To think why this is one of the reasons we have an obesity problem.

[Delamalama]

Friend on facebook has put about 2 stone on this past year. She posted a selfie the other day with a statement saying how she's finally learning to love herself, she may not be perfect but it's her body and she loves it!!! She's on the verge of being obese and suffers with chronic backache. Of course she had comments saying 'looking good hun' 'you beauty!' Etc.

I've noticed quite a lot of younger ones doing this 'be fat and proud' crap.

Am I wrong to think that this along with many other things is why we have an obesity problem.

"I work in healthcare. If I ate like a type 2 diabetic actually eats I’d also be type 2 diabetic."

It's not that simple. I know a type II diabetic who eats very healthily. She may have been a little overweight in the past but not very much. She eats nothing like you describe. Her ethnic background however I think does give her a lot higher chance of developing diabetes, not just lifestyle. I think it can be very misleading to post things like the above for two reasons. First it encourages people to think it won't happen to them if they are not eating like you describe - when there is growing stuff about waist measurements and fat distribution etc . Second it is judging a whole set of people suffering a serious condition by one man that you disapprove of. That man may have his own issues, but such a comment extrapolating from an anecdote is not helpful or even relevant when looking at wider society and vast number of people in it or the large numbers of people in this bracket.

Michael Mosley always strikes me as a bit of a snake oil salesman. handy that his wife is in the same line of business.

I'm similarly sceptical of those who are slim and have never BEEN overweight as they've not "walked the walk" either.

Yep, that'll be because he is.

@PlonkItDownNOW how did you go about retraining? I'd be interested in that route in future

@PlonkItDownNOW

I fucking LOVE sourdough with butter and fresh tomatoes and pinch of salt. God I used to live on this most summers

Me too! It's a mediterranean thing I think (my family are Greek)

I am from central europe. Sourdough and toms team too! 😁

The type II diabetic I know is fitter than a butcher's dog and runs marathons as a hobby - he was like that before diagnosis too. I meanwhile am obese (obese and disgusted by myself, not obese and proud before anyone feels the need for a bit of fat shaming) and my blood sugar is fine and my cholesterol is very low.

Life is not always simple or fair.

People who've been overweight and lost it, and maintained that loss healthily and sensibly MAY have something useful to say/hear but if they come at the subject from a place of judgment as the op does it doesn't exactly make me or anyone else who might benefit want to listen.

I've been overweight and lost it, kept it off for years now barring pregnancy.

I didn't start losing it until I started liking myself and my body. I would see how I looked in a pretty dress and think how much better still I'd look and feel if I lost more weight, and how I deserved those feelings...but since I didn't feel terrible and self-loathing at the weight I was then, I would still go out, feel pretty, have fun, and then be more inclined to keep up the gym visits and healthy eating than when I thought I was an ugly worthless cow and might as well stay in and order pizza since I felt so ugly and horrible and unfit anyway.

Fat people know they're fat. They're fat, not blind and stupid. They know the health implications and how revolting some people think they are. Good God, (generic) you think the odd Facebook selfie with a few dozen likes stems much of the tidal wave that tells them every day how much they aren't allowed to be pretty or self confident? Once I liked myself, the weight largely fell off by itself...I wasn't doing the hiding away and overeating thing that comes from self hate. I was only about a size 16, too, not even very big.

If you want to help fat people, and very few concern trolls and handwringers and lecturers and moralisers actually do, you'll just help them to like themselves enough not to engage in depressive and destructive behaviours.

Eat healthily, because you deserve self care, and when people like some of the ones we've heard from (and heard from, and heard from) on here start snipping at you, eat them too.

how did you go about retraining? I'd be interested in that route in future

I don't have a helpful answer I'm afraid because I was lucky enough to receive an inheritance which paid for it. I did an MSc full time in nutrition, got an NHS job for a while, then did a counselling course on top and now work for an ED charity.

Fat people know they're fat. They're fat, not blind and stupid

Some don't. I've seen women who are 5ft3 and 11st who haven't realised they've overweight, medically speaking.

@PlonkItDownNOW good to see a nutritionist with sensible views and advice - not always my experience

Funnily enough I've never had sourdough bread never tried it I am curious though perhaps next delivery?

I have always - slim and fat - believed based on what I was taught at school and what I was taught at nurse training that a varied, balanced diet is what is healthiest.

If I were to post my food diary under a name change and without giving any indication of my size I strongly suspect if anything I'd be told I was anorexic!

I'm vegetarian and I base the vast majority of my meals on actual "raw" (as in not processed like eg baked beans) vegetables, a little (measured) amount of added fat depending what I'm cooking - usually stir fries are when I'll add a little oil using a spray but I also use a little boiled water and "steam" fry, a portion of protein and a measured sensible portion of carbs.

I'm not a majorly sweet toothed person an occasional slice of cake or 1 or 2 biscuits maybe 2-3 times a week I'm more a "savoury toothed" person

And I pretty much have to force myself to eat that one meal each day because I am someone who anxiety kills my appetite

I drink mainly water with the very occasional small glass of skimmed milk if I have heartburn as I find that more effective than meds for me, very rarely a cup of tea (earl grey with a squirt of lemon juice) or as a treat very very occasionally like maybe half a dozen times a YEAR a hot chocolate. Alcohol around as often as the hot chocolate.

I take vitamin and iron supplements because my diet is so poor.

In winter I'm able occasionally to manage a cup of home made vegetable soup, usually carrot or tomato, which I batch cook and freeze.

The dose of steroids I'm on for asthma and eczema and the anti depressants even my dr admits is the thing most likely affecting my weight.

There’s a difference between loving yourself which includes your personality, how kind you are, how you can see the positive in situations and how you are friendly and then there’s being over weight. That’s mental vs physical health.

It’s ok to love yourself but not love your weight. I still love me after having babies but I’m very aware I need to loose some weight.

I don’t agree with loving your weight if it’s not healthy, we are going to be a burden on our health system, higher changes of cancer and possibly missing out on years with out kids and grandkids.

The dose of steroids I'm on for asthma and eczema and the anti depressants even my dr admits is the thing most likely affecting my weight.

Almost certainly. Steroids and ADs are a really terrible combination when it comes to weight gain.

If I were to post my food diary under a name change and without giving any indication of my size I strongly suspect if anything I'd be told I was anorexic!

No on mn... I've seen people claiming they need to be on max 600 cal or they put on weight

I thought I was an ugly worthless cow

How sad

@PlonkItDownNOW, I am that woman. I know but I can't change.
We are more than a number on a scale.

MN is literally full of disordered eating. It's really sad.

I know I'm singling out low carbers but they're honestly the worst culprits on here.

We are more than a number on a scale.

Of course, but it's good to be a healthy weight. I know, I've been there.

@PlonkItDownNOW your experiences plus your training I would say make you uniquely well placed to comment

Yes, the steroids and ad thing is completely missed by so many drs/hcps in terms of weight issues I know loads of people on both and they all struggle with their weight and as far as I can tell (I accept I cannot know for sure) are not eating crazy large amounts of food!

@ShebaShimmyShake very well said!

No on mn... I've seen people claiming they need to be on max 600 cal or they put on weight

Ha! You may be right there

Bloody ridiculous though!

I do think from reading the detail of what some of the claimed "experts" on weight loss on mn who've lost weight that an awful lot of them may have anorexia or bulimia and they're not acknowledging that!

And they can be just as if not more harmful than being overweight.

@PlonkItDownNOW I agree sadly. Often I back off or start typing and then change my mind because it's obvious the person has more severe issues and well... I might make it worse unintentionally. Yes, some people have metabolic issues whatever the cause, but either they all congregate on MN or... Well... Many just think they have it or maybe even wish (i know how it sounds) they had it.

No on mn... I've seen people claiming they need to be on max 600 cal or they put on weight

My TDEE is about 900 kcal, so I do need to eat about 600 max or I put on weight.

@PlonkItDownNOW the low carbers are the ones like this now, I am old enough to remember when it was low fat was the "in thing" in weight loss and I remember people back then analysing the fat content of very low fat foods like fish and cottage cheese and declaring them "evil"!

Why don't people leave others alone with the personal stuff? So spiteful some of these comments.

@Hadtocomment

Why don't people leave others alone with the personal stuff? So spiteful some of these comments.

Which ones were spiteful?

The thing is nutrition is actually very straightforward. It's about variety, good nutrients and portion control.

Actually doing it is the difficulty and there are many reasons people don't.

@gwenneh but given that's a crazy low amount of cals surely what that really means is you need to increase activity not decrease intake?

According to the tdee calculator I've just tried I need 1600 cals per day which I am absolutely not eating - so why aren't I losing weight?

I have to say I don't like the body positivity movement much as to me it's still seeking validation in appearance, and how is that progress?