Boris declares war on fat

[Weallhavevalidopinions]

Boris has said his being overweight contributed to his problems with Covid-19.
Stories this morning suggest he will wage war on fat...

What type of help do you think might be suggested?

Have you decided to lose weight due to Covid-19 worries?

YABU - no I will not lose weight due to Covid worries
YANBU - I will lose weight due to Covid worries

People feel they can make remarks about slim women.Yet say someone is fat and all breaks lose It's not the same thing, it's irritating but not the same. I say this as a petite size 6/8. When someone comments on a slim person, there is some envy wrapped up in it. When someone comments on an obese person it is usually disapproval.
A slim person is not shouted at on the street, An obese person is assumed lazy, my friend in work is nearly 27 stone our manager, colleagues undermine her.
I'm a firm believer unless you've walked in the shoes you'll never know the struggles.
It is an addiction, it requires counselling and reprogramming.
There is no shame in AA or NA more doctors need to recommend EA for compulsive eating it is a disorder.
For anyone on the thread struggling with compulsive eating.

That said, I'm n easy 6 and only hear complements, I have never had any form of abuse. Maybe my hearing is selective.

Well I never got abuse as fat🤷🏻 Doesn't mean it's not happening to others, does it

I am sure most of us know it is much more likely to be the very obese who get comments in the street. Normal sized or even thin women are unlikely to do so although if all your friends are over weight and you are the thin one (in those cultures and sadly it can depend on class to some extent in the UK) you might well suffer banter trying to force you to eat more cakes if everyone else is out stuffing their faces.

I don't agree with the comment above about what happens if food prices go up. One of the easiest things people can do is not eat until a late lunch or skip one meal a day or only drink tap water - things that cost nothing. We never had snacks as a child - we weren't allowed food unless our mother handed it out at meal times. That was the norm in the 1960s. I have had my children's friends around here when younger not believing we did not have a single chocolate bar or biscuit in the house - then went drawer to drawer all round the kitchen and were astonished that I was not lying.

Well I never got abuse as fat🤷🏻 Doesn't mean it's not happening to others, does it

Huh! I wasn't speaking for others. Just me.

Phone lock, so size 12s are tubbies?

It's actually a great opportunity to try to encourage the public in general to lose weigh, but yes he needs to lead by example.

Love him or hate him, he is right in this instance. He has admitted he is overweight and this didn't help him. Many of us (myself included) make many an excuse, nothing works, theres no point, I can't do it etc. The issue for a number (not all I am aware) is an excessive calorie intake and virtually no exercise. It does place pressure on hospitals etc so maybe he has a point.

Phone lock, so size 12s are tubbies?hmm

Are they? I suppose it depends on how tall they are, but if you say so.

I didn't.

@MadameMeursault, I hear you. As soon as someone tells me I can do something I don’t want to do it and vice versa. Since the lockdown was relaxed I haven’t even gone for my daily exercise.

It is better to go by weight (or waist size) than clothes sizes as those vary so much.

I think people saying slim are probably meaning 6 or 8 rather than 12
I think pp meant slim as in skinny slim, I understood it this way. A 12 is average not slim, not fat, just perfect.

Congratulations to all the weight losers. It’s time we stopped gently stepping around this issue . Doctors do need to tell patients and especially children they are overweight . Sure it upsets people as the truth hurts and eating disorders are another worry but for the majority it won’t lead to that and will cut some of the costs to NHS . The young are the future and we are leading them to a life of diseases which could be drastically reduced. More regular home cooked meals which are much cheaper than alternatives. Maybe time to make “home economics” compulsory at school so the children can learn about nutrition.

Abuse can be shouts in the street from people who don't know you or it can be nasty low key passive aggressive comments from people supposed to be friends.

They both have impact in different ways.

I do think our cultural attitudes around food are a particular problem because they normalise certain behaviors by exerting social pressure often in ways which are unhealthy to both our physical and mental health.

For example stuff like the office breakfast run or the office birthday culture where its difficult to say no.

I do think it's good that in recent years restaurants have started to do more reduced portion / calorie options in many places. It does make it easier to make sensible decisions and this is particularly useful for women. It also often gives a nicer alternative to kids to some of the dreadful kids menus out there.

Size 12 unless it's Primark is when I know I need to go on a diet! I am shortish though.

A 12 is average not slim, not fat, just perfect.

If you are 5ft 1 size 12 can be overweight because it's about proportion not dress size. Generally speaking size 12 is average though.

This is why talking about about healthy size has been about bmi in the first place because comparing some one 5ft with someone 5ft 10 and both size 12 is like apples and oranges.

A 12 is average not slim, not fat, just perfect Depending on height.

This is why talking about about healthy size has been about bmi in the first place because comparing some one 5ft with someone 5ft 10 and both size 12 is like apples and oranges
True I'm 5ft 2 and a half. BMI 23. I'd probably be overweight as a 12. My 5.8ft friend is perfect in 12.

Mine is 21 not 23.

I know a lot of people that are taking this opportunity of being at home to loose weight.
I think it is harder for some than others as I myself put on weight at the beginning and I'm now watching that I eat healthily.
That is it - eat healthily and natural foods, do some mindfulness exercises and be kind to yourself then you will have much more energy and it is better for your body to stay within your certain weight, little by little. This I have always managed to do but I don't and never have since my teens 'dieted'. Cut down but eat everything, do sit at the table and don't watch tv while eating just enjoy the food, try to skip the tv ads while watching anything on tv especially after 7pm they will have you raiding the kitchen cupboards.

More regular home cooked meals which are much cheaper than alternatives.
Not if you don't have a proper home or kitchen. Many thousands of families in temp accommodation don't have access to their own cooker, fridge or freezer. And food banks aren't known for providing a varied fresh healthy diet.

Motivation might be the issue for some. For many others it's poverty or mobility issues or MH. Too many people gain weight whilst on long NHS waiting lists (pre pandemic) for treatments or operations. They're housebound or suffering reduced mobility whilst waiting. Several people have written on other threads about their thyroid conditions being discussed as anxiety or depression. This happens particularly to women. Before finally getting a correct diagnosis they've gained weight. Either because of the actual condition or as a side effect of the MH drugs given for their misdiagnosed anxiety.

There's also the MH links to obesity. Comfort or binge eating should be given the same understanding and empathy as anorexia. MH support should be provided. It can be a vicious circle too. Somebody feels so ashamed or self conscious of being overweight they have no confidence to go out and exercise. And then they turn to food as a source of comfort. Not because they're 'greedy and lacking self control'. Because they're in MH distress and self medicating.

We need to tackle the true causes behind many people's obesity.

Depending on height. And build. Some people look and feel healthiest at a BMI of 18.5 to 20, some at a BMI of 23 or 24, and some in the middle.

Im overweight... risk of diabetes, heart disease etc haven't sorted me out ... why would covid change it?

@1forsorrow, I would pay good money to see that and I hope that he does it!

why would covid change it? The safety net of the NHS possibly not being available due to covid, not just the risk of the virus itself. I was much too light and the realisation that I may be completely on my own if I had any health issues sorted me out and I am back up to a BMI of 18 now.

@ToffeeYoghurt Exactly it is very complex.
Fruit and healthy snacks need to be cheaper too.
I bought strawberries and blueberries yesterday as a treat, they were €6 in blooming aldi when a multi pack of crisps with biscuits would be half the cost and more filling, sometimes it is all people can afford.