Fat people in denial

[Phrost]

Actually I don't teach. I just train for no holds barred (MMA) competition.

And I see what you're saying now. I'd gotten from your previous posts that we need to collectively address the reasons why crappy food is available to people to make them fat.

I apologize if I misunderstood what you were saying.

 

[Some Friggin Guy]

Back on topic, Zakur has a point about genuinely obese people in denial.

The problem falls into the catagory of the legal definition of obese and overweight.

If you use the BMI index used by the CDC, then Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis are all very much overweight. Tom Cruise and Russel Crowe are considered morbidly obese.

Is iit any wonder why some of the people the CDC considers "obese" beliieve they are at a healthy weight?

 

[aerocontrols]

Is iit any wonder why some of the people the CDC considers "obese" beliieve they are at a healthy weight?

The CDC says I am obese.

I think I could stand to lose a few pounds, I do not consider myself to be,'very overweight'.

MattJ (in denial)

 

[MLynn]

Everyone has a story. My weight had crept up over the past 5 years, so that by last year I was 20lbs overweight. Not much by a lot of standards, but enough for me to look matronly and feel like crap. I finally had to get out of my denial when I saw a photo taken of me next to a showgirl in Vegas - boy talk about A vs. B! Well, I woke up and have lost 17 of the 20. I'm still trying, but the last few pounds are just really hard to deal with. The good news is that I don't look as matronly and I don't look like a sausage.
P.S. I like big, beefy guys.

 

[subgenius]

I weigh more than I ever have in my life ( 6' 175#, but will soon be 54 so that happens)...was always skinny.
I'm shooting for 300#. Always wanted to be huge, "so completely huge". (Not really)
There must be an opposite of anorexia.
When Calista Flockhart wrote to People Magazine after an article about her and anorexia, and said "I don't think I'm too thin" several doctors wrote in to say that quote proved it.
There are tests that show those with eating disorders will pick out very unrealistic visual depictions of their body shape.
We literally see things as we wish to see them.
Like most other things right in front of us, we cannot see ourselves (especially as others see us).

 

[Kerberos]

I weight trained and lead a very physical life as such in my prime so to speak i went in at 16 stone of good muscle but even then in clinical terms i was obese given my height of 5'10"(my ideal weight being 11 and a half stone), since an accident i cannot lead the life i once did as such my weight is plus half a stone (not bad really i still swim) but i eat the right foods and still have semi decent muscle size but for the flak i get off my doctor you'd think i'd spent my life not moving and being fed lard

Ahh yes, denial.

yes there are some real porkers who risk serious problems but on the whole any government figures should be taken with a pinch of salt(healthy low salt and not too much if you please)as i for one know that i make up a percentage of my countries national figures for obesity and i know its not justified

I think the government statistics are fairly reliable. In individual cases body fat percentage is clearly a more reliable indicator of obesity but BMI works fine for statistics. While not everyone with a BMI above 25 is overweight not everyone with one bellow has a healthy weight. I weight 60 kilos and I'm 1.77 meters tall, which places me somewhat bellow normal weight, but if I gained 18 kilos of fat I would still be within the allowed range. I'd clearly be to fat though. You might not be fat despite being in the statistics, but some people are to fat without being in the statistics. It averages out.

 

[Cain]

X wrote:

The underlying issue is that people have been mislead to believe their obesity is acceptable because of a cultural trend that's taken the idea of avoiding offending anyone to a ridiculous level.

Oh, bah. People are self-deluded when it comes to everything from their ability to handle an automobile to intelligence. Nobody *wants* to believe they're repulsively obese (just as, ahem, many of the more vocal participants here insist they're not morons). I'm certain more than a handful of people here who have read the latest popular evolutionary psychology are ready to expound without a moment's notice on the survival and reproductive advantages borne out of an optimistic self-image.

Re: the article on celebrities. I believe that first appeared in _The Wall Street Journal_ and it's been criticized many times over. The problem is that they guessed the height and weight for many of these celebrities. Brad Pitt, for instance, is not 203 pounds (this appeared pre-TROY). I recall that his publicist laughed at the idea, and said he isn't even six feet tall (apparently 5'11"). Representatives for others on the list laughed and made similar comments. C'mon, Bruce Willis as 211 pounds?

Besides, unless your figure shares faint similarities with a Stallone and you're 5'9" and only, say, 200 pounds, then it's a safe bet that you're overweight and the BMI applies.

What was the observation of one comedian? Guys do six sit-ups and they think they're ready to get in a hot-tub with Cindy Crawford.

 

[Badger]

I know I'm fat. I could do with 40-50 lbs less of me hanging around, and I know my muscle mass wouldn't suffer any for that loss.

 

[Doghouse Reilly]

And Schwarzenegger 257 pounds?? Give me a break, they must not have done any research whatsoever....in his prime, Schwarzenegger competed at 235 pounds, after realizing that 250 was carrying far too much fat on his frame and obscuring muscle definition....nowdays he must carry 195-215 tops, considering how much smaller he is than when he was a professional bodybuilder.
And Stallone at 5 foot 9 inches and 228 pounds was indeed obese...anyone see copland? He was fat! And no way is Keanu Reeves 211. He's shorter than Arnold yet heavier? I don't think so.
This isn't intended to derail the thread into a discussion of celebrities, but to further support what was already pointed out, that these celebrity stats appear to be seriously flawed, calling into question their entire contention.
They're trying to call into question the government stats, by using bogus stats themselves?

 

[RandFan]

The underlying issue is that people have been mislead to believe their obesity is acceptable because of a cultural trend that's taken the idea of avoiding offending anyone to a ridiculous level.

Acceptable? Oh, well, let's shame them then. Let them know being fat is simply not acceptable. What the hell are you talking about?

Perhaps I should be shuned untill I drop a couple hundred pounds?

If you're fat, you're fat. If you're crippled, you're crippled. Changing the terminology does not change the condition.

Damn straight! I am fat. I am morbidly obese. I sincerly agree with you as to political correctness.

 

[RandFan]

Back on topic, Zakur has a point about genuinely obese people in denial.

I think you are talking about a coping mechanism. As one increases in girth the number of difficulties and indignities mount. It becomes impossible to deny the reality of the fact that you are fat. The diet industry is a multi billion dollar industry and is a true growth one simply because people can't escape that their pant size get's larger every year. Bones don't grow and contrary to popular belief people are not really that stupid. Yes, we are in denial when our ego or self esteem is on the line at times. But in the end we really do know we are fat.

This thing about denial is truly a non starter. Still, if that is what helps those who are not fat deal with the seemingly irrational abuse of ones body without understanding the scientific truth then that is fine. We can all gather around the fire and tell ghost stories and comfort ourselves without accepting the facts.

Most people who are fat have gone on diets, made changes in lifestyle, changes in heating habbits, seen psychatrists, psychologists, hypnotists, taken drugs, etc and have achieved their goal weight just to gain it all back. More than 95% of all people who are obese and lose any significant amount of weight loss will gain it all back. There is a reason for that number and it is not denial.

RandFan

 

[RSLancastr]

StoryI have no doubt that she is a strong woman - it takes a lot of strength to carry around an ass the size of a car.

Yes, there are a lot of fat people who believe that they are not fat.

And there are a lot of a$$holes who think that their making fun of fat people is cute.

 

[Nasarius]

Re: Re: Fat people in denial

And there are a lot of a$$holes who think that their making fun of fat people is cute.

Seconded. I almost feel guilty...I'm 6'3" and I've never weighed more than about 165 lbs. I can eat really horribly, but I never gain weight. It's great, until I have a heart attack

 

[Phrost]

I just want to clarify my position so that I don't have it mischaractereized by the PClibmongers amongst us.

I am not advocating sidewalk check points for fat people, or grown adults running around pointing and saying "fatty fatty 2x4".

I am, however, lashing out against the concept of hypercourtesy which strives to limit free expression and consequently hinders some from having a 'peer-reviewed' perspective of their lifestyle.

It's like the incident in which obese people protest having to pay for two airplane tickets despite the reality of them taking up two seats. If they are lead to believe there is nothing wrong with their condition, then they will demand rights and privelages associated with it (such as requiring theaters and other such venues to install wider seating and other asinine accomodations).

I am well aware that some people have serious problems with their thyroids that can lead to obesity. I am aware that some are (dare I say) challenged by poor genetics.

But the responsibility falls on the individual, not society. If a person does not take responsibility for their problems, they should not expect society to do so in the form of special medical attention, etc.

Sometimes you get dealt a crappy hand in life. I wish I wasn't 5'10. I'd much rather be 6'3". But I do the best with what I've got and don't expect to be picked first for a basketball team, unless they're looking for someone specifically to rough up another player and foul out.

 

[RandFan]

I just want to clarify my position so that I don't have it mischaractereized by the PClibmongers amongst us.

I am not advocating sidewalk check points for fat people, or grown adults running around pointing and saying "fatty fatty 2x4".

I am, however, lashing out against the concept of hypercourtesy which strives to limit free expression and consequently hinders some from having a 'peer-reviewed' perspective of their lifestyle.

It's like the incident in which obese people protest having to pay for two airplane tickets despite the reality of them taking up two seats. If they are lead to believe there is nothing wrong with their condition, then they will demand rights and privelages associated with it (such as requiring theaters and other such venues to install wider seating and other asinine accomodations).

I am well aware that some people have serious problems with their thyroids that can lead to obesity. I am aware that some are (dare I say) challenged by poor genetics.

But the responsibility falls on the individual, not society. If a person does not take responsibility for their problems, they should not expect society to do so in the form of special medical attention, etc.

Sometimes you get dealt a crappy hand in life. I wish I wasn't 5'10. I'd much rather be 6'3". But I do the best with what I've got and don't expect to be picked first for a basketball team, unless they're looking for someone specifically to rough up another player and foul out.

I can find nothing that I personally disagree with in this post.

 

[tamiO]

Does that change your situation anywhere other than in your mind?

What's the difference between this and believing in a lucky rabbit's foot, or praying to the saints?

Sorry, didn't ever get back to answering this one.

To be honest I don't think in terms of labels like that. I just deal with my condition with the best possible attitude I can muster.

I just like the feeling of the word challenged instead of crippled. Maybe it would have more to do with how I want people to perceive me. I am not in a wheelchair, yet and maybe I won't ever be. I know that a positive attitude and lack of stress are two of my best weapons to avoid going that far downhill.

Looks like I am starting to step into that topic that Mercutio wanted to discuss in the Peter vs. Randi thread. For some reason I am hesitant to make this a new topic. I think it's because it might change people's perception's of me. Let's face it, people feel free to give me sh!t on the JREF because I appear to be so strong. If people knew I was disabled I wouldn't want them to back down because they feel sorry for me.

My apologies for taking this so far off track. You can get back to discussing fat people.

 

[tamiO]

But the responsibility falls on the individual, not society. If a person does not take responsibility for their problems, they should not expect society to do so in the form of special medical attention, etc.

I have a dear friend that has lost 110 pounds so far and has another 130 to go to reach her goal weight of 140. If you do the math, you realise she is a large lady.

She is painfully aware that she is fat. She became motivated when her diablity went through and it wasn't for her arthritis, scoliosis or fibromyalgia. It was for Morbid Obesity. Those two words literally scared her into changing her eating habits.

I don't think you can understand the deep emotional pain of being a fat woman in a world full of tummy shirts and hip huggers. I am 170 pounds and 5'7". I gained my weight when I became physically challenged. I have lost 40 pounds from my record high and let me tell you I have shed many tears over being so fat and ugly.

I am an artist so I appreciate good lines. I used to weigh a consistent 120-130 pounds. I no longer have good lines.

I agree totally about taking responsibility. I have managed to lose my weight by lowering my carb intake. I am not able to exercise very often, but on those good days I do.

I think it's easier for men. I like my men with plenty to hold on to. He should at least be bigger than me for it to feel right. Not huge, but 20 or 30 extra pounds on a muscular man just doesn't seem to look as bad as 20-30 pounds extra on a woman. At least to me and my artistic eye.

 

[Earthborn]

If they are lead to believe there is nothing wrong with their condition, then they will demand rights and privelages associated with it (such as requiring theaters and other such venues to install wider seating and other asinine accomodations).

I really don't see why society should treat morbid obesity any different than other disabilities. Why make people's lives any more difficult than it probably already is?

But the responsibility falls on the individual, not society.

I really don't understand this ideology that makes everyone fully responsible for their entire lives. Aren't we all on this planet to help eachother out a bit?

 

[LucyR]

I really don't see why society should treat morbid obesity any different than other disabilities.

The problem is, I think, that obesity, unlike other disabilities, is often perceived to be something the individual could control if he/she wasn't so "lazy, self-indulgent etc".

 

[Badger]

snip

I think it's easier for men. I like my men with plenty to hold on to. He should at least be bigger than me for it to feel right. Not huge, but 20 or 30 extra pounds on a muscular man just doesn't seem to look as bad as 20-30 pounds extra on a woman. At least to me and my artistic eye.

Nope, it's not easier for men. We just pretend it doesn't matter better.