Your Thoughts on Weight, Health, Fat Acceptance, etc

[Cha]

I believe people should stay in range in their BMI no matter what. Though I know it can be hard to do so for some people. Portion control and exercise is everything though. In fact, I've lost 15-16 pounds this summer from bettering myself even though I wasn't overweight at my starting point buuut I'm gonna touch on that.

Lemme come from a sorta touchy experience that I only just recently opened up about. As a child I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic and nearly 50 pounds overweight, basically obese or at least near it. It was mainly due to my parents divorcing and feeding us horribly. (Though no one was forcing 8 year old me to eat and I'd demand junk food so it's my fault to blame too.) Which turned out for me to develop a few allergies to wheat, dairy, etc from 12 and on that I probably never had as a child or at least this strong now. Your body does awful things to you when your over or underweight.

So I don't fully believe in Fat Acceptance. A better term would be "Curvy" Acceptance and that's for anyone who's within their BMI but on the higher end. Because some people can still be healthy in their range but people still call them out on it. I'm also aware of muscle weighing more than fat which can raise your weight up but that's not what I'm really talking about here. I never really cared about who thought what about what weight, but as I get older and try to further undo the damages of my childhood, from a family of eating disorders and constantly worrying about my weight on the scale (which isn't a good thing) it's all becoming important to me.

Of course it's important to respect people around you no matter what weight they are, that's just being a good person.

tl:dr I was a fat fuck and I encourage people not promote going down similar paths.  Although people should be smart enough that they won't copy what they say or do in the media (I'm not gonna have a heart attack over a chubby cartoon character) it's good to keep in mind America is 2/3rd overweight/obese. 

[Rebel the Wolfgirl]

As someone with a high metabolism and mild cerebral palsy, I don't necessarily...gain weight per se. I need a lot of calories to get through the day, and those calories are burned off by my muscles constantly tightening. As such, my appearance is an almost-emaciated looking body, but I'm still rather healthy (hell, my normal weight is usually around 80-90 pounds, which is healthy for me). Nonetheless, I still try to eat healthy, high-calorie foods since my family has a history of diabetes. My mom and brother are currently doing Atkins, and the results are awesome so far.

[Sweat]

I feel like any push to lose weight for people who aren't exactly healthy has to be encouragement rather than shaming which unfortunately seems to be the path a lot of assholes take. It's so much worse when said assholes actually have the nerve to call fat people "whales" or some shit like that and expect them to get better which uhhh usually it doesn't.

That's all I have to say about it really, I'm not one to really try and push someone to better themselves because it would make me a massive hypocrite and a lot of the time it's none of my damn business what other people do with themselves. If someone who's fat is content with it, then I couldn't care less about them being fat, especially if they're, y'know, human beings who have other traits like um maybe they're funny or just generally enjoyable to be around??

[sbl]

I hate when people call fat people names and other rude things because it's not encouragement for them to lose weight. If you tell someone "hey lose weight fatty fat fat pig", that's not helping them or giving them confidence to lose weight. But if you say "Hey, I think you should start losing weight so you can finally fit into size M!", I believe that's encouraging. I'm kinda out of shape, although I'm still developing so everything could change and I could have another growth spurt and all of the extra weight that I've gained could get evened out.

[Guest hilaryfan80]

I have a pretty unpopular opinion about weight and I refuse to sugarcoat the issue. There's a reason why people fatshame... I feel like fatshaming goes back to the days when communities were villages and people cared for one another. Back then, people shamed others into complying with the norms, and that did include being healthy. Societal pressures works, so that's why fatshaming is a thing. I don't see how anyone can get fat without feeling bad about it. While fatshaming is a bit rude these days, everyone knows it's the truth (I'm not justifying being rude, by the way), and it's almost as if being truthful about someone being fat is an automatic excuse for that person to pull the victim card on you instead of addressing the issue at hand. "How dare you call me fat!!! It's not my fault!!!" Well, actually, it is, whether you like that or not. Why people don't see it as a legitimate issue is beyond me, and "fatshaming" seems to be just one big excuse to pull the victim card rather than actually solving the problem.

I'm also so tired of people claiming "thyroid issues" or "genetics" as their reason for their weight gain when it's purely just an unhealthy diet. Thyroid issues, a good majority of the time, are a result of being overweight, not the other way around. In other words, you get a thyroid issue just for being overweight and it makes it harder to lose weight as a result, but this wouldn't have happened had you not gotten overweight in the first place. People just assume that a diagnosis for thyroid issues means that you've always had it and "Aha! This explains why I'm fat!" Nope. Sorry, that's not how that works. Only a very small percentage of people are born with thyroid issues, but you would have known about it since birth because you would have had other complications as well (I'm shutting this down before someone says "I'm in the small percentage!!! I'm a special snowflake!!!!!"). In other words, there's no possible way that you can suddenly have thyroid issues without obesity. While I do have sympathy to those who have gotten thyroid issues as a result of being obese and feel bad because it makes losing weight harder, I do not extend my sympathy for its cause because I know everyone in the world warned that person before those issues began.

What kills me the most is when people claim that their doctors fatshame them. I feel like it's their job to fatshame their patients into living healthier lives. With internet movements happening everywhere that encourage women to accept being big, it seems like the doctor's opinion on weight does not matter anymore ("You're just fatshaming me! I'm perfect just the way I am!!" when the doctor tells them to either lose weight or die early in life with thyroid issues). I see this all the time since I live in pretty much the obesity capital of America (Kentucky) and it absolutely kills me in the inside. No, obesity is a terrible thing, and you should have really listened to your doctor.

I would even go as far as to say that obesity should be considered a disease and we should have government programs supporting that. There's so much misinformation everywhere that it's practically impossible to convince someone to lose weight these days. "It's so hard!!!!" Well when everyone comes together to lose weight, it's suddenly not so hard anymore.

[Ron]

^my thoughts

Being fat isn't something somebody should be ridiculed for, but being fat isn't just "part of who I am" as so many people claim – it's something you can change with exercise (which everyone should be doing) and not eating gluttonously.

At the end of the day, however, everyone has the right to make their own decisions and if they choose to live that lifestyle, that's 100% within their rights to do so and nobody else can force them to try to be healthy. 

[Wumbo]

I'm very "live and let live" about this. Idk it's like... this sort of thing can be hard for some people and if you want to lose it fine but if you don't then... okay? Not about to tell you how to live your life and I'm certainly not going to shame you for it, Jesus Christ.

Also BMI is a very rudimentary way of determining health, if you're really looking to get healthier see a doctor.

[Cha]

9 hours ago, Wumbo said:

I'm very "live and let live" about this. Idk it's like... this sort of thing can be hard for some people and if you want to lose it fine but if you don't then... okay? Not about to tell you how to live your life and I'm certainly not going to shame you for it, Jesus Christ.

Also BMI is a very rudimentary way of determining health, if you're really looking to get healthier see a doctor.

Yeah of course the body mass index is only an at-home guideline, it's still very important to go to the doctors as anyone at any weight can still have health issues. 

Maybe I didn't type it enough but people who belittle overweight people by calling them whales, lard or whatever else are totally not helping the cause. They totally make negative of the situation and are harming the individual. I'm not squeaky clean myself but at least my parents were there through my pre-diabetic stages and never had I once had someone call me a name based on my size thankfully or I might have even lower self-confidence.

At the end of the day I am usually just focused on my own health rather than others. Don't reach out a hand to help unless someone is struggling or asking for it specifically. And coming from someone who actually has a family of thyroid issues, I can confirm from my parent as a living example that it only makes you gain like 10-15 pounds at most? Or maybe 20 idk for sure.

[Guest hilaryfan80]

If you don't trust the BMI, you can have a body fat percentage test done for free at most health clinics. If you have more than 10% body fat, then you should be worried.

[kylie]

 

6 hours ago, Mr. Dr. Professor Patrick said:

If you don't trust the BMI, you can have a body fat percentage test done for free at most health clinics. If you have more than 10% body fat, then you should be worried.

Definitely agreed with your initial post but um...what? 10% body fat is fine, but being over it is certainly not unhealthy-- in fact, in most people, it's actually potentially necessary. With the basic idea here being that "essential fat" in your body and diet is a necessity, this study comes to the conclusion that under 8% body fat is potentially unhealthy and that most men need around 8-19% body fat in order to have the essential fats. 

That's not to say that some studies don't differ on the issue, and while being under 8% may not be bad for some body-types, it's still a pretty big blanket statement. This is especially true when you take women's body fat percentages into consideration, who need to be in a range above 10%. In terms of appearance, 10-15% body fat should be the goal for men looking for a more lean appearance, though 10-11% is more accurate for those looking for a six pack. 

One great quote from the above study from Irv Rubenstein makes a strong case for a higher body fat percentage as well, in which he basically states that having a low body fat percentage could actually lead to osteoporosis in men. This would be especially bad for those who are too thin, considering the disease leads to muscle wasting and other problems. 

As for my take on this issue, I think that the 'fat acceptance' movement has a point when it comes to celebrating all natural body-types. However, the line between 'natural' body types and a body that's been ruined by junk food and lack of care is certainly blurred at this point and people need to stop sugar-coating both their statements as well as their words. There is no 'positive' side of obesity, unless you consider heart disease, diabetes, various different types of cancer, and chronic illnesses to be a good thing. 

As for fat-shaming, I can see the good and the bad that have been mentioned but I personally think you should only do it to people who you truly know and care about in an attempt to get them to lose weight and nothing more than that. There's no justification in bullying people based on size, but if you're afraid of losing somebody you love to one of the aforementioned issues, it can be necessary (especially for those who are stubborn.) This study explains it well, particularly here- 

Spoiler

It will be no less necessary to find ways to bring strong social pressure to bear on individuals, going beyond anodyne education and low-key exhortation. It will be imperative, first, to persuade them that they ought to want a good diet and exercise for themselves and for their neighbor and, second, that excessive weight and outright obesity are not socially acceptable any longer.

Something we can all agree on, don't you think? 

[Guest hilaryfan80]

19 hours ago, Kairi❤ said:

Definitely agreed with your initial post but um...what? 10% body fat is fine, but being over it is certainly not unhealthy-- in fact, in most people, it's actually potentially necessary. With the basic idea here being that "essential fat" in your body and diet is a necessity, this study comes to the conclusion that under 8% body fat is potentially unhealthy and that most men need around 8-19% body fat in order to have the essential fats. 

That's not to say that some studies don't differ on the issue, and while being under 8% may not be bad for some body-types, it's still a pretty big blanket statement. This is especially true when you take women's body fat percentages into consideration, who need to be in a range above 10%. In terms of appearance, 10-15% body fat should be the goal for men looking for a more lean appearance, though 10-11% is more accurate for those looking for a six pack. 

One great quote from the above study from Irv Rubenstein makes a strong case for a higher body fat percentage as well, in which he basically states that having a low body fat percentage could actually lead to osteoporosis in men. This would be especially bad for those who are too thin, considering the disease leads to muscle wasting and other problems. 

Your source is outdated by 17 years. Probably should look at the publishing date before posting. My health textbook, published in 2012, actually recommends 6-12% for men, 9-16% for women. That's where I got my number from. Whether or not this is outdated information today, I do not know - I'm not a professional nutritionist that keeps up with this information. 10% seems to be a medium in that range, according to my source.

Then again, this is a science so recommendations change all the time. Up until this year, coconut oil was seen as a very healthy thing for multiple purposes. Now we know different.

 

[Katniss]

On 8/18/2017 at 11:47 AM, Mr. Dr. Professor Patrick said:

There's so much misinformation everywhere that it's practically impossible to convince someone to lose weight these days. "It's so hard!!!!" Well when everyone comes together to lose weight, it's suddenly not so hard anymore.

I don't totally agree with this. Losing weight takes a lot of time, effort, money, confidence, motivation. Maybe it's easy for some people but not for everyone. I'm not saying that's an excuse to be dangerously unhealthy (though I can't force someone to change their lifestyle habits if they don't want to) but people are different.

In my mind, a doctor saying that their patient needs to lose weight isn't fatshaming. Fatshaming to me is making fun of someone for being fat and calling them names. That's not showing concern for people or telling the truth, that's just being mean. 

And I think we also need to remember that the other side of the spectrum (being too skinny) is a problem too. Being skinny doesn't automatically make you healthy. 

[Guest hilaryfan80]

1 minute ago, Katniss said:

I don't totally agree with this. Losing weight takes a lot of time, effort, money, confidence, motivation. Maybe it's easy for some people but not for everyone. I'm not saying that's an excuse to be dangerously unhealthy (though I can't force someone to change their lifestyle habits if they don't want to) but people are different.

In my mind, a doctor saying that their patient needs to lose weight isn't fatshaming. Fatshaming to me is making fun of someone for being fat and calling them names. That's not showing concern for people or telling the truth, that's just being mean. 

And I think we also need to remember that the other side of the spectrum (being too skinny) is a problem too. Being skinny doesn't automatically make you healthy. 

Oh, I didn't mean that it would be easier in that regard. Of course it takes time, effort, money, confidence and motivation. What I meant was that it's easier when you do it with other people. When you do it alone, it seems so hard, but when you do it with others, you have a group to help motivate you to do well. As for money, I really do believe that a government program should exist to help with that.

The problem with the doctor and fatshaming is that some people don't want to be helped. ? I've seen this so many times, I've lost track. When you've given up and convinced yourself that you're fat because of your genetics or some other disorder (e.g. thyroid issues), anything the doctor has to say will come across as rude (fatshaming). There's only a certain point that the doctor can tell a patient to lose weight when the patient isn't willing to do anything about it. There's TV shows that @Kairi❤, @Kiyozu♡, and I have seen together where the person trying to lose weight gives up because he/she gives up on himself/herself. When that happens, there's absolutely nothing you can do about it, and certainly there's hostility that happens when the weight issue is brought up.

I'm glad you mentioned skinny people because I fall under this category! A lot of people are concerned for me because I'm pretty skinny, but honestly I maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly. My doctor says that I'm healthy, so there's nothing to worry about. But you are absolutely right!!! I am healthy because I practice healthy habits, not because I am skinny. That is absolutely an important distinction to make. Many people are skinny and they're not healthy at all, and it's a tragedy because not enough people focus on that issue. In fact, people make fun of skinny celebrities all the time. It's really depressing. ?

[Cha]

"Your source is outdated by 17 years. Probably should look at the publishing date before posting. My health textbook, published in 2012, actually recommends 6-12% for men, 9-16% for women. That's where I got my number from. Whether or not this is outdated information today, I do not know - I'm not a professional nutritionist that keeps up with this information. 10% seems to be a medium in that range, according to my source.

Then again, this is a science so recommendations change all the time. Up until this year, coconut oil was seen as a very healthy thing for multiple purposes. Now we know different."

Women should have at least 18.5 body fat on them, any lower could be dangerous and considered underweight. 18.5-24 is about the measure.

[Guest hilaryfan80]

Just now, Kiyozu♡ said:

Women should have at least 18.5 body fat on them, any lower could be dangerous and considered underweight. 18.5-23.5 is about the measure.

It could be the way it's measured. My textbook numbers use the arm and chest test, so it doesn't consider the bust. I'm sure if you used other methods, 18.5-23.5% is more reasonable since it would include the bust. Maybe that's where the confusion is?

[Cha]

okay me and hilaryfan80 we're realizing we were using different ways to calculate fat on yourself, so it's all good   

[crushingmayhem]

You can like whoever you like. Weight shouldn't matter to anyone who is seeking a relationship or being accepted by others. The ones that think fat people are not to be dealt with are sad individuals who don't appreciate a person by their personality and beliefs. Losing weight is not always the right way to find acceptance, even though weighting less can potentially make you healthier. People's tastes vary, there are some that don't mind your weight when seeking a friend but others do.

You can lose weight by following a daily routine of abstaining from eating and drinking water, you don't have to overwork yourself through sometimes painful exercise. Even if your BMI is slightly above average you can still be healthy, its wrong to say that you have greater health risks by just being slightly above the average ranking. I always think its the genes that make you more and/or less immune to diseases, it varies from person to person.

[Wumbo]

9 hours ago, crushingmayhem said:

You can lose weight by following a daily routine of abstaining from eating and drinking water

no no no no please do not encourage this please you need food and water to live

[Sweat]

1 hour ago, Wumbo said:

no no no no please do not encourage this please you need food and water to live

I get where he's coming from with food since "eat less" is pretty damn good advice (assuming Crushing does mean to eat less rather than to stop eating altogether) but uhhhh yeah abstaining from water is not something you should ever do

[Wumbo]

I just worry because topics like this can be harmful to people with eating disorders and seeing things like "abstain from food and water" is extremely problematic advice. I wouldn't even go "eat less" personally, just eat smarter. Consult a dietician, even.