Who made you become overweight?

redheaddee · April 2014

Me, myself, and Sara Lee made me fat. No one else. At what point in our lives to we accept responsibility for our actions and stop blaming our parents or our partners? They did not put a gun to our heads and force the food down our throat. I get so sick of people blaming others for their faults. Accept responsibility, learn the lesson, move on. Ugh.

/rant

MinnieInMaine · April 2014

Oh I sure as hell TRIED to blame just about everyone and everything. My mother for being a bit of a food police when we were growing up and also passing along some of her bad eating habits. Genetics because most of the rest of my family are obese. My best friend for not nagging me enough to stay on track with losing weight - she was just starting out as a personal trainer and wanted to help me and in turn use me as her first success story and I thought as a PT she was supposed to hound me so it was her fault when I stopped working out and stuffing my face again. Various gym buddies for not being committed enough to keep me motivated. My husband for being able to eat more so I thought I had to "keep up" and ate more than I needed to.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head but I'm sure there were more BS excuses. Ultimate though, as most of us have admitted to, it was all on me and still is. Sucks to admit it but it's true!

kgeyser · April 2014

My now almost-two-year-old because it was my pregnancy with her that I gained all the weight. Horrible pregnancy - severe edema, carpal tunnel, joint issues, massive congestion to the point I lost my hearing for awhile, and I kept having dizzy spells that made it dangerous for me to drive or even walk around alone, so hello bed rest.

I didn't necessarily overeat or really eat any differently than I did before I got pregnant, my TDEE just took a massive hit and since I was a bit depressed by all the things happening to my body beyond my control and scared that I was going to lose the baby, I didn't really think about the need to change my eating to compensate for the lower activity. Oh well. I have a healthy, happy kiddo and the weight is coming off. Only lingering problem is the joint issues, but I am hopeful those will improve with time and some work.

Sovi_ · April 2014

Part of it was the lack of education or acceptance in my home about being healthy.
I grew up in a culture that does not understand or care for food groups.

So very early on I did know know better. However, when I got to the age where I could know better I kept thinking to myself that one day I'll lose the weight. And that one day turned into years and I got fatter and fatter.

Then I made stupid decisions and followed fad diets. They did not work.

Finally I shifted my mind and educated myself and now I am in the midst of losing. Slowly, but im not gaining.

noneya2010 · April 2014

Definately I'm in control and so it's my fault. However, I will say my mother was a mean alcoholic and my father was a compulsive overeater who I spent most of my time with. I watched him hide food (junk food -- candy, chips, etc.) from her and eat it. I saw her criticize him and his weight constantly (as she did me) . And I, admittingly, picked up a lot of the same habits as my father, whom I spent alot of time with when we would get away from my mother. I also watched my parents die 12 months from one another -when I was 18 years old -- one from alcohol abuse; the other from food (heart attack). I have suffered depression on and off over the years and was too ashamed to admit it and get help so I treated myself -- with food.

Growing up, we always ate very good and had homecooked meals and there was not a lot of junk in the house - other than when I would go out with my dad.

Kids learn from their parents/caregivers, but ultimately as we get older, we are responsible for our own actions so I fully blame myself.

shaynepoole · April 2014

I did it. Sure I didn't have the greatest examples in my life, and sure I had some health and medication issues that contributed a "likelihood of weight gain," but that doesn't excuse me shoveling food in my gob. I wouldn't have become morbidly obese if I had controlled my intake all along.

I so totally agree with this - I couldn't have said it better

CharleePear · April 2014

I understand all the comments about personal responsibility but if you were raised to believe lies about yourself and lies about food, psychologically, even if you learn the truth mentally as knowledge, your emotions and thought paths have been already formed. So no it's not always all us when we grow up. It takes time to REALLY know then it's on you. (trust me I studied this)

For me I had the whole, born with a disability factor, when that happens, and people who have life-threatening disabilities will know this, you get people feeding you all sorts of lies "to make you feel better about yourself".
My parents were/are also incredibly emotionally unstable people. Being told I was fat and it was my fault when I was really young didn't help. As a teen I had developed eating disorders, but due to meds I never lost much weight.
Other trauma happened, more meds and I put on 20kgs in two months from those, even when I was exercising daily and eating little I still put 20kg on. Then married a man who wanted me to be thin all the time, so that's the point I take full responsibilty from that point...I started to eat out of self hatred and spite.
Still trying to get my mindsets right. That is all up to me, but truth be told no one can do this alone.

bcattoes · April 2014

Unless there are medical reasons... Anybody who says anybody but themselves, is lying to themselves.

Not really. If someone is a young adult who has been overweight or obese since childhood, most of blame lies with their parents or guardians. Children aren't adults and aren't capable of making adult decisions.

What they do about it now that they are an adult is totally their choice, but that does not negate how they got fat in the first place.

StaciMarie1974 · April 2014

Me. I did it. I was the skinny kid growing up, but never active. I was also the picky eater so my nutrition was not the greatest. My parents encouraged me to eat my vegetables and so on, but once you reach a certain age your parents don't have much sway over that.

So I have to take the blame for being lazy and being content with that. Not being content with being lazy, but being content knowing its no one's fault but my own. And taking steps now to be active, lazy or not.

EddieHaskell97 · April 2014

Me, myself, and I. After our first was born I stopped going to the gym, and my desk job is quite sedentary. Throw in a love for powerful beer and potato chips. Bibbity-bobbity obese.

AllieMarie2244 · April 2014

pretty sure im fat bc i didn't exercise and ate a bunch of fast food for years not caring

also to blame your parents when you're an adult it'd be like if a murderer blamed his parents for him killing a bunch of people
at some point you need to grow up and take responsibility for your actions

but in other cases like the 100lb 4 year old in the news... that's obviously the parents fault

STEELMAN47 · April 2014

ME

D_squareG · April 2014

No one but me!

dpvike80 · April 2014

Me. I accept full responsibility.

Greenrun99 · April 2014

That ahole in the mirror.. he is always tricking me to do stuff.

Jestinia · April 2014

Big Pasta, Big Ice Cream, and Big Bread.

i am the victim of three cartels and their conspiracies.

ETA - also, maybe Big Potato Chip. they should be implicated as well.

:laugh: I have to say, Ben & Jerry should be brought up on charges. I bet I'm still wearing ten pounds of their ice cream somewhere on my sorry carcass!

moonlitheaven · April 2014

I blame myself. However, my parents came from a poor country where Skinny meant Sick and/or Poor. Fat meant wealth. So what do most poor countries eat? A lot of Rice because it's filling. A lot of beans, because they are filling. Starchy ingredients were easier to come by or grow. So even though my parents moved to the states before I was born, they already had that mentality set and we grew up around it. I want my kids to have a better life than I did growing up. So we are changing our eating habits, slowly, but surely.

josiedahling · April 2014

I lost 90 pounds on WW in 2006. I kept it off for four years. Then I started to date my (now ex) boyfriend and put on about 40 pounds. He, himself, was very overweight (5'9" and 250 pounds). Before I was with him, I rarely ate Chinese food or restaurant food. He wanted to go out to eat ALL THE TIME. It was very difficult keeping on track and being with him. I would eat dinner and then he would come over late and say he was starving and wanted to go out! Sometimes he would just show up with a bunch of Chinese after I had already eaten dinner. It was very frustrating. He knew my struggles, he knew my schedule. I know we are responsible for what we put in our own mouths, but having someone bring fattening foods to your doorstep is not easy to say no to. He didn't seem to like my weight gain either, although he never said it directly. He would say "did you eat all those cheese balls yourself?" Stuff like that. He has been gone from my life now for 2 years but I am still struggling with this weight gain so now I wonder was it really his fault? My friends still say YES, they believe he was responsible for it. All I know is that I'm glad he is out of my life now and I'm a lot happier! Good luck everybody!

ktsmom430 · April 2014

No one to blame except myself. I have six sisters, we were all raised together, I am the only one with the issue with excess weight. I may have inherited a gene from an ancestor that my other sisters were fortunate enough not to get, that gave me an edge for being susceptible to gaining weight easier, but that is only an excuse. I overate. A lot. Pretty simple.

MelxH · April 2014

I do blame my parents.
All my live I spent it beeing overweight, I was overweight even at 7 years old... I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and my parents decide not take me to a nutritionist because they didnt want to spend more than 30min in the kitchen.
I resived alot of verbal abuse if I tried to leave the table before finishing the plate, even if I was full, even if the portions wher for adults.
When I finished highschool, at 17, my boyfriend asked me to move in with him and his family, I did that, and in a couple of month of living with them I lose 20lbs, its beeing 3 years and I've lost around 60lbs... and still loosing

I love my parents, I just think I could have beeing more "normal" if they werent so lazy

(my english is horrible)

martineyes26 · April 2014

The "old" me would say ex-boyfriends and traumatic events in my life. But I know better now and take full responsibility of what I put in my mouth and how long I sat on the couch.
However, not having children of my own (yet), I do feel there is a responsibility of parents to monitor what their kids eat and to incorporate good eating habits.

oboeadam · April 2014

Me. I don't think one can really blame anyone else but themselves. They made the choices and therefore they are responsible for their weight gain. Just my opinion though, and I'm sure there will be those who disagree.

salemsaberhagen · April 2014

My neglectful and verbally abusive parents made me fat as a child; never around, threw junkfood and mcdonalds at me rather than actually cook a meal, mom routinely spouting "Im a business woman not a a mother", and horrible diets themselves. When I was getting close to leaving the house, I dropped the weight. Never looked back at them and been fit ever since.

Want a solution to child obesity? Remember- who is the parent and who is the child. It starts there.

MysteriousMerlin · April 2014

Me. I wasn't a fat kid.

aribugg · April 2014

Honestly, i dont blame much of anyone, not even myself. my biggest problem is stress/depression eating, and i suffer from bipolar disorder. what am i supposed to say to my mom? "this mental disorder cam from your side of the family, its your fault i eat too much!" lol thats silly. and i cant blame myself for being bipolar, its not my fault either. i shouldve found a way to deal with emotions, yes, that is on me. but this habit started when i was very young, i wont kick myself for being a kid and not knowing what to do.

sloth3toes · April 2014

In for blame.

ChrysalisCove · April 2014

Ultimately, I am responsible for my weight gain & for my weight loss. Like many others have mentioned, there were also external contributing factors. Several traumas during childhood (father's suicide, mother's depression, extended sexual abuse) led me to develop an unhealthy obsession with control, which led to disordered eating habits. I scared myself & worked very hard to lessen my obsession, but my "solution" was to pay no attention at all & I became overweight. I refused to diet due to a fear of relapse, then injured my back & even moderate activity became painful. I sought treatment & was turned away... I lived with the injury for years before recieving treatment... which then had to be halted when I discovered I was pregnant! I was at my highest weight ever at this point. After my son was born, I had back surgery & was determined to get things under control, which is exactly what I am doing! It is very difficult to balance weight loss with not over-restricting, but I am carefully following a plan that does not trigger me & is keeping me on the path to health!