eventually get it.

Thank you all - it is reassuring, and good to know these facts. It just feels a bit overwhelming, doesn't it, and as you say, you can't undo it overnight.

@TobyDeLaris Yes, I've seen a lot of those threads, and even read a lot tonight! It didn't help my upset at all! The kind comments on here have really helped though.

@LonginesPrime That's a really good way to look at it. I'm going to put that idea into practice tomorrow.

Hey OP. I'm very overweight myself, but have used lockdown to get to grips with it. It's a slow process but I'm losing a couple of pounds a week without any drastic/crazy/fad changes, just having more awareness with what I'm eating, and upping my exercise. I'm determined I'm going to do this.

What I wanted to say is, it's not too late! Don't feel like it's not worth trying to tackle it. I know that 99.9% of the problem is motivation (believe me I do know!) but please, if you can, use the fear as a kick up the bum. Do you have kids/a partner? I'm lucky in that I don't have anyone in the house munching on treats while I have to remain in control, I can shop for myself and eat alone. If you do have a partner, have a serious discussion and get him on board supporting you. If you have kids, use this opportunity to set them up with a healthier lifestyle too.

Maybe start gradually so it doesn't overwhelm you and make you want to give up straight off? That's what I did. Rather than going into a 'diet' I spent a couple of weeks 'detoxing' - cutting down on the pile of grated cheese I was adding to hot dishes, reducing the butter I spread on crumpets or on baked potato, having 2 biscuits instead of half a packet, having one glass of smoothie in a day instead of 3, etc etc. Not giving anything up, just being sensible with portions. It gave me a chance to readjust a bit, and allowed my appetite to naturally decrease a little before getting serious.

To get more active, rather than attempting 'scary' exercise like going jogging or lifting weights I'm enjoying skipping rope, sploshing in the sea and dancing in my bedroom to cheesy 90's pop - I'm just thinking of it as a way to release endorphins, and it works, I always feel happier afterwards.

Come over to the 'Lockdown Losers' thread. Actually there's probably quite a few different ones to choose from, but I find it helps if you know you're not alone, and seeing other people's progress helps to drive you on.

Maybe have a look on Youtube for vloggers who've been obese and have come out the other side. I'm finding them very inspirational at the moment. They'll prove that YOU can totally do it OP. Millions of others have, no reason why you can't too!