My opinion (don't read if you're overly sensitive)

Here's the problem...Some people have issues in which might need some therapy to get going. Not everyone is living their life for your personal approval, and not everyone is looking for your sympathy.

Some people are emotional eaters, and berating them, and treating them like a drill sergeant is not the answer. In fact, it makes their problem much worse. As stupid as it sounds, have you ever seen the Austin Powers movies? Do you recall the part where fat *kitten* says "I eat because I'm unhappy, and I'm unhappy because I eat?" I know the entire movie was in jest, but seriously there is much truth to what he said.

Source for those who don't recall :
http://youtu.be/DH5TMCR8etc

Also, some people have social anxiety disorders (myself included - yes, I was diagnosed by a professional ) which makes it hard to just go out and do it..Personally, I suffer from physical symptoms when I'm put in social situations in which I'm not comfortable with (elevated bp, sweating, etc...) Being incredibly socially awkward does not help either.

What makes it worse is when you do work up the nerve to go to the gym or do a zumba class or something and people make fun of you for your weight....at the gym no less....You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't...It makes people like us want to give up which leads back to what I said previously .

Oh, and yes I've been made fun of many times at the gym. People are down right cruel.

Additionally, someone who is depressed does not need someone barking at them to suck it up; it's just not that simple, and again, will make their issues worse. I speak from experience as I was also diagnosed with clinical depression some time ago as well.

It might be hard for someone who doesn't have these problems to understand - especially at your young age, but these are things that shouldn't be dismissed. Consider yourself lucky to not have to live with depression or social anxiety disorders.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm trying not being overly sensitive about your comment considering the source ( it's just a comment from a random young person, with few life experiences, or perhaps wasn't taught any better on an online forum,) and honestly it could apply to some people, but it most certainly does not apply to all.

What really compelled me to comment on your thread is that this type of behavior/comments made to people you see in person during everyday life can really be damaging to already fragile individual, and could possibly set them back in terms of not only weight loss, but in other aspects as well.

It can be a lot more harmful than you know, because it's not always as simple as "sucking it up."

I agree. Since when does putting people down, motivate them to change. Let's try to be supportive.

Sex has been proven to enhance mood with other benefits :P PLUS it's awesome and you could log it as circuit training.

THIS is how people log sex? Noted. And noted again.

The only thing that annoys me is when someone tells me they want to lose weight, ask me what I did/ what I suggest they do/ if I'll help them, then completely disregard what I say or act like I must be lying to them. Otherwise, I don't care.

Hey OP, I'm not overly sensitive but I am compassionate and empathetic to folks who struggle with anything in life.

From your profile you state that at such a young age you've made some bad (your word) decisions in your life. At some point you decided to change your decision making process and make healthier choices which is to be commended.

My question to you is how is it possible from someone who has struggled in life to condem others who are struggling with their own choices/decision making who've not yet made the decision to change their lives? Seek help? Seek a new way?

Everyone is very different, your way is not my way, your right is not my right, your great is not my great. A bite of humble pie (low cal) of course I think is in order for you young lady. Your best route is to simply lead a great life. A health life. So that others may use your success as an example and motivator for themselves.

I'm guessing that your post would be a HUGE turn off to many people who love you, who support you and who want to follow in your foot steps. I'm not sure how many people would want to start losing weight and get healthy just to become arrogant and spiteful.

Best of luck to you
Sal

i was sort of prepared to be pissed with you ....but i agree! If you make those excuses - just remember they are are just that excuses - you can always make different choices on how you spend your money and time.


....AND for those "depressed" people - working out is a natural anti-depressant! Not to mention losing the weight....that is ALSO a VERY EFFECTIVE anti-depressant!

Yes and no. What annoys me is our (as a species) over-reliance on Gyms. Or "working out".

What we need is a more active lifestyle. Sedentary lifestyles and inactivity are one of the global causes of death and disability. And yet we drive our cars half a mile to the shops, drive our children to school and take the lift at work.

(http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/AT/Promotional leaflets/General AT information leaflet_final.pdf a useful bit of information about active lifestyles)

This especially relates to people who are hugely overweight. If they could replace all their journeys under 5 miles with walking and cycling, take the lift or get off the bus one stop earlier, they would make a huge difference to their health and wellbeing. Gyms are all well and good (if you like that sort of thing) but they can be elitist, cliquey and scary for some people. Walking is free, and a great way to get your 30 minutes of "moderate" exercise a day, and yet we are still yelling "GYMGYMGYM" in people's faces. Taking up a new sport, or a workout regime is quite scary for some people and can be very hard to stick to. I know so many people with unused gym memberships. However, taking up walking or cycling for short journeys or leisure is much less intimidating, much cheaper and more accessible to many people.

I always like the idea of walking more but it's just not often feasible. Weather conditions in anywhere that isn't mild temperatures make half the year (summer and winter) an unhealthy prospect. Overheating or freezing. There is also baggage to contend with - I'm not carrying 40 pounds of groceries in my hands home for several miles. And there is often the safety concern - it's simply not safe to walk to many of the places around where I live.

But more mobility in general, whenever you can get it, is good. I do park further out now. And in the pleasant months, I take an extra day or two a week to drive out to the lake and go for a long walk there. (Much safer part of town.) That sort of thing.

To me THAT is mostly just excuses!

I live in the UK and our temperature has been shocking since about October. It's been snowing almost every week since christmas.

I, despite being pregnant and sick (bedridden for three weeks and suffering HG for 10 weeks), Ihave walked over 160 miles and cycled over 110 since the start of January. I often drive to the supermarket when I have a big shop to do, but inbetween I walk to the local shops (either 1/2 a mile or 1 mile), and if I need to do a medium shop, I cycle to the shop and carry my shopping home in my panniers. It's not about me telling people they must walk and cycle all the time everywhere- just about people making better decisions in their every day life, and not making rubbish excuses about the weather or something. Rain does not kill,. Sopending time out in the cold does NOT cause colds (contrary to popular belief- it's actually just that during the winter more people spend time couped up insdie togehter, spreading the germs!)

Simple example: my office is on the third floor, and I have to go up and down the staris 8-9 times a day. There's a lift I could use, but I don't

My weightloss might not be anything impressive but I have a healthy lifestyle. My exercise costs me the price of parts for my bike (and the odd service when I bust it). I know I can run 5 miles if I need to (outside, not on a moving platform at the gym), I can cycle 50 miles, I can walk 20. I know my heart is healthy, my bones are dense and I am happy and healthy. I also appreciate the good bits of our weather, which most people who live inside (house/car/office/gym/car/home) never get to see.

I don't need a gym!

I don't need a gym, either. I do workouts in my own home - low impact, as I live on the second floor and do not wish to get into a pissing match with my neighbors about noise.

Where I live we recently had 3 snowstorms drop over 3 feet of snow inside a month. Underneath that snow there was ice. A lot of it. There are no sidewalks where I live. Perhaps you feel a broken ankle might be conducive to your fitness goal. I've found it's awfully hard to exercise with a broken ankle.

The apartment complex I live in also has hookers and meth dealers that like hanging around in the parking lot. Come visit me. We'll take a walk around the block sometime.

Please bring a gun.

Yeah, but the rest of us would never have joined mfp at all if we weren't full of those same excuses at some point. I ate like a pig, didn't exercise, and whined about being fat. Now I'm here. We should try to remember that these excuse-filled people just aren't ready yet.

yeah...i spent all of last year not being ready....guess i had to go there first to get here.

Totally agree. I was fat my entire life until I finally decided that the pain of being fat was worse than my fear of change and hard work. I was 17 ... now I'm 33 and have maintained a healthy weight since then and I rock a bathing suit!!!

Sex has been proven to enhance mood with other benefits :P PLUS it's awesome and you could log it as circuit training.

You can log sex? I looked for it....but I guess in the wrong place.


Circuit training huh..ok..



And now wait for the comments....