Why wouldn't someone want to lose weight?!

I know so many over weight people, mostly young, always complaining about not being able to find clothes that fit properly, complain about body pains, not being able to sleep in the same bed as their significant other because of their size etc etc, but yet they aren't doing anything about it? I know some people have medical conditions that can hold them back, but when you're sitting home when you can be going walking or at least slightly making a difference in your diet, you really have nothing to complain about. I'm rambling, but how is one so comfortable with that? I'm not saying everyone needs to be supermodel thin, but change is good...right?
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Change can be good, but it can also be hard. I imagine the majority of people on earth have some sort of gap between their actual state and a better-off state. If it isn't weight, it's something else they haven't figured out how to make happen (yet).

    I take it you've never been overweight?
  • Getting healthy is hard now. Being fat is hard later.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)
  • AylaStryder
    AylaStryder Posts: 24 Member
    change is good generally provided you are in the right mindset for it. If your mind isnt in the right place then its 10x harder to stick to any dietary changes for the longterm and you are more likely to give up if you dont see the change as quick as you would expect, It takes dedication and endurance to change for the better.
  • ElleMarieRose
    ElleMarieRose Posts: 37 Member
    Change is tough, especially if you have a food addiction or some type of eating disorder. And with all the bad information out there, it just becomes tougher.
  • JenniK614
    JenniK614 Posts: 22 Member
    People have to want to change to be willing to put in the time and effort to lose weight. I have been guilty of complaining about my weight, but my head wasn't in the right place at that time to make the change. I think the best thing we can do is be encouraging to others. I know that no amount of pushing or shaming me helped me to get in the right frame of mind to be able to lose. It actually made me want to eat more as a way of coping.
  • theawill519
    theawill519 Posts: 242 Member
    Most people don't lack the desire to lose weight, they lack the will and determination to do so.

    What bearing does it have on you?
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    people complain about a lot of things that they never try to change - relationships, job, where they live, etc. Everyone has a point they need to cross before they step up. It's not your problem.
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)

    I've never checked in with my weight on here, I doubt I'm the only one.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Partial laundry list.........

    Denial, it's not really that bad. So & so is bigger than I am. I'll get to it....eventually.

    Perhaps everyone around them is large. They literally have no clue what being healthy is.

    It's not just medical conditions, it's emotional ones too. There may not be any support at home. One spouse dieting, the other resentful.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Jennloella wrote: »
    people complain about a lot of things that they never try to change - relationships, job, where they live, etc. Everyone has a point they need to cross before they step up. It's not your problem.
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)

    I've never checked in with my weight on here, I doubt I'm the only one.

    OP has checked in with some stats -- her profile says she has 24 pounds she wants to lose.
  • Kimegatron
    Kimegatron Posts: 772 Member
    Because you have to be ready. Sometimes a person can get to a point where they are so large, that they give up wanting to try, or feel so overwhelmed that they feel it is pointless. Or they don't want to go through the effort because they know it will take a long time. Why don't you go take a survey with every obese person that you see around you, and ask them. Let me know how that works out.
  • Sarajvz
    Sarajvz Posts: 30 Member
    Because a lot of people just don't care and it's a non-issue for them. I was thin until after my third pregnancy, gained a lot of weight in my early 3os, and at that point I honestly didn't care. It was a non-issue for me until I found out I was a pre-diabetic by chance. If that hadn't happened I wouldn't have lost the weight.

    And now being on the other side of it, having gone through the weight loss phase and now in maintenance, the world hasn't magically gotten better since I've lost the weight, except I now have better test results. I don't feel any different, people don't treat me any different etc etc. If anything it's annoying now because I have to be mindful of how much I eat, vs before. Realistically, if my weight didn't have such a correlation to my glucose numbers I wouldn't be doing this whole thing, even being where I am now.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited November 2015
    For some its not that they don't want to lose weight. Its either they don't know how, they feel its an overwhelming & complicated process, or they're simply not ready to change the habits that made them overweight. My husband is an example. He's lost (and regained) the weight in the past and right now is just not willing to do what he needs to do to lose weight.

    For me, initially I had no desire to lose weight because I was healthy. I was 5'5.5" and 180-190 pounds (at that point you don't really get on a scale because you don't want to know) but blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. all were good. Eventually I wanted to lose weight because I didn't want to buy plus sized clothing. And later, because getting around as an overweight person was too uncomfortable, too much of an effort. I knew that it was not good to be winded/worn out to walk from the back parking lot to a building. Even once I wanted it, it took me many years of trial & error to eventually 'get it right'.
    sarab920 wrote: »
    I know so many over weight people, mostly young, always complaining about not being able to find clothes that fit properly, complain about body pains, not being able to sleep in the same bed as their significant other because of their size etc etc, but yet they aren't doing anything about it? I know some people have medical conditions that can hold them back, but when you're sitting home when you can be going walking or at least slightly making a difference in your diet, you really have nothing to complain about. I'm rambling, but how is one so comfortable with that? I'm not saying everyone needs to be supermodel thin, but change is good...right?

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    There are probably as many reasons not to lose weight as there are people who aren't losing weight. Mental issues can be crippling. Self-doubt, depression, anxiety, etc. can make it hard to believe that you're worth the effort. Too many people have been brainwashed by the diet industry to believe that weight loss is complicated or requires giving up things they love. Some people think it's all expensive gym memberships and overpriced organic foods. Some people surround themselves with enablers or have a distorted view of their own body or what's normal.

    You may not understand all of the reasons someone has, and they may not understand all of them themselves, but that shouldn't stop you from empathizing and supporting them when they're ready.
  • stephanieluvspb
    stephanieluvspb Posts: 997 Member
    I can't speak for everybody but for some its not "don't want to lose weight" its more "losing weight is hard". Some people drop their calories to an unreasonable rate, stop certain foods, then they wonder why they go on a binge once a week or stop all together because they are miserable. Of course, there are those who like to complain but do nothing to change. I guess there are all kinds.
  • wendymoira
    wendymoira Posts: 40 Member
    Lots of people are healthy and happy at sizes that are considered "overweight" by BMI. Lots of people also like to complain about physical or psychological (or, uh, fashion?) issues that might not be solved by losing weight. Most of the people reading this board have (or have had) good reasons to want to lose weight, but that doesn't mean that losing weight is a cure-all.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    Jennloella wrote: »
    people complain about a lot of things that they never try to change - relationships, job, where they live, etc. Everyone has a point they need to cross before they step up. It's not your problem.
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)

    I've never checked in with my weight on here, I doubt I'm the only one.

    Thank you for responding to that comment. I wanted to, but couldn't word it as nicely as you did.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    Jennloella wrote: »
    people complain about a lot of things that they never try to change - relationships, job, where they live, etc. Everyone has a point they need to cross before they step up. It's not your problem.
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)

    I've never checked in with my weight on here, I doubt I'm the only one.

    OP has checked in with some stats -- her profile says she has 24 pounds she wants to lose.

    OP also just asked a question that she was curious about. No need to turn it back on her. We're here to learn.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    Jennloella wrote: »
    people complain about a lot of things that they never try to change - relationships, job, where they live, etc. Everyone has a point they need to cross before they step up. It's not your problem.
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)

    I've never checked in with my weight on here, I doubt I'm the only one.

    OP has checked in with some stats -- her profile says she has 24 pounds she wants to lose.

    OP also just asked a question that she was curious about. No need to turn it back on her. We're here to learn.

    I don't think it's turning back to consider that if we understand how we fall short of meeting our own goals, we may gain some insight and empathy into how others may be falling short of meeting their own. All of us, including myself, can look at instances in our lives where we haven't accomplished something that we want. This should make us MORE understanding of others, not less.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I guess the best way to look at it would be to think "What do I moan about the most?" Then ask yourself "Why haven't I changed it or done something about it?"

    Self reflection is hard and as humans we suck at it in the main.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Being overweight is, the majority of the time, the symptom, not the cause. Much like drug, alcohol, nicotine addictions, the person has to be ready to address everything that got them to where they are and often that's an awful lot harder and overwhelming than maintaining the status quo.

    We all have our battles.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    Jennloella wrote: »
    people complain about a lot of things that they never try to change - relationships, job, where they live, etc. Everyone has a point they need to cross before they step up. It's not your problem.
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)

    I've never checked in with my weight on here, I doubt I'm the only one.

    OP has checked in with some stats -- her profile says she has 24 pounds she wants to lose.

    OP also just asked a question that she was curious about. No need to turn it back on her. We're here to learn.

    I don't think it's turning back to consider that if we understand how we fall short of meeting our own goals, we may gain some insight and empathy into how others may be falling short of meeting their own. All of us, including myself, can look at instances in our lives where we haven't accomplished something that we want. This should make us MORE understanding of others, not less.

    I completely agree with your viewpoint. I meant that the initial comment that was directed at the OP seemed harsh and unhelpful.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    When people aren't bothered enough to change, they don't change. I was not vocal about being unhappy with my weight but, for a long time, I wasn't happy with it. At that time I had other priorities and losing weight/getting fit was not at the top of that priority list. Eventually things changed and I moved it up.

    There are many things in life that bother me to a certain extent but not all of them make it to the top of that list. There may be some things that never make it there.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    I think a lot of is denial. That was one of my big problems.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    I don't know and honestly I don't even care. That's their business. I just focus on my own personal goals.
  • siluridae
    siluridae Posts: 188 Member
    I like the ones who want to stay fat.
    Makes me look better in comparison. Hey, if the trend towards obesity continues, I might even be considered attractive one day, belonging to the meager rest of people who are not overweight. :D
  • ZeXea
    ZeXea Posts: 168 Member
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)

    where were they complaining and doing nothing?
    If you're not going to help no need to be rude :(
  • sarab920
    sarab920 Posts: 68 Member
    Serah87 wrote: »
    ....and yet your 25 years old and now just getting on here and have lost no weight.

    Kettle meet pot. Maybe look in mirror first.

    ;)
    Lol I've posted on here plenty of times that I don't calorie count and very rarely check my weight. I base my weight loss on inches and how I feel. I got the app to talk to others like myself, and for tips and motivation.

  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    A lot of reasons. I went through the following phases at various times:
    - I carry my weight well
    - I just like food too much
    - It doesn't matter how fat I am as long as I workout
    - Depression (never diagnosed because I wouldn't talk about it, but I hit the checklist)
    - Its too much work to lose weight
    - I'm married and he loves me the way I am
    - Its in my genetics
    - I could never be thin, so I should just accept the way I am
  • ZeXea
    ZeXea Posts: 168 Member
    edited November 2015
    A lot of reasons. I went through the following phases at various times:
    - I carry my weight well
    - I just like food too much

    - It doesn't matter how fat I am as long as I workout
    - Depression (never diagnosed because I wouldn't talk about it, but I hit the checklist)
    - Its too much work to lose weight
    - I'm married and he loves me the way I am
    - Its in my genetics
    - I could never be thin, so I should just accept the way I am
    All of those were me for YEARS. It takes an epiphany sometimes to start wanting to work out.