Why wouldn't someone want to lose weight?!

If its someone your close to you should probably just ask them.

Some people have medical issues that make weight loss difficult or impossible.

Some people think they cannot do it.

Some people psych themselves out of it.

Some people have eating disorders.

Some people don't care.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »

I guess the best way to look at it would be to think "What do I moan about the most?" Then ask yourself "Why haven't I changed it or done something about it?"

Self reflection is hard and as humans we suck at it in the main.

I once heard something that really resonated with me that went along the lines of "Whatever you complain about the most you have the unconscious desire to create in your life."

For me anyway, when I'm moving towards a goal I'm not complaining about not having achieved it.

Some people are in denial.
Some people are too lazy.
Some people have food addiction or emotional issues.

My mom needs to lose weight. She is beyond morbidly obese. She has fatty deposits on her arms that are pushing on her nerves. She avoids doctors so she can remain in denial. She smokes and has COPD. She won't change. Like, if anyone needed Dr. Now from My 600 Lb Life, it would be my mom.

She will die at a youngish age due to her bad eating, her smoking and not taking care of any possible health issues. That is what she wants so I don't say anything.

People do want to lose weight, they just don't want to put in the effort. I'm sure if you gave those people the chance to be 50 or 100 pounds lighter, they'd say yes in a heartbeat...

My reasons were that I was told at 19 that my metabolism was awful and I'd have to eat 1300 calories a day to stay a normal weight... I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain weight, so why be miserable and depriving myself just to be thinner knowing I'd have to stop eating what I love to lose.

Basically I had no idea that I could lose and still eat what I loved, being brainwashed about what's bad for you etc. Even if I had known, I wasn't ready for it. I love eating. I loved eating everything I wanted without caring. It's only when I realized that I was getting older and that heart issues were a possibility that I decided that being fit and losing weight was more important for me than stuffing my face all the time.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”

― Wendy Mass, The Candymakers

There is only so much you can do. I just make sure I am available when someone needs my help and try not to offer it unsolicited.

It is really frustrating to hear close ones complain about ANY deleterious situation that they remain in. Truly, all we can do is see to ourselves. Perhaps an example of successful change right there in front of them would permeate the roadblocks or excuses and inspire them. But that's kind of a long shot.

Change is often scary and therefore not sought after. Most folks actively avoid it!

Sometimes being what others don't like is a big ole FU to them. Maybe dumb to punish yourself to hurt others. But peeps do it.

For as many different people who have weight to lose, each of them probably has many different reasons why they're overweight in the first place. When you then compound the fact that your looking at multiple problems that a person has to deal with before addressing ingrained habits, it's easy to see why there's not really an easy answer to the question in the original post.

Overeating can be both psychological and behavioral. A person has to deal with a lot of mental roadblocks to get the psychological reasons out of the way before they can start addressing the behavioral issues. This is hard, challenging stuff and there are often lots of false starts. It can seem overwhelming, and many people would just rather not try than try to face all this, not knowing where to start dealing with it all.

I personally think of a lot of comes from a combination of confusion about what works for any one person and what is so readily available/pushed in our society relative to food (at least the US). People can get very frustrated when they're trying to do something "right" and get little/no results. Or the results are temporary and they regain the weight. And finding out what is "right" for you can very so much on the individual. When you're a person that hasn't found a good, longterm sustainable way of eating, it can feel like you're perpetually fighting a losing battle.

I know that I followed various types of advice over the years without really understanding the underlying science (and even that is still very much in debate). When I finally found what worked for me, it was shockingly easy -- like 5% of the effort I used to expend But, before that, it was shockingly hard.

Plus, weight creeps on a little at a time and people adjust. At my heaviest, I was only 30 lbs over my ideal body weight and that felt like a TON. I literally cannot imagine being 50, 75, 100+ lbs overweight -- it just boggles my mind knowing how unhappy I was with that 30 lbs. But, come here to MFP and there are many, many people that have lost that sort of weight or are trying to lose that sort of weight. I think it's very insidious and easy to not realize how bad it is sometimes.

The second half of my comment didn't post! My weight loss journey!! It's really hard to start and stay consistent! Especially when no one around you says anything about your weight etc. the only one making me feel bad was me so I was the one who had to force myself to start! And now I'm the only one on the healthy eating and exercise train...my BF can eat whatever and be thin so he does!! It's obviously the worst when you're clothes shopping but you have to make a choice every day in order to change that one day of clothes shopping...for most people we just "don't worry about it"!

[quote="lindsey1979;34492859"
Plus, weight creeps on a little at a time and people adjust. At my heaviest, I was only 30 lbs over my ideal body weight and that felt like a TON. I literally cannot imagine being 50, 75, 100+ lbs overweight -- it just boggles my mind knowing how unhappy I was with that 30 lbs. But, come here to MFP and there are many, many people that have lost that sort of weight or are trying to lose that sort of weight. I think it's very insidious and easy to not realize how bad it is sometimes.
[/quote]

I like this part of your comment! It was soooo true for me!! 6 years ago I was 80 pounds lighter...each year I put a little more on! Between kids during pregnancy and a little bit after each as well! I remember asking my BF when we first started dating if I gained 100 pounds would he still love me...just one of those conversations...I never would have thought I'd gain 80 pounds!! But here I am ten pounds down from there and 85 more to go to my ideal!! Most people don't realize how bad it is and those around them don't want to make them feel bad etc!

while I was a bit bothered by my weight gain, mostly b/c I had to buy new clothes, till I started having heart problems and pretty much had my doctors tell me if you don't start loosing weight you will more than likely suffer a massive heart attack before you turn 40 (I'm 35)...My husband wasn't bothered by my weight gain and it was so freeing to be able to eat what I liked when I liked and not feel guilty lol I went over bored for a while...plus I have oestoartisis in my hips and back, and when it acted up so bad I couldn't even work, it was easy to forgo workouts.

Jennloella wrote: »

people complain about a lot of things that they never try to change - relationships, job, where they live, etc. Everyone has a point they need to cross before they step up. It's not your problem.

I've never checked in with my weight on here, I doubt I'm the only one.

Actually, it does become my problem when my health rates increase and tax money is going to fund the healthcare system because it is expensive to fund the health costs of obese and morbidly obese people who are not adequately insured. Not trying to be mean, just pointing out that it can affect other people.

Also, as someone who has never been obese, I have often pondered the same question as the OP asked, out of curiosity. Obesity is a growing global problem, and not an issue I can directly relate to aside from seeing obese people when I go out. It's interesting to read the answers because it helps me understand.

Change is hard. Now the trend seems to be to rather than change and put in the hard work to be healthy, to deny being fat is even a problem in the first place. The "fat acceptance" movement is in full force and gaining traction and if people don't speak up, the obesity epidemic is only going to get worse.

Me personally though? I didn't change for the longest time because i was dealing with some serious mental health issues and instead of seeking professional help like a smart person would, i medicated myself with food. Ah man...so many years i wish i could have back