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.

Below is a photo of a bunch of happy women in 1950. Clearly we aren’t all getting fatter and fatter. My mother and my auntie were both overweight. 5’4 and 13st, 5’7 and 15stone. They lived to be 97 and 94 and were in good health until 90. Weight has become an obsession.

Also dress size is no indicator of anything. People take no account of height and general build.

That's always been my experience. Extremes. For every "half a 10 inch pizza is more than adequate for a main meal" comment you'll have "I easily eat a 16 inch stuffed crust to myself and a side of wedges then eat 500ml of Ben and Jerrys".

And there's always, always posters who say to virtually any food thread "that's not a lot of food, my DS eats more than that and he's 3". Then list the kind of daily food intake that would be a bit much for a 6ft farmer.

I think there's an awful lot of Billy Bullshitters around to be honest.

As I said. I'm yet to meet a single overweight woman who was genuinely happy at that size. If they are then crack on, but most look in the mirror and are thoroughly miserable. Os it shallow? Someyimes! Most obese people also struggle with daily activities like walking, stairs and bus or train seats. That's no way to live imo. But like I say if they are happy with life that then that's up to them. Nobody can force anybody to do anything they don't want to. Its just really sad imo that somebody would go through life feeling that unhappy with themselves when they can change it.

Yes, the compassion and "live and let live" attitude shines forth from you.

You wouldn't believe an overweight person if they told you they were happy because, like so many people, you think you know an obese person's mind better than they do.

No wonder people get fat on this treatment. I'm starting to go nuts just reading about it.

There’s obviously a balance. If being overweight is affecting your health and mobility then obviously it’s sensible to loose weight but the size 14 is enormous ( even if you’re 5’10) and 10stone is fat posts are ridiculous.

Yeah, you haven’t understood what I’m saying at all if that’s your response.

Hmm, despite replying three times it’s clear you haven’t actually understood my post.

I specifically said that no one should be shamed for how they look. So no disapproval here.

But, whether you agree with me or not, as a society we’re getting to the point where we’re accepting being overweight as the norm. I’m not talking about morbidly obese, just the general level of ill health that we as a nation are starting to accept.

You do quite rightly point out the contradiction in this though - that although as a society we’re pedalling this idea that fat is ok, on an individual level the vast majority of overweight people are not happy with themselves.

As a society we need to be a bit more honest.

I commented directly afterwards that MN a had gone a bit nuts as I posted

“although as a society we’re pedalling this idea that fat is ok”

we aren't peddling this idea though. It’s a myth. You can stop worrying about that.

I’m not deriding anyone. I’m illustrating how messed up our whole attitude and education about food is that young girls are going down a path of unsustainable, extreme dieting like shakes rather than healthy, consistent eating.

Also, she hasn’t been overweight since childhood.

I LOVE this picture. I follow a page on Instagram called Historical Fat People. It counteracts the ‘there were never any fat people in the olden days’ narrative.

Except people don't tend to say there were 'never' any fat people.

Many post menopausal women were always wide of waist, especially as HRT didn't become widely available until at least the late 1970s, and then other meds such as thyroid treatment etc.

But that's nothing like the 60+% of adults who are overweight/obese nowadays.

And overweight/obese children really were a rarity.

Anyone arguing about whether or not people are overweight or that being overweight is bad is spectacularly missing the point of the thread.

Yes, the point of the thread is why women are still judging each other on looks and body size. Someone said it was a hangover from the 1950s but I actually think it’s gone worse. One reason I posted the old photo. It seems to be the case that women are still judged very much on appearance rather than any other qualities

My experience is different. I have known people say that.

It always amuses me that those that eat a very restricted diet in order to be slim refuse to believe that some people remain slim despite eating whatever they want, particularly pre-menopause, because that wouldn't be fair to them and their miserable lifestyle dominated by their diet.

No it probably isn't the healthiest diet to eat chocolate, crisps, biscuits etc. every day, but plenty of people do, and some of those people do it without gaining weight.

Ok, well you've taken them very literally then.

I couldn't agree more.

It's depressing.

There isnt any doubt surely that there is a general narrative that you didnt see obese people in the 'old' days (and old days depends on how old you are obviously)

But the reality is that diet and thinness is seen as more attractive in society, it is not healthy to be overweight and obese and this isnt a modern phenomenon no matter how many people might want to believe it. So people will talk about their attempts to lose weight

And why wouldn’t I? It’s an argument that often comes from the mouth of fat phobic people.

YANBU OP this place is shocking lately - not just the fat shaming/I'm so fat at 8 stone threads but the obsessive 'oh if I ate an apple and a slice of bread I'd be full for a week' type shit

Yes obesity causes medical issues but guess what - being very skinny does as well - especially if it's the result of undereating

I was healthier over weight, not smoking, working out 4 times a week than I was when I was size 4, smoking and existing on tums and obsession with weight

Mental health also costs the NHS money - anorexia is a mental illness - I will always be anorexic and always have an unhealthy relationship with food and body image - also had recurrent MC, have stomach issues related to not eating and other bad habits which cost the NHS

Stop a) body shaming and obsessing over other women's dress sizes and weight and b) stop thinking fat=unhealthy and skinny=healthy - because that's simplistic and untrue

To quote Kate Moss:

"Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"

Food for thought for @pagopago and all the other fat apologists on this thread.

Thank you for your contribution....Emma.

@Emmalj65 that's just deliberately unpleasant of you. Is the 65 in your name related to your DOB out of interest?

Yes obesity causes medical issues but guess what - being very skinny does as well - especially if it's the result of undereating

This. If you follow a restrictive diet in order to keep thin you are likely to be missing out on vital nutrients. I would rather be a bit overweight and well nourished than skinny and malnourished.