i don't judge obese people

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Replies

  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    The human brain is hardwired to judge - simple primate behavior... you can't NOT judge, despite what many on this thread (and the original) state.

    That said, I can understand how people take exception to the wording: 'I judge obese people' - that smacks of prejudice (pre-judging based on weight) and prejudice is wrong, mkay?

    So judge away, primates (you couldn't stop if you tried), but know that that's merely a cognitive short-cut that just happened, not reality - so try to backstop yourself with some critical thinking.
    :drinker:
  • I don't know about others, but I make judgements about people every time I see them. Some judgements are positive, some negative. What I try and do is not change the way I interact with people when my judgement towards them is negative.

    Yes, everybody makes judgments all the time, about every person and every thing. Some are more aware of this, most are less aware, maybe not even realizing the huge variety of judgments we make in seconds on meeting every single person. Some are more able to filter the judgments that come up, most are less able to do this. "I don't judge obese people" is not a true statement, your judgments are just less harsh maybe, possibly because you have thought about and sympathized with this group of people, and are possibly able to change your thought process from a base reaction, but that doesn't mean you don't judge them.

    Being aware of judgments that come up in your mind and then what you do with them, evaluate and express them is the more important part. Not many could stand the truth of every single judgement and statement that comes up in another's mind on meeting someone: its up to the person to look at what's important and filter, and then filter more on what is expressed. Every difference within a certain small range is automatically noted by the brain, which is part of why children will instantly note and bother people about every little physical difference, your brain just notes it, and they have no filter. Obesity is also taught as not healthy and negative which is close to "repulsive", so most people have some type of thought process that results in a negative bit of judgment automatically to it. Some have this response to a variety of other physical differences, its not just fat.

    It seems the other post was about how some girl realized the judgments that popped up in her head on meeting obese people. That's really a good start, not a bad thing at all.
  • So, I realized I asked the wrong question. What part of being fat is bad FOR ME knowing that all of my health markers are good?

    I don't know as I don't know what you consider "bad for you". If you are in optimum health like you claim there are a few possibilities that maybe you consider "bad for you" carrying an extra 40+ lbs of fat around. They might include:

    1. looking fat
    2. not having the stamina or endurance that you would like
    3. Not having the muscle definition that you would like
    4. Other people thinking you are fat and finding you unattractive
    5. You finding yourself unattractive
    6. Lowered self-esteem/ self confidence due to your fatness

    and possibly others, but I don't know. I am not you.
  • LifeWithPie
    LifeWithPie Posts: 552 Member
    LOL! Always amusing when Godwin's Law makes it's way into a thread.
    Oh MFP...never change.
  • Miss_1999
    Miss_1999 Posts: 747 Member
    LOL! Always amusing when Godwin's Law makes it's way into a thread.
    Oh MFP...never change.

    Seriously. Why. WHY does it always have to be Hitler? Why couldn't it be Caligula? Or Henry VIII? It's always Hitler. If once, someone even mixed it up and mentioned Himmler or Goebbels, instead, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
  • NoMoreBlameGame
    NoMoreBlameGame Posts: 236 Member
    If someone is obese, they need to lose weight; it's that simple

    If someone is full of pot-stirring rhetoric, they need to shut up; it's that simple.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    LOL! Always amusing when Godwin's Law makes it's way into a thread.
    Oh MFP...never change.

    Seriously. Why. WHY does it always have to be Hitler? Why couldn't it be Caligula? Or Henry VIII? It's always Hitler. If once, someone even mixed it up and mentioned Himmler or Goebbels, instead, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

    Reminds me of a summer camp song:

    Hitler had only one big ball
    Goring had two but they were small
    Himmler had something similar
    But Goebbels had no balls at all
  • Polishprinsezz
    Polishprinsezz Posts: 249 Member
    I don't know about others, but I make judgements about people every time I see them. Some judgements are positive, some negative. What I try and do is not change the way I interact with people when my judgement towards them is negative.

    Yes, everybody makes judgments all the time, about every person and every thing. Some are more aware of this, most are less aware, maybe not even realizing the huge variety of judgments we make in seconds on meeting every single person. Some are more able to filter the judgments that come up, most are less able to do this. "I don't judge obese people" is not a true statement, your judgments are just less harsh maybe, possibly because you have thought about and sympathized with this group of people, and are possibly able to change your thought process from a base reaction, but that doesn't mean you don't judge them.

    Being aware of judgments that come up in your mind and then what you do with them, evaluate and express them is the more important part. Not many could stand the truth of every single judgement and statement that comes up in another's mind on meeting someone: its up to the person to look at what's important and filter, and then filter more on what is expressed. Every difference within a certain small range is automatically noted by the brain, which is part of why children will instantly note and bother people about every little physical difference, your brain just notes it, and they have no filter. Obesity is also taught as not healthy and negative which is close to "repulsive", so most people have some type of thought process that results in a negative bit of judgment automatically to it. Some have this response to a variety of other physical differences, its not just fat.

    It seems the other post was about how some girl realized the judgments that popped up in her head on meeting obese people. That's really a good start, not a bad thing at all.

    This is the best written post on judgement I have read. I started that other thread. I wasn't so eloquent with my wording or explanation. Instead it was perceived as I go around bashing and hating others for being obese. I got called names on here like asshat, hateful,loser,*****, would love to see you get fat again,people like you fail at keeping weight off, eww you look 60( as if it is bad to be or look 60),you need a makeover, all that ugliness spewed towards me because of my confession. I am not responsible for other's insecurities or issues. Only mine. Yes, my first instinct thought when I see someone obese may not always be positive. I do have the self control not to say something to offend them. I know I have been judged too for many reasons. It is human nature. I try not to let it affect my life for the worse.
  • Miss_1999
    Miss_1999 Posts: 747 Member
    LOL! Always amusing when Godwin's Law makes it's way into a thread.
    Oh MFP...never change.

    Seriously. Why. WHY does it always have to be Hitler? Why couldn't it be Caligula? Or Henry VIII? It's always Hitler. If once, someone even mixed it up and mentioned Himmler or Goebbels, instead, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

    Reminds me of a summer camp song:

    Hitler had only one big ball
    Goring had two but they were small
    Himmler had something similar
    But Goebbels had no balls at all

    I am dying! This is great! :laugh: :drinker:
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
    Fat people are gross... grossly underepresented in mainstream media. Where are the cooking shows, the exercise programs, the news stories, the docudramas, comedramas, dramadies and horrorcomedocudramas about fat people?

    It's TIME FOR CHANGE!
  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    LOL! Always amusing when Godwin's Law makes it's way into a thread.
    Oh MFP...never change.

    Seriously. Why. WHY does it always have to be Hitler? Why couldn't it be Caligula? Or Henry VIII? It's always Hitler. If once, someone even mixed it up and mentioned Himmler or Goebbels, instead, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

    Because:
    1) If you mention anyone other than Hitler, you get the blank 'who's that dude?' stare. (Thanks public education system!)
    2) Scale: other than Joe Stalin, Pol Pot, and maybe Chairman Mao I don't know of anyone in Hitler's ballpark (whozat?, see #1 above)
    3) Hyperbole: you're in an argument - you always have to go with the top guy - if you reference Henry VIII, you leave your opponent the openings along the lines of: 'yeah, but what about Hitler?' (checkmate, you lose)
  • AMEN!
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    this is the tread we need here, on this forum where most all of us have the common goals of making positive changes for our bodies and out lives.

    i saw the thread "i judge obese people" -- and i read it. and i felt awful. that sickly UGH shudder deep inside that i feel when i see violence or other prejudices. i know it's just one person's experience and projections, misplaced and possibly partially misinterpreted on an internet forum. but i felt the pain and frustrations of those who read that forum post, and received yet another kick in the confidence.. one more reminder of the painful judgments they've experienced.

    we don't need that negativity -- there's enough of that in the world already. MFP can be a wonderful community because we have the opportunity to connect with other people who are experiencing similar struggles, setbacks, and hopefully successes. there are a ton of different opinions here, which is great. a ton of people with difference experiences, in different stages of their fitness journeys. but MFP should be a safe place of support and encouragement. maybe some tough love too, if it's asked for. but always understanding. and always compassion.

    i was obese at one point. i was young and didn't know better. that's my reason. that's my excuse. some people's reasons for straying from the "normal" weight category (both obese and underweight) are deeper and more complex and painful than anything i could ever imagine. the reasons are plenty and varied, and everyone has a story.

    we can list some potential reasons. it might be helpful to have concrete causal scenarios in the backs of our heads next time we encounter someone who is different from us. depression and medication are common. stress and unimaginable trauma. addiction and habit and hopelessness. etc. cycles build upon themselves, and breaking free from destructive cycles is harder for some than for others.

    but no matter the reason, people are people. they are struggling with their issues, big and small, just like the rest of us. they are complex beings, who are more than a number on a scale and way more than whatever you see in the small moment you interact with them.

    if understanding and compassion are too difficult for you, try. then try harder. they're two of the best qualities we are capable of having and sharing with other people (and animals, &etc). and if you truly can't see beyond your own experiences far enough to appreciate our differences, maybe just fake it 'til you make it. something, anything, other than projecting your negative judgments onto others who are here looking for support.

    for those of you who were hurt by the other forum post, i'm sorry. i'm sorry for the OP and i'm sorry for the rest of society that has judged to the point where one more forum post is just the tip of the iceberg. i'm sorry for myself and all the times i haven't been the understanding person i want to be. i hope you can brush the negativity and judgments off and carry on being the strong person you are.

    i'm happy you're here, on MFP, and i believe in you. you have the power to take control of your body, and it's going to feel sooo darn good to read your success story when you succeed.

    hopefully i haven't said anything that could be misinterpreted and cause an argument in this post. i truly mean only support and encouragement, and please forgive any mis-wordings that might be interpreted otherwise..

    /end rant
    What a beautiful and much needed thread!:flowerforyou: Thank you for taking time to write it out and share it.:smooched: Reading your post felt like a much needed warm hug!:heart::flowerforyou:
  • Transformed428
    Transformed428 Posts: 12 Member
    Believe in yourself and follow your heart / people are going to criticize you anyway. When I was at my heaviest 259 lbs people were very discriminating towards me. I have now lost 70 lbs and went from a size 20 to a 13/14 and the people who I thought were my friends generally blew me off when I would call or invite them to do things. Now that I am a smaller version of the same me those same friends are calling me now and inviting me to outings , dinner , BBQ's and events. It is hurtful and disheartening to know and understand that even your closest friends can abandon you for being overweight. Even though they know the true nature of your character and personality. They know you are a good person , but they just don't want to be seen with someone who is obese. The bottom line is even in your darkest hour some of your closest friends/even family members will abandon /discriminate and judge you. I want to tell you be true to yourself and follow your heart, because others are going to criticize you anyway and you need to Love yourself first because you are truly the only person that matters you are precious and valuable and you are LOVED !!!
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
    Yes, everybody makes judgments all the time, about every person and every thing. Some are more aware of this, most are less aware, maybe not even realizing the huge variety of judgments we make in seconds on meeting every single person. Some are more able to filter the judgments that come up, most are less able to do this. "I don't judge obese people" is not a true statement, your judgments are just less harsh maybe, possibly because you have thought about and sympathized with this group of people, and are possibly able to change your thought process from a base reaction, but that doesn't mean you don't judge them.

    Being aware of judgments that come up in your mind and then what you do with them, evaluate and express them is the more important part. Not many could stand the truth of every single judgement and statement that comes up in another's mind on meeting someone: its up to the person to look at what's important and filter, and then filter more on what is expressed. Every difference within a certain small range is automatically noted by the brain, which is part of why children will instantly note and bother people about every little physical difference, your brain just notes it, and they have no filter. Obesity is also taught as not healthy and negative which is close to "repulsive", so most people have some type of thought process that results in a negative bit of judgment automatically to it. Some have this response to a variety of other physical differences, its not just fat.

    It seems the other post was about how some girl realized the judgments that popped up in her head on meeting obese people. That's really a good start, not a bad thing at all.

    That middle paragraph right there is the best. Growing up (in a Western society at least) you are inevitably taught to judge fat people. It's conditioned into us from birth by a society that values thinness at the expense of everything else (including health and mental well being). It is a message that gets pushed through every media outlet, every interaction with other people. Every single part of Western culture is drenched in anti-fat judgement. However, that doesn't mean we're destined to be that way forever. And it doesn't mean that judgement is okay. It's not okay. And it has to change.

    The good news is you *can* fight that socialised judgement. You can teach yourself to override the conditioned response. You can retrain yourself not to judge fat people (or any other group of people that gets routinely marginalised and discriminated against). I think we all need to be really proactive doing that. Don't beat yourself up if your instant snap-judgement is negative. Ask yourself why do I think like that (the answer is socialised prejudice) and ask yourself what evidence do I have to support this judgement (the answer is none). And then remind yourself that all human beings deserve compassion, respect, love and kindness. And then remind yourself that one simple glance at someone doesn't tell you anything about that person except what they look like. Rinse and repeat.
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
    but no matter the reason, people are people. they are struggling with their issues, big and small, just like the rest of us. they are complex beings, who are more than a number on a scale and way more than whatever you see in the small moment you interact with them.

    Just quoting this because I think more people would benefit from reading and re-reading this.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    I don't look at obese people as OMG your fat you need to lose weight. I look at them and think OMG please don't wait as long as I did to start getting healthy. So I guess in a way I am judging. I just know that I feel so much better for where I am right now, I still need to lose 60 lbs.

    Just today at the local park we had a lady stop and was talking to a few of the other ladies ( I was still walking the last of my 4 miles) and one lady yelled out and asked me if I cared if she told her how much I had lost. I said no go ahead, so I finished up my walk and went straight to my car to get my Before pic out of it. I went over to them and said I keep this in my car so that I will always have them to remind me of where I never want to be again. The lady said her doc told her she had two years tops if she didn't lose some weight. She said she weighed over 400 lbs. She was saying she has issues when she tries to walk and can take no more the 5 to 10 steps before she has to sit down. I tried to tell her that right now she needed to start getting the weight off before she worried about exercise and once the weight starts going down the exercise will be easier. Plus there are things you can do just sitting down in your chair, but right now she needed to get started on eating healthy. I sure hope she does what she needs to do. Her daughter does walk the park with us so maybe her daughter will be able to inspire her to get healthy.
  • Miss_1999
    Miss_1999 Posts: 747 Member
    Yes, everybody makes judgments all the time, about every person and every thing. Some are more aware of this, most are less aware, maybe not even realizing the huge variety of judgments we make in seconds on meeting every single person. Some are more able to filter the judgments that come up, most are less able to do this. "I don't judge obese people" is not a true statement, your judgments are just less harsh maybe, possibly because you have thought about and sympathized with this group of people, and are possibly able to change your thought process from a base reaction, but that doesn't mean you don't judge them.

    Being aware of judgments that come up in your mind and then what you do with them, evaluate and express them is the more important part. Not many could stand the truth of every single judgement and statement that comes up in another's mind on meeting someone: its up to the person to look at what's important and filter, and then filter more on what is expressed. Every difference within a certain small range is automatically noted by the brain, which is part of why children will instantly note and bother people about every little physical difference, your brain just notes it, and they have no filter. Obesity is also taught as not healthy and negative which is close to "repulsive", so most people have some type of thought process that results in a negative bit of judgment automatically to it. Some have this response to a variety of other physical differences, its not just fat.

    It seems the other post was about how some girl realized the judgments that popped up in her head on meeting obese people. That's really a good start, not a bad thing at all.

    That middle paragraph right there is the best. Growing up (in a Western society at least) you are inevitably taught to judge fat people. It's conditioned into us from birth by a society that values thinness at the expense of everything else (including health and mental well being). It is a message that gets pushed through every media outlet, every interaction with other people. Every single part of Western culture is drenched in anti-fat judgement. However, that doesn't mean we're destined to be that way forever. And it doesn't mean that judgement is okay. It's not okay. And it has to change.

    The good news is you *can* fight that socialised judgement. You can teach yourself to override the conditioned response. You can retrain yourself not to judge fat people (or any other group of people that gets routinely marginalised and discriminated against). I think we all need to be really proactive doing that. Don't beat yourself up if your instant snap-judgement is negative. Ask yourself why do I think like that (the answer is socialised prejudice) and ask yourself what evidence do I have to support this judgement (the answer is none). And then remind yourself that all human beings deserve compassion, respect, love and kindness. And then remind yourself that one simple glance at someone doesn't tell you anything about that person except what they look like. Rinse and repeat.

    Thank you. This poor horse, he's been beaten to death. He's dead, and unfortunately, I was not able to properly convey what you just did. Thank you for this.
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
    I don't look at obese people as OMG your fat you need to lose weight. I look at them and think OMG please don't wait as long as I did to start getting healthy. So I guess in a way I am judging. I just know that I feel so much better for where I am right now, I still need to lose 60 lbs.

    The mistake you're making is equating weight with health. Those things aren't the same.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    I don't look at obese people as OMG your fat you need to lose weight. I look at them and think OMG please don't wait as long as I did to start getting healthy. So I guess in a way I am judging. I just know that I feel so much better for where I am right now, I still need to lose 60 lbs.

    The mistake you're making is equating weight with health. Those things aren't the same.

    In some instances maybe but you can not be morbidly obese and be healthy and if your morbidly obese then you weigh more than you should and your not healthy. You can however be overweight( NOT morbidly obese) and be healthy.
  • Miss_1999
    Miss_1999 Posts: 747 Member
    I don't look at obese people as OMG your fat you need to lose weight. I look at them and think OMG please don't wait as long as I did to start getting healthy. So I guess in a way I am judging. I just know that I feel so much better for where I am right now, I still need to lose 60 lbs.

    The mistake you're making is equating weight with health. Those things aren't the same.

    In some instances maybe but you can not be morbidly obese and be healthy and if your morbidly obese then you weigh more than you should and your not healthy. You can however be overweight( NOT morbidly obese) and be healthy.

    I really don't mean to be a *****, but, and please correct me if I'm wrong, you're not a physician, and qualified to make that diagnosis. If that is your opinion, have at it all the live long day, but stating so as a fact, it's impossible to know. As a broad range, we do know that morbid obesity does put a person at a higher risk for poor health, or to develop a host of medical conditions such as but not limited to: Hypertension, Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Heart Disease, Heart Attack, Stroke, Certain Types of Cancer(s), and Infertility in Women. However, this does NOT occur with every person struggling with morbid obesity and is a case by case basis.

    I have lost 177lbs. For all intents and purposes, I am what I consider, and my FNP considers "healthy". My blood pressure is normal. My cholesterol levels are normal, as are all of my other hormone levels, and blood work (I mention this because I live with PCOS. My PCOS was not cause by or is a by-product of obesity, I have lived with PCOS my entire life, but did not get a proper diagnosis until age 24.) In the picture I'm going to post of myself below, for me, and the way *I* want to look, I consider myself thin, I think most people would probably consider me *average*. The BMI charts call me OBESE. I am the face of obesity. I take ballet lessons at age 36. I swim, hike, walk, do yoga, and anything else that I want to that is fun and interesting to me. You can't judge a book by it's cover. If this is *obesity*, where I am right now, then I'll take it. I'm still working, losing a little here and there, but by no means am I upset with where I am considering where I've been.

    And no, I'm not trying to *defend* morbid obesity, and say, "Yay! Let's all be morbidly obese! It's healthy for us!" I'm not qualified to make that call, rather just encouraging our brothers and sisters to be the healthiest "you" no matter what weight they are. Everyone's gotta start somewhere with something, and yes, sometimes being the healthiest "you" does include weight loss.

    Me on September 3rd- 222lbs (considered obese by BMI) down from a high weight of 400lbs

    10527863_10152417160057872_513631794306101551_n.jpg?oh=64c48b69e6e74292ba1227490b2d0e1c&oe=5488C4DC&__gda__=1422563179_ed1ee660e7f567f76dfd6c8115f34d29
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
    I don't look at obese people as OMG your fat you need to lose weight. I look at them and think OMG please don't wait as long as I did to start getting healthy. So I guess in a way I am judging. I just know that I feel so much better for where I am right now, I still need to lose 60 lbs.

    The mistake you're making is equating weight with health. Those things aren't the same.

    In some instances maybe but you can not be morbidly obese and be healthy and if your morbidly obese then you weigh more than you should and your not healthy. You can however be overweight( NOT morbidly obese) and be healthy.

    I suggest you familiarise yourself with the research that supports HAES (health at every size), of which there is an increasing amount. You can't diagnose someone's health or ill-health just by looking at them. And yes, obese people can indeed be healthy. They can also be healthier than a given person who is not fat. Weight does not determine your health. In some people it tends to be correlated, but that is explained by lifestyle differences not the weight itself. For example, inactive people tend to be less healthy than active people regardless of how much they weigh.

    Here's a link just to get you started with that research:
    http://www.examiner.com/article/new-study-finds-46-of-obese-people-are-metabolically-healthy
  • sparklelioness
    sparklelioness Posts: 600 Member
    I don't judge. It's an addiction like any other - like heroin, or cigarettes or gambling or sex. it's possible to become psychologically addicted to anything that makes you feel good. I read about a couple in China who were so addicted to videogames they neglected their toddler til he died.

    And just like any addiction, people are ready to deal with it when they're ready - and some are never ready. The thing with food addiction is it shows on the outside. Most other addictions you can hide - food addiction is unmistakeable. And people who may smoke a pack a day, or can't get home from work without having a beer or six, or who are overdrawn because they keep going to the track, or who can't stop texting and seeing other women (or men) behind their spouse's back - those people have the nerve to look at fat people and think (or say) "damn, look at them. No will power whatsoever. Pathetic", with absolutely no self-awareness as to how hippocritical they're being.

    I don't judge, because I've been there. Waking up and going to Jack In The Box and getting three breakfast sandwiches, a hash brown, and an oreo shake for breakfast. It was my morning fix. I thought about each meal the way a heroin addict thinks about their next shot. And when I ::didn't:: overeat, when I tried to eat healthy, everything I was using food to avoid would come crashing down on me, and I'd give in and go eat to make it go away.

    Obese people aren't lazy or weak (or not any weaker than any other people, anyway). They've just learned an unhealthy coping mechanism - eating way too much food for the temporary pleasure and stress relief it gives. (obviously there are exceptions, people with medical problems, ect). That's all. There are much bigger (pun intended) problems in the world to worry about than whether the person ahead of you in line is fat or not and how they got that way.
  • KrissyRawrz
    KrissyRawrz Posts: 342 Member
    :flowerforyou:
  • farmerpam1
    farmerpam1 Posts: 402 Member
    I guess for me, when this topic was first posted, responded that since finding MFP, I don't judge. And some replied by telling me it was human nature to judge. That we're hard wired to judge. What I meant was I don't assume the person I see, who is overweight, isn't working on their issue. How do I know they haven't already lost a lot of weight, how do I know the food I may see them eating isn't part of their daily intake, or something they've planned all week for. If anything, I now assume that they too are working, slow and steady on the issue. I don't judge that they are clueless, or lazy, or doing nothing about it, or whatever others may judge. I give them the benefit of the doubt, I believe that they too have found this site and are on the path and will succeed. Ya gotta believe!
  • Miss_1999
    Miss_1999 Posts: 747 Member
    I guess for me, when this topic was first posted, responded that since finding MFP, I don't judge. And some replied by telling me it was human nature to judge. That we're hard wired to judge. What I meant was I don't assume the person I see, who is overweight, isn't working on their issue. How do I know they haven't already lost a lot of weight, how do I know the food I may see them eating isn't part of their daily intake, or something they've planned all week for. If anything, I now assume that they too are working, slow and steady on the issue. I don't judge that they are clueless, or lazy, or doing nothing about it, or whatever others may judge. I give them the benefit of the doubt, I believe that they too have found this site and are on the path and will succeed. Ya gotta believe!

    Exactly! That's what I'm getting at! Retraining our minds. Yeah, unfortunately, our parents, family, friends, society has *taught* us certain *norms* about so many things, but it is absolutely possible for us to not and/or learn begin to not judge by using empathy and compassion. Realizing that we don't know the first thing about another person. We don't have any information about them when we see them at first glance. We don't know what they've been through, what they're going through, or what they're doing at this point in their lives. Of course, we're all going to fall short from time to time, myself included, but we can make a change and a difference. I saw this image on pinterest, and it was spot on. It's most definitely not human nature by any means to judge. It's ingrained in us, by what we're taught.

    2d4a0035d5b123e7e397e3bf5ce3c3f2.jpg
  • astroophys
    astroophys Posts: 175 Member
    I don't look at obese people as OMG your fat you need to lose weight. I look at them and think OMG please don't wait as long as I did to start getting healthy. So I guess in a way I am judging. I just know that I feel so much better for where I am right now, I still need to lose 60 lbs.

    The mistake you're making is equating weight with health. Those things aren't the same.

    In some instances maybe but you can not be morbidly obese and be healthy and if your morbidly obese then you weigh more than you should and your not healthy. You can however be overweight( NOT morbidly obese) and be healthy.

    I suggest you familiarise yourself with the research that supports HAES (health at every size), of which there is an increasing amount. You can't diagnose someone's health or ill-health just by looking at them. And yes, obese people can indeed be healthy. They can also be healthier than a given person who is not fat. Weight does not determine your health. In some people it tends to be correlated, but that is explained by lifestyle differences not the weight itself. For example, inactive people tend to be less healthy than active people regardless of how much they weigh.

    Here's a link just to get you started with that research:
    http://www.examiner.com/article/new-study-finds-46-of-obese-people-are-metabolically-healthy

    A million lols and hoping to God that no one takes this seriously. The HAES movement is absolutely terrible and hellbent on telling obese people that fat/weight has nothing to do with health. Just stop it.
  • refuseresist
    refuseresist Posts: 934 Member
    I guess for me, when this topic was first posted, responded that since finding MFP, I don't judge. And some replied by telling me it was human nature to judge. That we're hard wired to judge. What I meant was I don't assume the person I see, who is overweight, isn't working on their issue. How do I know they haven't already lost a lot of weight, how do I know the food I may see them eating isn't part of their daily intake, or something they've planned all week for. If anything, I now assume that they too are working, slow and steady on the issue. I don't judge that they are clueless, or lazy, or doing nothing about it, or whatever others may judge. I give them the benefit of the doubt, I believe that they too have found this site and are on the path and will succeed. Ya gotta believe!

    I don't really think about people in that kind of detail. Oh, there's a person. Maybe a fat person, Maybe a thin person, Maybe a small child, elderly Indian man, whatever. I couldn't care less what they are or are not doing with their lives. ETA assuming they are not trying to bother me or commit some sort of crime. I see people everywhere, I have not got the time or inclination to be spending my time thinking about any of them
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
    I didn't see that other topic, but I love this message!