Welcome to Fat Town, Ohio, where super-sized people check in for one
final bid to shed weight. For them, it's.. DIET OR DIE!
By Ryan Parry
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17601032&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=diet-or-die--name_page.html
STRUGGLING to shift her huge bulk on to the extrawide, reinforced
exercise bench makes Robin Moran sweat and pant so much, she seems
close to collapse.
Weighing a colossal 27 stone, even such simple movements take a mammoth
effort.
Her gym clothes have been made to accommodate the folds of flab hanging
off her body. But Robin, who is starting a gruelling 30-minute workout,
says: "This is the best shape I've been in for years - I feel
Robin is elated because only two years ago, the 44-year-old weighed 56
stone and was eating her way towards an early grave.
She owes her dramatic weight-loss to the Andover Village care home, in
Andover, Ohio.
The clinic for super-sized people who can't cope on their own is one
answer to the ever-expanding obesity problem in the US - where
60million people are considered obese and nine million are extremely
obese.
Its strict regime of exercise, dieting, counselling and medical care is
something of a "last chance saloon" and is considered the best in the
land.
And it could pave the way for similar centres in Britain, which also
faces an obesity crisis that will affect 14 million by 2010. A new,
leaked Department of Health report blames junk food and inactive
lifestyles for an epidemic which will cause more cancer, heart disease
and diabetes.
At Andover Village, almost 100 morbidly obese longterm residents, from
20-60 stone, must live by its rules and stay at least 90 days.
Facilities have been custom-made to cope - there are reinforced beds,
extra wide wheelchairs, double doors and huge chairs.
Robin came to Andover in February 2004, after more than 37 years
fighting the flab.
She had been overweight and overeating since her parents divorced when
she was seven.
"My mother always cooked high-fat food," she recalls. "And my problem
got worse as I got older."
But in 1994 things worsened when she had an operation to remove a
tumour on her right thigh. Her lymph nodes were severed and she
developed lymphedema.
"The fluid that should have been circulating around my body had nowhere
to go, so it started to collect in my leg," says Robin. "It meant that
it blew up like an elephant's." The flesh around her limb weighed three
stone and was 3.5ft in diameter. Flaps of skin enveloped her foot.
"It was so painful and depressing. I just lay there, helpless."
Finally, a friend forced Robin to seek help at the Andover. Four ops
and a strict regime later, and Robin is half the woman she was. "This
place has been a life-saver. We're people here, not freaks.
"I eat porridge for breakfast, soup or salad for lunch and lean meat or
fish for dinner. And I drink a gallon of water a day
"For exercise, I walk the hallways and work out each day. I've even
been shopping in town and next I want to go swimming," says a thrilled
Robin, who recently had a 22lb chunk of fat cut from her waist. There's
still a long road ahead for her - and she also knows just how far she
has come.
"When I was rolled in here I never believed I would lose so much
weight. But people don't get to my size without having emotional
problems. There is still baggage that I am slowly but surely kicking
out."
HER inspirational story is not uncommon at Andover. The facility has
banners along its corridors boasting that its residents have lost a
total of 7,969lbs since 2003.
In the first year, staff rolled in 42 car tyres to show residents how
much weight they had shed. And at regular weigh-ins, over-achievers are
awarded with plaques and certificates. But Andover isn't quite as
strict as you'd imagine. Residents can order in pizza and vending
machines dispense fizzy drinks.
"Some of the residents do order pizzas," confirms social services
director Karyn French. "It's up to them but we'll ask them whether
they're doing the right thing.
"We want to get their eating under control and give them the tools of
knowledge to make the right choices.
"But it's no use us being too strict, because when they leave here they
have to make all the decisions."
Karyn says that the clinic helps on several levels, not just with
losing weight.
With depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders also triggering
lifelong struggles with excess, treatment must address the
psychological causes of obesity, as well as the physical results. "A
lot of the people here have had traumatic events in their childhood
and, by the time they hit our door, there's no self-esteem left.
"One guy told me that he didn't care whether he lived or died. So we
try to raise esteem and give people a purpose."
Another resident was so concerned that laundry staff would laugh at her
super-sized underwear that she hesitated about coming to Andover. "She
soon realised that everyone here is in the same situation," says Karyn.
The Andover formula seems to work wonders. Even Karyn has lost 100lbs
thanks to the programme. "I couldn't preach to these people if I didn't
have weight issues, too."
She says that the US obesity epidemic is being fuelled by cheap, fast
food. "We have basically become a gluttonous society. We want our
flavourful fast-food and we want our money's worth - so supersize meals
are a big factor."
One fast-food "victim" is Larry Kunkler. The 35-year-old, from
Cleveland, was 50 stone when he arrived at Andover 10 months ago.
THE former van driver used to gorge himself on fast-food but realised
he had a problem when he could no longer fit behind the wheel of his
van.
"I lost my job as a courier because I was just too big," he says. "And
being at home made things worse. I put on more weight and was terrified
I'd have a heart attack."
Instead, he suffered a collapsed lung which nearly killed him.
When Larry finally arrived at the Andover, he was determined to make
his stay a success - whatever it took. "I swore I'd do something
positive and make a life change." He has since lost 14 stone and hopes
to drop down to a more manageable 20 through a controlled diet and
regular 6am gym workouts.
"I want to play sports, lead a normal life and raise a family," he
says. "In the meantime, I'm doing well in physical therapy, I'm walking
more and using the treadmill every day."
After all that exercise, you could expect meals to be super-sized
blowouts. But as residents pile into the canteen, the chef serves up
modest portions of Swiss steak with rice, mixed veg and a wholewheat
roll. For dessert, there's sugar-free cake.
But you won't hear the residents complaining. They know it's all
helping them to undo years of neglect and so raise their self-esteem.
And that's a sweet feeling.
r.parry@mirror.co.uk
.
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| User: "jenius" |
|
| Title: live and let live |
05 Sep 2006 11:18:30 AM |
|
|
/deathworm, if you don't like it don't look, and please, take your
trolling somewhere else. maybe you could troll on Bush for awhile, I'm
sick of your sermonizing. jenius
.
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| User: "bye" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
22 Aug 2006 01:07:24 PM |
|
|
Thank god I'm 'scrawny'! Not at all one of these big, fat, ugly,
unhealthy, undisciplined, greedy, gluttonous, disgusting useless slobs (and
all women too) that everyone seems to be talking about!!! We should create
a special 'state' for fat ugly slobs. It should be in the Middle East
somewhere, just for fat slobs. I wonder how the Muslims will take to having
so many 'pigs' in their neighborhood. It would have to be a very large
piece of land, way bigger than Israel for sure.
"The Mongolian Death Worm" <normankwebster@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1156259199.257787.302300@74g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
Welcome to Fat Town, Ohio, where super-sized people check in for one
final bid to shed weight. For them, it's.. DIET OR DIE!
By Ryan Parry
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17601032&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=diet-or-die--name_page.html
STRUGGLING to shift her huge bulk on to the extrawide, reinforced
exercise bench makes Robin Moran sweat and pant so much, she seems
close to collapse.
Weighing a colossal 27 stone, even such simple movements take a mammoth
effort.
Her gym clothes have been made to accommodate the folds of flab hanging
off her body. But Robin, who is starting a gruelling 30-minute workout,
says: "This is the best shape I've been in for years - I feel
Robin is elated because only two years ago, the 44-year-old weighed 56
stone and was eating her way towards an early grave.
She owes her dramatic weight-loss to the Andover Village care home, in
Andover, Ohio.
The clinic for super-sized people who can't cope on their own is one
answer to the ever-expanding obesity problem in the US - where
60million people are considered obese and nine million are extremely
obese.
Its strict regime of exercise, dieting, counselling and medical care is
something of a "last chance saloon" and is considered the best in the
land.
And it could pave the way for similar centres in Britain, which also
faces an obesity crisis that will affect 14 million by 2010. A new,
leaked Department of Health report blames junk food and inactive
lifestyles for an epidemic which will cause more cancer, heart disease
and diabetes.
At Andover Village, almost 100 morbidly obese longterm residents, from
20-60 stone, must live by its rules and stay at least 90 days.
Facilities have been custom-made to cope - there are reinforced beds,
extra wide wheelchairs, double doors and huge chairs.
Robin came to Andover in February 2004, after more than 37 years
fighting the flab.
She had been overweight and overeating since her parents divorced when
she was seven.
"My mother always cooked high-fat food," she recalls. "And my problem
got worse as I got older."
But in 1994 things worsened when she had an operation to remove a
tumour on her right thigh. Her lymph nodes were severed and she
developed lymphedema.
"The fluid that should have been circulating around my body had nowhere
to go, so it started to collect in my leg," says Robin. "It meant that
it blew up like an elephant's." The flesh around her limb weighed three
stone and was 3.5ft in diameter. Flaps of skin enveloped her foot.
"It was so painful and depressing. I just lay there, helpless."
Finally, a friend forced Robin to seek help at the Andover. Four ops
and a strict regime later, and Robin is half the woman she was. "This
place has been a life-saver. We're people here, not freaks.
"I eat porridge for breakfast, soup or salad for lunch and lean meat or
fish for dinner. And I drink a gallon of water a day
"For exercise, I walk the hallways and work out each day. I've even
been shopping in town and next I want to go swimming," says a thrilled
Robin, who recently had a 22lb chunk of fat cut from her waist. There's
still a long road ahead for her - and she also knows just how far she
has come.
"When I was rolled in here I never believed I would lose so much
weight. But people don't get to my size without having emotional
problems. There is still baggage that I am slowly but surely kicking
out."
HER inspirational story is not uncommon at Andover. The facility has
banners along its corridors boasting that its residents have lost a
total of 7,969lbs since 2003.
In the first year, staff rolled in 42 car tyres to show residents how
much weight they had shed. And at regular weigh-ins, over-achievers are
awarded with plaques and certificates. But Andover isn't quite as
strict as you'd imagine. Residents can order in pizza and vending
machines dispense fizzy drinks.
"Some of the residents do order pizzas," confirms social services
director Karyn French. "It's up to them but we'll ask them whether
they're doing the right thing.
"We want to get their eating under control and give them the tools of
knowledge to make the right choices.
"But it's no use us being too strict, because when they leave here they
have to make all the decisions."
Karyn says that the clinic helps on several levels, not just with
losing weight.
With depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders also triggering
lifelong struggles with excess, treatment must address the
psychological causes of obesity, as well as the physical results. "A
lot of the people here have had traumatic events in their childhood
and, by the time they hit our door, there's no self-esteem left.
"One guy told me that he didn't care whether he lived or died. So we
try to raise esteem and give people a purpose."
Another resident was so concerned that laundry staff would laugh at her
super-sized underwear that she hesitated about coming to Andover. "She
soon realised that everyone here is in the same situation," says Karyn.
The Andover formula seems to work wonders. Even Karyn has lost 100lbs
thanks to the programme. "I couldn't preach to these people if I didn't
have weight issues, too."
She says that the US obesity epidemic is being fuelled by cheap, fast
food. "We have basically become a gluttonous society. We want our
flavourful fast-food and we want our money's worth - so supersize meals
are a big factor."
One fast-food "victim" is Larry Kunkler. The 35-year-old, from
Cleveland, was 50 stone when he arrived at Andover 10 months ago.
THE former van driver used to gorge himself on fast-food but realised
he had a problem when he could no longer fit behind the wheel of his
van.
"I lost my job as a courier because I was just too big," he says. "And
being at home made things worse. I put on more weight and was terrified
I'd have a heart attack."
Instead, he suffered a collapsed lung which nearly killed him.
When Larry finally arrived at the Andover, he was determined to make
his stay a success - whatever it took. "I swore I'd do something
positive and make a life change." He has since lost 14 stone and hopes
to drop down to a more manageable 20 through a controlled diet and
regular 6am gym workouts.
"I want to play sports, lead a normal life and raise a family," he
says. "In the meantime, I'm doing well in physical therapy, I'm walking
more and using the treadmill every day."
After all that exercise, you could expect meals to be super-sized
blowouts. But as residents pile into the canteen, the chef serves up
modest portions of Swiss steak with rice, mixed veg and a wholewheat
roll. For dessert, there's sugar-free cake.
But you won't hear the residents complaining. They know it's all
helping them to undo years of neglect and so raise their self-esteem.
And that's a sweet feeling.
r.parry@mirror.co.uk
.
|
|
|
| User: "bye" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
22 Aug 2006 02:49:00 PM |
|
|
Not at all one of these big, fat, ugly, unhealthy, undisciplined, greedy,
gluttonous, disgusting useless slobs
.... and I forgot to mention sweaty and smelly too!!
]
"bye" <3@4.com> wrote in message news:wJHGg.440884$iF6.47470@pd7tw2no...
Thank god I'm 'scrawny'! Not at all one of these big, fat, ugly,
unhealthy, undisciplined, greedy, gluttonous, disgusting useless slobs
(and all women too) that everyone seems to be talking about!!! We should
create a special 'state' for fat ugly slobs. It should be in the Middle
East somewhere, just for fat slobs. I wonder how the Muslims will take to
having so many 'pigs' in their neighborhood. It would have to be a very
large piece of land, way bigger than Israel for sure.
"The Mongolian Death Worm" <normankwebster@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1156259199.257787.302300@74g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
Welcome to Fat Town, Ohio, where super-sized people check in for one
final bid to shed weight. For them, it's.. DIET OR DIE!
By Ryan Parry
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17601032&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=diet-or-die--name_page.html
STRUGGLING to shift her huge bulk on to the extrawide, reinforced
exercise bench makes Robin Moran sweat and pant so much, she seems
close to collapse.
Weighing a colossal 27 stone, even such simple movements take a mammoth
effort.
Her gym clothes have been made to accommodate the folds of flab hanging
off her body. But Robin, who is starting a gruelling 30-minute workout,
says: "This is the best shape I've been in for years - I feel
Robin is elated because only two years ago, the 44-year-old weighed 56
stone and was eating her way towards an early grave.
She owes her dramatic weight-loss to the Andover Village care home, in
Andover, Ohio.
The clinic for super-sized people who can't cope on their own is one
answer to the ever-expanding obesity problem in the US - where
60million people are considered obese and nine million are extremely
obese.
Its strict regime of exercise, dieting, counselling and medical care is
something of a "last chance saloon" and is considered the best in the
land.
And it could pave the way for similar centres in Britain, which also
faces an obesity crisis that will affect 14 million by 2010. A new,
leaked Department of Health report blames junk food and inactive
lifestyles for an epidemic which will cause more cancer, heart disease
and diabetes.
At Andover Village, almost 100 morbidly obese longterm residents, from
20-60 stone, must live by its rules and stay at least 90 days.
Facilities have been custom-made to cope - there are reinforced beds,
extra wide wheelchairs, double doors and huge chairs.
Robin came to Andover in February 2004, after more than 37 years
fighting the flab.
She had been overweight and overeating since her parents divorced when
she was seven.
"My mother always cooked high-fat food," she recalls. "And my problem
got worse as I got older."
But in 1994 things worsened when she had an operation to remove a
tumour on her right thigh. Her lymph nodes were severed and she
developed lymphedema.
"The fluid that should have been circulating around my body had nowhere
to go, so it started to collect in my leg," says Robin. "It meant that
it blew up like an elephant's." The flesh around her limb weighed three
stone and was 3.5ft in diameter. Flaps of skin enveloped her foot.
"It was so painful and depressing. I just lay there, helpless."
Finally, a friend forced Robin to seek help at the Andover. Four ops
and a strict regime later, and Robin is half the woman she was. "This
place has been a life-saver. We're people here, not freaks.
"I eat porridge for breakfast, soup or salad for lunch and lean meat or
fish for dinner. And I drink a gallon of water a day
"For exercise, I walk the hallways and work out each day. I've even
been shopping in town and next I want to go swimming," says a thrilled
Robin, who recently had a 22lb chunk of fat cut from her waist. There's
still a long road ahead for her - and she also knows just how far she
has come.
"When I was rolled in here I never believed I would lose so much
weight. But people don't get to my size without having emotional
problems. There is still baggage that I am slowly but surely kicking
out."
HER inspirational story is not uncommon at Andover. The facility has
banners along its corridors boasting that its residents have lost a
total of 7,969lbs since 2003.
In the first year, staff rolled in 42 car tyres to show residents how
much weight they had shed. And at regular weigh-ins, over-achievers are
awarded with plaques and certificates. But Andover isn't quite as
strict as you'd imagine. Residents can order in pizza and vending
machines dispense fizzy drinks.
"Some of the residents do order pizzas," confirms social services
director Karyn French. "It's up to them but we'll ask them whether
they're doing the right thing.
"We want to get their eating under control and give them the tools of
knowledge to make the right choices.
"But it's no use us being too strict, because when they leave here they
have to make all the decisions."
Karyn says that the clinic helps on several levels, not just with
losing weight.
With depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders also triggering
lifelong struggles with excess, treatment must address the
psychological causes of obesity, as well as the physical results. "A
lot of the people here have had traumatic events in their childhood
and, by the time they hit our door, there's no self-esteem left.
"One guy told me that he didn't care whether he lived or died. So we
try to raise esteem and give people a purpose."
Another resident was so concerned that laundry staff would laugh at her
super-sized underwear that she hesitated about coming to Andover. "She
soon realised that everyone here is in the same situation," says Karyn.
The Andover formula seems to work wonders. Even Karyn has lost 100lbs
thanks to the programme. "I couldn't preach to these people if I didn't
have weight issues, too."
She says that the US obesity epidemic is being fuelled by cheap, fast
food. "We have basically become a gluttonous society. We want our
flavourful fast-food and we want our money's worth - so supersize meals
are a big factor."
One fast-food "victim" is Larry Kunkler. The 35-year-old, from
Cleveland, was 50 stone when he arrived at Andover 10 months ago.
THE former van driver used to gorge himself on fast-food but realised
he had a problem when he could no longer fit behind the wheel of his
van.
"I lost my job as a courier because I was just too big," he says. "And
being at home made things worse. I put on more weight and was terrified
I'd have a heart attack."
Instead, he suffered a collapsed lung which nearly killed him.
When Larry finally arrived at the Andover, he was determined to make
his stay a success - whatever it took. "I swore I'd do something
positive and make a life change." He has since lost 14 stone and hopes
to drop down to a more manageable 20 through a controlled diet and
regular 6am gym workouts.
"I want to play sports, lead a normal life and raise a family," he
says. "In the meantime, I'm doing well in physical therapy, I'm walking
more and using the treadmill every day."
After all that exercise, you could expect meals to be super-sized
blowouts. But as residents pile into the canteen, the chef serves up
modest portions of Swiss steak with rice, mixed veg and a wholewheat
roll. For dessert, there's sugar-free cake.
But you won't hear the residents complaining. They know it's all
helping them to undo years of neglect and so raise their self-esteem.
And that's a sweet feeling.
r.parry@mirror.co.uk
.
|
|
|
| User: "Werewolfy" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
22 Aug 2006 06:59:54 PM |
|
|
bye wrote:
"We should create a special 'state' for fat ugly slobs."
They have, Mondo. It's called England circa 2006! I was in town today
and stopped for my usual coffee at a small cafe. It was impossible to
read my book...unable to concentrate due to amazing sight of huge
fat-bottomed girls pondorously waddling along.
I miss France!
Anyway, I have to tell you that they are pretty uncouth too. I was
horrified when one of these mountains sat at my table. Any ideas about
reading vanished with her arrival. She had a huge milk-shake (ugh) and
brought a bottomless sandwich box with her. Sitting down she grunted
something about, 'Mind if I sit here'.
Whilst still in shock, she opened her sandwich box and took one out.
She said, "Sorry if I smell of fish". Feeling I ought to reply, I asked
her, 'Oh..Ok, Tuna?"
"No", she replied, "They're beef" !
Grins...Ricky
.
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| User: "" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
25 Aug 2006 04:05:06 PM |
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They should also create a special state. For pedantic, childish,
playground bullies turned adults, like all of you who posted before me.
.
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| User: "Lady Veteran" |
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| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
26 Aug 2006 04:07:55 PM |
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
On 25 Aug 2006 14:05:06 -0700, wrote:
They should also create a special state. For pedantic, childish,
playground bullies turned adults, like all of you who posted before
me.
Just because idiots get bigger, that does not make them adults. They
are called than because the right name for them is downright
offensive.
LV
I rode a tank and wore a General's rank-When the blitzkrieg raged and
the bodies stank.- - - Rolling Stones-Sympathy for the Devil
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP 8.1 - not licensed for commercial use: www.pgp.com
iQA/AwUBRPC4KFCirPj6+1qzEQLPPwCfYfZTdX5HBuUKH/23O6rIIW/p12gAoMbQ
R0Y0bhbdymESGwDcaFpDDUls
=3xKE
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
25 Aug 2006 10:29:38 PM |
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wrote:
They should also create a special state. For pedantic, childish,
playground bullies turned adults, like all of you who posted before me.
Don't you like us ?
Werewolfy
.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
26 Aug 2006 11:25:14 AM |
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Werewolfy wrote:
violet_yoshi@hellokitty.com wrote:
They should also create a special state. For pedantic, childish,
playground bullies turned adults, like all of you who posted before me.
Don't you like us ?
Werewolfy
How pathetic. You really think I'm going to fall for the "but I didn't
know what baby said was bad!" claim?
.
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
26 Aug 2006 02:33:05 PM |
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wrote:
How pathetic. You really think I'm going to fall for the "but I didn't
know what baby said was bad!" claim?
No, but I did rather fancy you might recognise sarcasm.
Werewolfy
.
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| User: ";" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
26 Aug 2006 12:16:40 PM |
|
|
Wolfy pls go back to France and leave all the big bottom gals 4 meeeee I
love big bottom gals.
"Werewolfy" <thegrimreaper10@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:1156291194.497208.171970@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
bye wrote:
"We should create a special 'state' for fat ugly slobs."
They have, Mondo. It's called England circa 2006! I was in town today
and stopped for my usual coffee at a small cafe. It was impossible to
read my book...unable to concentrate due to amazing sight of huge
fat-bottomed girls pondorously waddling along.
I miss France!
Anyway, I have to tell you that they are pretty uncouth too. I was
horrified when one of these mountains sat at my table. Any ideas about
reading vanished with her arrival. She had a huge milk-shake (ugh) and
brought a bottomless sandwich box with her. Sitting down she grunted
something about, 'Mind if I sit here'.
Whilst still in shock, she opened her sandwich box and took one out.
She said, "Sorry if I smell of fish". Feeling I ought to reply, I asked
her, 'Oh..Ok, Tuna?"
"No", she replied, "They're beef" !
Grins...Ricky
.
|
|
|
| User: "Werewolfy" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
26 Aug 2006 02:34:47 PM |
|
|
;) wrote:
Wolfy pls go back to France and leave all the big bottom gals 4 meeeee I
love big bottom gals.
With a request like that...How may one refuse!
Grins...
Werewolfy
.
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| User: "bye" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
26 Aug 2006 10:35:22 PM |
|
|
"big bottom gals"
There's a phrase that sound familiar, but haven't heard before. It must be
the politically correct way to say 'big fat mamas'?
"Werewolfy" <thegrimreaper10@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:1156620887.317828.75130@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
;) wrote:
Wolfy pls go back to France and leave all the big bottom gals 4 meeeee I
love big bottom gals.
With a request like that...How may one refuse!
Grins...
Werewolfy
.
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| User: "jenius" |
|
| Title: going, going, gone yet?w |
05 Sep 2006 11:23:16 AM |
|
|
wow, when are you leaving,? that'll leave more space here for real
adults. jenius
.
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| User: "jenius" |
|
| Title: Re: Diet or Die |
12 Sep 2006 12:32:36 PM |
|
|
bye wrote:
Thank god I'm 'scrawny'! Not at all one of these big, fat, ugly,
unhealthy, undisciplined, greedy, gluttonous, disgusting useless slobs (and
all women too) that everyone seems to be talking about!!! We should create
a special 'state' for fat ugly slobs. It should be in the Middle East
somewhere, just for fat slobs. I wonder how the Muslims will take to having
so many 'pigs' in their neighborhood. It would have to be a very large
piece of land, way bigger than Israel for sure.
bye, people like you should be rounded up and institutionalized, for you narrowminded, dim
prejuidicial views. useless? i hardly think so. some of the large people i know are the hardest working people i know. smelly? I've never encountered that in the obese. slobs? most fat people are probably cleaner than you, i never saw an unkempt place. ugly? beauty is in the mind of the beholder. jenius
"The Mongolian Death Worm" <normankwebster@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1156259199.257787.302300@74g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
Welcome to Fat Town, Ohio, where super-sized people check in for one
final bid to shed weight. For them, it's.. DIET OR DIE!
By Ryan Parry
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17601032&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=diet-or-die--name_page.html
STRUGGLING to shift her huge bulk on to the extrawide, reinforced
exercise bench makes Robin Moran sweat and pant so much, she seems
close to collapse.
Weighing a colossal 27 stone, even such simple movements take a mammoth
effort.
Her gym clothes have been made to accommodate the folds of flab hanging
off her body. But Robin, who is starting a gruelling 30-minute workout,
says: "This is the best shape I've been in for years - I feel
Robin is elated because only two years ago, the 44-year-old weighed 56
stone and was eating her way towards an early grave.
She owes her dramatic weight-loss to the Andover Village care home, in
Andover, Ohio.
The clinic for super-sized people who can't cope on their own is one
answer to the ever-expanding obesity problem in the US - where
60million people are considered obese and nine million are extremely
obese.
Its strict regime of exercise, dieting, counselling and medical care is
something of a "last chance saloon" and is considered the best in the
land.
And it could pave the way for similar centres in Britain, which also
faces an obesity crisis that will affect 14 million by 2010. A new,
leaked Department of Health report blames junk food and inactive
lifestyles for an epidemic which will cause more cancer, heart disease
and diabetes.
At Andover Village, almost 100 morbidly obese longterm residents, from
20-60 stone, must live by its rules and stay at least 90 days.
Facilities have been custom-made to cope - there are reinforced beds,
extra wide wheelchairs, double doors and huge chairs.
Robin came to Andover in February 2004, after more than 37 years
fighting the flab.
She had been overweight and overeating since her parents divorced when
she was seven.
"My mother always cooked high-fat food," she recalls. "And my problem
got worse as I got older."
But in 1994 things worsened when she had an operation to remove a
tumour on her right thigh. Her lymph nodes were severed and she
developed lymphedema.
"The fluid that should have been circulating around my body had nowhere
to go, so it started to collect in my leg," says Robin. "It meant that
it blew up like an elephant's." The flesh around her limb weighed three
stone and was 3.5ft in diameter. Flaps of skin enveloped her foot.
"It was so painful and depressing. I just lay there, helpless."
Finally, a friend forced Robin to seek help at the Andover. Four ops
and a strict regime later, and Robin is half the woman she was. "This
place has been a life-saver. We're people here, not freaks.
"I eat porridge for breakfast, soup or salad for lunch and lean meat or
fish for dinner. And I drink a gallon of water a day
"For exercise, I walk the hallways and work out each day. I've even
been shopping in town and next I want to go swimming," says a thrilled
Robin, who recently had a 22lb chunk of fat cut from her waist. There's
still a long road ahead for her - and she also knows just how far she
has come.
"When I was rolled in here I never believed I would lose so much
weight. But people don't get to my size without having emotional
problems. There is still baggage that I am slowly but surely kicking
out."
HER inspirational story is not uncommon at Andover. The facility has
banners along its corridors boasting that its residents have lost a
total of 7,969lbs since 2003.
In the first year, staff rolled in 42 car tyres to show residents how
much weight they had shed. And at regular weigh-ins, over-achievers are
awarded with plaques and certificates. But Andover isn't quite as
strict as you'd imagine. Residents can order in pizza and vending
machines dispense fizzy drinks.
"Some of the residents do order pizzas," confirms social services
director Karyn French. "It's up to them but we'll ask them whether
they're doing the right thing.
"We want to get their eating under control and give them the tools of
knowledge to make the right choices.
"But it's no use us being too strict, because when they leave here they
have to make all the decisions."
Karyn says that the clinic helps on several levels, not just with
losing weight.
With depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders also triggering
lifelong struggles with excess, treatment must address the
psychological causes of obesity, as well as the physical results. "A
lot of the people here have had traumatic events in their childhood
and, by the time they hit our door, there's no self-esteem left.
"One guy told me that he didn't care whether he lived or died. So we
try to raise esteem and give people a purpose."
Another resident was so concerned that laundry staff would laugh at her
super-sized underwear that she hesitated about coming to Andover. "She
soon realised that everyone here is in the same situation," says Karyn.
The Andover formula seems to work wonders. Even Karyn has lost 100lbs
thanks to the programme. "I couldn't preach to these people if I didn't
have weight issues, too."
She says that the US obesity epidemic is being fuelled by cheap, fast
food. "We have basically become a gluttonous society. We want our
flavourful fast-food and we want our money's worth - so supersize meals
are a big factor."
One fast-food "victim" is Larry Kunkler. The 35-year-old, from
Cleveland, was 50 stone when he arrived at Andover 10 months ago.
THE former van driver used to gorge himself on fast-food but realised
he had a problem when he could no longer fit behind the wheel of his
van.
"I lost my job as a courier because I was just too big," he says. "And
being at home made things worse. I put on more weight and was terrified
I'd have a heart attack."
Instead, he suffered a collapsed lung which nearly killed him.
When Larry finally arrived at the Andover, he was determined to make
his stay a success - whatever it took. "I swore I'd do something
positive and make a life change." He has since lost 14 stone and hopes
to drop down to a more manageable 20 through a controlled diet and
regular 6am gym workouts.
"I want to play sports, lead a normal life and raise a family," he
says. "In the meantime, I'm doing well in physical therapy, I'm walking
more and using the treadmill every day."
After all that exercise, you could expect meals to be super-sized
blowouts. But as residents pile into the canteen, the chef serves up
modest portions of Swiss steak with rice, mixed veg and a wholewheat
roll. For dessert, there's sugar-free cake.
But you won't hear the residents complaining. They know it's all
helping them to undo years of neglect and so raise their self-esteem.
And that's a sweet feeling.
r.parry@mirror.co.uk
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