for thinking everyone at work should not have to pick up the slack because a colleague is too overweight to do her share?

True

There are very obese people in my family. The ones under 60 can still lift things no problem. Sure, they wouldn't want to be running around, but they can certainly lift and carry. Are you sure it's her obesity which is the issue rather than, say, a back problem?
If you feel you are lifting more than you can manage, then speak to your manager.

Is this an office type job where the lifting/carrying is to put supplies away?

Or a factory where she's really now just been given "token" jobs to do because they don't want to fire her for being "fat"?

I'm wondering how the appraisal would go:

Timekeeping: excellent
Absence rate: excellent
Targets: all met
Relationships with others: excellent, always friendly and positive
Progression: not approved due to waist measurement
Target for next cycle: buy WLIs and lose <10% of bodyweight

OPs appraisal:

Timekeeping: excellent
Absence rate: excellent
Targets: all met
Relationships with others: very unpleasant about colleague and posting information online to invite further criticism that colleague may read and recognise as herself
Progression: approved due to waist measurement
Target for next cycle: not to be quite so much of a dick on social media

How many people do you know who can afford to engage a dietician and a trainer?

Uh-huh, demanding or even just expecting ‘fairness’ at work is a fools errand. If you have an outcome you need - eg less lifting and carrying - keep a cool head and appeal for legitimate accommodations.

It depends how much of your job is physical. Folk in the police or firefighters have to maintain and demonstrate their fitness to keep their job..

What if a colleague damaged their leg playing football which meant that they'd no longer be able to lift and carry?

Or twisted their wrist during a freak yoga accident?

Or burnt themselves during cooking?

Or had COPD via smoking?

All are caused by "lifestyle choices"...

The reason underlying the weight issue might well be a disability - the OP doesn't know her colleagues health background, it's entirely possible there's something causing it that her employer knows but her colleagues don't. In any event even with a reasonable adjustment it's the employers role to manage resources fairly, taking a personal issue with a colleague can be construed as bullying and I'd be careful about how I raised any concerns.

If the OP isn't able to do the additional physical tasks, that's a conversation to be had with her manager, without reference to the colleague who is also struggling. Cries of 'it's not fair' really should have been left in the playground, not making it's way into a professional workplace.

Likely to depend on the underlying reasons @HotTiredDog Obesity can be a symptom of something or caused by something else, eg the meds for the underlying health or disability issue.

YABU - she does have a medical issue. She is over eating to the point she is obese, she has an eating disorder. It doesn’t matter if it’s undiagnosed or if she doesn’t recognise that yet.

There is no such thing as a greedy obese person, it’s food addiction / eating disorder.

She could have gained weight for so many different reasons, none of which are your business.

I’m interested in this.

How much of this lifting and carrying is there?

Is it a physical job or not?

Is there lifting every day? Several times a day?

Is it in the job description?

Exactly. Its so clear what your aim is here, op

You dont know this woman's personal circumstances, and if I was this woman, I wouldnt dare tell you what's going on in my personal life to cause weight gain. Stop being horrible.

Yabvu

Yep, clearly it's a management issue. Are you all in a union? It looks like you all need to take this further if management and HR are refusing to engage. One employee becoming unable to do the tasks should not automatically mean that the tasks are split between the remaining people.

Directly confronting the individual staff member about her health and work capacity is definitely not the right way to address this situation.

What do you think should happen ? Maybe be sacked for being fat or sent on a healthy eating course maybe given free weightloss medication so she can lift something occasionally.

Genuine question - is “morbid obesity” classed as a disability? In which case “reasonable adjustments” have to be made.

Be thankful that you are doing the extra physical lifting and moving about.
Follow safe lifting guides; you will not be injured but you will stay fit and trim.

If you want to vent, make it a happy vent.
Tell Fat Colleague that you are pleased to be doing her fair share of the lifting because it is keeping you fit. She should find that a laugh, given that she jokes about her weight.

Realistically, privately, the managers should be asking FC to take a health check and to engage a dietition and a trainer so she stays healthy enough to keep working.

She may be laughing it off on the outside, but she could easily have an underlying medical cause for her weight gain, that may also impact the more physical aspects of the job.
She doesn't have to make her medical history public knowledge. It sounds as though the management team may have this knowledge.

It should have been addressed during performance reviews. If it was medical, then HR/occupational health should be involved and asking how the colleague needs support. Someone shouldn't be left to not be able to carry out their job role.
I see eating to her state, as being part of poor MH which is why she's using humour to excuse it. It needs taking back to management. She and everyone else needs this to be sorted out.

Overeating can come about due to many factors.
She will make jokes about it as a deflection.
You don't know her circumstances at home etc.

It is a management issue. There will be nothing in your contract saying you don’t have to go more than your fair share of the lifting and shifting though. Personally I’d consider looking for a new job.

It’s not fatty bashing. It’s not doing the job you are being paid to do which is having a detrimental effect on your colleagues.

Double post, deleted.

Yup. Manager issue. If too much lifting and carrying is impacting your health then talk to them about how they manage that. How her work is allocated is neither here nor there.