Comments on Cranky Fitness: Fat Acceptance: Thoughts and Stupid Questions

Just want to say for this post. Great. Hats of to ...

2009-09-10T22:39:34.652-04:00

Just want to say for this post. Great. Hats of to you. Ho you presented this post is great. Even though I am not the fatty one also I feared to be fatty.

How do you think you got that way? Lifestyle combi...

2009-06-03T17:37:01.324-04:00

How do you think you got that way?
Lifestyle combined with genetics. I've always had to be careful with what I eat and exercise, but it wasn't a problem because once I left home I had naturally healthful habits 80% of the time. And I was young. Around age 27, I started eating meat again (had been vegetarian for 9 years) and started drinking more alcohol. I also was exercising less. Lo and behold, I started gaining a little weight, but it wasn't out of control. I think it was just enough to set me up for trouble, though. I hit my 30s, I had a stressful year of managing at work, and boom, I gained 15 pounds, which is a lot for my 5'1" frame.

Are you making healthy choices now?
Yes. I'm trying. I've reduced portion sizes. During the lunch hour I take power walks and eat from the salad bar like the skinny girls. I moderate and make conscious decisions about what to eat and when to eat it and avoid 'emotional eating'. I run twice a week and take Pilates classes regularly. But I still have a desk job, and it takes a lot to counteract all those hours sitting on my butt and several years of not being conscious about my eating/exercise habits.

3) If so, is that good enough?
Nope. I still feel enormous internal pressure to get back to the weight I was 10 years ago. I don't feel fat at all when I've just run 4 miles or kicked some macho guy's butt at Pilates class. Sadly, I do feel fat when I compare myself to all the slim, size 0-6 women at my office. I still grind my teeth when female coworkers complain about their bodies and they're what I would consider slim: I want to say, if you think *you're* fat, what do you think I am? Baby Beluga? At the same time, the Merry Sunshine voice inside my head tells me to focus on health, not just my weight and my jiggly thighs, and that helps sometimes. And I honestly enjoy that bowl of salad and running now. I clearly see the benefits, even if those benefits aren't measured in inches or pounds.

4) What's getting in your way?
Stress. The need/desire to be perfect overnight. A culture that promotes fast food over slow food, meat over vegetables, super size over healthy size, and simultaneously pushes Being Skinny instead of Being the Best Me I Can Be. Would it help if I could grab a bowl of brown rice, beans, and greens for a quick dinner out instead of fast food? Absolutely! Would it help if working overtime wasn't the norm at my job so I could get home in time to cook a healthful dinner every night, and peacefully enjoy every nutritious bite? Of course. Would I be happier if from childhood I had been exposed to images of beautiful women of all shapes and sizes and colors instead of only tall, thin blondes? Hell yes! It's still a lot of work in our culture to eat healthfully and mindfully and to celebrate and respect our god-given bodies. That said, I feel more aware and conscious now, at 36, than I ever have. I am optimistic that I can still learn how to be fit forever, how to be healthy without feeling deprived, and how to learn to love my body without qualification.

Just read the article..thought it was wonderful. ...

2009-05-27T14:25:38.595-04:00

Just read the article..thought it was wonderful.

Am I fat? Yes, I am. 5'5" tall, 269lbs. Reason, many different factors, first off - I used to be addicted to TV. Messed my metabolism up, so makes it extremely hard to lose weight, secondly - society and family. Hearing your mother constantly say that you need to lose weight, and having peers all through school ridicule you because you have matured physically before them and/or are heavier than them leads to eating food for comfort...thus putting on lbs. So, between emotianal/psychological problems...I became fat. Having gotten pregnant at 24 and then again at 28 didn't help either.

What am I doing about it?

I have recently started exercising (used to hate it, but I actually like excercising now...wish I had more time to do it more), and I have cut out almost all junk food, processed foods, msg, bht, bha, artificial sweetners, watch my intake of fats, high fructose corn syrup, and carbs, and started eating more fresh fruits and veggies, organiz, home grown, and balanced meals. Doing this is and has made me a more healthy person.

I have lost 12 lbs....and kept it off more than 3 months..which is AMAZING for me. So, yeah...I am still obese, but I lost 12 lbs!!

Will I EVER be skinny...nope, don't want to. However, do I think that I will ever be back to a weight that will be healthier than what I am now...yes.

My goal is to be able to fit into a size 14 (highschool size), and be able to hike, bike, and walk without getting winded. Healthy is not all about being skinny, it's about getting OFF of the blood pressure medicine, and having a well run machine for a body.

Size doesn't matter, health does.

Every one can be fit and healthy, unfortunately to...

2009-02-11T05:08:00.000-05:00

Every one can be fit and healthy, unfortunately too many people go for the thin look, which is not that appealing to be honest. Don't aim for weight loss, just fat loss.

Great post---you have described a truth which we a...

2009-01-26T08:48:00.000-05:00

Great post---you have described a truth which we all face when trying to feed ourselves and our families well---the culture is against us. We do not live as isolated beings, we depend on the systems that are in place in our society to produce and distribute food. We are also subject to other lifesyle parameters that affect how we eat----long working hours, commutes, both parents working---all these things make it more difficult for us to eat fresh home-cooked food all the time. Some of us are more squeezed by these parameters than others are. It is within these parameters that we then have individual choices. The less privileged and less comfortable our lives, the less choices we have and vice versa. It is a wider issue than mere individual choice.

I am probably not overweight (I'm about 119lbs and...

2009-01-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

I am probably not overweight (I'm about 119lbs and 5'4) but because of how i see myself, I have started on a diet of basically grapes and yoghurt, and going to the gym three times a week, and I'm beginning to realise how hard it is to lose weight. My target weight is 105lbs, and tbh that seems impossible at the moment.

Even though I struggle with my weight, when I see overweight people I secretly still feel that it is their fault. Even though I know that isnt always true. I think it's because I'm trying so hard to lose weight, and so I feel everyone else should too.

I think I got fat because of my lifestyle. I'm naturally lazy and greedy - not a good combination XD. I ate really unhealthily for a long time, and even though I'm blessed with a reasonable metabolism, I looked untoned and chubby. Now I'm working towards eating better and exercising more, and I feel better about myself than I have for ages.
Sorry this is long and (probably) irrelevant = | x

Brief comment on your excellent post, questions an...

2009-01-07T14:23:00.000-05:00

Brief comment on your excellent post, questions and blog: Fat, thin, whatever, the issue is health. Too bad our culture doesn't see it as so. Gets in the way of fat people being healthy. Just found your blog and love, love the way you write. Keep up the wonderful work.

I personally think that everyone is capable of att...

2008-11-12T14:54:00.000-05:00

I personally think that everyone is capable of attaining weight loss. You simply have to want it enough. You have to be able to put all of your insecurities and fear of failure aside. I think that a lot of people are holding back because they are afraid of failure. But they should remember that weight loss is a slow and steady process, it does not come easy to anyone.

Very interesting questions at the end of your post...

2008-11-12T14:44:00.000-05:00

Very interesting questions at the end of your post. I don't think that someone's slim waist is necessarily the result of a healthy lifestyle. I know many people who eat whatever they want and they never exercise yet somehow they are amazingly thin. I think it has to do with your genes.

I'm just right. I exercise every day and eat clean...

2008-11-10T16:51:00.000-05:00

I'm just right. I exercise every day and eat clean. Am I prejudice against fat people? If they're holding a super-sized coke and a bag of chips, yes. If they're at the gym, no. Do I think everyone could lose weight? I think everyone could be at a weight they are happy with if they exercise and eat right. (I acknowledge that those with eating disorders and thyroid problems have a harder time with this and also need medical intervention). Mainly, it's the food. In my experience, overweight people either eat too much of the wrong food or not enough food at all. If a person eats fast food every day, the calorie load is going to be huge. On the other hand, if a person tries to lose weight by eating 1000 calories a day, his/her metabolism is going to slow to the point where they could actually gain weight. I've found that by eating 5 small meals a day of unprocessed food, I maintain a size that looks good on me. It's not easy. I have cravings but by eating clean (aka plain, unprocessed food) 80% of the time, I can give into my cravings from time to time without a problem.

Chunk is fat. She has never in her life fit into ...

2008-11-04T16:12:00.000-05:00

Chunk is fat. She has never in her life fit into tiny little clothing. Chunk grew up a super active kid who was a champion swimmer...also one of the biggest swimmers in her age group. She knew people were smaller than her, but she didn't much care, cause momma brought her up to accept herself and respect differences in people.

Chunk was a straight A student. This was done by spending many hours sitting and studying. When old enough to drink, she blew off steam with a beer and went back to sitting behind a desk at her 50-60 hr a week job. Chunk was damn good at what she did...but didn't feel like hanging out in the gym for 2 hours every day. She put on weight.

After awhile, the size 16 jeans she was wearing weren't fitting anymore. She stepped on the scale and saw a whopping 200 lbs!! S.H.I.I.T needed to be done. She has reevaluated her life and determined that the lifestyle we are expected to lead in the working environment alone is unhealthy.

Chunk decided to completely change her career and life to become healthier and encourage others to do the same. Her weight is slowly coming off as she goes. Around 180 these days.

She doesn't feel discriminated against per say...because people can only treat you the way you let them treat you. Chunk knows she is awesome AND could probably kick some skinny girl butt in many ways. So she respects others and in turn they respect her.

Valuing yourself is the most important thing you can do.

Am I fat? Yes. According to the BMI and my doctor,...

2008-10-14T16:10:00.000-04:00

Am I fat? Yes. According to the BMI and my doctor, I need to lose about 50 pounds. So yes, I am fat, but not to the point that it keeps me from doing what I need to do physically.

Do I look down on fat people?
Well, I would love to say I don't, but that isn't true. I tend more to look at the whole package--is the person well-dressed, well-groomed, etc? If so, I will probably give them the benefit of the doubt. If they are sloppily dressed, have poor hygiene, or just smell, then I will assume that they are lazy and gross. Yes, I know. Value judgements. I do realize that not everyone can be in the first stare of fashion, but you can be neat and tidy even if you shop at Goodwill (which I do, plus clearance racks and yard sales). I still look nice.

Genes or lifestyle?
Well, I was a decent weight for me (I'm 5'2"), about 120 pounds, until I had the Norplant insert. I gained 40 pounds in one calendar year, while breastfeeding a baby and chasing a toddler. However, I have not lost the weight yet, and nursing baby is now in high school, so lifestyle would account for it, I guess. But my weight has stayed at 160-165 for 12 years.

Can you lose the weight?
I guess its easy to sit here in this chair and point to others and say, well, you could lose the weight, or make better choices, or whatever. But each person has to decide what is right for them. I do agree with the poster above that if you take in fewer calories than you put out, the laws of physics kick in and you lose the weight. And some people at the grocery store are genuinely trying--lean meats, fresh produce, whole grains. The people who bug me are the ones who are too fat to push their carts, then fill it up with nacho chips, soda, processed frozen foods, packaged cookies, and cigarettes. Poor choices won't lead to health, no matter what your size.

I apologize for being late to the thread here, but...

2008-08-22T12:11:00.000-04:00

I apologize for being late to the thread here, but what an interesting topic and interesting opinions. I'd like to add my two cents, and I'll try to be as honest as possible:

Do you look down on fat people?

Yes, I tend to. However, when I think “fat,” I’m most likely thinking “obese,” not “could lose 15-20 pounds.” Lets call it “overfat” just to clarify that I don’t at all mean 45 year old Suzy who can’t get off those extra 10 pounds of baby weight. I don’t think I would ever be rude or mean to them, but I do find people who are overfat visually unappealing, and I frankly find my teeth set on edge by those who constantly express concern about their weight yet never take any constructive, realistic steps to help themselves. That and people who self-diagnose with fibromyalgia or some other mysterious chronic disorder that demands much sympathy, when they could most likely alleviate all their joint and other pain by putting down the extra 100 pounds they’re carrying all day.

I tend to look down on them because:

Do you think they could all lose weight if they just tried hard enough?

Yes. I know you’ve experience people who seem to be doing everything right but can’t lose weight, but in my experience the vast majority of overfat people I’ve come in contact with are concerned enough about their health and appearance to verbally express it to all and sundry, but do the most non-constructive things to help themselves. When someone tells me they’ve “tried everything” I usually find out they’ve tried a few fad diets for a few weeks to a month or two, and exercise sporadically if at all. Its like making sure you watch every second of the Olympics, then being awfully disappointed that you can’t run the 100m like a champ when you’re done. They’ve been expecting the wrong results from doing the wrong things, and have now given up to whining.

Also, physics. Your body can’t defy the laws of physics, regardless of metabolism or disorders or psychology. Every single human on the planet will lose weight if they’re taking in less calories than they burn.

Do you think they're discriminated against?

Yes. In fact, I’m sure of it because I might very well be the one doing the discriminating.

I was a hiring manager in the past for a small but nationwide company, so I have some experience choosing employees. Though I never encountered it in my job, I would have serious hesitations at hiring an obese person. Their weight shows me that there’s at least one aspect of their life that they have completely lost control over. It also shows me that they are unwilling or unable to exercise willpower over something that drastically affects their personal health and wellbeing. If they can’t take care of themselves, I question their ability to exercise control and willpower over a demanding job. I would hire the person who succeeds at being fit and healthy over an identically qualified overfat person any day. The fit person is essentially wearing their proof of capability like a well-tailored suit.

Do you think your own weight is a result of healthy lifestyle or did you get lucky with your genes?

My weight is entirely the result of hard work. I have the worst genes imaginable. I actually can, and have in the past, gained weight while eating less than 800 calories a day. I must exercise quite a lot to achieve the same effect as others. In the past I controlled my weight by smoking, and have had to overcome a 10-year 2-pack-a-day dependency to even start to get healthy. Please trust me when I say I know a bit about addiction, and how difficult it is being addicted to something readily available everywhere you go.

For full disclosure: Two years ago I was pushing size 14 at 5’5”. Now I weigh about 145 pounds, and I’m a size 4. I’ve put on enough muscle that BMI doesn’t make sense for me anymore.

Currently I exercise for 6-8 hours a week, including lots of strength training and weightlifting. I know I’ll get lazy on my own, so I train in martial arts to have both instruction and motivation from others. Our instructor is a track and field coach and was a national level track athlete, so we get plenty of good old fashioned butt-kicking. I’ve also removed all convenient food from my house. I have little available food that does not require at least 20 minutes of preparation. No soda, no snack foods, no candy, no alcohol, no chips, no desserts etc. The only thing I can eat right away is fruits and vegetables. Finally, I chucked my TV. I have not had a TV for four years now.

A final note: I’ve seen mentioned in this comment thread the notion that people of lower economic means don’t have the time or ability to cook healthy food. Two things – Firstly staple foods, your flat basics, rice, fruits, veggies, etc. are actually cheaper than processed and packaged things, especially if you buy in bulk. Secondly, as for time – if you have time to watch TV, you have time to make a meal. Do you know anyone, poor or rich, that can’t find time to watch TV? Neither do I.

Do you look down on fat people?I try not to, seems...

2008-07-26T23:45:00.000-04:00

Do you look down on fat people?

I try not to, seems my best mates mother is horrendously obese but she is the nicest woman I know. Yet, in general, being fat (I mean obese, the perception of fat differs so much) usually displays a lack of self control, and a lack of desire to move. So sometimes I do, I try to be nice to everyone I meet. Of course if someone has an obnoxious personality AND they're fat, the fat they're packing just makes me look at them with more disgust. The excess (unhealthy amount of) fat embodies my disgust. However, my best friend and his mother, as I mentioned, are two overweight people yet they're the nicest, most loving, witty, interesting people I know. I have plenty of friends who I suppose I could consider to be fat, but the matter of the fact is that I see right through it (as do people around them), attractive looks might make good first impressions, but an attractive personality shows through to the end.

Do you think they could all lose weight if they just tried hard enough?

What might be hard for one may not be hard for another. I know some people who think that the idea of working out 6 days a week intensely is horrifying. Yet some people embrace it as part of their life. I don't think one can completely blame their genes, if it is that big of a problem then either learn to accept your fatness or work out a lot, and eat clean and boring.

Do you think they're discriminated against?

Absolutely, being fat is the worst natural physical trait that you can possess as perceived by Western society.

Do you think your own weight is a result of healthy lifestyle or did you get lucky with your genes?

Absolutely a result of my lifestyle. Healthy? Not so sure. I smoke daily and drink every now and then. I used to be a great football (soccer) player and play a lot of tennis up until I was 10, then my father left and my sweet tooth + the lack of exercise got me really fat. When I was about 13 I was like, enough of this sh*t, lets get in shape. And I did, I ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day at 5mph, ate very clean (a lot of fruit, probably too much fruit if you may) but still very clean, and lost a lot of weight. It lasted pretty much till now, and at 16 years of age I'm 5"11 and weigh 160 pounds. I'm "skinny" but want defined abs, six pack and all that, so I'm running a lot (H.I.I.T, early morning jogs, etc), lifting weights 3 times a week, eating probably just over 1000 calories a day, and slowly but surely it's working.

Hmm. Well, you know every fat person is fat for th...

2008-02-02T16:46:00.000-05:00

Hmm. Well, you know every fat person is fat for their own reasons. Some people are gluttons, sure. (But I've seen some thin gluttons that when I watch them eat so much constantly, it makes me gag and wonder how they do it. Still clogs their arteries, thin or no.)

Maybe some gluttons have psychoemotional issues, maybe because they enjoy the way food makes them feel, or whatever.

Some people have genuine genetic issues, and have been obese all their lives, despite whatever efforts they make to lose weight.

In my case, I've been obese since I was 3 because I have a genetic condition. And then was starved for many years after that, so like the rotund, my liver is like... what do I do with this food?
But...So what. That's just who I am.

Some people are fat because there are additives in our food that f*ck with the metabolism (mainly MSG, which is cleverly disguised as "spices" on most packaging). MSG, since '69, is a known endocrine system screwer, and can slow the metabolic process to a halt.

Either way, why not just leave fat people alone about their weight?
Is it anyone's business about what anyone else eats, or doesn't eat? Exercises, or doesn't? It's up to the individual. Do I have a right to go up to a sexually promiscuous individual who's drinking too much in a bar and say, "Hey, you know if you get AIDS or cirrhosis, you're running up the healthcare bill for everyone else who isn't a drunken slut! And the system doesn't want to pay for a kid that you give up because you were too drunk to use a condom, mind you!" No, I don't. Nor would I. None of my business.
And dressing like a tart and hanging out in bars to get some tail is "socially acceptable." But fat isn't acceptable, you see.

I'm so tired of hearing the words "epidemic" and "healthcare expenses for the REST of us." I've been healthy all my life, despite my weight, so being treated as subhuman is really getting on my last nerve. I have no idea who the idiots were who associated agglomerations of adipose tissue somehow equated to mental incompetence. I am a MENSA candidate, I am active, I am beautiful, and I would be more successful if our society would let me in the door instead of shutting me out because of my weight. But, no matter... I will YET create a fat-safe space where brilliant minds discarded by a moronic system will congregate and become a galvanic force to be reckoned with.

This country was founded on principles of the "pursuit of happiness." Everyone has a right to pursue that happiness. EVERYONE.

I believe that many people are simply angry haters, and take it out on fat people because racial discrimination is no longer tolerated. (This is from MUCH daily experience for the past 25 years.) They want someone to pick on to make themselves feel better temporarily rather than take responsibility for their own inability to cope with themselves. And because they fear what they do not understand. And because it's a convenient out for a dummy to say, Hey, fattie! rather than think, Boy, I am such a jerk. Maybe I should strive to become a better person or concentrate on my own business instead of harassing others who haven't done anything to me.

Fat people make up over one-third of the American population. You don't have to find us attractive, or socialize with us, but all we ask is to be treated like human beings. Let us make our own choices and live our own lives, and we will be happy to let you do the same.

One last addendum:
What if the tides were reversed, and all thin people were seen as unnatural, ugly, and subhuman? Would it be right, and would you appreciate it? Would you appreciate being heckled, being hated, having opportunities denied you, having people stare and laugh at you? Just food for thought.

I publish as 'anonymous' because I am the voice of not one fat person, but many who are ANONYMOUS, 'invisible' people who have beating hearts, and fears, dreams, hopes and loves... but who remain nameless in the annals of society.

Hi Anonymous Ballet Dancer,Wow, thank you! That w...

2007-07-08T00:05:00.000-04:00

Hi Anonymous Ballet Dancer,
Wow, thank you! That was a very inspiring comment. Positive attitude, persistence, kindness... all such important ideas.

Glad that you're trying to find a balance between the demands of your career and good health. It must be a challenge in an environment that where "normal and healthy" could be seen as "too heavy for a dancer."

And I hope you're getting enough protein now? Sounds like there were times in your life where you weren't, but that you're trying to eat a more balanced diet now. Protein is so important for professional athletes--which you are, if you're a ballet dancer!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I think I need to lose weight, but no, I do not th...

2007-07-07T23:47:00.000-04:00

I think I need to lose weight, but no, I do not think that I am fat. I am petite for 23, only 4'11. So I need to maintain a healthy body weight. It's one thing to be short but being short and fat is a whole other story.

I'm a ballet dancer- yet another reason to maintain a healthy weight. No, not all dancers are anorexic. But I do have some anorexic tendencies. For instance, I think that I need to lose weight because I can feel rolls on my body and I don't like them and I know that they are more than skin. A lot of people would look at me and say that they don't know what I'm worried about but my thoughts and opinions matter more to me than someone else's. Whew.

Of course in the ballet world, you have to have more than amazing dance technique and a dancer is expected to be more than fit. We are expected to be skinny. Healthy, I mean, teachers and casting directors want healthy strong dancers, but we are expected to be skinny. I have never actually, you know, made myself throw up. But not because I didn't try. I tried so hard... I knelt on the hard dirty floors of bathrooms trying... but maybe some fear in me as well as knowledge of the facts/evidence (two of my cousins are dentists) stopped me from going "all the way." I like healthy foods, fruits and vegetables. Part of my "anorexic" phase of my life included days eating fruit... only fruit. I would have, you know, a fast except for fruits and vegetables. I didn't want to faint or anything and I always made sure to drink plenty of water.

These days I am no longer acting on my thoughts. I still have the anorexic thoughts but I'm trying to sort of repress them (is that a bad thing? lol) and I'm eating regularly. 3 meals a day plus snacks on most days. This morning I ate scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. Lunch was some sushi and green edamame (I love that stuff and I could totally eat sushi every day!). I also had a kiddie cup of peanut butter and vanilla frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles around 4ish. That meant I wasn't very hungry for dinner because that sushi really was dinner - just more of a "linner" lunch-dinner thing. I didn't have any popcorn at the movies tonight b/c I still felt full from the sushi and ice cream earlier. But just now, I ate a hershey's 100 cal. dark chocolate bar before I posted this message.

Wow. This is long. Anyway, um, yeah. I hope all of you reading this accept yourselves because as corny as it may sound, you are all beautiful people and as long as we are good to each other and act out on our kindness tendencies, that is a big part of what makes us who we are. Be optimistic. I am. My positive attitude coupled with my determination and persistance has brought me a long way from where I once was. I hope this can be an inspirational true story for you all and not a sympathy thing.

Thanks for caring.

Thanks for your honesty, alienated bookworm!I tota...

2007-06-28T15:42:00.000-04:00

Thanks for your honesty, alienated bookworm!

I totally agree with your point about "diet" versus "lifestyle."

I guess the thing I'd take issue with is the fact that what worked for you would necessarily work for everyone. I believe some people truly do have slow, screwed up metabolisms--they can do all the things you talk about, and lead very healthy lifestyles, and still be considered "fat."

This may be only a small percentage of people, I don't know--but I do think they're out there and they're being made to suffer despite doing way more than most people do about watching what they eat and exercising.

do I think of myself as fat?yes, because due to em...

2007-06-28T04:18:00.000-04:00

do I think of myself as fat?
yes, because due to emotional binging and slacking on exercise I gained about 20 lbs this winter and don't fit into my size 4 clothes.
Other people may not see me that way but *I* think I'm fat and flabby.

Do you look down on fat people?
yes
Not trying to be snarky, but yes, I do think fat is ugly and disgusting. Shoot me.

Do you think they could all lose weight if they just tried hard enough?
yes. the human body is not designed to carry around a lot of excess weight. it'll work with you if you work with it.
You take in more calories than you work off, you store fat. simple.
messed up metabolism due to yo-yo dieting? true, but you can fix it too. exercising, building muscles, healthy eating will all speed it up again.
bad genes? slow/fast metabolism? up to a point, yes, sure, but don't kid yourself. They may be the difference between a size 2 and a size 8, but anything larger than that: you're fat because you eat too much. Admit it to yourself and do something about it.

Do you think they're discriminated against?
sure.

Do you think your own weight is a result of healthy lifestyle or did you get lucky with your genes?

I was chubby to fat most of my teens and adult life due to a sedentary lifestyle, emotional binging, and simply a love of food.
When I was 38 I went from a size 22 to a size 4 in about a year with exercise and portion control/cutting down on fat and sugar. FYI, I did NOT go on a diet! Diets don't work for a lot of reasons. One of major ones is most diets have you deprive yourself of something you crave or something your body needs. Obviously, sooner or late you WILL fall off the wagon, and often stay off.
To KEEP the weight off, you need to change your lifestyle.
I'm 44 now and have kept it off more or less. As to those 20 lbs I recently packed on, I WILL lose these too.

Me again,So I've tried to get back to you all in t...

2007-05-31T10:26:00.000-04:00

Me again,
So I've tried to get back to you all in the most recent post above-- please check in up there and feel free to add more comments in that thread. (And if somehow I missed anyone, which I'm prone to do, I'll be sure to double check and catch it up there.) Thanks!

im fat cos i ate like a lunatic as a kid, and i ha...

2007-05-31T09:30:00.000-04:00

im fat cos i ate like a lunatic as a kid, and i hate veggies and anything remotely healthy. :D i also hate exercise. i just went nuts. and was very badly behaved and never listened to anyone. i ate till i made myself sick. i still do binge a lot. only now i manage to eat real food on the side ;)

yes i am making healthy choices now, perhaps not as many or as strongly as the ideal, but i know i have to make a lifestyle change, not go on some crazy diet and exercise routine that i will hate, because it would make me miserable and i would never be able to keep it up.

its kind of weird that despite being fat most of my life, and wanting to be thin, ive just been so used to being this size, that the turning point for me was the acceptance of this size by other people [read boys] because i have never known myself as thin and so im completely comfortable this size. which is probably why im not very motivated to lose it!

i have to lose weight because there is a history of diabetes and hearth trouble in my family, also i have PCOS and my hormones are a MESS. however PCOS is partly responsible for the extreme difficulty involved in losing weight so it has been easier since i started treatment.

kudos for talking about this!

Hi all,I started a continuation post above, where ...

2007-05-31T09:26:00.000-04:00

Hi all,
I started a continuation post above, where I'll respond to comments I didn't get to last night and where I hope you might keep the discussion going!

I've just stumbled upon your blog, but I still wis...

2007-05-31T02:16:00.000-04:00

I've just stumbled upon your blog, but I still wish to answer that one, so here goes:

Do you look down on fat people?
No, I just look down on people who moan and whine and complain yet don't lift a finger to make things change. But then, I do that with people in plenty of other areas of life, so it's just in my personality.

Do you think they could all lose weight if they just tried hard enough?
Depends, but generally, I try to not assume when I don't know the person and her circumstances. You never know if the person is insulin resistant, is on medication that make her gain weight, etc. So technically, yes, with enough effort, they could lose weight; in the facts, our bodies are all very different and don't react the same way to the same things. You can never tell.

Do you think they're discriminated against?
Yes. There is that stigma of laziness, not taking care of oneself, being a slob... that is so attached to fat people in general. Which often is totally wrong, since it's by taking care of others and overworking (=not being lazy at all) that those same people gain on weight, because they don't have any more time left for them...

And now for the 'fat' questions, because I'm still overweight, after all.

How do you think you got that way--was it because of your lifestyle, your genes, or both?
Genetics didn't deal me the best hand in that regard, but I mainly blame lifestyle. We had little money when I was a child, so I learned very unhealthy habits such as eating two bowls of cereals, or hot chocolate and bread with Nutella, for dinner... and of course, no fresh meat/fish/veggies every day, since pasta cost way less. It's only these past two years (I'm turning 28 this summer!) that I've been able to self-shape myself into a person more interested by vegetables than by cheeseburgers, and this is an every day battle to prevent the bad habits from coming back. Although I do it more for health reasons (wanting to pass a national competitive exam that is very hard --> I need ALL the brains and energy possible!) than weight loss in itself. Anyway, yes, I blame unhealthy habits learnt early in life more than genetics.

Are you making healthy choices now?
I do my best, yes. I try to always favour vegetables, lean meats/fish and good cereals (quinoa, oatmeal...), rather than grab the cookies or white-bread sandwiches. In theory, I know what I should eat, and I try to exert portion control as well, to make sure I don't overeat (eating in small Asian bowls and salad plates, for instance).

If so, is that good enough, or do you feel pressure to lose weight as well?
That's enough for me now. I'm a student on a tight budget, so I very well know I CAN'T do things 'the perfect way' regarding food, nor exercise 3 hours a day. I have to do with campus food now and then as well. I manage to lose weight, even if slowly, on such a diet, but even if the pounds stopped to melt off, I'd still go on.

If you're not making healthy choices, what's getting in your way? What would make it easier?
When this happens: more money! Definitely a money issue. I do my best, but the end of the month is always a hard time, and it's not evident to have healthy proteins and carbs and good fats and basically everything needed when on a tight budget (ramen is cheaper). :/

And sorry for the novel. ;)

Oh wow.This is just amazing, and I don't want to r...

2007-05-31T00:59:00.000-04:00

Oh wow.

This is just amazing, and I don't want to rush through all your comments, which are so incredible and moving and informative, as it is bedtime and there is some medical stuff to attend to for Significant Other's Mother that may take me away for part of tommorrow.

I've read all your comments so far and want to respond to all of them and continue this discussion--either in this post or in a new one tomorrow.

Feel free to keep adding comments here tonight or in the next post tomorrow, even though it may take me a while to get to them individually. Those of you who are sharing are really helping me learn so much. (And I suspect it's the same for the many other readers who are out there and following this discussion but who don't tend to comment themselves).

Thanks, all! Please bear with me, because I'd love to keep this going tomorrow. (And feel free to keep commenting on each others' comments, since your Slacker moderator is sleeping on the job tonight and you folks do it better than I do anyway!).

'I just know that some people who do have healthy ...

2007-05-30T23:28:00.000-04:00

'I just know that some people who do have healthy habits and are not addicted really do struggle with unfortunate metabolisms, and don't know how to tell the addicted from the unlucky'

Crabby- I totally agree. I've seen both types in my family. I have to admit, when I see someone who is REALLY overweight my gut reaction is sadness. Regardless of how they got there, I just assume that they would rather not be there. And for whatever reason: haywire genetic problem, abuse, self-destruction, etc. or any of the other hundreds of reasons for the weight...They aren't able to live life the way they'd choose if they were even a little bit smaller.

The most overweight I have been is about 30 lbs. up from my "norm," Losing those measly 30 has had a such postive effect on all areas of my life.
Hence, the sadness.

Granted, I could be totally off the mark with some people, and maybe that's too judgemental of a view. (I rarely think this way, however, when I see someone who is overweight but seems very comfortable in their skin, in fact, I don't think I even notice the extra weight.)

Thanks for posting this. I've been stewing on it all day!