To think "hurrah" when Pauline Quirke admits that when she was huge it was down to general greediness!

[hubbabubbabubba]

Just sick of people not being honest!
i dont believe in people being a size 0 at all, but surely being that large is not good for your health.
She has done brilliantly!

I remember being a skinny teenager and thinking fat people must just be lazy because you can just go for a run every day and get rid of it. Now, I'm an adult with weight issues I realise I was a bit of an idiot.

YANBU

havent read thread so apologise if im missing key points.

The fact is (mostly) you are fat because you eat too much, or eat the wrong things, or eat at the wrong time and you dont burn enough off through exercise.

Its not easy but it IS simple! Just eat healthy food, reasonable portions, at mealtimes and exercise, simple!

I have put on 9lb over the last 7 weeks because i cant exercise atm. So whilst ds2 is at creche instead of training ive been sitting in starbucks eating cake and drinking coffee. Thats why im 9lbs heavier.

Im a huge believer in Paul Mckenna sockintoaster he has cured me of my flying phoba and helped me give up smoking. I think anything is possibe with a bit of mind control

YABU. So smug to crow about other people's failings (criticising those who find it hard to lose weight, under the guise of "praising" Pauline Quirke).

Me too yon

I have watched it as an 'outsider' IYSWIM. I was always really thin as a teenager and in my 20s. I filled out a bit when I had the kids but am still 8-10 depending on how healthy I am being (10 if I am eating like a grown up).

From the age of about 14 all of my friends would talk about their weight. As I grew up I knew scores of girls and women with mild to severe eating problems. Decades of beautiful, clever, kind, amazing (as well as the not so nice ones) talking as if the only thing that mattered about them was how heavy they were.

I have proper issues about other aspects of my appearance (although I have mellowed with age) but missed out on the weight thing.

Its an absolute tyranny. I bloody hate it. I dont blame women who are overweight for going 'feck it I am going to eat what I want' because lets face it - nothing is every good enough for this society.

It is also a way for women to get at each other. If you want to really upset someone all you have to do is drop a hint that they have put on a bit of weight. it will make no difference if they have or not. Just suggesting it is enough.

WFT is all that about?

I agree with mosschops.

FWIW over eating is NOT an addiction like alcoholism or smoking! Alcohol and nicotine are physically addictive drugs.

Have you ever been fat op? It's not that simple. Do you have any areas in your life where you are 'weak' or are you perfect? If you have never had weight issues then please do us all a favour and keep your gob shut.

This thread is quite promising, there are obviously lots of experts in addicition, that are not being utilised, at present.

Nice to know that this is one area, in which, we need not fear the cuts, lots of people able to volunteer.

The level of knowledge about psychological addicition and physiology on this thread is amazing .

Meant to add there is, of course, an element of truth to the 'greedy' factor, of course there is, but it is often tied up with emotional issues and addiction to food. Whoever said food is not an addiction to some people is wrong. It absoloutely can be an addiction.

Mrsarchietheinventor... What an honest and heartfelt post... Thank you for sharing. I wish you all the luck and best wishes in your quest to find the right weight for you. X

Funny how no-one seems to label heavy drinkers, smokers etc. with an adjective comparable to "greedy". Perhaps it's because they don't look physically different, whereas an overweight person does.

Let's face it, everyone has their weaknesses, and it's unfair to pick on those for whom food is an issue, just because their particular weakness is immediately visible. If everyone's weaknesses were so physically obvious ("I am judgy" written on the forehead for example) I don't think many of us would be casting the first stone.

Actually I dont think that food is completely comparable to nicotine and alcohol because it is not the only part of the equation. As I said earlier in the thread, we really have become a lazy nation and we do far, far less excercise than our bodies are designed for.

Jesus, Pauline quirke has set a crap example and will have learned nothing from her weight loss, she's having shakes and meal replacements. I have a friend who lost 10 stone with a slimming club eating real food and learning about proper nutrition, she wasn't paid by a company and looks and feels amazing. I bet a tenner Pauline Quirke is back where she started in 18 months.

My DMum ate less than any of us and ran her self ragged being the perfect old fashioned traditional housewife. She cooked beautiful cake and homemade puds, but was the least likely to eat big portions. She never had seconds and doesn't have a sweet tooth.

She is and has always been very over weight, as is my sister. My father and I eat far more of Mums good food than either of them and are far smaller.

I was a size 12 when I left home, DSIS must have been a 20 at least.

Yes I cycled a bit and she didn't, but not seriously and I'm not in the least sporty.

(I'm a 16 now, but that's 2 DDs, too much easy food because DD2 is so fussy and living somewhere where you drive everywhere).

I think it is a loving yourself/self esteem issue - as are smoking and alcohol.

Let's face it being seriously overweight will shorten your life - so it is a sort of postponed death sentence, likewise smoking (even more so) and alcohol. Why would you do that to yourself? And despite having children (depending and needing you) people still drink/smoke/eat in excess (increasing the risk of them being left without you), even that isn't enough to overcome the craving for the lift/comfort you get from them.

If you were truly confident, pleased with the choices you have made, able to hold your own happily with anyone and everyone, living life to the full, you wouldn't have time for any of these props.

Some good counselling/CBT etc on the NHS would be the best help imo. But we brits are too stuck in the view that only the weak/ mentally ill/ saddos need psychologists. Imv we could all do with one. The downside would be that mumsnet AIBU would peter out .

am overweight. have been on a diet and exercise programme for one month now. Last week I jogged on Sunday and on Thursday - 2 miles each time.I walked at lunchtimes on Monday and Tuesday - a mile each time. No chocolate, no crisps, no biscuits, lunches have been jacket potatoes, salads, soup etc.
In one month I have lost......half a pound!
yeah, it's dead easy.

I've always been skinny-slim, and at 55 I'm still size 8-10.
But I'm a heavy smoker, I can't give it up, I've also been a very heavy drug user in the past.
I do believe I have an addictive personality, but food was never one of them, to me it's just fuel to get through the day.
And unlike smoking/drugs, you have to eat.
I think losing weight must be one of the hardest things to do.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1421693-to-think-that-the-health-risks-associated-with-rapid-weight-loss-arent-publicised-enough

I was underweight until i left home, i have had issues with food for a long time relating to problems in childhood, abuse, refugees, foster care etc,
I put on weight during a breakdown, i was on anti psychotics for a long time, they make you crave carbs and cause weight gain.
Due to being violently attacked i also had mobility problems which meant i could no longer do certain exercises, and with my mental condition, going for a walk wasn't even on the cards.

Because of the breakdown/part of it, i developed agoraphobia and OCD, paranoia and anxiety, which still rear their ugly heads now and then over 10 yrs on.
Food is a coping mechanism for me, i use it to quell the emotions and thoughts i can not cope with, i had/have days, weeks even when i eat no chocolate or crisps, and maintain a healthy diet, but the it only takes 1 week a month where you are stuck inside your house and can only eat processed crap made a certain way etc for it to mess up all the good you have done.

When i am 5ft 7, when i was 16, before these series of events happened, i was a size 10 and between 9-10st.
I am now a size 24 and roughly 19st, thats about 1st per year since that happened, It has gone on slowly, but surely, i have tried to puke up my food, and i can't, i have starved myself for days and then binge on crap, i eat in secret and can't stand eating certain things infront of people.
I hate myself, essentially, and don't see myself as important or worth the time to bother with, so i don't seek help often, or give up early because i am afraid of failing, or worse, losing the weight and feeling vunerable again.

So, no i don't think every 'fat' person is just greedy, and that there is a simple answer.
I do however think that people need to have a little more compassion for people with food issues, wether it is under eating or over eating, then maybe they would have one less thing to feel guilty about and would feel more accepted by society and perhaps ask for help and take control with the right support.

This thread is disgusting btw.

I think that it is harder to treat addictive behaviours around food in some ways as complete abstinence obviously isn't a treatment option, whereas it is for alcoholism or cigarettes.

Also, addictive behaviours around food, whilst having long term health consequences are not so immediately and obviously destructive which makes people less likely to seek help with them.

To stop being drug addict you stop taking drugs

To stop being an alcoholic you stop drinking alcohol

To stop gambling you stop going to the porkies/races/TAB/card games

To stop being obese you stop eating? The biggest problem with losing weight is that you still have to eat something - you still have to cook and consume food - you cannot stop eating

It's comforting to see this debate rages just as nasty on both sides of the world

Dementedma - if you have only lost half a pound and can honestly say you have been good and don't overeat even on the good stuff then you should talk to your doctor as you should have lost a lot more than that

Having grown up with a mother who had bulimia, I concluded a long time ago that anyone who makes any comment about someone else's weight take that back, you hardly ever hear a comment about a man's weight, so to rephrase anyone who makes any comment about a woman's weight has some issues about body image themselves.

OTTMummA you are definitely important and worth the time to bother with. Just ignore people who have no idea what it is like to suffer from problems which cause you to turn to food. You have been through a lot but you write so thoughtfully. I hope you receive the compassion you deserve and make a good recovery.

"If you were truly confident, pleased with the choices you have made, able to hold your own happily with anyone and everyone, living life to the full, you wouldn't have time for any of these props."

Bully for all those people who manage to be so perfect

Rushelle - iirc, the lighterlife diet is designed to take you as far away from food as it can, whilst tackling the underlying issues that cause overeating in the first place with counseling sessions.
A friend of mine lost over 8 stone on the lighterlife diet 5 years ago. A lady in my village lost 5 stone 3 years ago. They've both kept the weight off.
It doesn't cost anything to say how well they've done. They put a lot of effort into losing weight, yet they are still constantly put down by other women, because they didn't do it right
Jeez, what's the bloody point, you can't do right no matter what you do.