Do you really think one can be happy FAT?

I think I don't get to tell anyone if they are or can be happy.

I probably wouldn't be happy being morbidly obese...but I was happy as a clam when I was fat and overweight...I wasn't healthy, but I was perfectly happy...I was sure a lot happier than when I was super skinny.

Body image is just one component in someone's life. Some really care about it and some don't.
Happiness is more than just how someone looks. Heck I've seen and known many a person whom many consider have the "perfect" body and they have lots of other baggage that an overweight person doesn't have.
IMO, there's one main reason one shouldn't be too fat or too overweight....................it creates a higher health risk for that individual.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

You can be fat and happy. I don't buy the whole fat and healthy thing though.

Well for starters, you jumped from "fat" to "morbidly obese". There is a difference. I do think people can be overweight and happy wit their lives, and I know that skinny people can be unhappy with their lives. Fat/overweight doesn't mean you are out of shape just like being skinny doesn't mean you are in shape. Generally people who are not active get winded and tired, fat or skinny. But there are larger people who are active and in decent shape. Now I'm not saying that it is good for them to be carrying around excess weight; they would probably be able to do more if they slimmed down. But as far as happy goes they are probably fairly happy.

As for the plus size models, generally they are happy also and they have to keep in some sort of shape to still look good. However just as skinny models are photo-shopped to look smaller, plus sized models are photo-shopped to look fatter. We live in a very looks oriented world and right now it is extremely divided.

I do have a hard time believing that the 500 pound woman who is doing photo shoots and saying excess fat is sexy is a truly happy woman. She must be in constant pain and have a hard time moving around. I do not see how anyone can be truly happy in that situation. And I don't believe it is a good idea to support furthering the mindset that it is normal or healthy to be that heavy. There are too many known health risks.

I think happiness comes from self-confidence. If you love you, how you look doesn't matter.

I think happiness comes from within and I give very heavy people, who are still genuinely happy, a lot of credit for being so. I think in society there is a lot of pressure to be young and attractive, and too much of what defines attractive equates to thin. However, there are heavier people who are in great health, for the moment. There is too much science about how excess weight adversely affects health, to believe that obesity is healthy in the long run. But let's not confuse happiness with health, I've known a number of (thin) people with chronic and even terminal illness who maintained their sense of happiness. So yeah, I think people can be truly happy while obese.

Of course. I am 260 lbs and happy. I am not even sure whether losing weight is something that i really want. I exercise now to get fit, because i want to get job oversea and i know everything wont be as easy and relax like in my hometown.

monicalferrier wrote: »

I think happiness comes from self-confidence. If you love you, how you look doesn't matter.

sorry couldn't resist

I've been 225 pounds (obese for my height, though not morbidly). I've been 158 pounds. And I've been every weight in between. I've had about the same level of happiness at every weight.

I can't and shouldn't really attempt to speak for anyone else, public figure or not.

Anyone can be happy, and anyone can be miserable. Some of the nastiest most self loathing people I've met have been extremely thin, and completely unhappy. Also, being fat does not inhibit you from having a full and good life unless you let it. I'm fat but I still have a wonderful boyfriend whom I love, amazing friends, a great family, my job is cool and I love my cat...but because I'm fat I shouldn't or don't have the right to enjoy those things as much as I do? I understand that being overweight can certainly drag you down (both literally and psychologically), but to think that just "being fat" would mean that you can't know true happiness...well I feel bad for anyone who thinks that. Just because it's not your idea of happiness, doesn't mean it's not happiness.

Of course! I am fat, and have been fatter (before I started losing weight) and I am quite happy and content with my life. I got married fat, and know that I'm awesome no matter what weight I am. I don't see why being fat should mean that I have to hold my life back, or feel unhappy about myself/my life. I'm me regardless of my size. I'm losing weight because I know that I want to be healthy, and not because I'm unhappy with how I look. The idea that someone's weight automatically means they are unhappy is just ridiculous.

About 15 years ago I remember ending the Atkins diet a lil tearful and told my wife "Im a happy fat man". It was true. Later medical complications and a hospitalization with a "near death" experience I had my mind changed.
If you tried to tell me were I was headed I had great arguments, my 2K triglycerides was "baseline" and could not hurt me.
I tend to learn by running into walls very hard. LOL

Happiness is health of the mind, excess fat is related to the health of the body. We often make them an exclusive entity but they are separate. It is all relative to each and every individual and what they deem important. There is no wrong or right answer, it's up to you (when it comes to yourself, not others).