More thoughts on fat acceptance

[mattyman]

Like with a lot of things, I don’t wholly agree with either one side or the other. There are bits from both sides that I agree and disagree with.

First of all, I agree with the right-wing stance that being overweight shouldn’t be seen as normal or aspirational. I see that this is where they’re coming from. I would hate to live in a world where disgusting obesity is seen as normal.

I also acknowledge and partly agree with the left that some of the ideals of beauty are unrealistic for a lot of people out there. However, that doesn’t mean I think it’s healthy to glamourise being overweight or to lower the standard.

One stance from the right in which I strongly disagree with is this harsh narrative; the ‘overweight people are lazy/lacking willpower/weak-willed’ narrative. Being overweight is something develops from PATTERNS that become established over time. It is partly the result of the environment.

I would argue that the ‘fat=lazy’ narrative is partly playing a part in the obesity epidemic. If you make people feel bad about themselves, they'll only indulge more in what they're not supposed to. It is only through understanding the complex relationship between the environment and lifestyle factors that we can reduce obesity. I don't agree that shaming people works. I don't agree with the focus on individuals and them being responsible without consideration for other factoras. Too much focus on individuals at the expense of the bigger picture destroys our capacity to empathize. Some might write this off as 'lefty', and pigeon-hole without listening and thinking.

So many youtube channels on the topic are just so plain dumb. I just want people to reply with their raw opinions, unbiased by any expectations they think the OP holds.

[Shemp]

Obesity is MOSTLY (please note that capitalized term before rushing to reply) a lifestyle choice, and it mostly hurts the obese person, unlike alcoholism and drug abuse, which hurt other people, such as with drunk driving. Obesity is not much different from choosing to wear ugly clothing or get a bad haircut or walk around with a stupid looking expression on your face. Yes, it costs the government a little in terms of added health care costs (unlike cigarette smoking, another lifestyle choice, which conveniently kills people quickly just about the time they are ready to collect social security) but it's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. Old men like me with a six-pack tend to live a very long time and cost more in social security in the long run, so it probably balances out. I don't make fun of fat people, though I certainly despise them as weaklings, unless they intrude their fat propaganda in my face, and unfortunately they are doing that more and more these days.

For example, one person on this forum talked about heavyweight boxers being healthy because they can go a full 12 rounds. Now look at the picture below of a sucessful superheavyweight boxes, does that look healthy to you?



Like I said, it's a lifestyle choice and if people want to look like Butter Bean, that's their business. But please none of this talk of "I'm not fat because I eat too much, I eat too much because I'm fat!" or blaming it all on the evil food companies and whatnot. You're fat because you eat too much, end of story.

Also, I think articles like the following are doing a real disservice to fatties by making them think this lifestyle choice is healthy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/11- ... 74b734c008

Telling these women they are health is no different from encouraging anorexia, like this site below, which was run off the internet by the pro-fat crowd:
http://web.archive.org/web/200006192216 ... c-rec.com/

Again, no need to make people feel bad because they choose to be ugly, but let's not go around telling these people they are beautiful. If asked for an opinion, either say "no comment" or tell them the harsh truth "you look like 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound sack".

[mattyman]

NOTE 1
I brought-up the thread because I'm drinking more than I should be at present. I couldn't help but think that some might turn to food when they're unhappy. Has anyone come across the term 'self-medication'. We all self-medicate in various ways when we're unhappy and when our emotional needs are not being met. Can anyone identify our needs? I'm not a fat f**k by any means. FYI people still mistake me for being a student despite having turned 30. I can see where people who might get overweight are coming from. I think this stance is part of the cure to our obesity problem.

[Kradmelder]

NOTE 1
I brought-up the thread because I'm drinking more than I should be at present. I couldn't help but think that some might turn to food when they're unhappy. Has anyone come across the term 'self-medication'. We all self-medicate in various ways when we're unhappy and when our emotional needs are not being met. Can anyone identify our needs? I'm not a fat f**k by any means. FYI people still mistake me for being a student despite having turned 30. I can see where people who might get overweight are coming from. I think this stance is part of the cure to our obesity problem.

I see where the fat f***s are coming from. I see them coming out with take away pizzas or out of the junk food franchises after super sizing their mcgarbage meal and with 1 litre of coke. Because they are lazy to cook proper meals.

Or the fattest of all f***s use the drive thru as they are too lazy to walk from the parking lot.

[Shemp]

NOTE 1
I brought-up the thread because I'm drinking more than I should be at present. I couldn't help but think that some might turn to food when they're unhappy. Has anyone come across the term 'self-medication'. We all self-medicate in various ways when we're unhappy and when our emotional needs are not being met. Can anyone identify our needs? I'm not a fat f**k by any means. FYI people still mistake me for being a student despite having turned 30. I can see where people who might get overweight are coming from. I think this stance is part of the cure to our obesity problem.

It's notorious that women turn to food pleasure when they don't get enough sexual pleasure. The reason they don't get enough sexual pleasure? Because they drove off all the men who approached them back when they were thin and now that they are fat, they are sexually repulsive to normal men. But God help the man who tries explaining to a fatty that she needs more sex and less food...when fatties lose their temper, they lose it big time, and remember that people who walk around carrying the equivalent of a 100lb weight vest all day long are often very strong. Consider yourselves warned.

[mattyman]

This is by no means a defense of fatness. What people put inside them ultimately is a lifestyle choice. I would hate to see obesity normalized, it's just that I think that. I agree with those on the right on their stance that we shouldn't be endorsing obesity and 'accepting' it, but rather educating people better than we are, improving our transport networks to make walking and particularly cycling more attractive modes of transport, and increasing access to recreational opportunities. This suburban sprawl model and car-centric design of main roads has probably played a huge part in people's choices. I don't agree with shaming people who are overweight, since that doesn't address the route of the problem. I don't know what the scientific rationale is in doing so, to me it just seems like a rather cheap way of making fun of people. If we want to see more hot girls at older ages, a new approach is needed.

I also want to comment on physical activity and the rap that it might have. Look at middle-middle-aged spread; I know for a fact that people's physical activity declines with age, so many studies show this. Slowing metabolism plays between one 3rd and one quarter of the part for why such a large proportion of 30+ people are overweight. Declining physical activity with age plays a much greater role. I think that a key part of the problem is that 'physical activity' has gotten a bit rap. Physical activity is sold with the wrong message; pumping iron at the gym, pounding pavements. I personally think that this message puts people off from all physical activity. I would argue that the way exercise is sold is part of the problem, and tends to polarize people. It doesn't have to be like that, just walking more, cycling more, taking up dance classes, taking up anything that involves movement and that is something that's enjoyable.

Tools such as high-intensity interval training, intermittent fasting (or intermittent carb-free days, encouraging your body to use up fat reserves rather than glucose, whilst upping protein) and so forth will hasten weight-loss. The high intensity interval idea can even be integrated with brisk walking. Even so, look at the informal play activities kids and young people engage in, think of skating for example. How much discipline is involved in that? None, it's purely a hobby that gets activity going. How many informal, unstructured activities are there for adults? It's a bit more limited.

[Shemp]

Exercise or lack thereof has essentially nothing to do with weight loss/gain. The amount of calories burned by working out is overwhelmed by eating more in response to the stress caused by exercise. If you are fat and having problems losing weight despite exercising, the first thing is to stop exercising or switch to a gentle exercise program like Tai Chi or gentle forms of yoga.

Metabolism is a factor only because people don't adjust. If your metabolism drops by 30% (like mine has over the years), then you eat 30% less. Really very simple.

People are fat because they have made a lifestyle choice to eat too much. Stop complicating things with your fatty propaganda.

[yick]

First of all, I agree with the right-wing stance that being overweight shouldn’t be seen as normal or aspirational. I see that this is where they’re coming from. I would hate to live in a world where disgusting obesity is seen as normal.

So, what is the left wing stance?

Because if you look at leftist countries that have had communist type regimes, they take physical culture and sport VERY SERIOUSLY.

In fact, you couldn't name a leftist country where they don't.

In China, where I live now, most 70 years olds are far fitter than a 70 year old in the west. There is an ingrained culture in places like China for daily exercise, especially for older people.

'Fat acceptance isn't a political stance, in fact, it has nothing to do with what side of the political spectrum one is.

Like I said, it's a lifestyle choice and if people want to look like Butter Bean, that's their business. But please none of this talk of "I'm not fat because I eat too much, I eat too much because I'm fat!" or blaming it all on the evil food companies and whatnot. You're fat because you eat too much, end of story.

Frank, don't alter or doctor facts to suit your argument. It just makes you look like a cunt.

I said that Butterbean is fitter than a lot of thin people who don't exercise, not healthier - I wouldn't argue that boxing is in fact very bad for the human condition healthwise.

Despite that, because someone is fat, it doesn't mean they are unfit and vice versa, a thin person isn't necessarily fit.