It's okay to be fat

It is an interesting concept and I am sure will make for an interesting paper. I just don't see how it is healthy for long term. The stress it puts on your joints alone is got to be a problem. I would like to read your paper when you are done.

sorry but being fat should never be ok. society has tried to make it like its fine and thats the problem lifespam keeps getting shorter for this generation mainly here in the u.s

Before you begin berating me with exactly why it's NOT okay, hear me out. I'm writing a paper for school and I want to hear what you all have to say about it. My topic is the idea that "It's okay to be fat." People actually believe this. There are many supporters of the idea that people can be fat and perfectly healthy, and happy. They insist that people should just accept being overweight, or even obese, as just a part of themselves and be content with it. So basically, they shouldn't try to lose weight and become, as we all know they could, much healthier.

What d'ya think?

It is a bit like people thinking "it is OK to smoke cigarettes", they think they are healthy now, they do not (at the moment) suffer any problems, they can still work and play, and you hear things like "my gradfather smoked all is life and lived to be 90!! .... etc etc.

It is not until it is "too late" do they realise that it was not good for them, but in the cancer ward or similar they can not turn back the clock and say "I wish I had not...."

Let's take a look at what "healthy" means. If it based specifically on medical tests, and bloodwork, etc, then yes, I suppose someone who is overweight could be considered "healthy". But it should really be considered "healthIER" than the other overwieght person. But certainly not healthy.

As pp post stated, the weight is hard on joints, organs, and everything. There is a REASON why we have the BMI scale--to help us determine our weight ratio in comparison to health. Anyone above the "healthy" range, is immediately placed in an "unhealthy" category. It's really quite simple.

Society unfortunately puts "skinny" as healthy--which is NOT the ultimate picture of health. Health is a WHOLE body issue, not just how skinny you look, as MANY skinny people are still not healthy.

As for people deciding that it's okay to be fat--let me give you my personal opinion. I've struggled with emotional eating my whole life, and sometimes, I just want to eat and forget everything. It's easier to eat what you want, it's more FUN to eat and pig out. It doesn't require working hard, and pushing yourself. It allows for laziness and apathy. I think that people who say that it's okay to be fat, have something else inside that they don't want to deal with. Either it's as simple as laziness, or it's something much deeper and the weight is just an outlet for emotional hurts, or whatever it might be.

But i dont' think anyone actually WANTS to be fat. Or WANTS to be unhealthy. If society begins to say "it's okay to be fat", then those who don't want to deal with it, don't have any reason to anymore (other than health of course--but no push from others).

I say all of this with COMPLETE understanding of being in that situation, not quite ready to make the change, but unhappy with where I was at with regards to my weight. As for me, there was a LOT more associated with weight than just the number on the scale. I don't speak for everyone, this is just my opinion of course, but I think most people have a lot more inside of them than just numbers.

O.....and also ...watch the movies " King corn" and " Food Inc"...it explains why many people are obese, and feel they have no power to change it........look what's in the foods we eat!

I agree with this statement.

Here is my definition of being healthy: eating well and getting moderate exercise. It is entirely possible to be strong -- physically, mentally and cardiovascularly without being of "healthy weight." Not everyone is going to be able to maintain a BMI of 23 and be healthy.

There are also plenty of people who are "skinny" and not healthy at all. They have horrible eating habits and zero strength, and a high percentage of body fat.

We have a picture that "thin=healthy" but the best way to find healthy is really based on actual data: blood work and health status.

If your heart is healthy, your arteries are clear, cholesterol is normal, blood pressure is normal, and you have the the strength and agility to live your life you can safely be fit and fat. Focusing on the number on the scale shouldn't be the only measure of health.

That brings us to the second part of the idea, that people need to be content with being obese. That's not going to happen on a grand scale because obesity prohibits people from doing many of the things in life that make them happy: travel, outdoor activities, feeling confident about how they present themselves to the world, bettering themselves in any manner, including themselves in their family's memories through pictures and videos, etc.

Think I might use this a bit. Sounds silly, but I hadn't really thought of all that stuff yet.

Happy to have helped!

OK - my $.02US...

First off, 'fat', 'obese', 'healthy' and 'happy' all need to be defined. All are vague terms that mean something different to each person who thinks/discusses this.

When one considers that most body images are media-driven for advertising purposes, and that we all have a tendency to compare ourselves to these 'ideals', then yeah - we need to let loose of those and accept that most of us will never look like the 'perfect' body. Even when I was thin, my thighs and butt were stockier than the average guy (think Robin Williams) and it always bugged me. I understand that once I get this excess weight off, and get myself into decent shape, I should accept the body shape that I was given at birth. That's body acceptance, and in my view, being 'happy with being fat'.

The problem however is that most people who espouse the happy/fat connection are basically trying to tell us to stop making them feel guilty for their morbid obesity. OK - I can dig that - but once their obesity starts damaging furniture, raising my insurance premiums, flowing over the plane seat into my space - then it is also MY problem. If you're in MY space, than you can bet I will tell you to get rid of it.

I think you are definitely only going to get one side of the story here, lol. Of course people on this site don't think it is ok- if they did, they wouldn't be here!

However, there is something to be said for accepting yourself for who you are. I came to terms with the fact that I was fat and was just going to be fat a long time ago (and yes, my BMI was in the obese category- I was RIGHT on the line of being morbidly obese (which is a BMI of 40- mine was 39.something).

I had no health problems that were related to my weight. In fact, I have health problems that contribute to my weight gain and inability to lose weight (PCOS). I was also perfectly happy with myself and my life, other than some uncontrollable things that had nothing to do with my weight (my dad getting cancer, for example, and being homesick because I live across the country from my family). I never looked in the mirror with disgust. Sure, I might have gotten frustrated if I didn't like the way a certain outfit looked on me one day, but that happens to skinny people too. My weight never stopped me from being myself and doing what I wanted. I traveled and went on vacations where we walked everywhere without problems, I went to the beach and I went swimming, I was completely confident in myself and my abilities as a person, and my weight didn't matter at all. It rarely even crossed my mind.

I had no life-altering experience that made me want to lose weight. I decided one day, a little over a year ago now, that I was going to give it a shot. I have no reason or explanation as to why. I didn't have concerns about being healthy or wanting children, I didn't want to look skinny or sexy or fit into normal clothes... I just thought that I had never really quite tried hard enough and maybe I should do that. So I did. And here I am.

My BMI is in the just regular overweight category now. It went down 10 points and 3 categories (obese class 2, obese class 1, overweight). And I am the same exact person that I was a year ago. I'm just as happy and confident with myself. In fact, when I was visiting family over the holidays, one of my aunts, in complementing me on my weight loss, said that I was more confident than she had ever seen me. To be honest, her comment really bothered me. She automatically assumed that I MUST be feeling more confident because I lost weight- when in fact, I was pretty damn proud of myself for completing my Master's degree and having just finished up my first semester of teaching college. She's right, I WAS more confident- but it had absolutely nothing to do with my weight.

If anything, I'm more critical now than I ever was when I didn't think about my weight. I look at myself in the mirror and criticize everything. I have to remind myself constantly that my little pooch/muffin top is nothing compared to the rolls I had before. I worry about weighing myself and think about the size I want to be wearing when I try on clothes. None of things used to concern me. Would I say I was happier then? I don't know. Maybe I was. It feels good when people notice your weight loss and lavish praises on you, but sometimes, it is a bit embarrassing too. I don't always like to be noticed that much. And sometimes, it makes you wonder if that's all you are. Do people only see you as a physical body, and don't see you as a person? As something more?

Happiness is more than physical. You don't need the perfect body, or even a healthy body to be happy. Happiness comes from a life well-lived. A skinny person, or a healthy person, is not necessarily living a good life. Plenty of skinny people are not happy, and plenty of morbidly obese people are. I am loved by a wonderful man, I have an amazing family, and some of the best friends a person could hope for. I've traveled more than many people will in their lifetime and have no intent on stopping there. I don't have a lot of money, but I have enough to survive without struggling. I am intelligent. I can positively affect the lives of those around me. Overall, I have lived a good life thus far, and I am happy. And I was just as happy a year ago, because I lived my life the same way then as I do now in just about every way that matters. The only difference is that I look a little bit different physically, I obsess over food, and I actively try to exercise now. But none of those things have increased my happiness level whatsoever.

Is it possible to be fat and happy? Of course it is.