Have people's concepts of normal become too fat?

Phill2488
Phill2488 Posts: 97 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm speaking about people from the UK here. I'm not sure about other countries, but this is something that i find interesting because i'm 5''10 and my weight is around 135-138 pounds, which is normal under the BMI but people tell me that i look anorexic and that i need to eat a cheeseburger. I don't think it's me that's too skinny, i think that people's concepts of normal have become too fat because now a days there are a lot of chubby/overweight people walking around and that's what people have gotten used to seeing so now it's considered normal to a lot of people.
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Replies

  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I think so. I think we have been somewhat desnsitized to what a healthier body should look like given the statistics and research. But in America, since we are gnerally an overweight and growing population we tend to ignore it.

    I know I thought I was in decent shape, but as I've lost weight (just 15 pounds), I've started to notice just how overweight I was.

    MHO.
  • Phill2488
    Phill2488 Posts: 97 Member
    Yeah. chubby is the new skinny
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    see many cultures its different. Body types are different. In most of Asia, you can be fit (AKA, low body fat %, have a 6 pack etc) and get called fat. You HAVE to be stick thin to be considered not fat here.

    I personally say, who cares. Just be happy with your body. Nobody ever got a body that EVERYBODY around him/her were happy with. So why try to fit into what others thought was good looking eh? :)
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    And this is exactly why having plus size models, clothing stores & the like have got to go. People now complain if they get charged more on a plane cause they are fat. They complain if there is no 'flattering' clothing to fit them in their size. They complain then when exercise equipment is not built for their weight.

    It's become a world of fat people, an nobody bats an eye at it.
  • samgolod
    samgolod Posts: 93 Member
    I agree, and even worse I find myself doing it too - I look at all the overweight people in my local town and think 'oh well I'm not so bad, I'm not fatter than that person or that one, so maybe I'm ok' when, like you say, I'm only borderline Normal/Overweight on the BMI chart
  • Baileys83
    Baileys83 Posts: 152 Member
    I think the 'average' dress size in the UK is a 16 now!! I am 5'5 and weigh 139lb (aiming for 133lb) but keep getting told not to loose anymore weight as I will look ill.
  • sozisraw
    sozisraw Posts: 418 Member
    My weight now was overweight in the 70,s , and 80,s. Ive been told I don't need to lose weight when heavier and told im fat when a lot thinner!
    Generally people are so much bigger these days that what was just slim is now skinny!
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I think people's concepts of normal have indeed become "fatter." That's why there are so many people who are satisfied with being an overweight BMI and go on and on about how they will never be in the healthy range because they think that the healthy range is "sickly" or "anorexic" or whatever derogatory word they can come up with to justify being overweight.

    I see more skinny bashing than I do fat bashing online, especially on Facebook. I am so sick of that "real women have curves" bull**** going around. I'm more into a lean and athletic look for myself, but that doesn't make an overweight curvy woman a better or more real woman than I am.

    I am glad that people are starting to accept themselves more...that's awesome. Less of this self hate thing is great! But, it seems that with that has come more loathing for smaller/leaner people, and the fact that people consider overweight and chubby "normal."
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    see many cultures its different. Body types are different. In most of Asia, you can be fit (AKA, low body fat %, have a 6 pack etc) and get called fat. You HAVE to be stick thin to be considered not fat here.

    I personally say, who cares. Just be happy with your body. Nobody ever got a body that EVERYBODY around him/her were happy with. So why try to fit into what others thought was good looking eh? :)

    I agree with this.

    And being from the UK, I do not think it's considered normal to be fatter there at all, but I'm from London where every one aspires to be very thin. Apparently, in northern parts of the country the average sizes of people are bigger.
  • jen10st
    jen10st Posts: 325 Member
    Bump for later
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Yes, and daily exercise is abnormal.
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
    I certainly think so. I was out in the sun on Monday - a really lovely, warm day in my neck of the woods - and was quietly astounded at how many fat people they were. This comes from a former fatty. But I would say a good 80% of the people I saw were at the very least overweight, with some being so large they couldn't walk properly.

    I often get told not to lose more weight because I'll look "skinny", or "anorexic". I am actually borderline overweight, according to the BMI, and very far from skinny indeed.

    My friend has a six year old sister, and there's a worryingly high number of fat children in her class. When I was in school - which wasn't THAT long ago in the scheme of things - there was one token fat kid, and it was me. And, compared to some of the children I've seen, I wasn't anywhere near as big.

    I'm all for body confidence and acceptance of all shapes and sizes, but I sometimes think that things have swung too much the other way. Body shapes are being normalised, and that's not necessarily a good thing when it's impacting on people's health. Comfort zones are very, very dangerous.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I think people's concepts of normal have indeed become "fatter." That's why there are so many people who are satisfied with being an overweight BMI and go on and on about how they will never be in the healthy range because they think that the healthy range is "sickly" or "anorexic" or whatever derogatory word they can come up with to justify being overweight.

    I see more skinny bashing than I do fat bashing online, especially on Facebook. I am so sick of that "real women have curves" bull**** going around. I'm more into a lean and athletic look for myself, but that doesn't make an overweight curvy woman a better or more real woman than I am.

    I am glad that people are starting to accept themselves more...that's awesome. Less of this self hate thing is great! But, it seems that with that has come more loathing for smaller/leaner people, and the fact that people consider overweight and chubby "normal."

    all of this! great post!
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
    yes of course...

    but if you re not one of them there is less competition when it comes to attracting a mate and potential ones are easier to spot !!!
  • ms_leanne
    ms_leanne Posts: 523 Member
    I definitely agree that London is the place to go to feel bigger. Truth be told, its nice to know I am probably under the average dress size but in all honestly it wasn't all that long ago that is was my current size (UK12) that was the country's average.

    I do remember there being a few overweight people in my primary school class. I think I might have been one of them but it was more stocky than podgy.

    If you are a safe BMI and your doctor has no concerns, don't worry!
  • LINIA
    LINIA Posts: 1,159 Member
    Bump
  • drvvork
    drvvork Posts: 1,162
    I know when I'm where I'm to be (BMI / Hgt-wght) I am told I need to eat! I've been called fit - when I know I'm not! I gained 65 pounds being here caring for my daughter and everyone thinks I'm nuts for trying to take it off. I do believe we have 'learned to accept' the new skinny. I find it frustrating when I watch videos from the 60's & 70's Heck they gave Mama Cass a rough time for being 'fat' but today she would be average. The people during that time (footage from the street - not celebs) were thin / more fit but something happened. Yes, mentality has changed.
  • mounty89
    mounty89 Posts: 41
    I noticed this at the weekend whilst i was buying some clothes. The shorts i looked at were 36 waist and classed as medium. That definitely wasnt the case in the past but it's most likely based on average wasit sizes so it's following the trend.
  • plantboy2
    plantboy2 Posts: 224 Member
    I remember when I first started going out to town in my late teens and said to my dad, "Dad, aren't you a bit jealous that I'm heading out to bars full of young women that I can dance with and potentially, you know, have fun with?"

    His response cracked me up:

    "No, because in my day they were all thin"
  • snowbike
    snowbike Posts: 153 Member
    bump
  • tenintwenty
    tenintwenty Posts: 92
    If you are quite muscular, your bf might be in the essential range, which might look too thin for some people. I'm 5'7, and pretty muscular, and people start telling me I look too thin around 126. Just because the bottom range of the BMI is considered "healthy" doesn't mean every person within that range is in optimal health. Personally, I like to cruise around with my body fat at suboptimal levels, but I won't argue with anyone who tells me that I'd actually be healthier a little fatter.
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
    in the uk even the "special k " advert girl is now fat and wearing a one piece !!!
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
    my exact thoughts!
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    I think so yes

    I know I considered myself normal, fine, until I really looked at myself, weight, height, bmi etc.

    Now when I look at people I realise how many of US are actually over weight. My partner works in health profession and she said bariatric is now the major issue they experience on a daily basis, and leads to more complications than any other.
  • Pineapples
    Pineapples Posts: 246 Member
    I remember when I first started going out to town in my late teens and said to my dad, "Dad, aren't you a bit jealous that I'm heading out to bars full of young women that I can dance with and potentially, you know, have fun with?"

    His response cracked me up:

    "No, because in my day they were all thin"

    LMAO that really made me laugh!
  • ms_leanne
    ms_leanne Posts: 523 Member
    in the uk even the "special k " advert girl is now fat and wearing a one piece !!!

    I bet you that is because they didn't want to guarantee a skinny body from eating cardboard cereal lol
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
    All you Uk people think you have it figured out, it was cool to fat in 'Merica way before it was cool their... get with the times :P
  • OddballExtreme
    OddballExtreme Posts: 296 Member
    Some people are telling me I need to eat more, and I myself was big a couple of years ago. (192 in 2010, 132 today). I see people bigger than me but will NOT say anything because I don't want to create problems. I am more concerned for their health and well-being and not how they look.
  • SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel
    SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel Posts: 434 Member
    in the uk even the "special k " advert girl is now fat and wearing a one piece !!!
    I would hardly say she was "fat" :noway:
  • shadowkitty22
    shadowkitty22 Posts: 495 Member
    I certainly think so. I was out in the sun on Monday - a really lovely, warm day in my neck of the woods - and was quietly astounded at how many fat people they were. This comes from a former fatty. But I would say a good 80% of the people I saw were at the very least overweight, with some being so large they couldn't walk properly.

    I often get told not to lose more weight because I'll look "skinny", or "anorexic". I am actually borderline overweight, according to the BMI, and very far from skinny indeed.

    My friend has a six year old sister, and there's a worryingly high number of fat children in her class. When I was in school - which wasn't THAT long ago in the scheme of things - there was one token fat kid, and it was me. And, compared to some of the children I've seen, I wasn't anywhere near as big.

    I'm all for body confidence and acceptance of all shapes and sizes, but I sometimes think that things have swung too much the other way. Body shapes are being normalised, and that's not necessarily a good thing when it's impacting on people's health. Comfort zones are very, very dangerous.

    Are you sure you aren't borderline overweight due to all of your muscles? Because you look absolutely amazing in your photos and are an inspiration in your before and after side by side shots. But I'm not going to be the one to tell you to stop losing but instead will tell you to keep up the good work.

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