Health is more than body size. Don't use the scale to measure health.

DavPul wrote: »

zyxst wrote: »

aggelikik wrote: »

zyxst wrote: »

So for the people who say being fat = unhealthy, what is your definition of healthy? What would I have to have to be healthy in your opinion? Is it being a certain weight (BMI)? Blood markers? Fitness test?

The fat part, depends on definition of fat. Fat can mean anything from having some weight to lose for personal preference to being morbidly obese. A BMI that gets you into a category where part of the label is "morbidly" for sure does not match any definition of healthy.

In your definition of healthy, would I be healthy? I'll provide some stats you might need:

- blood work tests fall into "normal"
- BMI 28.8 (overweight, 5'1", 152.4#)
- 50.9% BF as of February, 2015 from a bone density scan
- BP 122/76 (taken July 31, 2015)
- normal heart rate 59 (taken July 31, 2015)

At 260 pounds, I was able to complete a Tough Mudder. Even though I had the endurance, strength, and agility to complete the distance and the obstacles, I'm much much better off at a much lower weight. My labs were all in the perfectly normal range as well, but I have no qualms at all when my doctor says I need to lose weight.

I don't get to redefine healthy weight just because my health markers are good *right now*. The entire point of establishing health weight guidelines is that the risks go up as the weight goes up and go down as the weight goes down. Just because I don't have Type II diabetes today doesn't mean I shouldn't strive to improve in the ways that I can

That sums it up.

KittensMaster wrote: »

I didn't wait until I was in shape to start doing things that people in shape often do.

If we waited around to get in shape to do the things folks in shape do, we'd not do anything.

My own decisions led me to gaining weight to morbidly obese. I've dropped weight and size, and wear clothing in the normal side of the aisle at any regular store now where before I had to order from Plus Sized catalogs because stores did not carry my size. I didn't look good powerwalking like those in shape, but I did it anyway, and shed pounds and gained muscle. I didn't lift weights perfectly like those in shape, but in the past I've done them and gained muscle. I couldn't care less what folks that are in shape are able to do--what matters to my family and me is that I'm able to be a mom who is up and moving around and taking care of them instead of sitting in the chair doing nothing and in constant pain. Why let life slip by waiting to do things that only people who are in shape can do?

For what it's worth, I took a group of girls to camp this summer, and it's built around a cliff. To get to where you needed to go, it was constant hill climbing. Up, down, up down, steep hills all day long. Those who were skinny had a hard time doing it just once, and tended to drive. I slapped on a back pack, hoofed it around the camp, up and down the cliff side road to get to the places that we had to go, a few times a day, to where in 105 degree heat index I still didn't feel like I was dying when the day was done. The hills became easy to do. But, I'm not in "shape", so should I have waited, or do like I did and used those hills to work on weight and muscle?

karyabc wrote: »

oh god reading some responses I felt like jeez I have to say sorry for being obese for the first 25 years of my life and sorry that during that time I didn't actually hate my self , felt disgusted with my body or didn't wrote a post like many people do "oh I'm 20 lbs overweight, I look like a whale, I don't want to get out of my house".
so while she possibly choose to lose the weight or not, she can't be photographed? look good? promote exercise/clothes? be on the cover of the magazine?

oh yesss we have to wait until she is fit and healthy enough to fit the role model so she can even dare to speak about running #SMH

I sure wish I hadn't gotten four pages in before finding ONE comment that wasn't about shaming and how disgusting it is that fat people take up space in the world without hating themselves no matter where they are in their journey. But I'm glad to have found one and I like you.

Personally, I think loving oneself as you are, right now, no matter your size, is the first step to making healthy choices, even if that includes losing weight. I truly believe you can't hate or shame yourself into looking different, and other people sure as f*#K can't do it for you, so I seriously don't know why so many people spend energy judging anyone else, and projecting onto other people how THEY think they should feel about themselves. It has literally nothing to do with them and they aren't forced to buy the magazine.

DavPul wrote: »

I don't get to redefine healthy weight just because my health markers are good *right now*. The entire point of establishing health weight guidelines is that the risks go up as the weight goes up and go down as the weight goes down. Just because I don't have Type II diabetes today doesn't mean I shouldn't strive to improve in the ways that I can

This is a good point. When people say it's unhealthy to be obese, they don't mean--or shouldn't mean--that someone who is obese cannot be healthy at the moment (or can't be one of the few who avoid the risks and never develop any weight-related problems--just like everyone seems to know someone who smoked until dying at age 105). It means there are greater risks related to being obese.

I was really obese. And even at my fattest I had good test results (I think it surprised my doctor) and could run up the 4 flights of stairs to my condo carrying groceries and walked probably more regularly than the average American. And it was unhealthy.

That said--and I'm sorry to dump all this in my response to your post, as I'm changing topics somewhat--I think sometimes people conflate the evidence re being obese, which is pretty strong, and with that for being overweight, which is more questionable. How much more risky is it to have a BMI of, say, 27, especially if you are active and eat pretty well. IMO, the evidence suggests probably not much if at all (and it's probably better to be an active person with a BMI of 27, even if it's not distorted by low body fat, than a sedentary person of BMI 21).

Also, in that some people have suggested that we must think of the children, because if we don't stamp "unhealthy" on all photos of fat people who seem to be enjoying life that young people might decide that being fat is a fun idea, I will point out that despite my belief that being active and BMI 27 is probably not actually unhealthy I am currently BMI 22 trying to lose enough to be BMI 21. Not because of health, but because I want to be more fit overall, run faster, and like the way I look better if I am a little thinner than now.

"Both the model and the magazine have made international headlines and earned widespread praise, with editor-in-chief Jessica Sebor calling the reaction "completely unanticipated."

I have to call *kitten*. The cover of this magazine was as calculated as can be. Oh we didn't expect such a huge reaction -- yeah right.

I agree with this statement. At 183 my joints ached any time I hit the pavement. Now that I'm 20lb lighter it's like night and day.

ninerbuff wrote: »

Being overweight and healthy is not uncommon, but neither is being overweight and unhealthy. There are so many other variables to consider along genetics, lifestyle, etc.
I'll be the first to say that WEIGHT does matter though. Force on joints (especially as a runner) matter. And unless one is very diligent with diet and exercise consistently, weight gain as one ages is pretty common due to lower metabolic rates and activity levels.

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