To wonder why some people are in denial about their weight?

[penciltop]

Not criticising anyone here but just wondering.

I had a morbidly obese friend who says she is that size because she is muscular and has 'big bones'. I don't comment but she clearly has a lot of fat on her body and she does overeat.

I have come across other people too who say people are healthier these days so are going to be bigger. People say it is because of genetics. Everyone is overweight in their family and that is the reason they are.

I know weight loss isn't easy - trying to lose weight myself! - but surely pretending it is because of reasons outside of your control isn't going to help. People keep telling me I am fine and I don't need to lose weight. Err yes I do according to BMI. I am in the overweight category

Not denying the reasons for people who have real medical reasons such as disabilities or because of medication

"Does the typical woman really just walk to the bus stop...?"

People who have cars don't even do that. There's another thread about learning to drive at the moment and people are saying you wouldn't have to use it all the time if you had a car, but my experience is that once people have one they tend to use it even for distances of about a mile that could be walked.

The only exercise I get regularly is walking to and from work. I went to the gym a few weeks ago, but it was a horrible experience. I'm going to have to try to force myself to do it again, but I also know that food is the most important in controlling your weight - you can't outrun a bad diet as they say.

I work from home a couple of times a week usually so lunchtime I ride bike/ swim/ walk (dependent on weather). We go on long walks as a family at the weekends, also at the weekend on bike when DH is here.

When I was on Mat leave I walked a lot and also used the crèche at the gym to swim but obviously that is pricey.

In terms of the evening it's easier when it's lighter, and sometimes the motivation of meeting a friend helps also.

TBF I agree re the not walking short distances I am often by people driving to places that it sometimes it would be quicker to walk to. Walking to work may well be enough exercise it depends how far it is and how fast you walk. I think the key isn't forcing yourself to go to the gym if you hate it but finding stuff that you enjoy and look forward to.

Bibblewanda - yes, I was thinking that might be true. Fish and chips would be at least a thousand calories though wouldn't they? Pret have miso soup and I thought that was healthy. In Belgium they have a healthy fast food chain called Exki. Something like that would be good. I noticed that you can get a salad in Cafe Nero in London, but you can't where I live. I suppose there isn't the demand for healthy food on the go, which is why we need government intervention.
I think we have to accept that a certain proportion of people aren't going to cook from scratch every day, so time saving foods can help. Packages of veg that can go straight to being steamed in the microwave, packages of stir fry ready in 5 minutes, etc. Healthy soups in tins that are cheaper than the ones in packets.
Things like Jamie's 20 minute meals have a place, but even they are too much faff for me.

As I said, I'm expecting all my suggestions to be torn to thread, but my point is that we should be doing something.

Basic - I think I need to do more vigorous exercise than walking to work (20 mins each way). I need to work up a sweat. It's mainly for my mood and overall health. I'm under no illusion that going once or twice a week would help me control my weight.

you can't outrun a bad diet as they say.

Nope, but you can outrun poor cardio-metabolic health, increased risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis.....

Being thin is not more important than being fit.

People who have cars don't even do that. There's another thread about learning to drive at the moment and people are saying you wouldn't have to use it all the time if you had a car, but my experience is that once people have one they tend to use it even for distances of about a mile that could be walked.

This is true. I understand how it happens, too, to be fair. In my youth my grandmother got into the habit of giving me a lift for a particular two mile walk, and suddenly the distance that I'd happily covered before seemed oppressively tedious afterwards once I knew how short it would be in a car. [wimp]

These days not many people are exactly time-rich, are they? If you can avoid spending 15-30 minutes on just walking places, you're going to take it!

"These days not many people are exactly time-rich, are they? If you can avoid spending 15-30 minutes on just walking places, you're going to take it!"

And then drive around for ages looking for a place to park and end up parking 10 minutes walk away anyway. It's not even always that much of a time saver.

"Being thin is not more important than being fit."

Not for you, no, and I know from past experience (and your username) that your opinion on this is that it's better to be fat and fit than thin and unfit, but the thread is about weight issues.

I don't think you can look at weight issues in isolation though Gwen. Unless the thread is about vanity not health.

but the thread is about weight issues.

Surely being thin and unhealthy is a weight issue? Surely the focus on vanity rather than health is an important weight issue?

I thought it was a myth you could be overweight and healthy??

Yes, the point that you can be fat and fit and therefore not suffer from many of the health risks of being overweight is a valid one, but if someone is already very large they're going to find it hard to do any exercise without putting huge pressure on their knees.

Bibblewanda - I suppose it depends how overweight.

Bibble it depends what you mean by 'overweight'. BMI of 29 probably yes, BMI of 49 probably not....! Statistics show that fewer overweight people (as in those with BMI under 39) actually die than thinner people (although that may be because illness often causes weight loss)

And yes if your BMI is 49 then doing exercise will be a big challenge.

Under 30

Yes Gwen We should be doing something. IMO it starts with the manufacturers who market exactly what they know sells, and that tends to be high sugar, high salt foods. The govt should tax those 'foods' more highly and remove VAT from the fresh fruit and veg.

Just putting a higher tax on sugar is counter productive though , because most sugar substitutes e.g. aspartame are more unhealthy than basic sugar IME .

Relative of mine has a BMi of 37. She is totally in denial about her weight. She has a medical condition which is massively affected by her weight. If she could control her diet and get her weight down significantly she could eliminate 90% of the symptoms she is suffering relating to her condition. She can't cure the condition but she could control it and make her life more comfortable. But she said it is too hard to give up sugary foods. She has a very poor diet and eats a lot of sugary foods. She is now relying on quite strong medications to try and alleviate her symptoms but is suffering massive side affects from the medications. She doesn't believe her weight is much of an issue though and she criticises other people for being big.

aspartame are more unhealthy than basic sugar IME

Evidence?

I said IME . I was getting nasty red marks on my legs and the only new thing I'd been eating were those ricola 'Healthy' low\no sugar herbal sweets ( I watch what I eat).

So I stopped eating them and the problem disappeared completely. (i don't do links but I bet you could google up some negative evidence about it).

I accept that there are problems with aspartame, but I don't accept the worst claims about it. Some people blame it for MS and everything. You can look on the BMJ and similar websites for discussions between doctors.

I continue to believe that diet drinks are better than sugary ones. Of course, ideally we'd all be drinking water, but it's too bland for some of us.

What's wrong with just fruit juice added to water or vice versa? Or even just fruit? I lost the 3 stone I needed to having my home made seasonal fruit smoothie for breakfast (you can tell by my user name can't you?)

Those 'diet' drinks are great for the manufacturers, I don't like the unnatural chemicals (I always read the ingredients in things and don't buy the chemical heavy foods or drinks).

Fruit juice high in sugar and calories, but, yes I do occasionally mix them with water. I mainly drink decaf tea, but usually have 1 diet coke a day. I think if that's my only vice, it's not so bad.

I don't understand why people have to police everyone else's diet, it's so wearing. I think all fizzy drinks are vile and I don't drink them but I don't give a stanley if anyone else does.

There is a load of fibre and vitamins in esp. seasonal organic fruit. I don't get the "fruit is only sugar" thing. For me (I only eat it on an empty stomach though, never straight after a meal) it 's brilliant for my health, which is just as (perhaps a bit more important) than my weight.