Please don't be offended...

ValerieMartini2Olives

I didn't get 300 pounds because I wanted to. I didn't know any better. My parents didn't teach me well enough when I was younger. My dad took me to McDonald's 5-7 days a week. My mother's kitchen is a nightmare. I had no idea how badly I was eating until I was in my 20's. I've been trying desperately to undo the damage. I go to my parents' house now, and I open the pantry and the fridge and it's nothing but JUNK JUNK JUNK.

lucindasun

I have been overweight since my teens, was always active, in dance classes, swimming and biked and roller skated non stop but still had weight issues. As an adult, always in aerobics or aquacise classes, but always struggling with weight, Since diagnosed with gallbladder issues had to cut out, a lot of fats, still had weight problems. Was off my feet for nearly 6 months after a complicated knee surgery and quickly and easily gained about 15 lbs and my thighs and belly increased in size. Just from less activity. I started doing crunches and sit ups on the couch and arm curls and leg lifts.
I shudder to think what I'd look like if I wasnt eating well and not excercising at all. I think for some people it can happen so fast and so easily and the next thing you know you are morbidly obese.
My knee has improved a great deal, Im walking without a limp, biking days are over but I can get on the stepper for almost 10 mins. I walk I swim,stairs are getting better. I was told by my Doctor and a dietician that I am presently maintaining my current weight with a healthy diet and would have to drastically reduce calories and increase activity in order to lose weight then could resume a healthy regime. Now that's the hard part. I'm already eating so well, salads for lunch everyday, fat free greek yogurt, tons of veg, lean proteins, no saturated fats, no milk, low fat cheeses, if any, no pasta, whole grains only, lot's of vegetarian meals, no processed food. I'd have to maybe live on soup for a month to see a difference.

BeeElMarvin

Fat's a sneaky fukker! Sneaks up on you and pretty soon: Viola! You are a fattazz! Ta-Da!

Helloitsdan

Give fat a reason to exist and it will.

The 4 major biological functions of fat tissue are
(1) energy storage
(2) toxin storage
(3) protection against insulin resistance, and
(4) protection against estrogen decline in women.
Eliminate the functions of fat tissue also eliminates the reasons for its existence.

bugnbeansmom

I know for myslef, I was an athlete as a kid. NEVER worried about what I ate. I gained weight with my first daughter as I went on bed rest at 22 weeks and blew up. I had the baby, tried to lose the weight, no luck. Asked for a thyroid check, nothing. continued to gain, worked 80 hours a week with a newborn and found myself deeply depressed but did not know it. Lost a baby at 18 weeks, grew more depressed, continued on this path for 4 years. One day, (St Patrick's Day as a matter of fact 2006), my husband and I were walking down the road and some girls yelled and heckled me. They even went as far as to moo at me. it cut like a knife. I went on to focus and lost 100 lbs. 293 to 193. and then.......... pregnant again. This time, I was healthy enough to see my son born in 2008. I gained another 20 lbs iwth himi, moved to a new city when he was 3 weeks old and hovered right around the 225 mark with a high of 240. I started working from home and set some goals for myself that did not involve wieght loss. Train for and run three 5ks in 2011. Ended up running the Warrior Dash. I also found a lump in my neck that ended up being a thyroid issue. It took a while to get my meds down and for me to understand how things impact me differently. I think it has stuck this time as my additiction has shifted to running. Even after my stress fracture has kept me out of trianing for a few weeks now (ran through my first Triathlon and decided to let it heal now). I have lost a few pounds becuase I understand my body. proudly sitting at 178 today. Over my 6" frame it looks very womanly I am told. I went from a 24 to a 10 size in my pants. Dress size is an 8. I also like the lifestyle. My husband has started running as losing as well. He found himself well over 300 lbs and is proudly down to 262 today. Together it is better. Our son and daughter see us set goals and achieve them. For us, the side effect of losing wieght has been amazing but the lessons we teach our children matter more. They are learning to eat well and will choose fruit over candy every time. My son thinks hummus is "the best thing ever!" He even ran in his first miler with his dad yesterday. He's 4. Hoping to save them the struggles so they can always feel how I feel right now!

So many factors for me but mostly life. Not handling my struggles well and not pressing on when my body was telling me something was wrong but the doc said I was fine.

41nb

i totally agree with you...

newmooon56

Well, first off, when people start something off with "please don't be offended" usually the topic is designed to be offensive.

You speak of fat people as if we are a different species, as if we are vermin. That won't bring you to understanding. And I suspect any answer a "fattie" gives will sound like an excuse to you.

.......

Yet, I'm still annoyed by people who think that being fat is a moral failing. Or people who look at those of us who are fat as vermin or as people who are unworthy of being treated with basic decency.

NO. I do NOT speak of fat people in such a way, so please do not talk to me like you know me better than I know myself. Are you my God? No.

Secondly, I am fat. I was overweight a lot of my life. Right now I am in the healthy range for weight, but my BF% is too high.
Thirdly, I specifically came to this forum because I knew that there were people in this world who would like to help others understand the WHY and HOW, in real-life terms, of becoming obese and morbidly obese.

If you are so full of hate that anything, even a post such as this makes you angry, well then do not bother to ever respond to one of my posts again. I am not filled with hate, and I wish only the best to people trying to become healthier. Heck, that is a big reason as to why I want to be in the healthcare field.

And p.s. Perhaps the reason you are so quick to respond in such a hateful manner is the fact that you feel that way about yourself. If this is the case, I am so sorry, and I know what it is like to not love yourself. However, please do not take it out on others; get some help.

Just wanted to say good for you for recognizing this post for what it is. Collect the helpful ones and move on. We all have reasons OR EXCUSES - admitting them is great - berating others for your personal demons when we all have our own is BS.
Carry on and good luck with finding the info you need.

fbmandy55

I'm probably going to get smeared for saying this but it's honest. I don't use a medical condition as a cructh or an excuse. I have PCOS (insulin resistance). It did NOT cause me to get fat. Eating very unhealthy and being inactive did. I developed PCOS because I was fat. It IS harder for me to lose weight because of my condition but my prescription medicines do not help me. Every pound I have lost or gained is a result of my calorie intake and exercise.

Most of the time when people have a medical condition that makes it hard for them to exercise or lose weight, they medical condition itself is a direct result of being unhealthy and being overweight. Many times, genetics play a role and I understand events such as surgery that may put someone down for a time can cause them to to become inactive. If they are eating more and moving less, of course they will gain weight. But saying, I am overweight because I have "X condition" is a lie many people tell themselves to justify their weight gain. I had to overcome that myself. Chances are you have that condition because you were unhealthy or you have made a condition worse by being unhealthy. .

patchesgizmo

well - a few things led to it. I was always on the heavy side even as a child, low self esteem. I liked books more then the outside. then my 2nd child was born with a severe heart defect and went thru a divorce and bankruptcy and 20 years of being a single parent with 2 kids one with adhd, one with add & a heart defect. I ate to comfort myself, and I ate what was cheap. September 2010 I had to make the decision to turn off life support on my son. I am now working on changing my lifestyle.

Hopefully this short answer will help.

AutumnRose33

This is a genuine question I am asking because I am very interested in obesity and morbid obesity, specifically WHY and HOW. I am also a nursing student, and I understand that factors X, Y, and Z play into obesity. But here is my question, and I would really appreciate honest answers from people who truly understand:

How does a person "let" himself or herself become so heavy? How and why does a person put on 300, 400, 500 pounds? I just do not understand and would really like to "get it" so in the future, as a nurse, I can better help those struggling with this issue.

Thank you

-Nicole

Not caring about how I looked. You gain slowly, 10-15 lbs per year. Over the span of years of overeating, you look up and you've gained a lot of weight. I gained 140 lbs over a 11 year span.

^^This^^ It comes on slowly but surely, while your busy with work and kids or whatever, and you keep thinking you will deal with it later, when life slows down, and all of a sudden, its not just a few pounds or a pants size, its 100 pounds and 12 pants sizes.

suchastruggle

And unlike a drug or alcohol addiction, you have to have food to survive. An alcoholic or drug addict could give it up (not saying it would be without a struggle), but never HAVE to have the thing they were addicted to again. With a food-aholic/emotional eater, you have to face that demon every day, multiple times a day and actually give in to it - trying to find the right point at which to say "this should be it". It's extremely difficult, at least from my personal experience.

amcmullan

Ive always been a bigger girl. I have played sports and been pretty active my whole life, but still was always larger than most girls although my body was proportioned very well and I do not look like i weigh as much as i do. I havent however always made the best food choices. So I chalk my obesity up to processed and chemical induced food. Thats why im on here now, to change my lifestyle and the way i live and eat. Still I dont think I could ever be "small" but as long as im healthy and toned and in shape, thats all that matters.

poshcouture

It isn't a question of how, but why. Obesity and Morbid obesity can be the result of various factors including medical and psychological. For me, eating was and is a coping mechanism. I had to deal with physical and sexual abuse and all of it was swept under a rug. Since it was never dealt with properly, I ate, not really understanding why. Of course, I was ridiculed at school or in public which in turn lead to low self esteem. And I ate more.

Therefore, as an adult, I sought help. I've had to learn what my triggers are and tools to overcome them. While I am not HUGE, the fact remains is that I have a physical and emotional battle to win - that is a challenge!

Additionally OP, sometimes people just plain give up. They feel in their mind that they're already big and probably always will be so whatever! I've been there. I didn't necessarily say it, but I felt it.

xNJAx

I've only read the first page of responses so I apologise if something like this has already been said!

I've never been overweight myself so I can't answer from personal experience, but I do know two ladies who were sexually abused as children and teenagers. They both intentionally gained weight until they were morbidly obese in a bid to make themselves completely unattractive and undesirable to the opposite sex. It was a self-preservation thing for both of them which I found quite interesting.

People are very complex and I'm sure there are hundreds of reasons people allow themselves, whether intentionally or otherwise, to get larger.

PS - I love that you're interested enough to try and understand the people you may be working with in the future!

banshishi

Got fat because I ate too much and did too little and didn't care enough to change...There is a whole long list of emotional excuses as to why I didn't care, but the truth is simple enough and no amount of excuses will change that.

cactusphil

I hate seeing people blame their parents for "cooking too much of the wrong foods" or "not learning the right way to eat as a child." It's all excuses. Diet and exercise is the most common reason people gain weight. I know it's the reason I am where I am. I'm responsible for eating poorly and not exercising enough to overcome my poor choices. I do realize there are medical factors as well, but I'm sure the percentage in that category is the minority.

That said, we've all experienced doctors and nurses with little or no empathy towards our situation. I personally will change doctors over it. Just remember that it's better to be nice and not judgmental. It will carry you a long way in your career as a nurse.

wewon

Well, first off, when people start something off with "please don't be offended" usually the topic is designed to be offensive.

You speak of fat people as if we are a different species, as if we are vermin. That won't bring you to understanding. And I suspect any answer a "fattie" gives will sound like an excuse to you.

This isn't fair at all.

The OP wasn't trying to be offensive. This is a volatile topic and very emotional for some, so of course she tried to frame it not to alienate people.

bigaris911

This is not an offensive question and most people would not understand. As a man who topped out at 433lbs, (currently 397) I feel that food brings a certain comfort to me. I had a high stress job, school, just got married( wife went through alot, lost her grandmother), So you would be surprised how easy it is to get so big. I ate out constantly, fast food is cheaper than salads, not having time to even shop cook or breath, then all of a sudden you just gained 100lbs. To note I am a very tall man (6"6) with high muscle mass( lean weight with 0% BF is 266lbs), you eat because of the comfort feeling you get when full. When your life is not full, and mine did not feel that way for a while, you need to be filled in other ways. Well I left my crap job, I got a less stress job, doing better in school, and I had a heart to heart with my wife ( I understand she went through alot but we just got married we need to enjoy life too and not be depressed all the time, we all lose loved one!). Since then I have lost close to 40lbs and would like to reach about 310lbs, which for me is a good weight( Although that would still have me in the BMI range of obese), but I like being the big guy, but I don't have to be so big ya feel me? So as far as factors go, eating till your that big has psycological and physical triggers, the fact that if your on the go a salad is 9 bucks but a fast food burger is roughly 3-4 bucks....

SoDamnHungry

Food is just another thing we can become addicted to. Just like most addictions, there are many reasons you turn to it.

Helloitsdan

Well, first off, when people start something off with "please don't be offended" usually the topic is designed to be offensive.

You speak of fat people as if we are a different species, as if we are vermin. That won't bring you to understanding. And I suspect any answer a "fattie" gives will sound like an excuse to you.

This isn't fair at all.

The OP wasn't trying to be offensive. This is a volatile topic and very emotional for some, so of course she tried to frame it not to alienate people.

Agreed.