To wonder why people let themselves get fat?

[Judgeywedgiepants]

I am frequently amazed at the number of women at 15/17/20 stone who suddenly realise how fat they are and want to do something about it.
Why do people let themselves get so fat? It's unhealthy, unsightly and very life limiting.
Why not just keep an eye on your weight and keep it nice and steady?

and sweet mouthed with it

Amongst other reasons I stuck to the believe that fat girls didn'g get raped until it happened.

I don't think you lack much Nijinsky (such is your formidable control) except a little imagination.

why does being fat mean you can't empathise with slim people who exercise - becasue a few people people on this thread are in that position? Is this sweeping generalisation night and I missed the announcement?

(Yes I know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but at least it is a form of wit)

for Kewcumber.

whatever17 That's a very articulate way to make your point

Re. the exercise thing; I've always loathed exercise, thought it desperately boring etc BUT am now 10.5 stone and really need to do something about it so joined a gym 2 weeks ago. I can already keep up with dh when we go for walks up steep hills (used to always trail behind puffing and panting).

The walking/running/rowing machines are, imo, desperately boring BUT am going to classes for Zumba and Pilates which are genuinely good fun, hard work but the time zooms by.

Would highly recommend just joinging a gym for one month, which is what I'm doing for the time being, and giving it a shot. I only go for an hour at a time, either before or after work which avoids the having to force myself out once I've got comfy at home thing.

Ooh, best not Jump - there's calories in that there glassand I might put someweight back on and then no-one will talk to me... no wait everyone ignored my posts anyway... bring on the wine...

Well in that case

One for each hand. There should be a doo-da for cake.....

here, have one of these instead

mumble... I find exercise very boring too. I now have a Dolphin waterproof MP3 for the pool and I find the time zooms by, I don't count lengths, just do 40-60 mins two or three times a week. I have a portable dvd player in the utility room with my exercise bike and I'm working my way through 'Desperate Housewives'. Each episode is about 40 minutes and that's how long I cycle for, I try to fit it in every morning but don't manage to always.

If I can persuade the dogs/kids to keep out of my way, I do a Tae Bo dvd once a week... Billy Blanks is fab.

Lighten up OP. You have no idea of other people's lives. Maybe you should live a little and let other people do the same. Do you realise how small minded and ignorant you sound.

I can't be arsed to read the entire thread but I stopped smoking 5 months ago and have put 2 stones on since then. I am now on a diet and exercising regularly.

My GP tells me that temporary fat is preferable to being skinny due to smoking. I hope he is right!

I agree
Some people, eh?

I'd rather be fat than a complete twat like you op!

The OP is completely correct. It's irresponsible when you have friends and family who care about you, sets an AWFUL example to your children, it's unsightly, and it's lame because you can't do cool things like play sports, go hiking or cycle around. It also means you exercise less, exercise being scientifically proven to make you a happier person.

And to the people saying food is what makes life worth living, don't you think you need to desperate reevaluate your life when you essentially live for clotted cream?

It's not hard to stay trim. I suggest forcing yourself to look at the back of every packet for the nutritional information and imagine the fat content as actual fat...you know, the kind you find on a rasher of bacon, dripping from a spoon. Would you eat that?

Being obese is just as appalling as being a chain smoker. Things "tasting nice" is no excuse.

sock puppet

" You stupid whore"
In what world whatsoever is that acceptable? Really?
I think this COULD have been an interesting and enlightening discussion but it has been blighted by the type of abuse I've quoted.
How does that help meaningful discussion or , indeed, help people understand why others are overweight.
Like Nijinsky, I do have to try very hard to understand why, medical or emotional issues aside, people get fat. I do struggle to see why, when you have to buy clothes a size or two bigger, you don't get on top of it then rather than much later. I hope that isn't seen as offensive, sorry but i am trying to understand and without being tactless.
I wonder what teh Govt could do with classes or projects that help before things become overwhelming for people, early intervention sort of thing.

I find it ironic that some posters say they are put off going to the gym because they don't look good and don't want to be judged. So I guess being a lardy arse is preferable then?

I've seen fat people on the streets jogging and after the initial "good god!" thought I usually think "Good for him/her! At least she's doing something about it."

The ugly truth is that for most people the only reason they are fat is because they eat too much and exercise too little.

peppa - completely agree..Whatever - you are so out of order, why be quite so abusive to someone simply for disagreeing with you?? Why does it matter to you so much??

who said that?

i think the question was totally valid and not mean-spirited, as many seem to suggest. There have been a lot of interesting responses, also valid, many of which point to emotional problems at the root of overeating.

I also think Nijinsky's response is very valid. Anyone who exercises regularly can see the vast benefits it has, mentally and physically. So it follows that the healthy person sees unhappy fat people and concludes they would be happier if they exercised and that in turn could potentially help them overcome the emotional overeating.

I don't think you can just say - mind your own business, because this is an issue that has massive ramifications for our public finances. As noted before, obesity costs the US - and the UK - a fortune. It's not being fat per se, it's because of the hugely increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, etc.

What you can say is - have compassion. We all have our lot in life and everyone should try to have some understanding and concern for others' experiences.

This has been a very strange thread for me to read I actually feel sorry for some posters who clearly have a very strange attitude to others.

I have skinny friends, slim friends, chubby friends, frankly fat friends all shapes and sizes but the things they have in common are that their decent as in not a nasty pack of bitches, they are loving and kind and their trustworthy.They are all 'aunties' to my bairns and when I had my accident they took it in turns to look after me after I got home, in fact you know you've got a true friend when they've literally wiped your arse for you!

We dance and sing at each others family celebrations and we cry at each others family funerals. I think it must be a sad and pathetic way to be to only 'accept' people on the basis they look like you bodyshape wise'

I'm not sure anyone said they only accept people based on bodyshape, beesimo.
Like you, my lovely friends come in all shapes and sizes although I would be worried for them, because I care, if they were very overweight. None are, as it happens but I suppose birds of a feather so most of them like me, are a bit sporty.

I understand where you're coming from Bee, much better not to judge on looks...
However, for me and I think many others, the debate wasn't about looks it was about health and cost of so many people being obese (NOT fat, NOT overweight, but obese)