Fat Positivity?

Fat poses so many health risks and people who claim to be happy how they are make me ANGRY!!!!! It's nothing to do with looks it's about your health! You will live a far more fulfilling life at a healthy weight.

You won't require a seatbelt extension on the plane. You won't be too big for the rides at the theme park. You can shop in normal stores. You have energy and good health. How much happier would you be?!!!

That's total BS at 291, my bloodwork, vitals, sodium, sugar, all excellent. My doctor was baffled how I could be so healthy and so fat. so this notion that you can not be healthy and fat is total bull ****.

Congrats on your biomarkers, however, you probably recognize that this weight affects your ability to do things and it is intrinsically healthier to be at a lower weight.

So while I'm not the person suggesting that you'd be happier (you might not be - I don't link happier with weight) you would be more fit and perhaps healthier.

I know this. I also know that there is a big chance that if I stay at my current weight, ten years down the road I may have issues. Also, I want to start a family soon and it is NOT recommended that I do so at my current weight. From what I gather, the deal with this thread is it doesn't matter my weight, health, or anything, I have the right to be happy and not be judged for it. Even if I had diabetes, I can still love myself. From what I've read of your post you understand this but others don't seem to. It's as if you aren't the standard of beauty, you should be working your a#% off to meet that standard or there is something wrong with you. From what I get that's the issue here right?

Of course there are risk factors with being obese, just as there are risk factors with many, many other choices that other people make.

Fat poses so many health risks and people who claim to be happy how they are make me ANGRY!!!!! It's nothing to do with looks it's about your health! You will live a far more fulfilling life at a healthy weight.

You won't require a seatbelt extension on the plane. You won't be too big for the rides at the theme park. You can shop in normal stores. You have energy and good health. How much happier would you be?!!!

That's total BS at 291, my bloodwork, vitals, sodium, sugar, all excellent. My doctor was baffled how I could be so healthy and so fat. so this notion that you can not be healthy and fat is total bull ****.

Congrats on your biomarkers, however, you probably recognize that this weight affects your ability to do things and it is intrinsically healthier to be at a lower weight.

So while I'm not the person suggesting that you'd be happier (you might not be - I don't link happier with weight) you would be more fit and perhaps healthier.

I know this. I also know that there is a big chance that if I stay at my current weight, ten years down the road I may have issues. Also, I want to start a family soon and it is NOT recommended that I do so at my current weight. From what I gather, the deal with this thread is it doesn't matter my weight, health, or anything, I have the right to be happy and not be judged for it. Even if I had diabetes, I can still love myself. From what I've read of your post you understand this but others don't seem to. It's as if you aren't the standard of beauty, you should be working your a#% off to meet that standard or there is something wrong with you. From what I get that's the issue here right?

Of course there are risk factors with being obese, just as there are risk factors with many, many other choices that other people make.

There are a few conversations going on ...

I was responding to the idea that "it's BS" that weight poses a health risk. That's called denial. Biomarkers are but one measure of health, basic performance ability is another - I'm not suggesting everyone should be able to run a marathon but if climbing a few flights of stairs creates a significant cardio strain then that isn't very healthy - you list a few other reasons why being overweight isn't ideal.

As to being happy - I agree with you. Weight is an unfortunate factor that does affect how some people feel about themselves - I wish it wasn't - I would love to somehow be able to teach my daughters to be happy in the face of hundreds of random external factors like weight or bood size or hair length. Not so easy.

And I'll be very frank - I do judge people about their weight - not in terms of moral or happiness but in mostly pragmatic levels: will she be able to do this ride that I'm planning (surprise, yes), will I need to make more cake (umm, yep), am I going to be uncomfortable sitting on the plane next to him (yep), do I find her attractive (maybe/maybe not) - transient evaluations that have nothing to do with a person's self-worth. You own that.

I still wnat to know if I get the last cookie. :laugh:

The fat acceptance movement DOES NOT use the term "glorify obesity"!!! That is a phrase thrown at them about what people THINK they are doing.

If they are bashing thin people and saying that they "love their beautiful fat bodies" then it's glorifying obesity. Case closed.

I seriously feel sorry for any overweight person who ends up with you as their doctor (or nurse, or whatever it is you're studying to be).

Loving your body in any state that it's in is NOT glorifying that state. Loving yourself is so much more healthy than hating yourself, no matter what your size is.

The majority of people who support HAES/fat acceptance DO NOT hate on people with other body sizes. Much in the same way that most thin/average weight people DO NOT hate on fat people... though I would say the hatred/lack of respect towards people who are overweight VASTLY outnumbers any negativity toward thin/average size people.

Say, have you ever heard of This is Thin Privilege? Also, that was rude and uncalled for - I worked my *kitten* off getting into university. Medicine is one of the most competitive courses to get into. I am studying to be a doctor. I never said there was anything wrong with loving yourself, but so many HAES people believe that fat pride means they can stay fat (unhealthy) and eat whatever they want (unhealthy). You can say whatever you want. Anything that helps you sleep at night. But the facts are that we have an obesity crisis in the first world, and you have NO IDEA how maddening this fat pride thing is from a medical perspective. We are trying to help these people. But fat pride sends out the message that being fat is okay. Children are getting that message. It is 100% not okay.

Thin privilege? What, like "being able to go on a rollercoaster" or "only having to buy one seat on an airplane"?
Is this type of thing supposed to make me and others feel ashamed about our bodies for being thin? That's pretty strange.

Is there such thing as "tall privilege"? I've been meaning to lash out at tall people for being able to reach things that I can't.

Fat poses so many health risks and people who claim to be happy how they are make me ANGRY!!!!! It's nothing to do with looks it's about your health! You will live a far more fulfilling life at a healthy weight.

You won't require a seatbelt extension on the plane. You won't be too big for the rides at the theme park. You can shop in normal stores. You have energy and good health. How much happier would you be?!!!

That's total BS at 291, my bloodwork, vitals, sodium, sugar, all excellent. My doctor was baffled how I could be so healthy and so fat. so this notion that you can not be healthy and fat is total bull ****.

Congrats on your biomarkers, however, you probably recognize that this weight affects your ability to do things and it is intrinsically healthier to be at a lower weight.

So while I'm not the person suggesting that you'd be happier (you might not be - I don't link happier with weight) you would be more fit and perhaps healthier.

So you are healthy for now. That's good. But that's relative. Any additional fat on your body is not good for your heart or other vital organs. In addition, you are putting additional strain on your bones. you don't care now.... you will when you are aging and it really begins to take it's toll.

Think the decisions we make today don't affect tomorrow? I was morbidly obese until a few years ago when I got healthy. My stomach is still a couple inches too big to be healthy. Truth be told, I don't care about my weight. I care about the additional fat I have on my midsection and the health implications it may cause down the line - BASED ON SCIENCE.

Earlier this year I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Do you know how aboslutely crappy it is to think of the correlation between weight and caner and think that my own personal habits and lifestyle choices may have affected my risk for developing the disease? I will tell you it is NOT fun to go through emotionally. Maybe my weight had nothing to do with it but you damn well believe I need to understand the correlation between excess weight and diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc. I'm glad you guys are healthy now but it won't last forever. please do not fool yourselves.

Be happy in whatever size you are. I was happier when I was fat, truth be told. But I really don't want to die early. I don't want aging to be harder than what it is. I want to be able to run around with my daughter and enjoy everything that life has to offer. I don't want to be the person on the plane that takes up two seats - i've been there. I've done that. And, I will probably need to have another surgery to remove soem more lady parts down the road. The LAST thing I want to experience pre-surgery is the feeling of shame because of my extra fat around my stomach. In the pre-surgery room I told my husband I had to lose weight as I was embarassed the Dr would have to cut through additional fat to get to my ovaries.... it's not fun.

Be whatever size you want. Be happy. But please understand any health risks that come with any lifestyle. Whether it's being overweight/obese, underweight, a smoker, a heavy drinker, etc.

I'm sorry - I probably pissed a lot of people off....

I have to say, there is something I do notice about fat shamers. They will say something negative about a person walking around being overweight and how it's unhealthy and drives up healthcare costs for everyone. But they'll never go into a convenience store and rail against the cashier working such a dangerous job and the possible cost if she gets shot in the head by some robber and lands in the ICU. They just buy their gas and go on their way. Likewise, when they find out someone drives a truck for a living, they don't spout statistics about the dangers of working in transportation and the healthcare costs that might be passed on to them. They don't shout out their window at every passing semi, "Quit your job! Have some discipline!" So most fat shamers don't care about health at all. They're just arses. Only listen to three people on the issue of weight: Your friends, your family, your doctor. And you get the final say.

I think fatspo is just as unhealthy as thinspo. Both are glorifying eating disorders.

I have to say, there is something I do notice about fat shamers. They will say something negative about a person walking around being overweight and how it's unhealthy and drives up healthcare costs for everyone. But they'll never go into a convenience store and rail against the cashier working such a dangerous job and the possible cost if she gets shot in the head by some robber and lands in the ICU. They just buy their gas and go on their way. Likewise, when they find out someone drives a truck for a living, they don't spout statistics about the dangers of working in transportation and the healthcare costs that might be passed on to them. They don't shout out their window at every passing semi, "Quit your job! Have some discipline!" So most fat shamers don't care about health at all. They're just arses. Only listen to three people on the issue of weight: Your friends, your family, your doctor. And you get the final say.

What a ridiculously myopic and distorted view of reality.

I'm not going to take the time to dissect it, but I believe you are very wrong in your analysis and conclusion.

They don't have the right or role or privilege to promote such a suicide to others.

Sure they do. It's called free speech, at least in this country, and if you don't have that right I feel sorry for you. For that matter, if you're going to take such an extreme approach as saying an healthy choice is equivalent to suicide, then no one should be allowed to talk about drinking alcohol, smoking, eating trans fats, and on and on. But of course we do have that right, at least for now, and so that's really a moot point.

So much raging against strangers' thoughts that almost certainly don't even exist.

Here's something to consider: random people care far less about every single one of you (regardless of size) than you think they do. I know that realization probably scares some of you, but it's the truth.

But if this is the boogeyman you need to get through your day, then who am I to point out that he doesn't exist?

^this...

...still.

I have to say, there is something I do notice about fat shamers. They will say something negative about a person walking around being overweight and how it's unhealthy and drives up healthcare costs for everyone. But they'll never go into a convenience store and rail against the cashier working such a dangerous job and the possible cost if she gets shot in the head by some robber and lands in the ICU. They just buy their gas and go on their way. Likewise, when they find out someone drives a truck for a living, they don't spout statistics about the dangers of working in transportation and the healthcare costs that might be passed on to them. They don't shout out their window at every passing semi, "Quit your job! Have some discipline!" So most fat shamers don't care about health at all. They're just arses. Only listen to three people on the issue of weight: Your friends, your family, your doctor. And you get the final say.

What a ridiculously myopic and distorted view of reality.

I'm not going to take the time to dissect it, but I believe you are very wrong in your analysis and conclusion.

Actually many of us complain about public healthcare being offered at our expense, regardless of who it's being offered to (not merely overweight people driving up the costs). I don't want to be paying for insurance for thin people anymore than I want to pay for insurance for fat people. I have no problem with insurance companies charging more to people who are overweight, as insurance prices are largely driven by risk; I just have a problem with me getting the bill for someone else's health insurance, and if that bill is higher because the person not paying their fair share is also high risk, that's even worse. In short, it has less to do with the person being fat and more to do with other people having to subsidize their health care.

Fat poses so many health risks and people who claim to be happy how they are make me ANGRY!!!!! It's nothing to do with looks it's about your health! You will live a far more fulfilling life at a healthy weight.

You won't require a seatbelt extension on the plane. You won't be too big for the rides at the theme park. You can shop in normal stores. You have energy and good health. How much happier would you be?!!!

That's total BS at 291, my bloodwork, vitals, sodium, sugar, all excellent. My doctor was baffled how I could be so healthy and so fat. so this notion that you can not be healthy and fat is total bull ****.

Congrats on your biomarkers, however, you probably recognize that this weight affects your ability to do things and it is intrinsically healthier to be at a lower weight.

So while I'm not the person suggesting that you'd be happier (you might not be - I don't link happier with weight) you would be more fit and perhaps healthier.

I know this. I also know that there is a big chance that if I stay at my current weight, ten years down the road I may have issues. Also, I want to start a family soon and it is NOT recommended that I do so at my current weight. From what I gather, the deal with this thread is it doesn't matter my weight, health, or anything, I have the right to be happy and not be judged for it. Even if I had diabetes, I can still love myself. From what I've read of your post you understand this but others don't seem to. It's as if you aren't the standard of beauty, you should be working your a#% off to meet that standard or there is something wrong with you. From what I get that's the issue here right?

Of course there are risk factors with being obese, just as there are risk factors with many, many other choices that other people make.

There are a few conversations going on ...

I was responding to the idea that "it's BS" that weight poses a health risk. That's called denial. Biomarkers are but one measure of health, basic performance ability is another - I'm not suggesting everyone should be able to run a marathon but if climbing a few flights of stairs creates a significant cardio strain then that isn't very healthy - you list a few other reasons why being overweight isn't ideal.

As to being happy - I agree with you. Weight is an unfortunate factor that does affect how some people feel about themselves - I wish it wasn't - I would love to somehow be able to teach my daughters to be happy in the face of hundreds of random external factors like weight or bood size or hair length. Not so easy.

And I'll be very frank - I do judge people about their weight - not in terms of moral or happiness but in mostly pragmatic levels: will she be able to do this ride that I'm planning (surprise, yes), will I need to make more cake (umm, yep), am I going to be uncomfortable sitting on the plane next to him (yep), do I find her attractive (maybe/maybe not) - transient evaluations that have nothing to do with a person's self-worth. You own that.

I still wnat to know if I get the last cookie. :laugh:

You can have my cookies as I'm not currently eating them haha!!! :happy:

No I agree. And I may get backlash for this. Health speaking, though there may be some who don't fit this mold, being obese, or morbidly obese will "typically" lead to health complications in the future. I don't disagree with that. I don't disagree that smokers will eventually have issues either, and so forth. I just think that I don't have the right to tell a person what to do with their body (even though I do WISH my fiance' would stop using tobacco and I tell him so).

Good for you for teaching your daughters to love themselves!

Yes, but as a medicine student, I know what I'm talking about. They're usually kidding themselves. It puts so much strain on their organs and is extremely damaging to their joints. Yet they claim to be healthy.

I mean, I'm far from healthy, yet because I'm think I don't see anybody worrying about my health.... why do you only seem to place such emphasis on people's health/the impact of their habits on their weight if they're perceived to be fat/overweight?

The fat acceptance movement is based out of mental health, not physical. It essentially believes that you should not loathe your body for it's current state, and that you should be the victim of discrimination. It's that simple. It doesn't say that any weight is more or less healthy than another, nor does it dictate anybody should be a weight. It is merely a safe space of sorts, where people who are oppressed by society are able to escape the wrath of diet culture, and thin privilege.

I'm a supporter of the fat positivity movement, because I believe that one's health is not based in one's weight. I believe that weight is more often than not (with the obvious exception of disorders like thyroid disorders/other disorders that literally affect the metabolic processes in our body responsible for digestion, weight, glucose breakdown, etc.) a symptom of a problem more so than the cause of one. I really believe in the set-point theory of weight, more so than some crappy, poorly thrown together BMI charts (which the creator it's self proclaimed was not very accurate and not to be used to determine health) or sickly societal standards.

That being said, I TOTALLY understand where you are coming from, in your fears about people's complacency and acceptance of their weight. I'm a huge supporter of pro-active health, and people taking responsibility for their health. Admittedly I work more with neuroscience and psychology, so I tend to look at things through that lens. So, I view fat acceptance as merely a form of self-acceptance, that leads to positive change. To the best of my knowledge, people who loathe their bodies are not very committed to taking positive changes to better themselves, are they? At best, people embark on dangerous fad/crash diets, fail, and end up gaining the weight back (and then some). So I support the movement, realizing that for a lot of people, radically accepting themselves as they are in the moment may lead to a positive change.

(Look up radical acceptance- it's merely the idea that we should accept things as they happen, without judgement or anxieties about rather the past or the future; it's totally possible to accept one's obese body radically, yet still strive to make positive changes for their health).

As was mentioned above, I do feel as though there are people who are using the movement as an excuse to not change their health, but who are we to police their bodies? Their life, their bodies, their choice. If it makes them feel happier and they don't feel oppressed by society, is that not a step in the right direction? Long story short, self-acceptance and body image doesn't magically cure it's self once you're at a healthy weight. If you're insecure at a higher weight, chances are you'll be at a lower weight as well. The same goes for your body-image, your self-worth, etc. which are all aspects the fat positivty movement addresses, yet are not addressed by your medical school bank of knowledge.