Getting this off my chest...

Personally I think people should just...chill out...Being obese or not is a person's own choice. Unless we were in the profession to educate people, it's no one's business...But of course, if that person is someone you care about very much, raising your concern makes sense.

I used to think people who I work with were smarter than me in any way because they all have computer science or math degrees. Then I realize everyone is intelligent in their own way. There's no fair comparison so please don't compare.

I'm not even talking about physical fitness--though you're right, it's all on a case-by-case basis. I'm talking about BP, Cholesterol, heart rate, all that jazz. If all that is in acceptable ranges, how do you not qualify as healthy?

Becaus body fat level is also a marker of health. Excessive body fat is unhealthy.

So are you saying someone who isn't overweight but has high blood pressure is perfectly healthy?

It is true high body fat is a marker of poor health but the POINT is that by itself it is a far less severe marker than society would have you believe.

I did not read very far into the responses Im sure you received some very intelligent answers
Being Obese puts you at risk for heart disease
being Obese puts you at risk for diabetes
family factors and other environmental factors have something to do with it
so does sex height and race

does it suck
sure it does
I would love to be able to eat cup cakes my hearts desire like I did when I was in my 20s (I have been obese since I was a teen)
I would love to thumb my nose at the heart disease risks
but
I am 43
I'm not getting any younger
Cardiovascular issues and diabetes do not just run in my family they gallop
I have it from both sides
I have diabetes
I have high blood pressure
my poor eating habits and my own laziness have given me this

My SIL who does not have heart problems in her family or diabetes
weighs well over 400lbs she is 5 yrs older than I am
she can barely move
her knees and hips are shot
she cannot stand for long period of time
she has asthma
she has sleeping problems (sleep apnea)
but she loves to tell me she is not at risk for diabetes

I'll take the restricted diet and exercise over the pain and no sleep

Obesity starts from BMI 30, which means most people who reaches 200 lb already considered obese. Still a 200 lb active person with zero health issues, are not even comparable to a 400 lb person who barely can walk.

I have a feeling that when people hear/ read the word obese , they actually only think about morbidly obese people who barely can catch their breath after walking a half mile. Well, that is not what obese word refers to.

I got fat by eating utter crap and lots of it. I never met a vegetable I liked (well not many) and I never stopped at just one of anything sweet. So I'm sure that my heart is not thanking me for my past behavior and is thanking me for being in a healthy weight range now.

That said, I won't put utter faith in a study like that until and unless a group of obese people who got fat on healthy foods are tested and also shown to have the same health issues as the junkfood eaters (and I mean really healthy foods, not pasta and chocolate from Whole Foods, divine though that may be).

The study was in Korea, though, so I'll bet dollars to donuts (haha) that they were all healthier than most Americans, including the skinny minnies.

I quibble with this quote from the article:

“Given our current lack of a ‘cure’ or efficient means of successfully treating obesity over the longer term, might the resources spent on trying to define and justify the existence of a ‘metabolically healthy’ obese population be more wisely allocated to elucidating ways to prevent or treat obesity?” he writes.

http://time.com/82848/theres-no-such-thing-as-healthy-obesity-says-study/


Researchers ought to be identifying metabolically unhealthy people from every weight range regardless of whether or not they find more among the obese. There might not be a cure now, but all the more reason to find ways to prevent problems for people of all weights while working on one. Of course, this doesn't say not to do so, either. So hopefully the bright rat chasers in the lab coats will keep working on it.

But I don't want to hear this bit:

“The amount of effort that has to go into losing that last 10 pounds can make life not fun. In that situation, I tell my patients that the whole point of being healthy is to have a good life,” says Katz. “If you are working so hard to lose these ten pounds and it’s going to ruin your quality of life, it’s not worth it.”


No darn it, just no. The last ten is going away. One of these days. Because I say it is. And that is all there is to it.

Genetics is the gun and environment is the trigger. It's true not all smokers and obese people will develop the same health complications but they are much more likely to. Reality isn't always what we want to hear but it is what is.

I also don't like it when ppl assume that if you are overweight it's b/c you don't know any better.

THe industry however has a vested interest in making it seem as though there is some information you or I as obese ppl are missing out on and that they have the answer.

I don't expect that to change as long as there are ppl trying to make money. the only thing I can change is myself, so I just ignore ppl who spout the latest thing commercials or magazines are saying and stick to the topic at hand. i never bring up my weight in public so anyone who brings it up is completely off topic and totally off base and I shine the light on that fact until it stops.

Well to be fair if you are overweight as an adult it is because you never learned how to eat at a maintenance level. I think those of us who are overweight or struggle to build habits to maintain our weight are better served by that admission than by looking for things external to themselves to blame.

It's extremely arrogant to assume that all fat people are that way because of ignorance or a lack of willpower. That simply isn't the case. In fact honestly till people started ragging on me for being fat in other words till I was bullied for it I had no problem with being fat. I decided that at that time in my life I simply didn't care to be thin. Even now I simply wish to be a healthy weight. I have zero wish to conform to some ideal of how my body should look. Many people are like this and simply don't care about the same things you do. For some this has a sad reason because their lack of self esteem has led them not to value their lives beyond immediate enjoyment. Or because indeed they are ignorant of their body's proper care requirement. But for some this is a conscious decision to follow intellectual, social or even spiritual avenues of accomplishment instead. Or simply a love of food that exceeds even their desire to live as long a life as possible.

Yes being overweight is damaging to your body's health. BUT it is not the be all and end all of everything. No matter how you live your life your body will fail and you will die. And from one perspective there are also many that spend hours and hours at the gym and live lives of deprivation out of some misplaced need to be accepted by society. Or out of escapism and the distraction that the benefits of a healthy body give to the reality of death and decay.

In short please rid yourself of the delusion that you know what's best for everyone. It is arrogant and vile.

I am sorry but in what way exactly is it incorrect to state that people who are overweight (such as myself by the way) dont know how to eat at maintenance in their daily lives. No one wants to be overweight so it is safe to assume it wasnt a conscious intentional choice to become so. The only other option is that by default those who are overweight will tend to eat above maintenance if they are not actively dieting. How is that either arrogant or vile I honestly do not understand your reaction. What I am saying is not an insult.

I am overweight now, have been obese before in my life... cant say that ive had self esteem issues though, they dont always go hand in hand. I want to get in shape for practical reasons of health and being able to have high endurance. I am fully confident in my ability to do so but realise that at somepoint I will need to learn the proper habits to eat at maintenance naturally which, as someone who gets overweight if not actively thinking about it, I have never learned to do. Again not sure why that is an arrogant or vile outlook.

I'm pretty sure they can't predict exactly what someone's health will be later.

Actually, they can. Talk to an actuary.

true story; but actuaries are bean counters, not sure if they are bean eaters.

I also don't like it when ppl assume that if you are overweight it's b/c you don't know any better.

THe industry however has a vested interest in making it seem as though there is some information you or I as obese ppl are missing out on and that they have the answer.

I don't expect that to change as long as there are ppl trying to make money. the only thing I can change is myself, so I just ignore ppl who spout the latest thing commercials or magazines are saying and stick to the topic at hand. i never bring up my weight in public so anyone who brings it up is completely off topic and totally off base and I shine the light on that fact until it stops.

Well to be fair if you are overweight as an adult it is because you never learned how to eat at a maintenance level. I think those of us who are overweight or struggle to build habits to maintain our weight are better served by that admission than by looking for things external to themselves to blame.

It's extremely arrogant to assume that all fat people are that way because of ignorance or a lack of willpower. That simply isn't the case. In fact honestly till people started ragging on me for being fat in other words till I was bullied for it I had no problem with being fat. I decided that at that time in my life I simply didn't care to be thin. Even now I simply wish to be a healthy weight. I have zero wish to conform to some ideal of how my body should look. Many people are like this and simply don't care about the same things you do. For some this has a sad reason because their lack of self esteem has led them not to value their lives beyond immediate enjoyment. Or because indeed they are ignorant of their body's proper care requirement. But for some this is a conscious decision to follow intellectual, social or even spiritual avenues of accomplishment instead. Or simply a love of food that exceeds even their desire to live as long a life as possible.

Yes being overweight is damaging to your body's health. BUT it is not the be all and end all of everything. No matter how you live your life your body will fail and you will die. And from one perspective there are also many that spend hours and hours at the gym and live lives of deprivation out of some misplaced need to be accepted by society. Or out of escapism and the distraction that the benefits of a healthy body give to the reality of death and decay.

In short please rid yourself of the delusion that you know what's best for everyone. It is arrogant and vile.

I am sorry but in what way exactly is it incorrect to state that people who are overweight (such as myself by the way) dont know how to eat at maintenance in their daily lives. No one wants to be overweight so it is safe to assume it wasnt a conscious intentional choice to become so. The only other option is that by default those who are overweight will tend to eat above maintenance if they are not actively dieting. How is that either arrogant or vile I honestly do not understand your reaction. What I am saying is not an insult.

I am overweight now, have been obese before in my life... cant say that ive had self esteem issues though, they dont always go hand in hand. I want to get in shape for practical reasons of health and being able to have high endurance. I am fully confident in my ability to do so but realise that at somepoint I will need to learn the proper habits to eat at maintenance naturally which, as someone who gets overweight if not actively thinking about it, I have never learned to do. Again not sure why that is an arrogant or vile outlook.

Ok I get you now. Your just too naive or ignorant (note : not stupid) to understand. I will spell it out for you. Some people do not care to be thin. They like food or hate exercise and accept the consequences of that decision. We have a limited time on earth. Some people think that restraint in these departments is NOT worth spending countless hours in the gym. And that extra time being old isn't worth it either. I know you might find this difficult to believe. But it's true. Often this opinion changes when people get older. Sometimes it doesn't. The point is that it isn't everyone else business to tell people what to do with their bodies. That choice belongs to them alone. And you need to realize that you don't get how every person works. You really don't. Sometimes if you are a good friend and because of this you understand that your friend i being self destructive rather than just being them then you have a right to say something and interfere. But complete stranger's don't have the right to criticize you for the choices you make.

I also don't like it when ppl assume that if you are overweight it's b/c you don't know any better.

THe industry however has a vested interest in making it seem as though there is some information you or I as obese ppl are missing out on and that they have the answer.

I don't expect that to change as long as there are ppl trying to make money. the only thing I can change is myself, so I just ignore ppl who spout the latest thing commercials or magazines are saying and stick to the topic at hand. i never bring up my weight in public so anyone who brings it up is completely off topic and totally off base and I shine the light on that fact until it stops.

Well to be fair if you are overweight as an adult it is because you never learned how to eat at a maintenance level. I think those of us who are overweight or struggle to build habits to maintain our weight are better served by that admission than by looking for things external to themselves to blame.

It's extremely arrogant to assume that all fat people are that way because of ignorance or a lack of willpower. That simply isn't the case. In fact honestly till people started ragging on me for being fat in other words till I was bullied for it I had no problem with being fat. I decided that at that time in my life I simply didn't care to be thin. Even now I simply wish to be a healthy weight. I have zero wish to conform to some ideal of how my body should look. Many people are like this and simply don't care about the same things you do. For some this has a sad reason because their lack of self esteem has led them not to value their lives beyond immediate enjoyment. Or because indeed they are ignorant of their body's proper care requirement. But for some this is a conscious decision to follow intellectual, social or even spiritual avenues of accomplishment instead. Or simply a love of food that exceeds even their desire to live as long a life as possible.

Yes being overweight is damaging to your body's health. BUT it is not the be all and end all of everything. No matter how you live your life your body will fail and you will die. And from one perspective there are also many that spend hours and hours at the gym and live lives of deprivation out of some misplaced need to be accepted by society. Or out of escapism and the distraction that the benefits of a healthy body give to the reality of death and decay.

In short please rid yourself of the delusion that you know what's best for everyone. It is arrogant and vile.

I am sorry but in what way exactly is it incorrect to state that people who are overweight (such as myself by the way) dont know how to eat at maintenance in their daily lives. No one wants to be overweight so it is safe to assume it wasnt a conscious intentional choice to become so. The only other option is that by default those who are overweight will tend to eat above maintenance if they are not actively dieting. How is that either arrogant or vile I honestly do not understand your reaction. What I am saying is not an insult.

I am overweight now, have been obese before in my life... cant say that ive had self esteem issues though, they dont always go hand in hand. I want to get in shape for practical reasons of health and being able to have high endurance. I am fully confident in my ability to do so but realise that at somepoint I will need to learn the proper habits to eat at maintenance naturally which, as someone who gets overweight if not actively thinking about it, I have never learned to do. Again not sure why that is an arrogant or vile outlook.

Just want to add some sugar in your gas tank, lady. No, not all of us got fat because moderation and maintenance were evil words. Look up some of the side effects of klonopin, depo provera, risperidal, and zoloft. Throw in lithium. Common side effect: weight gain and insulin resistance. Klonopin is great at encouraging you to sleep 12 hrs a day. Welcome to how I packed on 60 lbs. Unfortunately, treating the mental health issues was more important at the time than my weight. Moderation means diddly squat when you spend the day in bed, taking meds that make you a zombie, increase your insulin resistance, but keep you alive.

While I don't necessarily agree with this "I'm not actively dying (not in the tibetan philosophy of we are all dying) so therefore I am healthy, why is everyone ragging on my weight?!" theme I've seen popping up and around lately, I can get with the idea that all these thinspo freaks and skinny-fat raggers like to bludgeon others with the supposed boogeymans of *certain* cardiac events and *certain* knee replacements for fat folks. Why? I dunno. They seem to relish the idea that all them ugly fat folks are gonna get their just desserts for being fat, like I'd relish a good tender babyback rib that they can't touch for fear of the fat cooties.

My health markers are great. From the mouth of my doctor, no lie. I have low BP, my pulse rate hangs around in the low seventies, my HDL/LDL and TGs are great. I'm still going to lose weight, despite the fact that currently I have no adverse health events related to my current weight. The only joint problems I'm dealing with is a bad back from an injury when I was a CNA and a touchy knee that got banged up when I sprained my ankle in the barn. Little to do with my weight, a lot to do with the fact that my top half kept moving forward when my leg turned 90 degrees to the right and stopped immediately. Even with my bona fides, I still respect that I am at higher risk of adverse health events as I age, and I'm willing to work on it to lower my risk.

I agree that many people in public and here at MFP think fat=stupid. Eh, so be it, cause who is really the idiot there?

I also don't like it when ppl assume that if you are overweight it's b/c you don't know any better.

THe industry however has a vested interest in making it seem as though there is some information you or I as obese ppl are missing out on and that they have the answer.

I don't expect that to change as long as there are ppl trying to make money. the only thing I can change is myself, so I just ignore ppl who spout the latest thing commercials or magazines are saying and stick to the topic at hand. i never bring up my weight in public so anyone who brings it up is completely off topic and totally off base and I shine the light on that fact until it stops.

Well to be fair if you are overweight as an adult it is because you never learned how to eat at a maintenance level. I think those of us who are overweight or struggle to build habits to maintain our weight are better served by that admission than by looking for things external to themselves to blame.

It's extremely arrogant to assume that all fat people are that way because of ignorance or a lack of willpower. That simply isn't the case. In fact honestly till people started ragging on me for being fat in other words till I was bullied for it I had no problem with being fat. I decided that at that time in my life I simply didn't care to be thin. Even now I simply wish to be a healthy weight. I have zero wish to conform to some ideal of how my body should look. Many people are like this and simply don't care about the same things you do. For some this has a sad reason because their lack of self esteem has led them not to value their lives beyond immediate enjoyment. Or because indeed they are ignorant of their body's proper care requirement. But for some this is a conscious decision to follow intellectual, social or even spiritual avenues of accomplishment instead. Or simply a love of food that exceeds even their desire to live as long a life as possible.

Yes being overweight is damaging to your body's health. BUT it is not the be all and end all of everything. No matter how you live your life your body will fail and you will die. And from one perspective there are also many that spend hours and hours at the gym and live lives of deprivation out of some misplaced need to be accepted by society. Or out of escapism and the distraction that the benefits of a healthy body give to the reality of death and decay.

In short please rid yourself of the delusion that you know what's best for everyone. It is arrogant and vile.

I am sorry but in what way exactly is it incorrect to state that people who are overweight (such as myself by the way) dont know how to eat at maintenance in their daily lives. No one wants to be overweight so it is safe to assume it wasnt a conscious intentional choice to become so. The only other option is that by default those who are overweight will tend to eat above maintenance if they are not actively dieting. How is that either arrogant or vile I honestly do not understand your reaction. What I am saying is not an insult.

I am overweight now, have been obese before in my life... cant say that ive had self esteem issues though, they dont always go hand in hand. I want to get in shape for practical reasons of health and being able to have high endurance. I am fully confident in my ability to do so but realise that at somepoint I will need to learn the proper habits to eat at maintenance naturally which, as someone who gets overweight if not actively thinking about it, I have never learned to do. Again not sure why that is an arrogant or vile outlook.

I think there are more factors at play than just not knowing how to eat at maintenance. People can get weight from medical issues, pregnancy, and general life circumstances. By that I mean, things change in your life. You get a promotion at work where you spend more time at a desk than moving around, or your job responsibilities change and you are expected to spend more time dining out with clients. You have to work longer hours, which cuts down on your gym time. You have kids, and all your free time gets cut down significantly. You get a new job where you have to travel and end up eating on the go 90% of the time. Over time, the weight slowly creeps on due to either a change in activity level or food options.

Now, none of the things I listed prevent anyone from watching their calories and working out. Obviously there are people here who face these situations and are still being successful with diet and exercise. My point is that people don't always gain weight because they don't know how to keep from shoveling food down their gaping maws. Sometimes circumstances change in your life, and your priorities shift. Something is always going to have to give with only 24 hours in a day, and for a lot of people, that means exercise and taking care of themselves, which leads to weight gain. If you are already overwhelmed with what is going on in your life or feel like you don't have the resources, making a change is tough. That's one of the reasons I like MFP - there are so many people here to share ideas and resources that a lot people don't even know exist and provide support to make changes.