Should being fat be socially unacceptable

[Crankarm]

I think "appearing fat" is pretty subjective and not necessarily a good indicator of health. I suspect there are quite a few of us on here myself included with an unhealthy BMI and beer belly to match, but a relatively good level of fitness. It also makes me think of young women who being weight concious trying to watch their figure because of the social stigma we already have, dont exercise at all and just eat very little and with poor nutrition.

Having thought about it a little more, I think theres already plenty of social pressure in place and it has little positive effect imho.

A young obese generation who will either be out lived by their parents or not live as long as they did. Diabetes, increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, cancer, etc.

It's not the rolls of fat that you can see on the outside (Yuk!) but the fat around the body organs themselves which act as stores for toxins and waste products and reduce the performance of the organ eg the heart, lungs and liver. Being fat fat is seriously detrimental to your health.

Mind you may be the Government wants the younger generation to become morbidly obese so at least life expectancy is decreased thus reducing pension liability as many will die before pensionable age. The rapidly aging population is as a result of the baby boomers who are still pretty healthy on retirement. In 20 -30 years fewer people reaching retirement would be better for the country's social security bill. Maybe that's why the government aren't so vocal about people adopting a healthy lifestyle meaning they will live longer which will yet increase the average life expectancy yet further which has caused the current pension crisis. Bring on the pies, crisps and chips ...............

 

[NotthatJasonKenny]

I'm very overweight, this is why I bought a bike to help get fit but I don't find it easy like some people do and even I blame willpower but probably wrongly, I can stick at most things but losing weight isn't one of them.

Weirdly, the one person who berates me over my weight is a smoker...oh, the irony!

I think the things that should be socially unacceptable are those which in anyway hurt or effect other people.

Smoking in your own home is fine, smoking in the street with a child breathing in your smoke isn't.

Being fat can hurt other people, you may die early and your children lose a parent but making it socially unacceptable isn't the answer with weight, society should recognise all the things we would like to be different and help with them.

Maybe if all employers had to install shower facilities to help people commute on bikes for example...that would work for me!

 

[rollinstok]

The reason we have addicts of all kinds is because its so easy to live and indulge in whatever takes ones fancy here, we are lucky.
In so many countries its a struggle to simply survive

 

[rollinstok]

I'm very overweight, this is why I bought a bike to help get fit but I don't find it easy like some people do and even I blame willpower but probably wrongly, I can stick at most things but losing weight isn't one of them.

Weirdly, the one person who berates me over my weight is a smoker...oh, the irony!

I think the things that should be socially unacceptable are those which in anyway hurt or effect other people.

Smoking in your own home is fine, smoking in the street with a child breathing in your smoke isn't.

Being fat can hurt other people, you may die early and your children lose a parent but making it socially unacceptable isn't the answer with weight, society should recognise all the things we would like to be different and help with them.

Maybe if all employers had to install shower facilities to help people commute on bikes for example...that would work for me!

Divide and conquer
Being " portly " was glamorous 200 years ago
Smoking was glamorous 40 years ago
The biggest threats to the health and wellbeing of our population are the ones that aren't brainwashed into us via the media

 

[slowmotion]

Just suppose we all stopped eating too much food, gave up grog and tobacco, and took regular exercise of a non-risky nature. What exactly would the 1.2 million people employed by the NHS do with their time?

 

[mr_hippo]

How can you have a "relatively good level of fitness" if you have an unhealthy BMI and a beer belly? Please explain. What do you consider a "relatively good level of fitness"?
You are in denial.

In the past 3 years. I have cycled 21984.16 miles and still weight the same; in that time l have lost 10 kgs and put it back on. l do not have alcohol, fizzy drinks, sugar or sweets but l do eat a healthy diet - normalyt 2 rounds of toast for breakfast, main meal at lunch time and sandwiches at dinner time.
Have you heard of the term 'middle age spread'? I do not mean the stuff you spread on your toast! As we get older we store more fat - males in the abdomen mainly and females on the buttocks. If you are an endomorphic cyclist, you will get a paunch because your thighs are muscular and therefore will not be able to store fat so the fat will migrate to your paunch.
If you look at Olympic weightlifers stats, you will see that most of them fall outside the normal BMI range - are they overweight and unhealthy?
Looks like it is you who is in denial

 

[User482]

Troll.

I expect that's why you're wrong so often. Anyway should someone with such a bizarre taste in salads be giving dietary advice?

 

[Crankarm]

In the past 3 years. I have cycled 21984.16 miles and still weight the same; in that time l have lost 10 kgs and put it back on. l do not have alcohol, fizzy drinks, sugar or sweets but l do eat a healthy diet - normalyt 2 rounds of toast for breakfast, main meal at lunch time and sandwiches at dinner time.
Have you heard of the term 'middle age spread'? I do not mean the stuff you spread on your toast! As we get older we store more fat - males in the abdomen mainly and females on the buttocks. If you are an endomorphic cyclist, you will get a paunch because your thighs are muscular and therefore will not be able to store fat so the fat will migrate to your paunch.
If you look at Olympic weightlifers stats, you will see that most of them fall outside the normal BMI range - are they overweight and unhealthy?
Looks like it is you who is in denial

I don't think so. I am not fat.

So you cycled approx 7,300 miles for three years? Or 2 miles then 3, then 21,979 miles?

Joking aside I would examine carefully your nutrition because on the face of what you have writ something does not add up. Maybe your portions are huge or you just simply are in denial? Sandwiches for an eveming meal is just asking to pile on the pounds. Eat your carbs early in the morning and at lunch time then have a snack protein based at the end of the day with very few carbs. Do not eat past 7pm at the very latest so you have a chance to digest food before you go to sleep. Drink lots of water. Exercise hard and regularly.

You seem to think it is hard just for fatties to lose weight and get fit. It is hard for everyone even those who are normal weight thin. Even athletes. Marathon runners don't find it easy to stay fit they have to be single minded and train hard as do pro cyclists who spend many hours in the saddle riding hard. These guys can't eat enough. The only difference is that non fatties are more singleminded, extremely motivated and determined to achieve their goals. I find that fatties blame everything or every one but themselves. It is not so much over eating which of course it is, but more often under performing ie lack of activity ie moving their backsides which they prefer to sit on. They are in reality bone idle.

 

[Crankarm]

I expect that's why you're wrong so often. Anyway should someone with such a bizarre taste in salads be giving dietary advice?

Now you are just being plain nasty.

You wouldn't be fat by any chance would you?

 

[User482]

Now you are just being plain nasty.

You wouldn't be fat by any chance would you?

I'm quite slender, thanks. I attribute it to superior salad selection.

 

[MattHB]

Just suppose we all stopped eating too much food, gave up grog and tobacco, and took regular exercise of a non-risky nature. What exactly would the 1.2 million people employed by the NHS do with their time?

Not mention how would the planet sustain such a huge population

 

[redcard]

Not mention how would the planet sustain such a huge population

It's fairly simple. The planet would sustain the larger population as we're all consuming less resources. The poor nurses would find employment in industries that are geared towards the promotion of health rather than the treatment of it.

Are we saying there's currently just the right amount of fatties on the planet, and a few less would cause us major problems?

 

[MontyVeda]

...

Are we saying there's currently just the right amount of fatties on the planet, and a few less would cause us major problems?

absolutely correct... why else would the earth be titled twenty odd degrees off its axis?

 

[172traindriver]

I'm very overweight, this is why I bought a bike to help get fit but I don't find it easy like some people do and even I blame willpower but probably wrongly, I can stick at most things but losing weight isn't one of them.

Weirdly, the one person who berates me over my weight is a smoker...oh, the irony!

I think the things that should be socially unacceptable are those which in anyway hurt or effect other people.

Smoking in your own home is fine, smoking in the street with a child breathing in your smoke isn't.

Being fat can hurt other people, you may die early and your children lose a parent but making it socially unacceptable isn't the answer with weight, society should recognise all the things we would like to be different and help with them.

Maybe if all employers had to install shower facilities to help people commute on bikes for example...that would work for me!

Stick at it mate, you are making the effort. There are many others that aren't doing what you are, so good on you.

 

[jonny jeez]

What exactly would the 1.2 million people employed by the NHS do with their time?

#
A much better Job, with far more resource and far less drains on it.

I guess