MNetters obsession with weight and dress size

[pagopago]

Why are MN posters so obsessed with weight and dress size?

There have recently been quite a lot of weight related threads.

Depressing to see that women are still very much judged on appearance and body size. I couldn't care less what size you are or how much you weigh. Just be a decent, kind person.

No fat shaming or body shaming from me.

Yes - seeing as I’ve lost 2 babies in a year during pregnancy- seeing that my weight gain of 2 stone now makes me lazy and completely hideous is quite triggering. I gained the weight in each pregnancy and couldn’t lose it because of hormones and grief. And no baby to show for it. It’s not as simple as calories in, calories out.

By doing what?

Sorry for your losses. I know how you feel - miscarriage 3 here at the moment. [Flowers]

Obesity is a factor in almost every major health issue; heart disease, hypertension, cancer, diabetes… and it’s become normalised.

And yet with have frontline NHS staff who know all the above & struggle to manage their weight. It's almost like it's not easy or there are no socio economic factors involved.

And every post I've seen shows a really skewed opinion of size and food. Everyone claims you are enormous if you are more than 9 stone and think carbs are the enemy.

Clothes sizes in shops are ridiculous and pointless. My favourite example is my grey t shirt that fits from new look, size 12 and the exact same t shirt in navy blue is a size 18 that also fits the same and when held against each other, are the same size.

I also ordered two jackets from Next. Couldn't do the size 16 up over my boobs, the 14 was too big, ended up on a 12.

I'm 5ft 8 and weigh 13.5 stone. According to posters on here I'm morbidly obese and ready for death, however I am toned, fit, excellent cardio levels and do lots of weight training work outs. Size 12/14 on bottom and 12 on top but again, a 14 on here is disgusting as everyone is size 6 and eats a thimble of food everyday and one haribo sweet leaves them bloated for weeks 😂😂😂

👏

So does smoking, drinking, drugs and other lifestyle factors.

Quite! I know a lot of doctors and frankly they all have utterly awful diets, partly because they work such mad hours they don't have the time or the inclination to cook, shop or exercise.

High levels of drinking and smoking amongst medical staff as well.

But it’s the competitive under eating I’m taking about. The almost gloating about how slim they are, how more that 500 calories would be far to gluttonous. It’s BS.

This stuff is definitely not going ti sort out this country’s obesity crisis!

So sorry for your loss. One step at a time 💐

I don't think Mumsnet is any more bothered about weight or food than the rest of the population.

I've never worked in a workplace where people weren't on various diets or talking about their health kicks.

The "massive salad" people on MN often come across as competitive undereaters with eating/body dysphoria issues.

Unless you're size 6-8 and exercising like an elite athlete at 5am daily you don't seem to count for much in their eyes.

It doesn't seem to occur to them that far from be the ideal, they fear that drives them is quite pitiful. Acceptance about ones' natural weight, an unassuming confidence in oneself, an ability to see worth and value in people without focusing on external characteristics, kindness, they are true ideals to be impressed by. Weight is a shallow thing to obsess about.

How do you think it’s normalised? Do you mean that you think people aren’t ashamed enough of being fat? How would you make them feel more ashamed?

Agree, all the evidence shows that “shaming” does nothing to reduce obesity rates, but people continue to do it. So clearly they just get enjoyment out of it. It’s just old-fashioned bullying but they think they get away with it by putting a handwringing “concern” facade on it.

It's there replies that are the problem.

I've seen someone reply that they couldn't finish half a tin of soup for their lunch as it left them stuffed so her and her husband share a tin for lunch.

You can clearly see the unhealthy relationships showing on all replies and the nastiness that goes with it, where they insist healthy weights are below 9 stone and BMI below 19 and thinking that size 12 is plus sized and thinking the problem is with everyone else thinking the opposite has lost sight of what is healthy.

Even those wanting to lose a stone or whatever for summer are scorned at for allowing themselves to get above 10 stone on the first place and the famous mumsnet "massive salad' that fills them up for days and thats all they need.

They simply cannot comprehend or understand everyone single one of us is different eith different issues, health concerns, circumstances or conditions etc.

They might all be "thin" but they all soukd deeply unhappy and miserable as sin

I assume anyone else making unkind comments (whether they're dressed up as concern or not) about someone's looks is a deeply unhappy person.

I do think MNHQ should be doing more to stop posters who clearly have eating disorders and try to convince others to under eat with them.

Its the same with dangerous amounts of exercise and cardio that some promote.

I'm personally glad that women being strong in the gym is normal now, not endless running to be skinny. But it does seem to be going back to promoting skinny again.

Promoting fitness instead of dress size or being under 9st would be better. I'm 'fat' by standards here but lift very heavy at the gym and consider myself 'fit', but because I'm big people here would say I'm unhealthy.

Fat doesn't equal unhealthy, thin doesn't equal healthy.

I also feel sad about the many threads posted by women who feel ugly, fat and undesirable but it’s hardly a new phenomenon amongst women in a world that constantly judges us on our looks. Every time I see a stunningly beautiful actress premiere a narrower nose or fuller mouth I’m reminded it’s literally all of us.

Goodness me, you've solved the obesity crisis! Well done you, give yourself a pat on the back.

Yep.

I ended up going toe to toe with a clearly pro-ana poster recently on a “Am I eating enough?” Thread.

The poster was grieving the loss of her mum and all she was eating every day was (IIRC) 3 vegan ‘chicken’ nuggets, a handful of nuts, a yoghurt, an apple and a packet of crisps.

She was told “I’d say that’s plenty - cut the crisps out it’s very unhealthy” by SO many posters. The one I argued with insisted that that equates to 2,000 calories. It’s seriously scary on here and no one should ever ask for any advice on weight or food.

explain more about it being “unacceptable” to be overweight. What does that mean exactly? On a day to day basis, how should an overweight person experience their unacceptability, and how will it help them lose weight?

You can scroll past…

Oh wow that was deleted quickly

It's all the 'today I ate a handful of nuts, some leaves and some grilled chicken. I feel so full I simply must eat less tomorrow' posts.