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I don't support the fat acceptance/plus size movement.

misshoneyz2dab
misshoneyz2dab Posts: 62 Member
I'm 5'4 and I weigh 13 stones 4lbs ( 188lbs) and I want to be 10 stones (140lbs) I've lost 21 lbs so far.
I don't support the plus size or fat acceptance movement, because it promotes unhealthiness. Overweight and Obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, . hypercholesterolemia, stroke, joint pains and CHD.
Two years ago when I went for a blood test. My blood cholesterol level was 5.2 that was all to do with my unhealthy lifestyle and weight. That was a wake up call for me.
When I critique the plus size and fat acceptance movement, I get accused of being a shallow bully. I have heard a lot of the supporters saying that you can be fat and healthy at the same time-which is absolute nonsense!
I'm a plus size woman and I'm not happy with my size or health. I'm doing a lot about my weight.

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Replies

  • nevadavis1
    nevadavis1 Posts: 331 Member
    seantnash wrote: »
    I'm still over 27 stone but I have the resting heart rate of an athlete and my cholesterol and glucose levels are perfect so, actually, you can be fat and healthy.

    Yeah, this.... I'm trying to lose weight to get my blood pressure and resting heart rate under control. I was/am definitely overweight, but I actually know quite a few people much heavier than I was who have good blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rates, etc. Everything else being equal it's likely healthier to be at good weight (not overweight but not too thin either) but so much else comes into it too, genetics, pre-existing conditions and so on. There's a good chance that even when I hit my goal weight my blood pressure will still be a touch on the high side, just from genetics (everyone in my family pretty much has high blood pressure).
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited May 2017
    All of that said I have to say the only place I ever heard about a fat acceptance movement was on this site. Is it a new thing?

    It's an internet thing. I've only run into them by seeking them out on the internet after hearing about them here. I think if you frequent certain segments of the internet they may seem more popular than they are (maybe also if you watch some TV show that I forget the name of "Fat and Happy" or some such). I've seen way more anti them than pro them -- blogs that slam some HAES person who does seem delusional, for example. It's kind of like how I never knew Freelee and all her weird eat 87 bananas a day friends were popular until I came here, but if you hang out in certain parts of YouTube you think everyone is a fruitarian and thinks that eating only fruit (and crazy calories) is the ideal.

    So I will refer back to my post early in this thread:
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I don't support the plus size or fat acceptance movement, because it promotes unhealthiness.

    These threads always seem to become a debate about what the fat acceptance people claim, in part because many of us are not that familiar with them, in part because we mix them up with body positive or "love yourself" or who knows what groups/people or the anti diet people (who IME aren't always about not losing weight).

    To the extent we are referring to people who say that obesity is not a health risk, then of course they are wrong.

    I don't find many people who actually think obesity is not a health risk unless I seek them out online, but this could be geographic or generational, who knows.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    msf74 wrote: »
    I have heard a lot of the supporters saying that you can be fat and healthy at the same time-which is absolute nonsense!

    I wouldn't say that. It is possible to be fat and in good health but it is statistically less likely than being at an appropriate weight and healthy - it's playing the odds.

    Movements tend to be defined by their leaders and / or loudest voices. The big problem with much "social justice" type activism these days is the militancy of the parts of them which gets the most airtime and in my opinion is a huge turn off for all but the true believers. Fat acceptance / body positivity seems to have fallen into that trap which is a shame as think that with a more reasonable approach it could do a fair amount of good and lessen prejudicial attitudes which conflate weight and moral virtue and human worth.

    It is possible to be fat and healthy for a short period of time. Prolonged obesity is nearly guaranteed to cause a multitude of chronic diseases. It's like saying that wearing a seatbelt isn't 100% going to protect you. It's not much of a debate in that regard.

    So therefore, the debate isn't about if it's healthy to be fat. It's if it's socially acceptable to embrace it. As a public health issue (crisis, actually) we are in no place to embrace it. However, it is also true that being obese doesn't make anyone any less worthy or human than someone of a healthy weight. The same can be said about someone who smokes.

    I'm healthier now at 33.5 than I was at 22. I'm currently trying to get back down to 30. But I see no significant health benefit to getting beyond that.

    I know that everyone is different, but using terms like "guaranteed" isn't productive.
  • pizzafruit
    pizzafruit Posts: 318 Member
    When I graduated from high school in 1971, I applied for a job at a major communications company. I was required to see the company nurse and my being hired was dependent upon my agreeing to lose 15 lbs. She said my weight was a liability and would cost the company more in health insurance coverage. Here I am years later - high blood pressure medication, aching knees and back - fighting the battle of the bulge; a big, big bulge. I must take responsibility for how I got here and make the changes necessary to have a healthy life. When I complete this journey I will be no better or worse than anyone else. I will never judge. I've been there, I am there, and one never knows where the future will take us.
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