The overweight on the overweight

Caren Torres said:

The overweight on the overweight

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose weight,
saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there. I went straight
to the back of the class because I don't want everyone to see my bits
bobbing and bouncing around. All the sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the
front. I never went back again, it was so depressing."
Heather Pollitt says conducting the study, which is included in the State
of the Nation by the Association of Qualitative Research, has made her
change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy, greedy, and
can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group cycling class
(we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning " but I think it's
the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm the fattest. I'm in the
worst shape. Everybody there is extremely friendly, and, for want of a
better word, supportive. Where are all the skinny, fit, condemnatory,
judgemental people? I can't find them.

Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse shape
than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I find them
very, very inspirational.

rm

"BobMac" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group cycling
class
| (we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning " but I think
it's
| the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm the fattest. I'm in
the
| worst shape. Everybody there is extremely friendly, and, for want of
a
| better word, supportive. Where are all the skinny, fit,
condemnatory,
| judgemental people? I can't find them.

It may be different for guys. Are there some fat men out there
who would care to comment on this? But in many places it's open
season on fat women, who report getting jeers or harassment at
some gyms, or when bicycling, or hiking or swimming, etc. I've even
heard of fat, but well qualified exercise instructors getting jeers
from
potential students.

| Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse
shape
| than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I find them
| very, very inspirational.

I do too. I am especially awed by the ones who, in spite of
remaining fat, stick to their goals of fitness without getting overly
dis-
couraged by lack of weight loss, or by insults from boneheaded
onlookers.

Follow-up set to soc.support.fat-acceptance.

| rm

Robin

I used to sometimes work out with a friend of mine, who is
significantly overweight. I never noticed anyone condemning or
disparaging her. For my part, I rather admire the overweight people
at the gym - it's hard to lose weight, and it takes serious willpower
to do it by diet and exercise. I think the key phrase in the above is
"overweight people *think* that other people think that they're lazy,
etc etc." Really, I think that the thin people at the gym are too
worried about how their own bodies look to pay attention to anyone
else's.

LM

BobMac said:

Caren Torres said:

The overweight on the overweight

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose
weight, saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there.
I went straight to the back of the class because I don't want
everyone to see my bits bobbing and bouncing around. All the
sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the front. I never went back again,
it was so depressing." Heather Pollitt says conducting the study,
which is included in the State of the Nation by the Association of
Qualitative Research, has made her change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy,
greedy, and can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group cycling
class (we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning " but I
think it's the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm the fattest.
I'm in the worst shape. Everybody there is extremely friendly, and,
for want of a better word, supportive. Where are all the skinny, fit,
condemnatory, judgemental people? I can't find them.

Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse
shape than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I find
them very, very inspirational.

rm

I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for almost 20
years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or female, being
harrassed-not one incident.

I am certain that the people who make these claims have never actually
been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to the gym.

Caren Torres said:

The overweight on the overweight

Obese people feel that society is becoming more hostile to them, a

study

Quoted message said:

has suggested. Their comments have given researchers an insight into

how

Quoted message said:

things look from the overweight's point of view.
The study into "obesity through the eyes of the obese" by Heather

Pollitt

Quoted message said:

of ICM Research offers fresh understanding of the attitudes of normal
weight people to the overweight.

One subject said: "I used to be a normal size and extremely

confident. I'm

Quoted message said:

horrified and find it dreadful the way people speak to you [when

you're

Quoted message said:

'obese']. I think the word lazy is equated with being fat. [When

you're

Quoted message said:

slim to average] you just don't realise that people just have such a

thing

Quoted message said:

about fat people."

Another added: "I do get quite paranoid about it. Last week my son

had his

Quoted message said:

open night at school and all day the sweat was lashing off me and I

was

Quoted message said:

thinking 'I can't do this, I can't do this, I really can't do this!'

I do

Quoted message said:

anything to get out of going out."
The subjects were of varied ages, from 17 to 65. One woman, whose

statement

Quoted message said:

was backed by others in the group, indicated that loneliness, boredom

and

Quoted message said:

guilt were key factors in getting overweight. Single women, Ms

Pollitt

Quoted message said:

says, feel they are more likely to put weight on as they had nobody

to curb

Quoted message said:

their eating.
One woman said: "I need someone to tell me to stop eating the

teacakes.

Quoted message said:

Without anyone to do so I just eat the whole box of 12. And you know

what?

Quoted message said:

As soon as I've finished that I could eat the same all over again."

A different subject said: "It's not that we don't want to do anything

about

Quoted message said:

our weight, it's that we've tried everything around, short of
stomach-stapling."

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose

weight,

Quoted message said:

saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there. I went

straight

Quoted message said:

to the back of the class because I don't want everyone to see my bits
bobbing and bouncing around. All the sticks, the 'thinnies' are at

the

Quoted message said:

front. I never went back again, it was so depressing."
Heather Pollitt says conducting the study, which is included in the

State

Quoted message said:

of the Nation by the Association of Qualitative Research, has made

her

Quoted message said:

change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy,

greedy, and

Quoted message said:

can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

"I suppose I used to think 'Come on, pull yourself together' - the

kind of

Quoted message said:

thing sometimes said to depressed people, which of course is useless.

But

Quoted message said:

at the end of it, I felt that they needed help, not criticism."

There are a number of reasons that society is getting more intolerant

to

Quoted message said:

the overweight, she says, including the often-cited criticism of thin
models.
But she adds that an increased number of overweight young people

might have

Quoted message said:

led to intolerant attitudes developing at school, which then

translates

Quoted message said:

into adult society.

She concludes that one way of tackling the problem would be for

obesity to

Quoted message said:

be reclassified as an illness, and for people to understand that it's

a

Quoted message said:

type of addiction, not greed. Society should then "spend time

thinking

Quoted message said:

about how we can help the sufferers instead of humiliating them".

Story comments:

At 58 I am finally getting the help I need under a psychiatrist so I
completely endorse the statement that obesity can be linked to

addiction.

Quoted message said:

But unlike other addictions one has to eat in order to survive so its
treatment is so difficult to treat and the patients need so much

support.

Quoted message said:

Lucia Christodoulides, London

I used to be slim and athletic, now after many years I'm overweight.

Over

Quoted message said:

the years unkind people who never knew me before often made jokes at

my

Quoted message said:

expense. The funny thing is that over the years those same people

have

Quoted message said:

gained weight themselves but never find the jokes they used funny

anymore.

Quoted message said:

Mark Baillie, Southampton, England

I have recently lost over 4 and a half stone with another 3 or 4 to

go.

Quoted message said:

However, I have noticed that more and more people are talking to me

and

Quoted message said:

making eye contact since losing weight. Believe it or not, if you are

fat

Quoted message said:

you are invisible. All of a sudden I am beginning to "fit in" - and I

don't

Quoted message said:

just mean smaller clothes and aircraft seats! Adults are worse than

kids

Quoted message said:

when it comes to abuse - they should know better.
Debra, Herts, UK

I used to think that I couldnt lose weight as I am in a wheelchair

with a

Quoted message said:

chronic heart/lung condition. Wrong!! when told that the only hope

for a

Quoted message said:

future would be a heart/lung transplant and I couldn't think about

that

Quoted message said:

until I had lost weight, it's amazing what can be done. I have lost

to date

Quoted message said:

(in 9 months) 30 kg by diet alone....I can't stress how wonderful

that

Quoted message said:

feels and I take great delight in buying 'normal' size clothes. I was

a

Quoted message said:

size 24/26 before. Now all I have to face is the decision for

transplant if

Quoted message said:

it arises! I assure you losing weight is infinitely easier.
Dee, Basel, Switzerland

When I was a size 8-10 I used to be judged by the way I looked, girls
especially. Now I'm a espectable 12-14 and much prefer the way people

speak

Quoted message said:

to me, I feel I am not judged by the way I look anymore, so it's not

just

Quoted message said:

the fat people taht are judged it's the skinny too.....along with

different

Quoted message said:

cultures/races etc.
Claire Smith, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, UK

I suffer from dealing with my weight. Some days I feel very positive

about

Quoted message said:

going to the gym and I will do spurts, but most of the time, with all

the

Quoted message said:

mirrors around, the thin bodies, and the public locker rooms, I

really just

Quoted message said:

come home depressed. It's so hard to think of exercise as a positive

thing

Quoted message said:

to begin with that it really hurts our progress and self-esteem when

the

Quoted message said:

whole experience is made very humiliating for larger people.
Ava, Washington, D.C., US

I went up to 13.5 stones which is the largest I've ever been. As I'm

5'8'',

Quoted message said:

I took the concious decision to join a gym, eat and drink less and
generally improve my lifestyle. Frankly there's not miracle cure or

diet,

Quoted message said:

it requires hard work and committment. Reading some of the comments

on here

Quoted message said:

implies people get fat through no fault of their own: If you want to

lose

Quoted message said:

weight, eat less and do more exercise!
Richie, UK

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4558651.stm

Published: 2005/05/18 17:25:37 GMT

I realize being severly over weight is not just a matter of 'quit
eating so much'. Its a deep psychological problem as stated, along the
lines of drug addiction, alcoholism, etc.

I also know many many women who WILL NOT goto any sort of gym, even a
all womans gym because 'they feel embarassed'. That to me is a lame
excuse. In the gym I goto- 8 years, I have never seen one person made
fun of, laughed at, etc that was overweight. Actually people give them
credit for trying, more credit that a joe blow who is 15 pounds heavy.

We have all these AA, NA, GA groups, but not many for people with real
eating/weight problems. Sad actually.

"Dan " <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BobMac said:

Caren Torres said:

The overweight on the overweight

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose
weight, saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there.
I went straight to the back of the class because I don't want
everyone to see my bits bobbing and bouncing around. All the
sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the front. I never went back again,
it was so depressing." Heather Pollitt says conducting the study,
which is included in the State of the Nation by the Association of
Qualitative Research, has made her change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy,
greedy, and can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group cycling
class (we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning " but I
think it's the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm the fattest.
I'm in the worst shape. Everybody there is extremely friendly, and,
for want of a better word, supportive. Where are all the skinny, fit,
condemnatory, judgemental people? I can't find them.

Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse
shape than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I find
them very, very inspirational.

rm

I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for almost 20
years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or female, being
harrassed-not one incident.

I am certain that the people who make these claims have never actually
been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to the gym.

because they're lazy, right?

It is good to see some corroboration of my gripes about how I was treated,
when I was over 300. (Although this seems to come from the UK.)

I feel I've mastered the weightloss thing. The statistics of dieter failure
just seem so odd to me. Maybe it is related to my profound inability to
convey my dieting abilities to others.

I can't see how I could forget all that I have learned since the end of
2003. I expect to be popping in with reports of ongoing success in a few
years.

Cubit
311/171.4/165

"Caren Torres" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The overweight on the overweight

Obese people feel that society is becoming more hostile to them, a study
has suggested. Their comments have given researchers an insight into how
things look from the overweight's point of view.
The study into "obesity through the eyes of the obese" by Heather Pollitt
of ICM Research offers fresh understanding of the attitudes of normal
weight people to the overweight.

One subject said: "I used to be a normal size and extremely confident. I'm
horrified and find it dreadful the way people speak to you [when you're
'obese']. I think the word lazy is equated with being fat. [When you're
slim to average] you just don't realise that people just have such a thing
about fat people."

Another added: "I do get quite paranoid about it. Last week my son had his
open night at school and all day the sweat was lashing off me and I was
thinking 'I can't do this, I can't do this, I really can't do this!' I do
anything to get out of going out."
The subjects were of varied ages, from 17 to 65. One woman, whose

statement

Quoted message said:

was backed by others in the group, indicated that loneliness, boredom and
guilt were key factors in getting overweight. Single women, Ms Pollitt
says, feel they are more likely to put weight on as they had nobody to

curb

Quoted message said:

their eating.
One woman said: "I need someone to tell me to stop eating the teacakes.
Without anyone to do so I just eat the whole box of 12. And you know what?
As soon as I've finished that I could eat the same all over again."

A different subject said: "It's not that we don't want to do anything

about

Quoted message said:

our weight, it's that we've tried everything around, short of
stomach-stapling."

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose weight,
saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there. I went straight
to the back of the class because I don't want everyone to see my bits
bobbing and bouncing around. All the sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the
front. I never went back again, it was so depressing."
Heather Pollitt says conducting the study, which is included in the State
of the Nation by the Association of Qualitative Research, has made her
change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy, greedy, and
can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

"I suppose I used to think 'Come on, pull yourself together' - the kind of
thing sometimes said to depressed people, which of course is useless. But
at the end of it, I felt that they needed help, not criticism."

There are a number of reasons that society is getting more intolerant to
the overweight, she says, including the often-cited criticism of thin
models.
But she adds that an increased number of overweight young people might

have

Quoted message said:

led to intolerant attitudes developing at school, which then translates
into adult society.

She concludes that one way of tackling the problem would be for obesity to
be reclassified as an illness, and for people to understand that it's a
type of addiction, not greed. Society should then "spend time thinking
about how we can help the sufferers instead of humiliating them".

Story comments:

At 58 I am finally getting the help I need under a psychiatrist so I
completely endorse the statement that obesity can be linked to addiction.
But unlike other addictions one has to eat in order to survive so its
treatment is so difficult to treat and the patients need so much support.
Lucia Christodoulides, London

I used to be slim and athletic, now after many years I'm overweight. Over
the years unkind people who never knew me before often made jokes at my
expense. The funny thing is that over the years those same people have
gained weight themselves but never find the jokes they used funny anymore.
Mark Baillie, Southampton, England

I have recently lost over 4 and a half stone with another 3 or 4 to go.
However, I have noticed that more and more people are talking to me and
making eye contact since losing weight. Believe it or not, if you are fat
you are invisible. All of a sudden I am beginning to "fit in" - and I

don't

Quoted message said:

just mean smaller clothes and aircraft seats! Adults are worse than kids
when it comes to abuse - they should know better.
Debra, Herts, UK

I used to think that I couldnt lose weight as I am in a wheelchair with a
chronic heart/lung condition. Wrong!! when told that the only hope for a
future would be a heart/lung transplant and I couldn't think about that
until I had lost weight, it's amazing what can be done. I have lost to

date

Quoted message said:

(in 9 months) 30 kg by diet alone....I can't stress how wonderful that
feels and I take great delight in buying 'normal' size clothes. I was a
size 24/26 before. Now all I have to face is the decision for transplant

if

Quoted message said:

it arises! I assure you losing weight is infinitely easier.
Dee, Basel, Switzerland

When I was a size 8-10 I used to be judged by the way I looked, girls
especially. Now I'm a espectable 12-14 and much prefer the way people

speak

Quoted message said:

to me, I feel I am not judged by the way I look anymore, so it's not just
the fat people taht are judged it's the skinny too.....along with

different

Quoted message said:

cultures/races etc.
Claire Smith, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, UK

I suffer from dealing with my weight. Some days I feel very positive about
going to the gym and I will do spurts, but most of the time, with all the
mirrors around, the thin bodies, and the public locker rooms, I really

just

Quoted message said:

come home depressed. It's so hard to think of exercise as a positive thing
to begin with that it really hurts our progress and self-esteem when the
whole experience is made very humiliating for larger people.
Ava, Washington, D.C., US

I went up to 13.5 stones which is the largest I've ever been. As I'm

5'8'',

Quoted message said:

I took the concious decision to join a gym, eat and drink less and
generally improve my lifestyle. Frankly there's not miracle cure or diet,
it requires hard work and committment. Reading some of the comments on

here

Quoted message said:

implies people get fat through no fault of their own: If you want to lose
weight, eat less and do more exercise!
Richie, UK

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4558651.stm

Published: 2005/05/18 17:25:37 GMT

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dan said:

Quoted message said:

rm

I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for almost 20
years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or female, being
harrassed-not one incident.

In my 20 plus years, I have never seen it once either. The times that a
morbid obese person did come in, people went out of their way to make
them feel welcome, as they knew that first step is the hardest.

Quoted message said:

I am certain that the people who make these claims have never actually
been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to the gym.

Truth.

--
Will Brink @ http://www.brinkzone.com/

Caren Torres wrote:
snip

Quoted message said:

She concludes that one way of tackling
the problem would be for obesity to be
reclassified as an illness, and for
people to understand that it's a type
of addiction, not greed. Society should
then "spend time thinking about how we
can help the sufferers instead of
humiliating them".

snip

Eating can be an addiction to some, I agree, but what of the naturally
stocky? They don't exist? Yes, I'm sure that many people pile on the
pounds through addictive-style eating, however I've seen many examples
of people who seem born to be huge.

I have rail-thin students and I have round students. I suspect many
have the same or similar diets but attain their physique not by
choosing a specific eating plan but by merit of their heredity.

Not everyone is Kate Moss or slender. Who would attempt to diet a Saint
Bernard down to a Chihuahua's size? Still, some obese want to
categorize their natural frame as a consequence of addiction rather
than an inherited physical predisposition? I don't get it.

What percent bodyfat is the cutoff? When would your weight indicate an
illness versus someone built /just like mom and dad/?

--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/

Dan said:

BobMac said:

Caren Torres said:

The overweight on the overweight

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose
weight, saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there.
I went straight to the back of the class because I don't want
everyone to see my bits bobbing and bouncing around. All the
sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the front. I never went back again,
it was so depressing." Heather Pollitt says conducting the study,
which is included in the State of the Nation by the Association of
Qualitative Research, has made her change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy,
greedy, and can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group cycling
class (we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning " but I
think it's the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm the fattest.
I'm in the worst shape. Everybody there is extremely friendly, and,
for want of a better word, supportive. Where are all the skinny, fit,
condemnatory, judgemental people? I can't find them.

Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse
shape than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I find
them very, very inspirational.

rm

I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for almost 20
years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or female, being
harrassed-not one incident.

I am certain that the people who make these claims have never actually
been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to the gym.

Couldn't have said it better myself.
--
-Larry

"Dan " <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BobMac said:

Caren Torres said:

The overweight on the overweight

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose
weight, saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there.
I went straight to the back of the class because I don't want
everyone to see my bits bobbing and bouncing around. All the
sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the front. I never went back again,
it was so depressing." Heather Pollitt says conducting the study,
which is included in the State of the Nation by the Association of
Qualitative Research, has made her change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy,
greedy, and can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group cycling
class (we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning " but I
think it's the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm the fattest.
I'm in the worst shape. Everybody there is extremely friendly, and,
for want of a better word, supportive. Where are all the skinny, fit,
condemnatory, judgemental people? I can't find them.

Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse
shape than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I find
them very, very inspirational.

rm

I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for almost 20
years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or female, being
harrassed-not one incident.

I am certain that the people who make these claims have never actually
been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to the gym.

Not only that, but I've seen gym regulars go out of their way to help fat
newbies. I've found gyms to be among the friendliest and most accepting
places.

Cubit said:

It is good to see some corroboration of my gripes about how I was treated,
when I was over 300. (Although this seems to come from the UK.)

I feel I've mastered the weightloss thing. The statistics of dieter failure
just seem so odd to me. Maybe it is related to my profound inability to
convey my dieting abilities to others.

I can't see how I could forget all that I have learned since the end of
2003. I expect to be popping in with reports of ongoing success in a few
years.

Cubit
311/171.4/165

Bravo for me. Look at my numbers.
Horray for Banana Cram Pie
265/297/315

Lardy Veteran

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Gooserider said:

"Dan " <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BobMac said:

Caren Torres wrote:
> The overweight on the overweight
>
>
> And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to
> lose weight, saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a
> class there. I went straight to the back of the class because
> I don't want everyone to see my bits bobbing and bouncing
> around. All the sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the front. I
> never went back again, it was so depressing." Heather Pollitt
> says conducting the study, which is included in the State of
> the Nation by the Association of Qualitative Research, has
> made her change her own views. "Overweight people think that
> other people think they're lazy, greedy, and can't be bothered
> to do anything about their weight.
>
What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group
cycling class (we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning
" but I think it's the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm
the fattest. I'm in the worst shape. Everybody there is
extremely friendly, and, for want of a better word, supportive.
Where are all the skinny, fit, condemnatory, judgemental people?
I can't find them.

Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse
shape than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I
find them very, very inspirational.

rm

I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for almost
20 years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or female, being
harrassed-not one incident.

I am certain that the people who make these claims have never
actually been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to the
gym.

Not only that, but I've seen gym regulars go out of their way to
help fat newbies. I've found gyms to be among the friendliest and
most accepting places.

You must not get out much..poor guy.

LV

- ------------------------------------------------------
I rode a tank and held a General's rank
When the blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank

- - - - Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil
- ----------------------------------------
Today's mighty oak is yesterdays nut that held its ground.

- - -unknown
- ----------------------------------------
Yes, I have let myself go...Now I'm Free!!!

- - - unknown
- ----------------------------------------
If you are reading this in a group where the message
is cross-posted into more than three groups,it means
the idiot who started this thread is trolling me
or soc.support.fat-acceptance and I flamed his ass.
I consider the idiots I flame a waste of humanity
and deserving of all of the ill treatment I can
hand them. Idiots who ridicule fat people are worse
then vermin as far as I am concerned. If you don't
want to read my responses, trim the groups to where you want
he message to go and you will not hear from me.Otherwise,
your eyes will burn from the venom in my reply.
- ----------------------------------------

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Lardy Veteran said:

Cubit said:

It is good to see some corroboration of my gripes about how I was
treated, when I was over 300. (Although this seems to come from
the UK.)

I feel I've mastered the weightloss thing. The statistics of
dieter failure just seem so odd to me. Maybe it is related to my
profound inability to convey my dieting abilities to others.

I can't see how I could forget all that I have learned since the
end of 2003. I expect to be popping in with reports of ongoing
success in a few years.

Cubit
311/171.4/165

Bravo for me. Look at my numbers.
Horray for Banana Cram Pie
265/297/315

Lardy Veteran

Yes you need some CRAM pie-right in your face. Abortion
survivor-right?

LV

- ------------------------------------------------------
I rode a tank and held a General's rank
When the blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank

- - - - Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil
- ----------------------------------------
Today's mighty oak is yesterdays nut that held its ground.

- - -unknown
- ----------------------------------------
Yes, I have let myself go...Now I'm Free!!!

- - - unknown
- ----------------------------------------
If you are reading this in a group where the message
is cross-posted into more than three groups,it means
the idiot who started this thread is trolling me
or soc.support.fat-acceptance and I flamed his ass.
I consider the idiots I flame a waste of humanity
and deserving of all of the ill treatment I can
hand them. Idiots who ridicule fat people are worse
then vermin as far as I am concerned. If you don't
want to read my responses, trim the groups to where you want
he message to go and you will not hear from me.Otherwise,
your eyes will burn from the venom in my reply.
- ----------------------------------------

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OK, now I'm gonna be mean:
I really am sick of "obese" people whining about how they are treated, and
expecting special treatment because of the poor life choices that they have
made. At one point, I became unhappy with my weight. This unhappiness came
from a variety of sources- I did not like the way I looked in the mirror, I
did not like the way that others looked at me, and I did not like to feel
exausted while being active. But instead of suing McDonald's, or claiming
that I had an "illness" so that special accomodations could be legislated
for me, or demanding that other people change their outlook, I decided to do
something about it. I went on Adkins. I dragged my sorry butt to the gym
and made myself run and lift and huff and puff. I was so freakin' exausted
I did not have time to look around and blush about what all the "thinnies"
were thinking.

Did I get support from other people? Hell no. The fatter they were, the
more negative they were: "Adkins is unhealthy" (what a friggin' joke when
proclaimed by a 300 lb coronary event waiting to happen) "I tried that too,
and it just doesn't work". etc, etc.

You would THINK that watching success would inspire them to try again, or at
least shut them up, but no. As I dropped to my high school weight, and then
even below, the chorus of negativity became even louder: "You're gonna kill
yourself!", "You know that Adkins died of a heart attack, and he was obese,
don't you?" People became almost violent. One "overweight but otherwise
qualified" (???!!!! hahahahaha!) aerobics instructor at the YMCA/geriatric
recovery center was particularly disdainful. She looked like the ballet
hippopotamus that you see in the cartoons, but she had absolutley no
compunction about lecturing me on proper nutrition.

Then I go in to buy some clothes and some fat clerk asks if I need help.
When I tell her my size and that I am looking for athletic cut shirts, she
tells me that they don't sell those anymore because "not everyone is blessed
with your high metabolism". High metabolism my @#%^! I like food as much
as anybody, but nothing tastes as good as thin feels. You think I like to
run until it feels like I'm gonna throw up? Do you think I LOVE going for
that last set when I have worked all night, went to school all day, and
slept about 3 hours? (By the way, I'm 40) Everyone's got excuses for why
they can't do it. But no one cares about your excuses UNTIL you have
overcome them. Then those obstacles become an even greater testimony to
your iron will and determination. Being thin may not say anything about a
persons character, but overcoming sure does, and so does fatalistically
whining about your inability to change things.

Look, if you don't care about being overweight, I really don't either. If
the immediate gratification that you get from those tea cakes is more
important than having someone of the opposite sex look lustfully at you,
well that's OK by me. But if thats the case, then stop complaining and
making excuses. You know, it is amazing to me the correlation that there is
between areas of the world that don't have much food available, and the
complete lack of "low metabolism", hypothyroid conditions, and miscellaneous
obeisty virii in those same areas.

On the other hand, if you do care, then DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. And above
all, do not listen to anyone who is negative. Would you ask a bum to manage
your money? Don't even tell anyone. Just do it. You want some respect?
Go earn it. Or be fat. Whatever. But don't expect the world to tip-toe
around your sensitivities.

"Caren Torres" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The overweight on the overweight

Obese people feel that society is becoming more hostile to them, a study
has suggested. Their comments have given researchers an insight into how
things look from the overweight's point of view.
The study into "obesity through the eyes of the obese" by Heather Pollitt
of ICM Research offers fresh understanding of the attitudes of normal
weight people to the overweight.

One subject said: "I used to be a normal size and extremely confident. I'm
horrified and find it dreadful the way people speak to you [when you're
'obese']. I think the word lazy is equated with being fat. [When you're
slim to average] you just don't realise that people just have such a thing
about fat people."

Another added: "I do get quite paranoid about it. Last week my son had his
open night at school and all day the sweat was lashing off me and I was
thinking 'I can't do this, I can't do this, I really can't do this!' I do
anything to get out of going out."
The subjects were of varied ages, from 17 to 65. One woman, whose

statement

Quoted message said:

was backed by others in the group, indicated that loneliness, boredom and
guilt were key factors in getting overweight. Single women, Ms Pollitt
says, feel they are more likely to put weight on as they had nobody to

curb

Quoted message said:

their eating.
One woman said: "I need someone to tell me to stop eating the teacakes.
Without anyone to do so I just eat the whole box of 12. And you know what?
As soon as I've finished that I could eat the same all over again."

A different subject said: "It's not that we don't want to do anything

about

Quoted message said:

our weight, it's that we've tried everything around, short of
stomach-stapling."

And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to lose weight,
saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a class there. I went straight
to the back of the class because I don't want everyone to see my bits
bobbing and bouncing around. All the sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the
front. I never went back again, it was so depressing."
Heather Pollitt says conducting the study, which is included in the State
of the Nation by the Association of Qualitative Research, has made her
change her own views.
"Overweight people think that other people think they're lazy, greedy, and
can't be bothered to do anything about their weight.

"I suppose I used to think 'Come on, pull yourself together' - the kind of
thing sometimes said to depressed people, which of course is useless. But
at the end of it, I felt that they needed help, not criticism."

There are a number of reasons that society is getting more intolerant to
the overweight, she says, including the often-cited criticism of thin
models.
But she adds that an increased number of overweight young people might

have

Quoted message said:

led to intolerant attitudes developing at school, which then translates
into adult society.

She concludes that one way of tackling the problem would be for obesity to
be reclassified as an illness, and for people to understand that it's a
type of addiction, not greed. Society should then "spend time thinking
about how we can help the sufferers instead of humiliating them".

Story comments:

At 58 I am finally getting the help I need under a psychiatrist so I
completely endorse the statement that obesity can be linked to addiction.
But unlike other addictions one has to eat in order to survive so its
treatment is so difficult to treat and the patients need so much support.
Lucia Christodoulides, London

I used to be slim and athletic, now after many years I'm overweight. Over
the years unkind people who never knew me before often made jokes at my
expense. The funny thing is that over the years those same people have
gained weight themselves but never find the jokes they used funny anymore.
Mark Baillie, Southampton, England

I have recently lost over 4 and a half stone with another 3 or 4 to go.
However, I have noticed that more and more people are talking to me and
making eye contact since losing weight. Believe it or not, if you are fat
you are invisible. All of a sudden I am beginning to "fit in" - and I

don't

Quoted message said:

just mean smaller clothes and aircraft seats! Adults are worse than kids
when it comes to abuse - they should know better.
Debra, Herts, UK

I used to think that I couldnt lose weight as I am in a wheelchair with a
chronic heart/lung condition. Wrong!! when told that the only hope for a
future would be a heart/lung transplant and I couldn't think about that
until I had lost weight, it's amazing what can be done. I have lost to

date

Quoted message said:

(in 9 months) 30 kg by diet alone....I can't stress how wonderful that
feels and I take great delight in buying 'normal' size clothes. I was a
size 24/26 before. Now all I have to face is the decision for transplant

if

Quoted message said:

it arises! I assure you losing weight is infinitely easier.
Dee, Basel, Switzerland

When I was a size 8-10 I used to be judged by the way I looked, girls
especially. Now I'm a espectable 12-14 and much prefer the way people

speak

Quoted message said:

to me, I feel I am not judged by the way I look anymore, so it's not just
the fat people taht are judged it's the skinny too.....along with

different

Quoted message said:

cultures/races etc.
Claire Smith, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, UK

I suffer from dealing with my weight. Some days I feel very positive about
going to the gym and I will do spurts, but most of the time, with all the
mirrors around, the thin bodies, and the public locker rooms, I really

just

Quoted message said:

come home depressed. It's so hard to think of exercise as a positive thing
to begin with that it really hurts our progress and self-esteem when the
whole experience is made very humiliating for larger people.
Ava, Washington, D.C., US

I went up to 13.5 stones which is the largest I've ever been. As I'm

5'8'',

Quoted message said:

I took the concious decision to join a gym, eat and drink less and
generally improve my lifestyle. Frankly there's not miracle cure or diet,
it requires hard work and committment. Reading some of the comments on

here

Quoted message said:

implies people get fat through no fault of their own: If you want to lose
weight, eat less and do more exercise!
Richie, UK

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4558651.stm

Published: 2005/05/18 17:25:37 GMT

Lady Veteran said:

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Hash: SHA1

Gooserider said:

"Dan " <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BobMac wrote:

> Caren Torres wrote:
> > The overweight on the overweight
> >
> >
> > And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to
> > lose weight, saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a
> > class there. I went straight to the back of the class because
> > I don't want everyone to see my bits bobbing and bouncing
> > around. All the sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the front. I
> > never went back again, it was so depressing." Heather Pollitt
> > says conducting the study, which is included in the State of
> > the Nation by the Association of Qualitative Research, has
> > made her change her own views. "Overweight people think that
> > other people think they're lazy, greedy, and can't be bothered
> > to do anything about their weight.
> >
> What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group
> cycling class (we're not pretentious enough to call it "spinning
> " but I think it's the same thing.) I'm the oldest, I think. I'm
> the fattest. I'm in the worst shape. Everybody there is
> extremely friendly, and, for want of a better word, supportive.
> Where are all the skinny, fit, condemnatory, judgemental people?
> I can't find them.
>
> Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far worse
> shape than me, and are working hard to do something about it. I
> find them very, very inspirational.
>
> rm

I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for almost
20 years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or female, being
harrassed-not one incident.

I am certain that the people who make these claims have never
actually been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to the
gym.

Not only that, but I've seen gym regulars go out of their way to
help fat newbies. I've found gyms to be among the friendliest and
most accepting places.

You must not get out much..poor guy.

How often go you go to the gym? Have you been harassed, or otherwise
disparaged during your visits?

It is pretty much about choices. I gave myself permission to eat badly
and as a result, I gained. I never was thin and when I was, it didn't
make my life perfect like I expected it would, but I did feel better
physically. Although I do wish the world was less superficial, I don't
expect everyone to pity me because I am not the "norm".

Gweebles

"gweebles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It is pretty much about choices. I gave myself permission to eat badly
and as a result, I gained. I never was thin and when I was, it didn't
make my life perfect like I expected it would, but I did feel better
physically. Although I do wish the world was less superficial, I don't
expect everyone to pity me because I am not the "norm".

Gweebles

I agree it is about choices - up to a point. There are some situations
where losing weight is almost impossible. I started LC about one year ago.
I lost 25 pounds. Now I am stuck pretty much at a +-5 pounds. That is my
fault. But several years ago when in a span of 6 years I had 3 hip
surgeries (including a hip replacement), 2 knee surgeries, and 1 hammer toe
surgery - I literally could not do any exercising. Heck - most of the time
I could barely walk - and sleeping was often painful. Now with the hip
replacement - I am not supposed to run or jump - that leaves out a lot of
the aerobic dance type exercise. I have been doing a lot of yard work
lately - which I'm sure is burning lots of calories. I watch them drip off
in the form of sweat. I have also been working on pulling up carpet and
linoleum and replacing with vinyl tile squares - more hard sweaty work.
After that - I can start going back to the gym. I try to watch what I eat -
but about a week before my TOM - my body desperately craves carbs - not sure
why - must be hormones. I try to eat the good carbs. There are days that I
just give in and have the chocolate donut and then limit the carbs the rest
of the day. I need to drink more water.

That is my story. I need to lose about another 50 pounds. I lost the 25
and have stayed at that weight for about 9 months - which is good. I know
when I lose the rest I can keep it off. But - everyone has different
situations. Some medical conditions make exercise more of a challenge and
sometimes impossible. So as well meaning as JC is - yes you can always eat
less - but you can't always exercise more. Most can - but not all. Some
meds increase weight gain or water retention. All of this means people will
lose at different rates. I have ADHD. I drink caffeine and it has no
effect on me. Others may drink caffeine and it may cause stalls or water
retention. The bottom line is - this is a support group. We are all in
here for one reason - we are trying our hardest to follow an LC WOE. The
benefits of eating this way are different for everyone. For me - it
regulates my BG (suffer from low blood sugar) and my BP - and I lose weight.
It also reduces the ADHD problems and I have since quit taking that med. I
will reach my goal - it may take a while - but I know that I can. I will
never come in here and berate anyone because they fell off the wagon - all
of us will at one point or another. The important thing is to get back up
and keep going. I am here for support for all my fellow group members - and
that is something we should all strive for.

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Dan said:

Lady Veteran said:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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Gooserider said:

"Dan " <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> BobMac wrote:
>
> > Caren Torres wrote:
> > > The overweight on the overweight
> > >
> > >
> > > And one illustrated some of the problems faced in trying to
> > > lose weight, saying: "I've been to the gym and I went to a
> > > class there. I went straight to the back of the class
> > > because I don't want everyone to see my bits bobbing and
> > > bouncing around. All the sticks, the 'thinnies' are at the
> > > front. I never went back again, it was so depressing."
> > > Heather Pollitt says conducting the study, which is
> > > included in the State of the Nation by the Association of
> > > Qualitative Research, has made her change her own views.
> > > "Overweight people think that other people think they're
> > > lazy, greedy, and can't be bothered to do anything about
> > > their weight.
> > >
> > What the heck is the problem, here? I'm in a weekly group
> > cycling class (we're not pretentious enough to call it
> > "spinning " but I think it's the same thing.) I'm the oldest,
> > I think. I'm the fattest. I'm in the worst shape. Everybody
> > there is extremely friendly, and, for want of a better word,
> > supportive. Where are all the skinny, fit, condemnatory,
> > judgemental people? I can't find them.
> >
> > Personally, I occasionally encounter people who are in far
> > worse shape than me, and are working hard to do something
> > about it. I find them very, very inspirational.
> >
> > rm
>
> I have been working out in gyms, 3 to 4 times per week, for
> almost 20 years. I have yet to see any fat person, male or
> female, being harrassed-not one incident.
>
> I am certain that the people who make these claims have never
> actually been to a gym. It's more of an excuse not to go to
> the gym.

Not only that, but I've seen gym regulars go out of their way to
help fat newbies. I've found gyms to be among the friendliest
and most accepting places.

You must not get out much..poor guy.

How often go you go to the gym? Have you been harassed, or
otherwise disparaged during your visits?

I am not talking about me. I am talking about the true obese going to
the gym and being the subject of ridicule. I have seen that shallow
behavior with my own eyes. Changing things starts with one person.
You naively think that fat people don't go to the gym because they
are lazy.

LV

- ------------------------------------------------------
I rode a tank and held a General's rank
When the blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank

- - - - Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil
- ----------------------------------------
Today's mighty oak is yesterdays nut that held its ground.

- - -unknown
- ----------------------------------------
Yes, I have let myself go...Now I'm Free!!!

- - - unknown
- ----------------------------------------
If you are reading this in a group where the message
is cross-posted into more than three groups,it means
the idiot who started this thread is trolling me
or soc.support.fat-acceptance and I flamed his ass.
I consider the idiots I flame a waste of humanity
and deserving of all of the ill treatment I can
hand them. Idiots who ridicule fat people are worse
then vermin as far as I am concerned. If you don't
want to read my responses, trim the groups to where you want
he message to go and you will not hear from me.Otherwise,
your eyes will burn from the venom in my reply.
- ----------------------------------------

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