Fat people in denial

zakur

Illuminator
Z
Joined
Aug 3, 2001
Messages
3,264
Story
Many Americans are in denial about their weight problems, according to an Associated Press poll, although more than half say they have been on diets at some point.

[...]

The AP poll found that six in 10 who qualify as overweight under government standards say they are at a healthy weight. Only a quarter of those who are obese consider themselves very overweight, according to the poll, which was conducted for The AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs.
Click to expand...
I work with such a person. She is obese - must be over 250 lbs - but insists that most of her bulk is "muscle." I 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.
 
zakur said:
Story I work with such a person. She is obese - must be over 250 lbs - but insists that most of her bulk is "muscle." I 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.
Click to expand...

"I'm not fat, I'm just big-boned!" - Eric Cartman
 
What's your point, Zakur?

I think that people see themselves as they want to see themselves, no matter what critical analysis indicates, and that goes for the obese as much as the anorexic.

So, your co-worker thinks she's hotter than she really is? I'd say that's her hangup.

Heh, at least I know I look like this

http://wrestle.ru/photo/other-2/pages/43.shtml

when I'd rather look like this

http://www.frankzane.com/images/frank1978.jpg

Reality can be a beeyatch. Most people need a crutch of some sort.

(Edited to add) The first picture is Tank Abbot, the second is Frank Zane.
 
Badger said:
What's your point, Zakur?

I think that people see themselves as they want to see themselves, no matter what critical analysis indicates, and that goes for the obese as much as the anorexic.

So, your co-worker thinks she's hotter than she really is? I'd say that's her hangup.

Heh, at least I know I look like this

http://wrestle.ru/photo/other-2/pages/43.shtml

when I'd rather look like this

http://www.frankzane.com/images/frank1978.jpg

Reality can be a beeyatch. Most people need a crutch of some sort.

(Edited to add) The first picture is Tank Abbot, the second is Frank Zane.
Click to expand...

uhhhh.... do you really look like Tank?
 
Badger said:
What's your point, Zakur?
Click to expand...
Well, for one thing it is dangerous. As far as my coworker is concerned, I couldn't care less. But my mom is 40 lbs overweight, has high blood pressure, and is borderline diabetic. She doesn't think she is that overweight, and uses the old "I'm just big boned" canard. Her misconceptions will likely lead to a shorter life, and I want my kids to have as much time as possible with their grandmother.

And for another thing, it's expensive. People who don't realize they are overweight or obese don't do anything about it. Society ends up bearing the cost of obesity in the long run.

I was an obese child, but was never described as such. My mother always just said I was "husky" or "big boned." In high school, when I joined the wrestling team I had my % body fat determined at the local medical school (via hydrodensitometry weighing). I was 35% body fat - clinically obese. Having a clinician tell me to my face that I was obese expelled all my misconceptions about being merely "husky" or "big-boned." I dropped 30 lbs that first season, and vowed that I would never be fat again. I'm healthier and happier because of it.
 
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:jaw:), 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

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
 
tamiO said:


*ahem*...uhhh.....wow...

:::::::alt tabs as Mr. O walks past my computer :::::
Click to expand...

Yes. I'm sorry you had to see that.



Zakur said:


Well, for one thing it is dangerous. As far as my coworker is concerned, I couldn't care less. But my mom is 40 lbs overweight, has high blood pressure, and is borderline diabetic. She doesn't think she is that overweight, and uses the old "I'm just big boned" canard. Her misconceptions will likely lead to a shorter life, and I want my kids to have as much time as possible with their grandmother.

And for another thing, it's expensive. People who don't realize they are overweight or obese don't do anything about it. Society ends up bearing the cost of obesity in the long run.

I was an obese child, but was never described as such. My mother always just said I was "husky" or "big boned." In high school, when I joined the wrestling team I had my % body fat determined at the local medical school (via hydrodensitometry weighing). I was 35% body fat - clinically obese. Having a clinician tell me to my face that I was obese expelled all my misconceptions about being merely "husky" or "big-boned." I dropped 30 lbs that first season, and vowed that I would never be fat again. I'm healthier and happier because of it.
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying.

However, it's more than just being fat. There are other things involved. People are obese for many reasons. Some don't see themselves as fat, some hide behind their fat, some protect themselves from the world with fat, some try to fill an inner void with food, which turns into fat......

In our society, it's easy to be fat, for any number of reasons, most of which are psychological. (oh, and the ole, "I eat more calories than I burn" thing too, naturally) The underlying issue needs to be addressed in order for the individual to effect change on themselves.
 
Badger said:

In our society, it's easy to be fat, for any number of reasons, most of which are psychological. (oh, and the ole, "I eat more calories than I burn" thing too, naturally) The underlying issue needs to be addressed in order for the individual to effect change on themselves.
Click to expand...

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.

For chrissake, it's gotten so bad that every time a term becomes well known to accurately represent the status of an individual, the language is modified as if it actually changes their condition. For example: crippled->handicapped->"challenged".

Now they're trying to redesignate "morbidly obese" to something along the lines of "obesity level 2".

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



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

It does something for me psychologically to consider myself challenged instead of crippled.
 
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?
 
Phrost said:


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.

snip
Click to expand...

I disagree.

We never evolved in the environment of readily available calories, with reduced need for physical activity.

There are a couple of societal developments that have been mentioned as contributing to obesity in western society.

The main one is centralization of services. You now take your car to the grocery store/bank/mall instead of walking to what used to be the corner store. This has generated all the drive through services available now, and corresponding reduced calorie expenditure.

Couple that with the increase in availability, cheapness, and calorie content of fast foods, and prepared foods, and you have large people everywhere.

In order to buck this trend, one must take it upon oneself to run counter to these changes.
 
Badger said:


I disagree.

We never evolved in the environment of readily available calories, with reduced need for physical activity.

There are a couple of societal developments that have been mentioned as contributing to obesity in western society.

The main one is centralization of services. You now take your car to the grocery store/bank/mall instead of walking to what used to be the corner store. This has generated all the drive through services available now, and corresponding reduced calorie expenditure.

Couple that with the increase in availability, cheapness, and calorie content of fast foods, and prepared foods, and you have large people everywhere.

In order to buck this trend, one must take it upon oneself to run counter to these changes.
Click to expand...

The first step in fixing a problem is identifying it. If obese people are mislead by society that their condition is acceptablee, then how is anything going to change for them?

Individual responsibility for their own choices is what will fix the problem. Providing people with excuses as to why they're not responsible for their actions just enables them to continue to make poor decisions.
 
Phrost said:


The first step in fixing a problem is identifying it. If obese people are mislead by society that their condition is acceptablee, then how is anything going to change for them?

Individual responsibility for their own choices is what will fix the problem. Providing people with excuses as to why they're not responsible for their actions just enables them to continue to make poor decisions.
Click to expand...

I think your premise here is mistaken.

The prevalent attitude in western society is that thin is desirable. The media is flooded with examples of this. Look at the folk in movies, on TV, in magazines, and I'm talking both male and female.

As I said earlier in the thread:

"However, it's more than just being fat. There are other things involved. People are obese for many reasons. Some don't see themselves as fat, some hide behind their fat, some protect themselves from the world with fat, some try to fill an inner void with food, which turns into fat......"

The same could apply to anorexics, drug abusers, alcoholics, workaholics, etc. The outward sign indicates a deeper problem.
 
Badger said:


I think your premise here is mistaken.

The prevalent attitude in western society is that thin is desirable. The media is flooded with examples of this. Look at the folk in movies, on TV, in magazines, and I'm talking both male and female.

As I said earlier in the thread:

"However, it's more than just being fat. There are other things involved. People are obese for many reasons. Some don't see themselves as fat, some hide behind their fat, some protect themselves from the world with fat, some try to fill an inner void with food, which turns into fat......"

The same could apply to anorexics, drug abusers, alcoholics, workaholics, etc. The outward sign indicates a deeper problem.
Click to expand...

The pendulum swings both ways, obviously, as is the case in which the obese person feels she is 'mostly muscle'.

Should those of us who are healthy be forced to change for the sake of those who can't make good decisions? At what point do we stop being concerned about the needs of the few at the expense of the freedoms of the many?

It's irrational to think you can save everyone from themselves.
 
Phrost said:


The pendulum swings both ways, obviously, as is the case in which the obese person feels she is 'mostly muscle'.

Should those of us who are healthy be forced to change for the sake of those who can't make good decisions? At what point do we stop being concerned about the needs of the few at the expense of the freedoms of the many?

It's irrational to think you can save everyone from themselves.
Click to expand...

Is someone forcing you to be unhealthy in some way?

I think we, as a society, stop being concerned about the needs of the few when the expense to the many becomes unacceptable to the many.

Yes, it's irrational to think a person can save everyone from themselves.

I see you teach martial arts. And you do that one student at a time, one class at a time, right? It is my opinion that a person doesn't have to try to change the world. They should just try to change their little part of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom