Is Being Fat a Lifestyle Choice?

[The Big PINK One♥]

I just stumbled across this book after watching an episode of "True Life: Im Happy to be Fat" on MTV last night and pose the question to you, do you think that being obese these days, is more of a new lifestyle trend versus being thin?

"The issue is not that Americans don't care about their increasing waistlines — quite the opposite, in fact. But the reality is that in America's (and increasingly the world's) obesity-inducing environment, the sustained changes in behavior required to lose the weight and keep it off are simply too difficult — and becoming more difficult all the time. Moreover, generous insurance coverage and vastly improved medical treatments have lowered the health costs, if not the monetary costs, of excess weight. So carrying a few extra pounds is not as bad for one's health as it used to be."

{Source: Amazon}

Now back to that episode of True Life I was watching last night. There was one girl names Sharonda and she lived in Alabama and gained weight after a failed engagement. The twist with her story is that she feels as though she wasn't as confident and loved when she was thinner. She feels that its so much better now that she's fat. However, she does come into conflict with her friends opinions of her weight and simple things such as finding clothes. But even with these things in her way she still refuses to think that being obese isn't a health risk but moreso a moral boost for her and because she feels better fat & doesn't feel that being fat will harm her, she's going to continue to GAIN MORE WEIGHT even amidst the warnings of her doctor (Her blood pressure was a bit high) and friends!

I ask you, what are your views on social acceptance of weight gain after it being something once looked down upon?

[writergirl]

I saw that True Life.

Now i'm all for accepting yourself and loving yourself. That's great. But when you aren't healthy you need to change your lifestyle. She was not healthy, and she was in denial about it. She needed to realize that her new found confidence could be transcended to her at a smaller weight to. Once you accpet who you are and how you look others will accept you to.

As for social acceptance. I don't think we should accept a unhealthy lifestyle, which is generally the lifestyle that overweight people possess. But we of course should not be mean to them, but i don't think catering to that lifestyle is a good thing.

Although i think it would be great if our society's view of "perfect" wasn't a size 0. Realistic, but healthy should be our goal. Most women are not a size 0, and won't ever be a size 0. But being a size 24 isnt' good either. I think a healthy medium. Whatever wieght you are healthy and comfortable at should be good.

[The Big PINK One♥]

She did! And when her friend would tell her... "This is not good Sharonda, you're going to die?" or when they were discussing her doctors visit results her friend asked her would she lose the weight if she knew that her life was in danger, and she said it would be something to think about. Her friend received a round of applause from when she said "You mean to tell me that your life is something to think about?" that was so profound. Like I dont think that she understood how SERIOUS it really is. She's so oblivious, I think, to the facts. She feed off of imagery that "FAT is FABULOUS" when she's not really seeing that these people who are "over weight" are actually doing what they have to do to stay healthy and stay they're weight. (So they're overweight and healthy... )

But I also agree that if you love who are, they by all means be who you are. If you like it I love it. But be the healthiest you can be.

[writergirl]

You can be reasonably healthy overweight but at some point or another it will catch up with you. Your body was designed to only carry a certain amount of weight, when you exceed your "maximum load" then you are creating an enviornment for a myriad of health problems. She was at risk for diabetes, heart problems, joint problems, and many more i'm sure. She was no "meant" to be overweight and unhealthy like she declares she is. She may not want to be a size 0, but she should be a healthy size which she was not.

Now with that being said, everyone's body is different. Me and my best friend are about the same height, yet she outweighs me by about 50 pounds. She's always had the curves i can only dream about So she will never be as small as me and that's fine for her, she's just naturally bigger. So we can never say that a good size is this size or that size. Because it's different for everyone.

[broken]

Well this a good place for my first post so here goes

First I am overweight by about 75 or 80lbs I don't choose and have never chosen to be overweight, I just am and have been most of my life. I have dieted with no change. I know the risk of being overweight and have regular check ups for blood presser and my over all health and my Doctor says I am very healthy.

My weight has never effected my life in the way I have heard other overweight woman say it has effected theirs with the "I can't do this or that", I do gymnastics with my children I run and play with them, and between us my husband and I have an active and satisfying "personal" life.

As for social acceptance. I don't think we should accept a unhealthy lifestyle, which is generally the lifestyle that overweight people possess. But we of course should not be mean to them, but i don't think catering to that lifestyle is a good thing.

The fact that you automatically think all overweight people are unhealthy is quiet upsetting, the most unhealthy thing with woman and weight issues is dieting.

Here are several links about dieting and your health

healthresources.caremark.com/topic/yoyodieting

www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=21745

www.epigee.org/fitness/crash_diets.html

I don't think anybody would choose to be what the popular opinion calls overweight, however more and more people are accepting the fact that they are happy with the person they are and the body they have.

Note: I am not saying that being fat is a healthy lifestyle, I am saying be happy in the skin your in and live your life to the fullest but do it in a healthy way, have regular check ups and eat right and be happy.

Most of all don't judge a book by it's cover you could be passing up a masterpiece.


~::Broken::~

[LiL ThUg iT JaYe]

HaHa funny, I saw that episode of "True Life". I don't think being obese is a lifestyle trend versus being thin, because vise versa that's another trend. I never thought that someone a little over average size was bad, I thought the complete opposite. I know some people who are big, always have been, and most likely always will be. There are actually bone test that orthopedic doctors can do to determine how big you are supposed to be in life. I've taken it and I know people who have taken it, and to be honest it fairly accurate to me.


People who sit on the couch all day and eat junk, I do think is inappropriate, but people do it reguardless. Some people get depressed go through certain things, and they result to those circumstances. Sometimes people need help, a boost, some type of motivation to help them. Just like Sharonda on True Life, it took her friends bickering to get her to go to a doctor and see the cons medically and the pros as far as how she feels about herself.

I think gaining weight isn't bad, but when your gain an extreme amount or more than you should. Than you cannot be blind you need to open up your eyes and see the risks for what could happen. Also long as people are educated on how much weight gain is okay and how much weight gain is not okay. Then people shouldn't worry about how people look (weight wise). My problem is that everyday I'm hearing that something is bad for you body, soon before you know we won't be eating, touching, or anything. I'm tired of all these scientific test saying not to do this, this, and that. As long as you don't eat too bad, get some sort of excercise, and not worry about weight your good
to go.

I do believe that as long as you are happy with who you are, than what people have to say doesn't really even matter. People also make their own lifestyle choices, they choose what they eat and what they do not eat. Some people don't know what things harm them, some do, and some get in denial.

Getting back onto this true life subject. When Sharonda's friend said, "Your life is something to think about" I instantly knew that, Sharonda was hiding alot of emotions and insecurities behind her supposed confidence. I knew at the moment she wasn't as happy as what she was trying to claim herself to be. Some people also don't care if they are living or not living some people are content with whatever happens to them.

[The Big PINK One♥]

babiij said:

HaHa funny, I saw that episode of "True Life". I don't think being obese is a lifestyle trend versus being thin, because vise versa that's another trend. I never thought that someone a little over average size was bad, I thought the complete opposite. I know some people who are big, always have been, and most likely always will be. There are actually bone test that orthopedic doctors can do to determine how big you are supposed to be in life. I've taken it and I know people who have taken it, and to be honest it fairly accurate to me.


People who sit on the couch all day and eat junk, I do think is inappropriate, but people do it reguardless. Some people get depressed go through certain things, and they result to those circumstances. Sometimes people need help, a boost, some type of motivation to help them. Just like Sharonda on True Life, it took her friends bickering to get her to go to a doctor and see the cons medically and the pros as far as how she feels about herself.

I think gaining weight isn't bad, but when your gain an extreme amount or more than you should. Than you cannot be blind you need to open up your eyes and see the risks for what could happen. Also long as people are educated on how much weight gain is okay and how much weight gain is not okay. Then people shouldn't worry about how people look (weight wise). My problem is that everyday I'm hearing that something is bad for you body, soon before you know we won't be eating, touching, or anything. I'm tired of all these scientific test saying not to do this, this, and that. As long as you don't eat too bad, get some sort of excercise, and not worry about weight your good
to go.

I do believe that as long as you are happy with who you are, than what people have to say doesn't really even matter. People also make their own lifestyle choices, they choose what they eat and what they do not eat. Some people don't know what things harm them, some do, and some get in denial.

Getting back onto this true life subject. When Sharonda's friend said, "Your life is something to think about" I instantly knew that, Sharonda was hiding alot of emotions and insecurities behind her supposed confidence. I knew at the moment she wasn't as happy as what she was trying to claim herself to be. Some people also don't care if they are living or not living some people are content with whatever happens to them.

That is so true. Everyday when I turn to the 5 or 6 O'Clock news, theres "NEW FACTS" of something not being good & something being good to treat something. Now these aren't discoveries that are definate, but when you publicize them on the news & say "Milk can be bad for people with breast cancer" or something it automatically says to the public "DO NOT DRINK MILK IF YOU HAVE BREAST CANCER" its not saying that what it should & that's, certain tests done by UCLA show that the subjects who drank milk If you have Breast Cancer the cultures in milk can slow down the process of any therapy taken by those suffering the disease. (this is not a fact by the way, I just used it as an example)

As for her hiding behind that "confident" exterior, I didn't think about that. It makes alot of sense. She could've very well realized "Oh crap, look at all of this weight I put on" and said to herself that she cannot any longer show that she's still hurting from that broken engagement. So she hides behind "I gained the weight for me. Im more confident now. See... Im Happy!!" When in actuality its not the case at all.

[LiL ThUg iT JaYe]

Your right, I hear all kinds of new studies all the time, saying that this was found, that this study was done etc...its getting so ridiculous seriously! I have a Great Grandmother who is 84 years old, who eats sweets and the time and gains no weight and has no help problems takes one medication for back pain from an old surgery she had, but the truth of the matter is she has a balanced healthy diet and yeah she eats sweets but it doesn't over bare the good things she does eat. The doctors always tell her don't eat chocolate, drink sode, eat cookies and cakes, she says okay. Does she stop? Nope she goes right back home and pigs out, goes back to the doctor is in perfect health, but had not been eating like the doctors said to.
My point is that,
-it depends on your weight, body, type of health, passed medical issues
-family history
-etc.
There are many factors that go into why certain people get certain medical conditions and others don't. You can't just point out being overweight for the entire reason, it may be a factor but not the entire reason, in my opinion.
Sometimes I think people need to remember that these students, doctors, and study specialist DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING.

I know so many people who hide their emotions, and show on the surface a happy person, but in the end it's always there. Pain doesn't go away unless you deal with it. I think Sharonda was in a lot of pain, I think she was still hurting and acting out because of everything that happened, she hides her real feelings and pretends to be this happy go lucky person on the surface, but when she's alone and in the presence of her own company, things come out and bare all. True what you said is completely right, yikes!!! Toya your so smart! It's a good thing, you the best, lol...I love having these challenging interesting discussions with you, they are great.

[The Big PINK One♥]

I aim to please. ;D Lol. No but its important. And actually it is very interesting to see everyones point of view on particular situations and how they may handle them if it were them.

[LiL ThUg iT JaYe]

LOL...I think stimulating conversation is good, keeps your mind sharp! LOL...I quote that, but it is very interesting to see everyone's points of views on particular situations, and how they handle them and all, but sometimes it give you ideas, makes you think, etc. Its amazing how we can all agree, and disagree, but in such a good controlled way.
You know with no hard feelings or anything. Ilike the fact that we all respect everyone's opions whether you agree or disagree.