The number overweight people at swimming today

[pingu2209]

I went swimming today with my 3 children. I am not exagerating to say that well over half the children and teenagers were overweight; some were seriously obese.

It really was noticable. Girls as well as boys. Anything from age 4 to 14.

Okay - at least they were exercising but I was really shocked.

[littlemisssarcastic]

Agree with ReluctantMother.

People who are overweight can feel too embarrassed to go swimming and threads like yours could put someone who was overweight off of going swimming. Did you think of that before you posted OP?

I thought not.

Someone who was summoning up the courage to take their DC's swimming this half term could now read this and decide not to go, all because there are people with your fattist attitude around.

I am lost for words at the insensitivity behind your thread OP.

[DizzyHoneyBee]

Don't be so judgemental. I am overweight but I can get in the pool and swim two miles straight off, no stopping in in about 1 hr 40 minutes. Can you?

[pingu2209]

I personally think that ONE of the major reasons for the massive weight gain is that processed food is very cheap and very quick and easy. Rather than cook from scratch, which takes up time and costs a lot of money; more and more people are buying ready made up meals or/and sauces. More people buy jars of bolognese sauce or packets of casserole mix or just pure ready made lasagna etc.

They are filled with salt and sugar and fat. They ready meals are cheaper and quicker but are also ADDICTIVE. We are cooking food for our children which makes them want more salt, sugar and fat. We are teaching their taste buds to crave salty, sugary and fatty foods.

Our children (and adults) are ADDICTIVE.

When I was a child, quick and easy processed food was canned baked beans. Today baked beans are often seen as a vegetable/food group.

[ambercat]

I agree Pingu i went swimming last week and was shocked by the amount of overweight children, alot were accompanied by an overweight parent. Cant all be down to genes.

[undercoverhousewife]

Posters are wrongly bashing the OP: she didn't phrase her first post elegantly but since then has gone out of her way to explain that she was exclaiming at a lightbulb moment of hers on realising that a "media" scare story was actually true - LOADS of kids are overweight. That doesn't mean she thinks fat people are disgusting, or shouldn't be swimming, or offend her in any way - just that she has realised that we as a society have a ticking time bomb of a problem and that adults should take more responsibility to ensure that their DC are not so fat. Overweight children are a problem because the chances are they will become obese adults with all the health issues (not to mention lack of self esteem) that go with being obese, and most people wouldn't wish that on their children.

If posters jump on anyone who ventures an opinion that having an obesity epidemic in our society is a problem and not a GOOD thing, then we cannot begin to sensibly address the issue and actually do something constructive about it.

[NorthernLurker]

Hey OP let me know next time you're going and I'll come too. Give you another overweight person to gawp at. Sadly my dc are all normal weight. Sorry to disappoint.

Btw - overweight people are not necessarily 'sad' - though keep judging them like you are and you might make them that way.

[slatternlymother]

pingu you're right; but this is obvious. We all know this; you should exercise, and eat fresh foods. But people don't. There are a large variety of reasons as to why.

I just... Don't really see the point here. There's nothing you've said here that hasn't been said a million times before. And I'm not saying that in a nasty way either.

[redrubyshoes]

I go swimming twice a week with an 'overweight' friend. She was a large child, a large teenager and is now a large adult.

I literally had to hold her hand when we started exercising together as she was terrified of the stares and comments she would get.

We started off with light jogging as she couldn't swim, then she got a bike and we cycled together.

Yep she got nasty comments from twats as we jogged around the park but stuck with it. Then she got swimming lessons at the age of 34.

We now swim 2kms a week and the weight is slowly going and she is toning up. I am so fucking proud of my friend.

I was always a very athletic child and I believe in 'muscle memory' my friend was not and not encouraged to be so by her parents.

She also does boxercise and spin classes now. Down from 19 stone to 14.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Have you apologised for offending and upsetting people here, Pingu?

[pingu2209]

I really think that to veto people's freedom of speech is sweeping a MASSIVE social problem under the carpet.

Oh dear, oh no, nobody can upset the increasingly overweight British society!!!

It is nieve and quite frankly stupid to think we can't mention it or make comment on it for fear of upsetting people.

I am not a MP. I am not looking for votes. I can say what is a scary and increasing fact in our society.

For those who get all shirty and upset because I have mentioned we have a huge problem in society, because they take it personally because their or their children's weight is a problem is just putting their head in the sand.

This is too big and serious a problem to worry about offending.

[WilsonFrickett]

Stop piling on! If you haven't been around children or indeed visited a pool in the school holidays for a while you probably will be shocked at the number of obese children there. OK fair enough, I'm not sure what the OP hoped to gain by her post but I do agree with a pp that she has had a 'lightbulb' moment.

Kids are getting fatter. And I know I am not BU in thinking that's a bad thing.

[littlemisssarcastic]

Your friend is an inspiration redrubyshoes.

I have to say that the people who have posted on this thread to say they are overweight and go swimming have given me hope. I would love to take DD swimming but feel so exposed in a swimming costume that I have never taken DD swimming on my own.
I want to change this, and reading this thread has made me realise I wont be the only overweight mum there.

Thank you.

[twofaceshenanigans]

I agree with you OP. it IS shocking the amount of overweight people and even more shocking at the amount of overweight children.

Why everyone has to pussy foot around the issue i'll never know, I find it very sad when you see overweight children, yes some children and adults are overweight due to medication etc but the majority of people are overweight because they are greedy and lazy.

I have been overweight in the past, but I did something about it, I now exercise regularly and we all eat a good diet. I was lazy and greedy and have no qualms about admitting that.

I couldn't care less if people disagree with me, it is MY opinion, if anyone chooses not to exercise because they care what people think clearly do not want to lose weight.

[AuntieMaggie]

Exactly why me and most of my female friends won't go swimming either including those that aren't overweight.

I would say most (80-90%) of the overweight adults I know have various health problems that contribute to their weight one way or another which is why I'm not shocked when I see overweight adults or children. Infact it doesn't even cross my mind.

dawndonna I hope your ds is ok.

[redrubyshoes]

LittleMiss

I am doubly proud of my friend as she is literally terrified of water and I tried to teach her to swim when she was 19 but she hated the water and being seen in a swim suit in public.

I used to beat her at the pool by at least 4 lengths but now she is right behind me!

[YouTheCat]

I'd rather be lazy and greedy than self-righteous.

[Sparklingbrook]

So is thread like a 'raise awareness' thing? A public service announcement?

[twofaceshenanigans]

Really? I'd rather not have obesity related illnesses, which will most likely happen

[FanFuckingTastic]

I don't find overweight people shocking, given the nature of society and the way things have very much changed from low food supply and hard physical work, to massive over abundance of foods and very sedentary lifestyles.

I think it takes considerable effort to avoid the fat trap as you get older, obviously for kids it's easier to keep them slimmer while they are young, but even then there is a point where you lose complete control over what they might eat.

[YouTheCat]

Yes, really.

[littlemisssarcastic]

Well done to you and your friend redrubyshoes.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little kindness to help someone to help themselves to make changes for the better in their lives.

I really wish more people showed kindness, instead of being concerned by a persons weight.

[pingu2209]

FunFuckingTastic - these are children from age 4. There is no way the amount of primary aged children who were overweight were due to ill health. It is due to uneducated parenting.

[ChestyNut]

Fuck me......fat people.....exercising?!

Whatever next! They'll be eating vegetables next

Here you are OP

Low fat, just for you.

[DizzyHoneyBee]

For the record, it is me that is overweight, my kids are as slender as can be.

[redrubyshoes]

I do have to agree to a certain extent with the OP.

My friend was 9 stone at 9 years old because her parents could not cook and fed her fast food and junk and ignored the fact she couldn't even run up he stairs. A bad diet was ingrained from day one.

Her wake up call was when she fell down TWO steps and shattered her ankle. The surgeon told her very firmly that had she been a standard weight for her height she would have walked away or had a slight sprain.

The extra seven stone she was carrying was more than the bones could bear.