Should fat people lose weight?

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Well that opens up a completely new debate. If a parent can be that moronic, are they fit to bring up a child? This could then be countered by the fact that it is their child so surely they can bring it up how they wish. It's all about education. If you've got a great metabolism, you are very lucky but it doesn't mean you're healthy. I know someone who is overweight, by 3-4 stone, and eats a tenth of what her sister eats and she is stick thin, without exercise.

However, that's not an excuse because if you don't have the metabolism to cope with that, you should deal with it if you don't wish to be fat.

As I said, I feel a bit hypocritical because I was eating a waffle topped with peanut butter as I replied to this thread but I will happily go for a 1 hour run if I feel I need to. Some people aren't that willing and as such shouldn't complain about being fat/overweight.

As for the butter from a spoon, if you're going to get fat, at least eat something that tastes good. Butter from a spoon? Seriously!

Reply 41

Danielle89

I think if parents were somehow made to make sure their kids werent overweight then there would be less overweight people in general. How many people who are overweight as adults were of a normal weight as children? Only really those who have gone through child-birth or have thyroid problems or whatever.

I think "fat people" should lose weight but at the end of the day its up to them and a reflection on their attitudes to themselves whether they chose to remain fit and healthy or let themselves become more and more overweight and put themselves at risk of numerous heart diseases.

Reply 42

YoSuis

Nope....on condition that...

1.They don't spend every waking moment of their lives complaining about being fat and doing nothing about it

2.There should be a fat tax when you get on a plane...I pay 40 euros extra cause my suitcase is 2lbs overweight, (through no fault of my own :tongue:

). Then this huge, and I mean HUGE, woman easily carrying 10 more stones than me around her belly gets to waltz through security in the name of political correctness

Reply 43

Smiling...Rain

They should, yes
It's up to them?!
Clearly you've never experienced the eclipse, when one bends over :p:

Lol ^

If we ever run out of food we will need the fat people for food.

Then again the fat people will have eaten all the food in the first place.

Reply 46

AdaD

YoSuis

2.There should be a fat tax when you get on a plane...I pay 40 euros extra cause my suitcase is 2lbs overweight, (through no fault of my own :tongue:

). Then this huge, and I mean HUGE, woman easily carrying 10 more stones than me around her belly gets to waltz through security in the name of political correctness

Oh completely agree. I was 2kg over once and had to pay a surcharge and, to compound matters, I was sat behind someone who was a good 20 stone. The most annoying part, however, was the reason for having to pay a surcharge - "it is for safety reasons"

"sorry, what? Safety reasons? How is my extra £15 going to make anyone more safe? Just say it is for extra fuel as that is perfectly reasonable!"

Reply 47

fran.ha

I think fat people should try to lose weight if they want to, but shouldn't be looked down upon if they can't/don't want to.

I'm overweight, and I know it. And I try so hard to lose weight, have been on so many diets but I have really awful willpower when it comes to food. Also, I also get very depressed because I feel 'unloved' sometimes due to my weight. I often feel like people hate me because I am fat. In this case, I will often find myself comfort eating. So its really a vicious cycle, I'm fat because I eat, I eat because I'm fat.

I do think it would eb great if those of us with excess bodyw eight could lose it, but a lot of thin people don't get it. Its like giving up smoking, but its more difficult in a way. You see, food is an addiction, and when you give up an addiction like smoking you usually fizzle it out until you never have to smoke again. If you smoked a cigarette after giving up you'd probably become addicted pretty quickly.

However, with food, you HAVE to eat it to survive, so its difficult to say 'I'm going to give up food' because you can't. You can say that you will give up the bad stuff but food is so accessible its difficult to put it out of your mind sometimes.

So yeah, when you see a fat person, don't just assume they are a disgusting person who has no self respect for themselves.

Reply 48

steeler4life

People can weigh whatever they want to weigh. Yes, the obese should be encouraged to lose weight, but if they don't want to they can't be forced.

What about for ridiculously skinny people? Are you all for forcing them to eat? Or just fat people?

Reply 49

TSR Group Staff

steeler4life

What about for ridiculously skinny people? Are you all for forcing them to eat? Or just fat people?

Depends what you mean by "force", really. We're not talking about going at them with a knife and making them run around and nor on the flip side forcing calories down peoples throats.
But yes, I do believe we force people like that to gain weight. Can you imagine a mother taking her anorexic son/daughter to a doctors and them saying there's nothing they can do seeing as it's them that wanted to be that way. In that respect, yeah they are 'forced' and pressured.

I voted for the obese option, for when it gets ridiculous. Yes people should be able to decide for themselves, but there comes a point when a lot of people will be too far down to the line when they regret their actions. Killing yourself by over eating should never start becoming common place (not sugar coating anything, it happens) and should be helped, as i'm sure nobody wants to be in that position and can get away from the downward spiral.
It's everything to do with the individual though. No mental strength will make it incredibly tough to start going back on what you're used to.

Reply 50

DarkWhite

Providing they know the risks and complications which can be caused by obesity and being overweight, then it's their choice.

There is plenty of information on the financial and health implications of being overweight, and it's shoved down our throats every day, with all this 5 a day rubbish, and even as I speak I'm listening to an advert for a low fat yoghurt and how it has so few calories in, and less than x% fat.

I'm sure the vast majority of people receive all the information they need to make their own decisions regarding their diet and eating patterns. Help and support is available in many places as well, whether it's your local pharmacy or your GP. They can generally suggest things to help you lose weight, as can nutrition experts.

Reply 51

animaniac08

I think a 'fat' person should definitely be advised strongly to loose weight if it is detrimental to their health, particularly those that are 'obese' and 'morbidly obese'. I don't think it should be forced as you can't force anyone to do somthing against their will, but their should definitely be friendly encouragement or support to help these individuals decide.

Secondly, you could propose that 'fat' people are simply lazy and greedy, but their are many psychological issues surrounding many individuals, particualarly those that are morbidly obese to become this way. Issues such as depression, low self esteem, anxiety may cause an individual to 'comfort eat', which leads to weight gain, leading to further depression thus causing the cycle to continue. Rude comments and bullying from other people certainly don't help either. Issues such as sexual abuse may cause an individual to overeat as a form of self harm to make themselves unattractive intentionally.
There are in fact many reasons as to why an individual may become overweight, be it simply greed and lack of self restraint, love of food and lack of exercise or a deep emotional issue. I think many fat people are aware that they are fat, but may deny that they are 'alright' to reassure themselves.

Personally, I don't think being a 'normal' or 'thin' weight necessariy equates to being healthy. I know plenty of slender individuals who eat junk food, never exercise, smoke, drink execessively and eat the same crap overweight people may eat, but they are not labelled as 'lazy' because of their physical appearance.

Reply 52

ross1988

yes,
it would prolong there life expectancy.

Reply 53

Jennybean

As a moderately fat person I kind of hate the notion that fat people are somehow ignorant. I have extremely complicated (and very personal) emotional issues that make me reluctant to leave the safety blanket of being just too big to be called really hot by guys. Doesn't mean I eat McDonald's every day (if ever, actually). My blood pressure and cholesterol are completely normal. I work out (properly, not walking on a treadmill for 10 minutes) at least three times a week and eat very healthily, but actually losing weight takes a huge amount of effort, my whole family is the same, we gain weight easily and have a hard time shedding it. A lot of the time I either don't want to or feel like I physically can't make that effort due to a very busy life and a hugely demanding university course. This year I've decided to sort my emotional issues out once and for all and hopefully I will lose the weight, but if I didn't it wouldn't exactly be an apocalypse for my health or my life in general.

Overweight people pay taxes the same as everybody else so I don't see what arguments can be raised about them being a drain on health services. Plenty of people who look thin have heart attacks due to a crappy diet and lifestyle, it's not all about how much you weigh. And if you go down that road, you'd have to monitor every aspect of everyone's life, to make sure they were always making the optimal choices to maintain the perfect healthy lifestyle. So in answer to the question, I believe that the level of education about healthy living in this country is just fine, and if overweight people want to take that information and use it to lose weight, that's good, but they shouldn't feel they have to lose weight, no.

Reply 54

Liquidus Zeromus

Fat people are people, just like you. People should allowed to be whatever size they want to be without being harrassed and told what to do. Fat is not universally bad.

Reply 55

root2528

punktopia

Okay, firstly I shall propose a question that you shall answer via the ingenious medium of a poll: Should fat people lose weight?

yes

Reply 56

bean87

i'll answer with a question

"should people who start stupid threads be culled?"

Reply 57

punktopia

bean87

i'll answer with a question

"should people who start stupid threads be culled?"

I'll answer that with a question:

Should you be fed to tigers?

Reply 58

treasureBelle

punktopia

Okay, firstly I shall propose a question that you shall answer via the ingenious medium of a poll: Should fat people lose weight? Should they be either encouraged or forced to lose weight?

Secondly: why are fat people fat? Why do they continue to be fat? Are they not aware of their fatness? Do you think fat people are just generally depressed/lazy? Does fat = greed?

OK, just to say, I *am* fat atm, and have been for years, although I'm losing it now.

Should fat people lose weight - (what do you think I'm doing on WW?) yes it would be best for them, but you can't force people.

Yes fat people know they are fat. :rolleyes:

Stupid question.

Why do they continue to be fat? Partly because it's a vicious circle that's hard to break. (I speak from experience here - actually *starting* to lose weight was the hardest bit, it's easier now I've got used to it.)

And sorry, no answer from me on the poll because I can't find one which reflects my answer.

Reply 59

treasureBelle

Liquidus Zeromus

Fat people are people, just like you. People should allowed to be whatever size they want to be without being harrassed and told what to do. Fat is not universally bad.

Thank you.

(Though as a fat person, I do accept the effects it has on my health/life, and am working towards getting fitter and healthier, so I can understand where some people are coming from.)