If ingesting more calories than you burn makes you fat, then why are there still so many thin people? Because dare I say that the majority of westerners are ingesting at least twice, maybe 3 times, more calories than they need. Why don’t they get fat too?

Not scapegoating my fatness, but seriously, the concept is good, but the science isn’t one size fits all.

Oh and the whole airplane debacle? I’m sick of sitting next to guys who feel they have to s p r e a d their legs w i d e to accommodate their imaginary enormaous balls and schlong. Seriously–you can sit with your legs normally…..you don’t have to mime giving birth or getting a PAP smear.
Or how about the screaming kids with parents who repeat ad nauseum “Stop. Stop it. I said stop. Don’t do that. Stop. I’m going to count to 3…1..2..3. Stop. I said stop…………” That’s annoying too, but you can’t do anything about that either.

Or the people who refuse to bath.
Or refuse to NOT marinate themselves in pefume/cologne/aftershave
Or who can’t take polite social cues and talk incessantly about their bowel movements.
Or who hack and cough and sneeze and don’t have the decency to cover their mouth or apologise afterward.
Or………

well hell, I could go on all night.

That aside, I think we need to just stop focusing on the flab. WHO CARES if someone has lots of flab, a little flab or no flab. The most important, the only important thing is why they are flabby. We need to focus, as a society, on getting people to eat better, to be healthy and active and happy. IT IS TRUE that there are rockingly healthy, vegan triathletes who are also uber flabby. Who cares? They are healthy, so stop focusing on the flab. At the same time, there are junk food eating couch potatoes who look like Beyonce, but we just ignore their potential health problems because they visually appeal to us.

I’m so tired of fat being the issue. I think flab is very often an indicator of a poor lifestyle, but sometimes its not. We do know that being fat is MOSTLY caused by too many calories in, not enough out, but we need to focus on the poor lifestyle (also shared by loads of thin people) rather than the flab. I’m tired of fat people constantly playing the defensive victim hated by society. I’m tired of fat people attacking thin people and constnatly claiming that they are fat through no fault of their own (if you’re so happy being fat, stop complaining). I’m equally tired of thin people hating fat people on principle and parading around on self righteous platforms that ‘they do exercise’ and assuming that just because they can eat a gallon an icecream a day and not gain a pound, everybody else is the same.

AGH! Basically, I just want everybody to stop being so flab obsessed, positively or negatively. And to just be accepting of all body types (but not hide under the monikers that big is beautiful). And instead of targeting fat itself as the health problem, and the ‘epidemic’ focusing on the food and lifestyles that cause the fat. And then accept that HOLY SHIT most people are naturally flabbier than hollywood, and thats not unhealthy. And world peace. :D

I also think that obese persons who can’t seem to keep themselves away from unhealthy eating choices should be treated as addicts much like those with drug addictions and gambling addictions etc… These types of overweight people need rehabilitation to find out what the root of their problem is and seek appropriate treatment.

As for those who need to explain to others that they comfort themselves with food or that traumatic experiences lead them to eat, etc… They should seek professional counseling and be treated as those with psychological issues. The extremely morbidly obese definitely fall into this catagory because they are slowly committimg suicide.

As far as “hating” on those who do practice personal responsibility and self dicipline because they comment on their irritation with fat people; this only hurts the overweight population because such offense and aggression/depression simply reinforces the idea that overweight people generally have a bad attitude in some area of their lives, thus needing therapy to improve their behaviors. Jobs are not offered to overweight people sometimes not because of the weight but by the attitude and how they would apply such bad attitude towards their job.

I love my role in taking on personal responsibility and self discipline. I started treating my asthma in a way that allowed me to do areobic exercises and by taking the time and care to prepare healthy food to nourish my body and keep it strong,I not only improved my looks (skin health, muscle tone and beautiful hair and nails) but it made me feel so good to be strong enough to take control of my future. The comments of naturally thin people did not bother me because I view them as people whose opinion does not matter. They are bullies for some other dark reason themselves. PITY THEM; NOT YOURSELVES.

As far as the whole “let’s hate the thin people because we were not born with the same genes” it is getting pretty hard to take fat people seriously because they really need to start to accept that they simply cannot indulge in fatty/sugarly foods like thin people can. That kind of acceptance can start the journey to self discovery and then self control. Much like those with amputations or with debilitating illnesses, they need to find a way to thrive without that part of their lives that they want back, or else they will stop functioning all together. It is like a grief process.

Those with true metabolic disorders (they DO exist) should seek treatment for the cause of their weight gain. Some people cannot help it that they put on weight so easily. Those without health insurance could seek the services of reduced cost health clinics or health fairs to learn about how to help themselves. Exercise is great and supplements like iodine can help out a sluggish thyroid (Not a doctor-please consult health pro) A slow start to exercise is a start-period. A diet modification can help too.

It is true that athletes use physical therapy to correct body injuries, but how much insulin is made to treat those with diabetes they created for themselves? It should be seen much like lung cancer caused by smoking. The health hazard info for both is out there. Those with serious addiction problems with one or the other should seek treatment, for their health problems are the result of a lack of effort to treat the addiction.

I myself feel irritated with overweight persons who use stupid immature comments about “fatties” as an excuse to quit the battle of the bulge so easily. I am more angry with their “I quit” attitude because it simply places them in some kind of limbo where they feel entitled to better treatment and special treatment or “sympathy” because they CHOOSE to stay overweight. That kind of attitude is in a large way pity seeking and a form of emotional panhandling.

MY support is with those overweight people who will not quit and whose attitude shines with optimism and a desire to become healthy people-inside and out. YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!!! As for those with bad attitudes that keep them fat- get over yourselves! Quit being so self absorbed!! Obesity is extremely selfish. Quit the pity parties!! AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: get help anyway you can to help yourself. Those who are HAPPY to be big and beautiful- please do not project so much hate and be truely beautiful. You can be!! Many already are such lovely people to know.

What you are doing right now is the same as you say healthy people do. Playing the “I’m fat and hated by society” card.

(And yes, there are medications,ie steroids, that make it virtually impossible to use but most obese people are NOT on steroids.)

And yes, there are studies. You can google as well as Jenny or I can.

Most of the studies state that success comes from realizing it aint a short term “diet” but a long term life change.

I can never go back to eating half a gallon of ice cream at a time. But half a cup YES!

Or an entire head of cauliflower covered in nachocheese! But a serving size sprinkled with parmesan? OH YEAH!

You have to want it enough to go through the struggle of LONG TERM adapting your habits and body size. The stomach DOES SHRINK!

Moderation in ALL things!

My doctor told me last year “Anne – you are FAT”.

And I asked him for what would work the the best and fastest. And he said, “MOST fat/obese people are not that way genetically or from illness. It’s simple – calories in, calories out” and he gave me 3 choices:

1. Excercise extensively and I can eat whatever I want
2. Dont excercise, but reduce calories dramatically
3. Excercise, and reduce portions

But he said you have to WANT it and commit to it long term!!”

And guess what- I am on pound loss 27 after 15 motnhs and now it is LIFESTYLE!

I have read memoir after memoir after memoir by obese women who finally lost 100′s of pounds and with the exception of one, it their choices and emotional issues that led to their situation. And most ate in secret, alone and never confessed that to ANYONE even their doctor until they FINALLY were ready to modifu\y up their drug of choice – FOOD.

no one said it wasn’t hard.

but get real.

For real.

It’s simple, and the clinically obese are apparently upset at their life choices. (if they aren’t inflicted by some sort of illness). Obviously by this vigorous display of self justification we see up here. It is an epedemic, we are on our way to WALL-E. And for real.