overweight but healthy

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  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Virtually all 22 year olds are healthy! I hate to say it, but it sounds like you might be in a bit of denial. Now that said, I don't actually know how overweight you are, or if you exercise. It is possible to be "overweight but healthy" if you exercise frequently and have a lot of muscle. But in general, most people who truly exercise (i.e., not walking on the treadmill while talking on your phone) aren't overweight.
  • Gt3ch
    Gt3ch Posts: 212 Member
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    You could be overweight and healthy now, but the extra fat around your organs does more harm than good in the long term. Even skinny people can have the fat around the organs if they don't take care of themselves. So I think it has more to do with activity and exercise than size. I am still heavy, but I'm healthier than most people I know now, but I exercise 6 days a week for at least an hour a day. I am sure that by exercising you can start taking care of the fat you can't see, which is really the fat that hurts in the long term.

    Couldn't agree more. We should all know our body fat %. Screw the scale and the BMI tables. What is your body fat %. Work to get that into the healthy range. Although you may feel fine right now, carrying around extra fat will negatively affect your quality and quantity of life as you get older.

    Yup. Excess fat isn't healthy. Period. It causes systemic inflammation, changes your hormonal balance for the worse, & stores toxins. The eating habits that make you fat increase oxidative stress and have been proven to lower life expectancy significantly. Being overweight and sedentary puts you at the same risk of cancer as smoking, for example. It also skyrockets the risk of dementia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

    That doesn't sound remotely healthy to me.

    Sure there are fat people walking around that aren't acutely ill at this very moment. But tell me this. When was the last time you saw a healthy elderly person that was mentally intact and was fat? The only healthy and sharp elderly people I've met were skinny and were lean their entire lives. All the fat people I've known had miserable health starting in middle age and didn't last much past it. Your Dr. can take chances with his body. I'll do what science and experience tells me is my best shot at life.
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
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    Depends how overweight.

    With that said... just because say your cholesterol and blood pressure are normal, doesn't mean you're healthy overall. Extra fat does a lot of harm to our bodies in the long haul of life.

    This is true. Your stats can be "picture perfect." However, over the years carrying excess weight impacts your joints leading to arthritic conditions

    BTW, I think it is wonderful that you enjoy swimming and feel comfy in your skin. That in itself is a plus.
  • Linbo93
    Linbo93 Posts: 229 Member
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    I have an autoimmune disease. Even at my highest weight (5' 7" and 241lbs) I always aced doctors appointments. As a 29 year old who has been obese since puberty, I've never had high blood pressure or cholesterol, never became pre-diabetic and I have never had a doctor tell me i need to lose weight.

    One of my major reasons for losing weight is to maintain that perfect record. I already have bad genetics and a condition that will cause my health to deteriorate as I age if I'm not careful, and I know that as an overweight individual, I increase my odds of developing complications with my health. Heart Disease, diabetes, joint problems, all of that is just the tip of the iceburg!

    When you're young, your body can handle the stress being overweight puts on it. As you age, it gets harder and harder. That's why I'd recommend to you, as I am doing myself, get out now while the gettin's good! You'll be happier in the long run!
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
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    Fat is bad mmkey, adipose tissue that is. Stores toxins which leads to lots of fun things(or so I've heard). Then there is the fat around your organs which leads to pretty much every major disease.

    That's weird. I always thought fat was energy stores.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Fat is bad mmkey, adipose tissue that is. Stores toxins which leads to lots of fun things(or so I've heard). Then there is the fat around your organs which leads to pretty much every major disease.

    That's weird. I always thought fat was energy stores.

    No. It stores those pesky toxins and so now we all have to do a cleanse and shed every ounce of fat on our bodies so we'll live forever.
  • 1nsanity
    1nsanity Posts: 95 Member
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    i felt the same way in high school and had the same thought process. i still feel healthy even though i am what some consider obese, but now as a junior in college i am losing weight to look better for myself and to others.

    after thinking about this concept of overweight but healthy on many occasions, i think we just feel healthy (and have healthy cholesterol, blood pressure, etc) because we are still so young. i think this pertains to high school in particular because you get up everyday nice and early, and just walking around school for class is partially staying active. and most kids play sports in high school. i myself played hockey in fall/winter and volleyball in the spring. i also had a job that i worked part time during the school year and full time during the summer that kept me quite active without me consciously thinking about having to be active. i always knew i was overweight, but once i hit high school and started playing sports, i was able to eat whatever i wanted without gaining weight.

    i am working an internship currently, however, and it is a desk job. i started off with the same eating habits and after a month i gained about 8 pounds. i physically feel worse whenever i do the slightest bit of activity. and i look and feel worse than i ever have in my life.

    all in all, i think its important that, as many have said before me, that just because you feel healthy and some numbers are in a healthy range does not mean you can continue same eating habits all through life. it will all catch up eventually.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
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    Fat is bad mmkey, adipose tissue that is. Stores toxins which leads to lots of fun things(or so I've heard). Then there is the fat around your organs which leads to pretty much every major disease.

    That's weird. I always thought fat was energy stores.

    No. It stores those pesky toxins and so now we all have to do a cleanse and shed every ounce of fat on our bodies so we'll live forever.

    Good to know. I don't really need that extra 30,000 or so calories of energy reserves for anything important.
  • goodnewsdoc
    goodnewsdoc Posts: 5 Member
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    You may be healthy, but this isn't just about losing pounds. It's about changing eating and lifestyle patterns to ones that are good for you. I was healthy - running, weight-lifting, etc., all through my 30s. Then came my 40s and my body's metabolism began slowing down. Before I knew it, I'd put on 8 inches in my waist. The mid-section fat in particular puts pressure on your organs. My "spare tire" caused problems during an abdominal surgery I had to have. I took longer to heal than any other surgery in my life and required more post-op care.

    One of my primary motivations in losing weight was comments made by my surgeon. A secondary motive is that my wife has to help me quite a bit now - something I'd never even considered when we got married. It's a lot easier for her since my weight is down. No one plans on becoming a disabled person, but I'm sure 20 years of steadily gaining weight has helped put me in this position. The yo-yo diets certainly never helped. Now I'm at a weight and level of recovery where she can help me in and out of bed or the shower without fear of hurting herself. I'm continuing to lose and exercise in order to live longer. It's a win-win deal.
  • erin1276
    erin1276 Posts: 38 Member
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    Hello all,

    So I have a kind of topic which I really want to know your opinion on.

    Is it possible to be overweight but healthy?

    Lets say you physically looked big but were healthy would you still try to change your outside person to feel more comfortable with what most peoples perception is of being attractive?

    The reason I mentally stumbled upon this thought is just through my experience with my family doctor in the past. I was overweight and my mom wanted to kind of open my eyes to see I needed to lose weight but I felt fine with myself. Well, she wanted me to see the doctor to see if she would tell me to lose weight but the doctor said my health was fine.

    This was highschool and I am 22 now and know for a fact I was overweight. Now I am trying to lose weight and have but only because I dont like the way I look.

    Your thoughts and experiences are greatly welcomed.

    Yes. I am a decent enough example. Medically, though I was considered obese at 210 and 5'7"... I had no problems. Great cholesterol levels... the good high, the bad low... terrific blood pressure.... no sugar issues... BUUUUTTT.... my knees suffer a bit and I hate the way I look. Plus, I know that my weight, if not controlled, CAN turn into a medical nightmare as I get older. So, I decided- what the hell... let me look good AND feel good!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Some doctors are reluctant to tell patients that they need to lose weight, especially if the doctor is himself or herself overweight.

    Go to a health-conscious, trim doctor and ask him or her to candidly assess your health now, and in the future.
  • Gt3ch
    Gt3ch Posts: 212 Member
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    Fat is bad mmkey, adipose tissue that is. Stores toxins which leads to lots of fun things(or so I've heard). Then there is the fat around your organs which leads to pretty much every major disease.

    That's weird. I always thought fat was energy stores.

    It is. But it also stores other compounds as well. Are you aware of this process- usually no. But Dr's are. They are aware of fat soluble drugs, for instance, and how their effects can be re-experienced long after taking them when there is very rapid weigh-loss. There are many fat-soluble toxic compounds. It's not touchy-feely BS, it's science.
  • dotido
    dotido Posts: 49
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    Thanks everyone for your responses so far.

    Now to make some things clear:

    I was 18 years old at the time at 165-170 pounds.

    I decided to lose weight because of how I looked not at all about my health.

    After 4 years, I am 116 pounds but my goal is 95 pounds.

    Dotido:

    SW: 165 pounds

    CW: 116 pounds

    GW: 95 pounds

    Age: 22 years old

    Height: 4'11
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    If we are talking a little overweight it's fine, but if you're obese then no you aren't healthy. I don't care what your diet looks like. You need to lose bodyfat before you can consider yourself healthy. There are many diseases associated with being obese and having a tremendous amount of fat surrounding your organs.

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