Overweight... The new normal !

Kim55555

I went to my nieces school concert the other night and my mum commented about this lady who she referred to as a stick figure. I'm in my early 40's and I noticed that pretty much 80% of the over 30's mums there were either overweight or morbidly obese.

Then at the end of the night when it was dark and we were getting into our car that's when mum referred to this lady who was in the year above me 25 years ago as a stick figure. I said to mum I didn't see her that way, I viewed her as hot and that I think overweight is the new norm now. If you see someone is fit and lean it is out of the norm in my community and therefore looks really out of place. They probably think we are lucky to be thin and have good genetics. If they only knew what dedication goes into it.

I find it quite interesting and it could have something to do with people not being active in taking care of their health/weight because they see it's the norm these days and ok. Lots let themselves go. I'm glad I turned my life around again 3 years ago and lost the weight. I'm so healthy and fit now. People often ask me what's the secret. I tell them a lot of hard work tracking what I eat and vigorous exercise. I'm really enjoying the attention now. In the last few weeks I have had 3 people feel my arm muscles! . It's a great boost to my ego and gives me even more motivation to push even harder in the gym and when I train!

brevislux

That's really sad.

kingscrown

I remember a cartoon movie a few years ago called "WALL-E." The future people were so fat they had to ride around on vehicles to get around. That was 2008. I took that as a serious sign as to what we're becoming. Not just a laugh fest at the movies.

mjhedgehog

my mom does the same thing. she points out people she thinks are "sticks" and makes nasty comments when they're just healthy/normal. :ohwell:

and about the whole "overweight is the new normal thing". I work in retail and we have a women's department, a juniors department, and a plus size department. I had someone who insisted that our plus size was "womens" and our womens department is "juniors". and she got super angry at me for getting confused when trying to help her find something. :huh:

and congrats on your success! :drinker:

DreamersWifey

I agree!!!
People tell me skinny and I'm really not lol
but lots of moms let them selfs go

GingerRunner

I went to my nieces school concert the other night and my mum commented about this lady who she referred to as a stick figure. I'm in my early 40's and I noticed that pretty much 80% of the over 30's mums there were either overweight or morbidly obese.

Then at the end of the night when it was dark and we were getting into our car that's when mum referred to this lady who was in the year above me 25 years ago as a stick figure. I said to mum I didn't see her that way, I viewed her as hot and that I think overweight is the new norm now. If you see someone is fit and lean it is out of the norm in my community and therefore looks really out of place. They probably think we are lucky to be thin and have good genetics. If they only knew what dedication goes into it.

I find it quite interesting and it could have something to do with people not being active in taking care of their health/weight because they see it's the norm these days and ok. Lots let themselves go. I'm glad I turned my life around again 3 years ago and lost the weight. I'm so healthy and fit now. People often ask me what's the secret. I tell them a lot of hard work tracking what I eat and vigorous exercise. I'm really enjoying the attention now. In the last few weeks I have had 3 people feel my arm muscles! . It's a great boost to my ego and gives me even more motivation to push even harder in the gym and when I train!

Ok, now I want to feel your arms!

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

That's really sad.

Yep. And its also very alarming.

vanguardfitness

When I've browsed dating profiles on the internet I have noticed this as well. People who describe themselves as "average" body type appear about 20-30 lbs over weight

Rachlmale

I totally agree. I also think a lot of overweight people do not realise they have a problem and therefore assume people smaller than them do. There is a lot of denial today, which is also becoming the norm. I too was one of these people, I wasn't that fat so I must be okay - wrong.

165ordietrying

I think this is so true. I am at the very top of the healthy BMI range and would be happy to weigh 8-9 lbs less and people are telling me I'm so small when in all reality if I were to gain two pounds I'd be overweight but like everyone is saying, when 20-30 lbs overweight is what you are used to seeing everywhere, a person at a healthy weight looks abnormal.

peacemongernc

I think it is scary, too. People really are much larger now than they used to be. But on happy note, it is working for me! For the FIRST TIME since I was 4 years old, I can buy almost all of my clothes in a "normal" size women's department. When I was in high school, in the 80s, I wore a size 14/16... and it was about the size of a size 10 today. BUT size 14/16 was mostly found in plus size stores. I could find a few things at regular stores, but the clothes that size almost all looked like things my grandmother would wear. Now I can actually find things that look way too young for me (granted I'm a lot older now) in sizes that are too big! It feels a bit like a hollow victory to be able to find clothes in every store I walk into when I know that I'm still 55 pounds more than I was the last time I was in the size... AND they didn't have my size in every store back then. But it still makes me happy.

I actually feel like I look like a normal sized person for the first time in my adult or teen life, but I still have a long way to go.

n2thenight24

I can see that. I didn't know I was fat until someone told me, lol. It's definitely the new norm, which makes us less inclined to notice until you go to the doctor or something and they inform you.

horseplaypen

This makes me think of Pinterest... people post fitspiration photos and you have all these people commenting on them saying, "give that girl a sandwich" or "she's anorexic, that is NOT healthy!" or "that is not what a real woman looks like!"

And I'm not talking about like, Kate Moss thinspiration photos... I mean photos of strong women with well-defined muscles that I don't think you could get unless you were eating a good amount of food. That site makes me crazy sometimes.

sunsnstatheart

Our pediatrician mentioned this to us a few years back when we were discussing our older kid's weight. She was on the very low end of the weight scale and we were concerned. His response was basically, look, your kid is fine, its the percentages that are really out of whack; and the real problem is convincing parents that their kids (and they themselves) are overweight. People are so accustomed to seeing so many overweight children that they have forgotten what kids looked like 20, 30 and 40 years ago. The worst part about it is the extreme anger from people when their doctors tell them they, or their kids, are overweight or obese.

Its like any other problem people have, addiction or otherwise - admitting you have a problem is the first and often hardest step.

sylviatx

I have noticed that anymore the only place I really see a majority of normal, healthy weight people is when I go to the gym. Everyplace else the average is really heavy. I think that's part of why I let myself get up to 196 in the first place, compared to other old ladies, I wasn't "so bad".

yankeedownsouth

When I've browsed dating profiles on the internet I have noticed this as well. People who describe themselves as "average" body type appear about 20-30 lbs over weight

The sad thing is, 20-30 pounds overweight IS actually "average" now. And I noticed the same thing when I was dating...

RobynLB

I think it depends on where you live. If you live in a community with a health culture, people are mostly fit, and being super fit looks like the norm. When I have traveled around though, I have felt a little awkward or out of place working out or looking for healthy food in a restaurant, or just being over 25 and not overweight.

fldiver97

I remember a cartoon movie a few years ago called "WALL-E." The future people were so fat they had to ride around on vehicles to get around. That was 2008. I took that as a serious sign as to what we're becoming. Not just a laugh fest at the movies.

funny you mention that movie, 'WALL-E'........I found the movie somewhat depressing for the same reason, viewing morbidly obese, "moving" around in vehicles be normal - scary! Add to that the concept that humans made earth uninhabitable - not a happy outlook for a future..... A new normal?!?!?!?

Roni_M

I couldn't agree more! And people are always bashing the BMI scale as inaccurate but for the vast majority of the population it is accurate. I am 5'10" and BMI says I should be between 124-174. That is a 50lbs range to allow for various body types and muscle mass. I weighed 145lbs as a teen/young adult and my doctor felt that was underweight due to my body type (I was a pear and you could count my ribs). He felt I needed to put on 15-20lbs. So 160-165lbs for my body type. I'm aiming for 170lbs now (I am more hourglass shaped now). I still think BMI is a good guideline if you aren't a bodybuilder or a pro athlete. I'm 195lbs now and everyone goes on about how thin I am and I shouldn't lose more... at 195lbs!! I've still got fat in places it shouldn't be but the new norm makes everyone see me as skinny when I'm still 21lbs overweight.

SToast

It's sad for sure. I have seen it in my own family. This is not to be rude but for an example: On DHs side of the family most of them are overweight. Since I started using MFP and changing my relationship with food, working out on a regular basis, and trying to get more fit and healthy his family has all been making comments at me. We get together every Friday for all the young kids to play together and each week someone different brings dinner. I always eat in moderation and skip the cookies, cake, or ice cream at the end. That always gets them started in on me and my "diet". And "just have a little it's not going to kill you" or "you're making us feel guilty for eating this or that". It's not me making them feel bad for eating it. I don't say "hey fatty, do you know how many calories that has?" I just say "no thanks".

So many people, women for sure, make rude comments when they are jealous or feeling bad about themselves. When I see a woman with a bangin' body I use it as motivation to keep going on my goals. It's sad that instead of bettering themselves people would rather tear others down. I guess it's easier than getting off the couch.

Off my soap box now

dmpizza

This all started when it became "illegal" to tell a girl she had gained weight.

quirkytizzy

There's another alarming trend that doesn't get discussed as often.

As the average American grows heavier, so does the fetishization of the unhealthy LOWER weight bodies. A pendulum that jerks back too sharply in the opposite direction. We, as a nation, are unhappy with our bodies and thus catapult those with underfed bodies, dangerously low body fat percentages, and begin to trend towards "making up the difference" with anoretic builds and disordered eating to get there.

So yes, overweight is the new normal. But that's had more of an effect than just making us all fat - and I sometimes wish to scream this second trend from the rooftops.

RoadsterGirlie

It's everywhere you go - at the grocery store/ mall / work / vacation / restaurants / parks, etc. Pretty much any public place.

What's even sadder is the children. Overweight children are everywhere too. It used to be that you had one overweight child or so out of a whole class. Now it's 2/3rds of the class or more.

Shameful.

DawnieB1977

It's everywhere you go - at the grocery store/ mall / work / vacation / restaurants / parks, etc. Pretty much any public place.

What's even sadder is the children. Overweight children are everywhere too. It used to be that you had one overweight child or so out of a whole class. Now it's 2/3rds of the class or more.

Shameful.

I'm a teacher and I don't find that there are that many overweight kids in my classes, but I would imagine there are more than say 30 years ago.

It is sad when being overweight becomes the norm. My BMI is about 26 now, but I'd like to lose another 10-15lbs. I get looked at like i'm a bit mad when I tell people I want to lose more. Granted, I always look smaller than I weigh, but I know I definitely need to lose a bit and tone up more.

icimani

This all started when it became "illegal" to tell a girl she had gained weight.

Not illegal - just incredibly rude.
(Just as it would be for a woman to tell a man he's gained weight!)

FawnAnnette

I too have noticed the sizes are upped in the past decades. I used to shop for a size 14 which would be it. No larger size available. Suddenly about 15 yrs ago, size 16 and 18 began to show up. I would shop for a special occasion dress and find those sizes. Which made my shopping easier for sure. However, this did allow me to size up myself. Get fat in other words. Way too fat. I've lost 44 lbs so far and am only halfway to goal. I have one person call me 'tall and slim' which I have not been called for maybe fifteen years or more. I was flattered. Makes one consider that I am moving downwards on the scale and upwards in self-respect and motivation.

Katbody10

I agree!!!
People tell me skinny and I'm really not lol
but lots of moms let them selfs go

OUCH! That's unfair .. I'm 46 years old .. my son is 18 now ..

I've NEVER let myself go and lots of moms I know don't .. don't stereotype people..

I'm 5'4 and weigh 113 lbs! I don't think I'm anywhere near fat .. and I hope to always be normal. I'm happy with my current weight. Which is about what I've weighed my whole adult life (105-110 lbs) .. except when I was pregnant of course.

RoadsterGirlie

Congrats on your success, FawnAnnette!

I can identify with that as well. When I was slowly gaining weight over a period of 10 years or so, as soon as 16s and 18s became more available, thats probably when I was at my highest, and unhealthiest in terms of eating.

Flixie00

I too have noticed the sizes are upped in the past decades. I used to shop for a size 14 which would be it. No larger size available. Suddenly about 15 yrs ago, size 16 and 18 began to show up. I would shop for a special occasion dress and find those sizes. Which made my shopping easier for sure. However, this did allow me to size up myself. Get fat in other words. Way too fat. I've lost 44 lbs so far and am only halfway to goal. I have one person call me 'tall and slim' which I have not been called for maybe fifteen years or more. I was flattered. Makes one consider that I am moving downwards on the scale and upwards in self-respect and motivation.

Yep, also a UK size 14 from 20 years ago is now a UK size 12, vanity sizing. Shoe sizes are just as bad.

almc170

It's rather sad, really. I've been accused of having an "eating disorder" so many times in my life, I can't even count. And I'm not underweight or anything. In fact, I'm on the high end of the normal weight spectrum for my height. Unfortunately, perceptions have become so skewed as to be utterly distorted.

NCchar130

Our pediatrician mentioned this to us a few years back when we were discussing our older kid's weight. She was on the very low end of the weight scale and we were concerned. His response was basically, look, your kid is fine, its the percentages that are really out of whack; and the real problem is convincing parents that their kids (and they themselves) are overweight. People are so accustomed to seeing so many overweight children that they have forgotten what kids looked like 20, 30 and 40 years ago. The worst part about it is the extreme anger from people when their doctors tell them they, or their kids, are overweight or obese.

Its like any other problem people have, addiction or otherwise - admitting you have a problem is the first and often hardest step.

I think that's a really interesting story. I have noticed a lot of people get EXTREMELY upset if a doctor tells them they are overweight/obese. There is a disconnect between being called fat as an insult and the medical definition of 'overweight.' I think lots of people can't tell the difference between them. I don't appreciate being called fat either, but it's never bothered me when a doctor has mentioned the need for me to lose. I think a lot of people seriously internalized all the self-esteem boosting "we're all winners", "I'm ok, you're ok, we're all PERFECT JUST THE WAY WE ARE" messages that have been put out there for years and years.

edited to add: I don't mean that overweight/obese people are defective as people, by the way. I know you can be fat and still be an awesome person (my dad struggled all his life). I just mean that the self-esteem boosting messages make it easy sometimes to ignore the very real health risks of continuing the habits that make you fat.