View topic - Fat Acceptance
I personally feel that if someone wants to be fat, then that's their choice and no one should try to force them to be anything other then what they want to be.
QuoteYou are such a pervert!
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Kearin wrote:I also agree.Aynjell wrote:The biggest issue is what we define "fat" as. I am defined as fat, even though I don't believe a word of it. I am a completely healthy, active woman who just happens to wear a size 14. I have big hips, I'm sorry. But because of this I am fat. So yes, "fat acceptance" is needed.
Not all "fat" people are unhealthy.
Not all thin people are healthy.
I really second this. You can be thin and incredibly unhealthy. Being "fat" does not make you unhealthy necessarily.
In fact, I'm living proof.
I'm incredably skinny, and all I do is eat pizza and drink soda.
You are such a pervert!
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The mention of being thin but unhealthy reminds me of the term skinny fat. In the end, it's still fat. Shouldn't the unhealthy thin people (the skinny fat people) also be included in the fat acceptance movement, or are they denied this acceptance because they are not large?
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I don't really like the whole "Fat Acceptance" thing because it does feel like an unhealthy lifestyle is being encouraged but I don't believe that people should be pushed to change by the government. People should be allowed to take care of themselves and if they fail for whatever reason (Not eating right, not exercising, not seeing a doctor) then that's sort of just their own problem isn't it? Also, there are unhealthy thin people, being a certain weight doesn't mean all that much.
I also don't like the BMI as a measurement tool. I know a few people (myself included) who fall into the overweight category, but non-of us look chubby, I'm into body building and muscle is denser than fat so I tend to be heavier than I look. The other guy I know who is classified "overwieght" by his BMI is also very muscular. At what point is it really considered "Fat"? If all they go for is body mass to size they are going to make a lot of mistakes.
I also don't like the BMI as a measurement tool. I know a few people (myself included) who fall into the overweight category, but non-of us look chubby, I'm into body building and muscle is denser than fat so I tend to be heavier than I look. The other guy I know who is classified "overwieght" by his BMI is also very muscular. At what point is it really considered "Fat"? If all they go for is body mass to size they are going to make a lot of mistakes.
Weight isn't always a conscious choice. Some people's weight problems stem from health problems that they have no control over. People might not want to "accept" fat acceptance as a life style, but you don't shun someone because they have some extra pounds
I think fat acceptance is rather silly, honestly. :/ I mean, no one's saying that you have to be super skinny, that's not what healthy is. And I have no problem with people who are a little over weight, but when you get so over weight that your body itself protests with the inability to move for long periods of time and diseases, wouldn't you want to make yourself feel better? Being healthy isn't about appearance at all, it's about being able to do what you want to do because you're not weighed down with illness and other things...
I probably made no sense... /ramble
I probably made no sense... /ramble
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I'm a supporter of fat acceptance. I read this shit all the time.
Obviously none of you have actually read anything written by people who preach fat acceptance. Fat acceptance is not about being okay with being morbidly obese and lying on a couch eating Doritos. It's not about supporting obesity. In fact, a lot of fat acceptance blogs maintain heavy stances on the importance of good health. But also that mental health is just as important as physical health, and loving your body and treating it better is the path to true healthiness, not just cutting calories and obsessively self-loathing. It's about supporting yourself, and being okay with who you are. Jesus, just think about what your post, what half of these posts, said.
"I can tell that because you exceed a size 16, you're disgusting and unhealthy. That you chose to be fat instead of being thin. If you're not trying to change who you are, then that's wrong. You should change. It's not okay to look how you do, let alone like it and possess self-esteem, and you, as a fat person, do not deserve the same things that a skinny person does."
That's plain ol' fucked up. Besides, there is a difference between being smaller and being healthier, and people should support the later, not the former. Size is no indicator for healthiness for most people. If you're not one of them, good for you. Everyone is different, and health means a different thing to different people. I do yoga four times a week and walk everywhere, but I'm not on a "diet", and I've been a size 14 since I can remember. And watch all the fucks I give.
And what the hell is wrong with fat acceptance, anyways? It's called fat acceptance, not fat promotion. It's not like you're like "oh man, that fat person has self-esteem, and I don't. I wish I could be like them. Instead of working on loving myself like they openly promote, I think I'll just eat EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME! HURRAY!"
If you're still on the "fat=unhealthy" train, just read this f.a.q @ http://kateharding.net/faq/but-dont-you-realize-fat-is-unhealthy/, it actually sources it's information within the f.a.q, and all of it is scientific information proving that fat does NOT equal unhealthy. [/url]
Obviously none of you have actually read anything written by people who preach fat acceptance. Fat acceptance is not about being okay with being morbidly obese and lying on a couch eating Doritos. It's not about supporting obesity. In fact, a lot of fat acceptance blogs maintain heavy stances on the importance of good health. But also that mental health is just as important as physical health, and loving your body and treating it better is the path to true healthiness, not just cutting calories and obsessively self-loathing. It's about supporting yourself, and being okay with who you are. Jesus, just think about what your post, what half of these posts, said.
"I can tell that because you exceed a size 16, you're disgusting and unhealthy. That you chose to be fat instead of being thin. If you're not trying to change who you are, then that's wrong. You should change. It's not okay to look how you do, let alone like it and possess self-esteem, and you, as a fat person, do not deserve the same things that a skinny person does."
That's plain ol' fucked up. Besides, there is a difference between being smaller and being healthier, and people should support the later, not the former. Size is no indicator for healthiness for most people. If you're not one of them, good for you. Everyone is different, and health means a different thing to different people. I do yoga four times a week and walk everywhere, but I'm not on a "diet", and I've been a size 14 since I can remember. And watch all the fucks I give.
And what the hell is wrong with fat acceptance, anyways? It's called fat acceptance, not fat promotion. It's not like you're like "oh man, that fat person has self-esteem, and I don't. I wish I could be like them. Instead of working on loving myself like they openly promote, I think I'll just eat EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME! HURRAY!"
If you're still on the "fat=unhealthy" train, just read this f.a.q @ http://kateharding.net/faq/but-dont-you-realize-fat-is-unhealthy/, it actually sources it's information within the f.a.q, and all of it is scientific information proving that fat does NOT equal unhealthy. [/url]
No one here is arguing healthy vs non-healthy. But it is scientifically proven that obesity DRASTICALLY raises health problems and chances for health problems where as being smaller and healthier doesn't.
Heart Disease accounts for the most deaths apart from trauma in the US, and people who are unhealthy are the majority of these deaths. Yes, there are thin unhealthy people. I've not once denied this. However, there is a small percentage of healthy obese. So while it happens, it's not practical to say that obesity isn't dangerous and unhealthy. Even discounting physical illness, a humans bone structure isn't designed to carry that much weight, and it ends up harming joints and even a persons ability to breath.
If my health premiums weren't shooting through the roof (as well as car costs), I would have much less of a problem with this.
And I'm not some skinny person preaching this. I'm a size 11, I was a size 13 a month ago. I'd never considered how harmful being obese is until I started to gain weight. I've never had health problems until I put on excess weight. My blood sugar shot up was the main problem and put me at severe risk for type 2 diabetes. Now that I'm losing weight, my blood sugar is going back to normal.
I preach healthy lifestyle, believe me I've gotten on to a friend who's a size 3 and eats like crap. However, the vast majority of people with weight issues have these issues as a result of shitty lifestyles. And I don't see a point in trying to justify it.
No one here said that heavy people shouldn't have self esteem OR that they don't deserve the same things that skinny people do. So please stop putting words in people's mouths.
Heart Disease accounts for the most deaths apart from trauma in the US, and people who are unhealthy are the majority of these deaths. Yes, there are thin unhealthy people. I've not once denied this. However, there is a small percentage of healthy obese. So while it happens, it's not practical to say that obesity isn't dangerous and unhealthy. Even discounting physical illness, a humans bone structure isn't designed to carry that much weight, and it ends up harming joints and even a persons ability to breath.
If my health premiums weren't shooting through the roof (as well as car costs), I would have much less of a problem with this.
And I'm not some skinny person preaching this. I'm a size 11, I was a size 13 a month ago. I'd never considered how harmful being obese is until I started to gain weight. I've never had health problems until I put on excess weight. My blood sugar shot up was the main problem and put me at severe risk for type 2 diabetes. Now that I'm losing weight, my blood sugar is going back to normal.
I preach healthy lifestyle, believe me I've gotten on to a friend who's a size 3 and eats like crap. However, the vast majority of people with weight issues have these issues as a result of shitty lifestyles. And I don't see a point in trying to justify it.
"I can tell that because you exceed a size 16, you're disgusting and unhealthy. That you chose to be fat instead of being thin. If you're not trying to change who you are, then that's wrong. You should change. It's not okay to look how you do, let alone like it and possess self-esteem, and you, as a fat person, do not deserve the same things that a skinny person does."
No one here said that heavy people shouldn't have self esteem OR that they don't deserve the same things that skinny people do. So please stop putting words in people's mouths.
Bacchus wrote:I personally feel that if someone wants to be fat, then that's their choice and no one should try to force them to be anything other then what they want to be.
Not when I have to pay out the ass for cars and health insurance, and have to be crammed in to an airplane seat because morbidly obese people can't fit in to their own seat. When a persons (skinny or fat) lifestyle interferes with my life, then it's my problem.
THEN it's my problem.
Take a look at some of the articles you're reading. Like, actually take into account what they're saying. I'm right now reading an article from the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, it's like a little Q+A for doctors on dealing with obese patients who have arthritis. And it clearly states that since so much weight is placed on the knees when you just walk around, any extra weight is bad for your knees, and you'll be hard pressed to find a normal person, healthy or not, who doesn't have some extra weight on them. Also, a lot of them talk about BMI, which is proven bullshit, and even worse, medicating with weigh-loss supplements. Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center suggest weight loss medication for obese people, even though "safety and effectiveness beyond one year of total treatment have not been established." What. No. That's not healthy, that's horrendous. A lot of what's published on the dangers of obesity are written by groups that are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies or other ventures that profit from the weight-loss industry. The American Obesity Association has sponsored a number of studies proving why fat people should be not fat. They also "receive most of its funding — several hundred thousand dollars in all — from the pharmaceuticals industry, including Interneuron, American Home Products, Roche Laboratories, Knoll Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Servier — all of which market or develop diet pills.” (Wall Street Journal, 2/9/98, B1)
and here's an awesome quote from Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., professor of public health at the University of Minnesota, published in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, "it does not work to make people feel worse about their bodies. The data are striking — talking about weight, worrying too much about diet, focusing on it increases risk not only of eating disorders, but also of being overweight." Instead, she suggests modeling and positive encouragement of healthy behavior like making better food choices and exercising — and unconditional love, regardless of weight." Also, a study published in Hemodialysis International, led by Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh, MD, PhD, MPH, of UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine reported that among dialysis patients, “obese” patients are far more likely to survive than smaller patients... [and] the popular belief that fatness is associated with heart disease among these patients has not been shown in any study, nor is the survival advantage of higher BMIs (body mass index) related to having greater muscle mass over fat.
See, this is the problem. You are associating weight with unhealthiness. You gained weight because you were unhealthy. That's why you gained weight. The weight didn't cause the problems, it was your own personal health that caused you to have blood sugar problems, not the extra flab around your tummy or whatever. Weight, to you, was an indicator of unhealthiness. And it's awesome that you're getting healthy and that you're getting back to your natural size, but being healthy for an individual who is plus size doesn't necessarily mean a flat stomach. My mom is an awesome example of this. She does marathons all the time, runs 5 miles a day, does pilates, is a vegetarian and has maintained this lifestyle for around 6 years. She also is rather large and rotund. Because even though she has slimmed down, that is just the size of her body.
And like I said before, the whole fat acceptance thing is a movement, not a slogan. It's not "accept that you're fat", it's "love your fat self, treat yourself the way you should be treated. Don't hate yourself because you're not a size 10. Take care of yourself. Mentally and physically." It's about health. And constantly hating yourself is not healthy, and it's a dangerous mindset to go into, say, a gym with. Who do you think is more likely to be healthy in the long term? A fat person who has accepted themselves and simply wants to lead the healthy lifestyle that you yourself are promoting, or someone who's out to desperately lose weight because they've been shamed out of an airplane seat or something?
This is why fat acceptance should be a thing. Because it's saying that even if you will never get below a size 20, that doesn't matter, because if you're healthy, mentally and physically, then you're beautiful. You're right, a stupid amount of people are unhealthy. But, a lot of people have found haven in the fat acceptance movement, and if they believe in themselves, find worth in themselves, they'll stop abusing their minds and their bodies, and find what being healthy means to them. Like the fat acceptance movement is truly promoting.
And to quote that f.a.q, "You cannot hate people for their own good", health is a personal quest and not something that you can force upon someone else, because they won't actually be committed to it, they'll be doing it because of you, not because of themselves.
Here's a good article about the dangers of obesity hysteria. Read meee
And, honestly, you can't blame people for your insurance company hiking up premiums. That's something you have to consult your insurance agency about, not whoever you deem as unhealthy.
and here's an awesome quote from Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., professor of public health at the University of Minnesota, published in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, "it does not work to make people feel worse about their bodies. The data are striking — talking about weight, worrying too much about diet, focusing on it increases risk not only of eating disorders, but also of being overweight." Instead, she suggests modeling and positive encouragement of healthy behavior like making better food choices and exercising — and unconditional love, regardless of weight." Also, a study published in Hemodialysis International, led by Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh, MD, PhD, MPH, of UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine reported that among dialysis patients, “obese” patients are far more likely to survive than smaller patients... [and] the popular belief that fatness is associated with heart disease among these patients has not been shown in any study, nor is the survival advantage of higher BMIs (body mass index) related to having greater muscle mass over fat.
See, this is the problem. You are associating weight with unhealthiness. You gained weight because you were unhealthy. That's why you gained weight. The weight didn't cause the problems, it was your own personal health that caused you to have blood sugar problems, not the extra flab around your tummy or whatever. Weight, to you, was an indicator of unhealthiness. And it's awesome that you're getting healthy and that you're getting back to your natural size, but being healthy for an individual who is plus size doesn't necessarily mean a flat stomach. My mom is an awesome example of this. She does marathons all the time, runs 5 miles a day, does pilates, is a vegetarian and has maintained this lifestyle for around 6 years. She also is rather large and rotund. Because even though she has slimmed down, that is just the size of her body.
And like I said before, the whole fat acceptance thing is a movement, not a slogan. It's not "accept that you're fat", it's "love your fat self, treat yourself the way you should be treated. Don't hate yourself because you're not a size 10. Take care of yourself. Mentally and physically." It's about health. And constantly hating yourself is not healthy, and it's a dangerous mindset to go into, say, a gym with. Who do you think is more likely to be healthy in the long term? A fat person who has accepted themselves and simply wants to lead the healthy lifestyle that you yourself are promoting, or someone who's out to desperately lose weight because they've been shamed out of an airplane seat or something?
This is why fat acceptance should be a thing. Because it's saying that even if you will never get below a size 20, that doesn't matter, because if you're healthy, mentally and physically, then you're beautiful. You're right, a stupid amount of people are unhealthy. But, a lot of people have found haven in the fat acceptance movement, and if they believe in themselves, find worth in themselves, they'll stop abusing their minds and their bodies, and find what being healthy means to them. Like the fat acceptance movement is truly promoting.
And to quote that f.a.q, "You cannot hate people for their own good", health is a personal quest and not something that you can force upon someone else, because they won't actually be committed to it, they'll be doing it because of you, not because of themselves.
Here's a good article about the dangers of obesity hysteria. Read meee
And, honestly, you can't blame people for your insurance company hiking up premiums. That's something you have to consult your insurance agency about, not whoever you deem as unhealthy.
Take a look at some of the articles you're reading. Like, actually take into account what they're saying. I'm right now reading an article from the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, it's like a little Q+A for doctors on dealing with obese patients who have arthritis. And it clearly states that since so much weight is placed on the knees when you just walk around, any extra weight is bad for your knees, and you'll be hard pressed to find a normal person, healthy or not, who doesn't have some extra weight on them. Also, a lot of them talk about BMI, which is proven bullshit, and even worse, medicating with weigh-loss supplements. Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center suggest weight loss medication for obese people, even though "safety and effectiveness beyond one year of total treatment have not been established." What. No. That's not healthy, that's horrendous. A lot of what's published on the dangers of obesity are written by groups that are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies or other ventures that profit from the weight-loss industry. The American Obesity Association has sponsored a number of studies proving why fat people should be not fat. They also "receive most of its funding — several hundred thousand dollars in all — from the pharmaceuticals industry, including Interneuron, American Home Products, Roche Laboratories, Knoll Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Servier — all of which market or develop diet pills.” (Wall Street Journal, 2/9/98, B1)
I'm highly against weight loss pills and any kind of medication for that matter. And BMI was never a consideration for me when it came to scales of obesity. But I understand a lot of what you're saying here.
"it does not work to make people feel worse about their bodies. The data are striking — talking about weight, worrying too much about diet, focusing on it increases risk not only of eating disorders, but also of being overweight." Instead, she suggests modeling and positive encouragement of healthy behavior like making better food choices and exercising — and unconditional love, regardless of weight."
I'm never going to love anyone differently no matter their weight. I've never had that intention. It doesn't mean I'm not going to rag on their ass about their lifestyle, though. I'm a gamer, and thus most of my friends are horribly over weight. And I'm always talking to them about how shitty their lifestyle is. I do this out of love, not hatred. I think hatred would be people not saying anything, because then people would think it's okay.
See, this is the problem. You are associating weight with unhealthiness. You gained weight because you were unhealthy. That's why you gained weight. The weight didn't cause the problems, it was your own personal health that caused you to have blood sugar problems, not the extra flab around your tummy or whatever. Weight, to you, was an indicator of unhealthiness. And it's awesome that you're getting healthy and that you're getting back to your natural size, but being healthy for an individual who is plus size doesn't necessarily mean a flat stomach. My mom is an awesome example of this. She does marathons all the time, runs 5 miles a day, does pilates, is a vegetarian and has maintained this lifestyle for around 6 years. She also is rather large and rotund. Because even though she has slimmed down, that is just the size of her body.
I find this a strange thing to say, though. If you look at the rate of obesity in the US...in the 1960's less than 5% of the population was obese. Currently, the rate of obesity is between 30-40% (depends on which state you look at). Wish this, the rate of heart disease and diabetes (just to name a few) has also drastically increased. I don't believe this is a coincidence. There is a direct correlation, right there, of obesity causing negative health problems. It's a rate we cannot ignore. If you take out people with rare thyroid problems, there's still the vast majority of obese people that are obese due to negative lifestyles. And yes, I correlate unhealthiness with obesity because almost all obese people are unhealthy and are obese due to their unhealthiness. Weight gain also causes mental problems such as depression because of the foods they are consuming (and yes, social stigma adds to this, but even without the social stigma, there is still a problem with depression due to diet and lack of exercise).
Does your mother have a thyroid problem? Because bodies are not designed to have a bunch of excess weight on it. Yes, people can be "big boned", but bones are only so large and dense. And if a body is holding a high fat content, then there is something wrong. Either physically or due to diet and exercise.
You look at any country and look at their rates of obesity. Spain is the 3rd most obese country in Europe, and the problem with obesity is very recent. Why? You look at the influx of american food in to their diet, and it directly correlates to the rise in the rate of obesity. So it really is something that's difficult to ignore. Obesity doesn't occur naturally.
I don't see the purpose in tiptoeing around a problem. Loving a person is one thing, but sugar coating everything doesn't help people. Encouragement yes, but telling people to love their fat makes them do just that. Love their fat and not change. I see it all. the. time. Obese people (happens in my friends a lot, and in strangers that I've met) saying, "This is who I am and it's okay. More cushion for the pushin." No...
And like I said before, the whole fat acceptance thing is a movement, not a slogan. It's not "accept that you're fat", it's "love your fat self, treat yourself the way you should be treated. Don't hate yourself because you're not a size 10. Take care of yourself. Mentally and physically." It's about health. And constantly hating yourself is not healthy, and it's a dangerous mindset to go into, say, a gym with. Who do you think is more likely to be healthy in the long term? A fat person who has accepted themselves and simply wants to lead the healthy lifestyle that you yourself are promoting, or someone who's out to desperately lose weight because they've been shamed out of an airplane seat or something?
No ones saying that fat people should hate themselves. But saying "love your fat self" and "take care of yourself physically" is rather contradictory. If the majority of these people took care of themselves physically, they wouldn't have a fat self to love.
And, honestly, you can't blame people for your insurance company hiking up premiums. That's something you have to consult your insurance agency about, not whoever you deem as unhealthy.
If these people weren't so unhealthy, I wouldn't have a problem with my insurance company. Insurance companies have to raise the rates because of the drastic increase in people draining the money due to issues that they could have controlled in the first place.
Thanks for the article. I will definitely be reading that tonight.
I'm not sure if it's just me or if people keep misunderstanding the point.
This isn't a thread condemning people who are overweight, even less people who are overweight because of a medical disease, like those exceptions a lot of you like to bring up. It's about people who think it's perfectly fine to be fat/overweight/obese because they're either too lazy or just don't give a damn to do anything about it.
If you're big boned or have a legit medical condition that messes with your weight, that's another story altogether. It doesn't mean it's uncontrollable, unless you don't have a medical plan that can help you, which in these times is highly unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely. Legit medical reasons are a case apart and make up an almost infinitesimal part of the "fat" spectrum.
Although losing weight is not easy, it's not unachievable with discipline, commitment and the will to lose weight. Nothing that's worth it is gonna come easy or be handed on a silver platter, or in this case a magical 'lose weight fast' pill.
Being overweight, aside from the obvious diseases it brings with them, they just make things difficult. Finding the right clothes, fitting in comfortably in planes or even roller coasters or things of that sort. A lot of them can't even take part in sports because their lung capacity gets even more limited, specially if they're not used to being even a little bit active. Not to say underweight should be applauded as well or that it's healthy, because it's not and can also be controlled.
Another thing that should be taken into consideration is that, the older a person is, the more difficult it becomes for them to lose or control their weight because their metabolism slows down as they age. So for younger people it's easier because they can speed up their metabolism faster, in comparison with older people who have to put in twice the effort to get the same or even less results.
But again, this isn't to say that they shouldn't try to be healthier. Diet, exercise and self control can do wonders for your health. Dieting isn't starving or counting calories like a madman, it just means looking at what you eat and how much you eat. If you regularly eat something greasy or that's bigger than your face, don't expect to lose weight after working out for a bit. If you have cholesterol problems don't eat things that have it or limit the things that do if needed. Exercising isn't going to the gym for 5 hours and burning out your body quickly. Take 10 minute walks throughout the day. Walk to the grocery store instead of taking the car (unless it's not extremely far away). Walk around your house instead of sitting in front of a TV or computer screen for 3 hours straight.
And that's for adults. Kids shouldn't be placed under dietary regiments, but encouraged to be physically active. Drop the console games and grab a basketball or bicycle. Play games with your friends outdoors. They should play sports. Not only does it help keep them active and healthy, it helps round them as a person. It teaches them more of teamwork, responsibility, commitment, respect among others.
For the sake of not rambling about this even more, I'm gonna close with, apathy and ignorance may be an even worse disease than obesity itself. Saying things like "If they're fat that's their problem. Why should you care?" or "It doesn't hurt me personally if someone else wants to be fat and unhealthy." shows that, not only you're encapsuled in your own little world, but that you're selfish and ignorant, whether you like to hear/read it or not. Obesity, alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, violence and a whole other plethora of social problems have grown substantially because people don't give a damn about them, since it "doesn't affect them personally". Though it may be true that you may not be or know someone with the aforementioned predicaments, it doesn't necessarily entail that it's unrelated to you. Those are social stigmas that they very word social tells you it affects everyone in society. You, your family, your friends, your friends friends in one way or another. So maybe you should start caring a little.
As a side note, when I said "you", I wasn't singling out anyone specifically. I meant it in the most general terms possible. So no one should take a particular offense to it.
This isn't a thread condemning people who are overweight, even less people who are overweight because of a medical disease, like those exceptions a lot of you like to bring up. It's about people who think it's perfectly fine to be fat/overweight/obese because they're either too lazy or just don't give a damn to do anything about it.
If you're big boned or have a legit medical condition that messes with your weight, that's another story altogether. It doesn't mean it's uncontrollable, unless you don't have a medical plan that can help you, which in these times is highly unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely. Legit medical reasons are a case apart and make up an almost infinitesimal part of the "fat" spectrum.
Although losing weight is not easy, it's not unachievable with discipline, commitment and the will to lose weight. Nothing that's worth it is gonna come easy or be handed on a silver platter, or in this case a magical 'lose weight fast' pill.
Being overweight, aside from the obvious diseases it brings with them, they just make things difficult. Finding the right clothes, fitting in comfortably in planes or even roller coasters or things of that sort. A lot of them can't even take part in sports because their lung capacity gets even more limited, specially if they're not used to being even a little bit active. Not to say underweight should be applauded as well or that it's healthy, because it's not and can also be controlled.
Another thing that should be taken into consideration is that, the older a person is, the more difficult it becomes for them to lose or control their weight because their metabolism slows down as they age. So for younger people it's easier because they can speed up their metabolism faster, in comparison with older people who have to put in twice the effort to get the same or even less results.
But again, this isn't to say that they shouldn't try to be healthier. Diet, exercise and self control can do wonders for your health. Dieting isn't starving or counting calories like a madman, it just means looking at what you eat and how much you eat. If you regularly eat something greasy or that's bigger than your face, don't expect to lose weight after working out for a bit. If you have cholesterol problems don't eat things that have it or limit the things that do if needed. Exercising isn't going to the gym for 5 hours and burning out your body quickly. Take 10 minute walks throughout the day. Walk to the grocery store instead of taking the car (unless it's not extremely far away). Walk around your house instead of sitting in front of a TV or computer screen for 3 hours straight.
And that's for adults. Kids shouldn't be placed under dietary regiments, but encouraged to be physically active. Drop the console games and grab a basketball or bicycle. Play games with your friends outdoors. They should play sports. Not only does it help keep them active and healthy, it helps round them as a person. It teaches them more of teamwork, responsibility, commitment, respect among others.
For the sake of not rambling about this even more, I'm gonna close with, apathy and ignorance may be an even worse disease than obesity itself. Saying things like "If they're fat that's their problem. Why should you care?" or "It doesn't hurt me personally if someone else wants to be fat and unhealthy." shows that, not only you're encapsuled in your own little world, but that you're selfish and ignorant, whether you like to hear/read it or not. Obesity, alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, violence and a whole other plethora of social problems have grown substantially because people don't give a damn about them, since it "doesn't affect them personally". Though it may be true that you may not be or know someone with the aforementioned predicaments, it doesn't necessarily entail that it's unrelated to you. Those are social stigmas that they very word social tells you it affects everyone in society. You, your family, your friends, your friends friends in one way or another. So maybe you should start caring a little.
As a side note, when I said "you", I wasn't singling out anyone specifically. I meant it in the most general terms possible. So no one should take a particular offense to it.
I feel that if a person wants to be bigger. Than that is fine with me.
Why push healthy food on someone? We are not some stupids fat idiots. They know that picking up food is going to make them fat.. That is the person choice no someone else. XD I really do not want the Government controlling what I eat. I know that a certain food is bad but I CHOSE to eat it. XD
Why push healthy food on someone? We are not some stupids fat idiots. They know that picking up food is going to make them fat.. That is the person choice no someone else. XD I really do not want the Government controlling what I eat. I know that a certain food is bad but I CHOSE to eat it. XD
Yup! It's back open again, go take a look! :P
Poot wrote:
I'm never going to love anyone differently no matter their weight. I've never had that intention. It doesn't mean I'm not going to rag on their ass about their lifestyle, though. I'm a gamer, and thus most of my friends are horribly over weight. And I'm always talking to them about how shitty their lifestyle is. I do this out of love, not hatred. I think hatred would be people not saying anything, because then people would think it's okay.
I know you think you're doing this out of their own good, but trust me, these people know it's bad for them. It's hard not to in our current hyper-health conscious society. But it's just.. so discouraging to hear "do you really think you should be eating that? Why don't you eat a salad? Or a bowl of fruit? It's better for you." Yeah, it is. But you can't be there all the time. And I really do understand that you're just worrying about your friends, and that you want them to be on the road to health just like you are, they have to want to order the salad, not out of shame or guilt. And trust me, if you're telling this to them, you are not the first person to say this to them. But that doesn't ease just how much it hurts to hear from someone you care about. Like, no one ever called me fat. Except my mom. My mom would say "don't you think you should wait until you've lost weight to wear a skirt?" or "I just think things would be easier for you if you were slimmer" or "sweetie, I know you want to order the chicken, but don't you think a salad would be better for you right now?" It's embarrassing. It's discouraging. And it feeds the cycle of self-hatred. I lost weight because of my mom, and then I packed it on again. Now I'm not losing weight, I'm being healthy. Because of myself. And fat acceptance made me realize this.
And my mom does not have a thyroid problem. This is just how she's shaped. I get that you might not understand this because you're naturally smaller. I'm not arguing that obesity isn't a health issue, and I'm not arguing that a lot of people aren't unhealthy, because they are. And, obviously, there are a lot of health issues linked with being unhealthy. But health isn't one size, it's all sizes. Everyone's bodies are different and burn fat and retain fat in different ways. But the fat acceptance community is a very small one so far, and one that promotes being healthy at any size, and wither that does lead to weight loss is neither here nor there. I mean, if all obese people were to become healthy, all would lose weight due to the exercise and the new eating habits, but that weight would be lost at a different frequency and some would not lose that much at all. But if they're healthy, isn't that what matters? Wouldn't that make your premiums go back to normal? So it's not "let's lose weight", it's "let's get healthy, and whatever that means to you, go for it." I don't know about you, but I don't keep track of my calorie intake, and I do skip my daily bike ride for some extra time in bed sometimes, but I'm feeling physically really good right now and that feeling's coming from somewhere. And I've lost maybe a few inches off my hips, but that's it. And I've been at this for months. It isn't a thyroid problem, it's just how I'm built. Bigger bodies were awesome back in the day, because it meant you developed fat easier and if you couldn't catch your saber tooth tiger or whatever, you wouldn't die of starvation right away. And there's a large role that genetics plays. Genetics don't make someone morbidly obese, but they do alter how quickly you burn calories, the speed of your metabolism and all that other good stuff. It just sucks that you don't know any healthy fat people. Idk, maybe one day one of your friends will want to accompany you to the gym and you might see for yourself. But for now, let them come to it naturally.
No ones saying that fat people should hate themselves. But saying "love your fat self" and "take care of yourself physically" is rather contradictory.
But that's the thing, a lot of people are saying fat people should hate themselves. There are a load of reality shows based on making people lose weight as quickly as possible. Look at the Biggest Loser. It's basically a circus of obese people forced to push themselves as hard as physically possible in order to lose as much weight as they possibly can and then punished if they don't lose enough. What is that. That's messed up. And it's unhealthy.
I get that you're pissed that your premiums are hiked and there's pretty much nothing you can do about it, but that's no reason to carry around a soap box with you wherever you go when preaching constantly can have really negative effects on your audience.
Also, just to clarify, fat acceptance is a community and a movement of bloggers and vloggers, and a relatively small one at that. A lot of fat acceptance bloggers support Health at Every Size, which promotes stuff like biking and fun, highly active, social activities as an alternative to the gym and eating simply whenever you're hungry as an alternative to strict dieting, which is a really healthy initiative that is more likely to last long-term. [/quote]
well it's not healthy.. I don't realy care what other peoples weight is, as long as I'm happy with mine. though, If someone I am very close to were to get very overweight where it was effecting their health, then i'd be concerned. :U