To ask what you think when you see a young, fat person?

[AugustSlippedAwayIntoAMoment]

I'm very, very aware that this thread will probably get some nasty responses.

But I'm young (26), overweight and short. I try to dress nicely and I'm actively losing weight, but I'm just curious. What do you actually think when you see a fat person? I've never given it much thought before now as I've been fat my entire life, but what do you really think? Am I walking round oblivious to the fact I'm being judged all the time or do people just not care?

My BMI is normal, ie 21 / 22 and I don't starve myself at all. I don't think many slim people do. I think they probably just have the right balance of calories and exercise. They shouldn't be castigated for having a healthy lifestyle or for anyone to suggest that they pretend they eat normally when they are really on starvation rations.

I think and 'know' how all consuming it is on your 40s yes and every woman I know who has maintained her weight from her 20s at this age is not just on the exercise bike for 30 minutes. I walk quickly and at length most days but it is lots of time to maintain let alone lose weight compared to on my 30s and 20s. People I know who don't do this eat one meal a day. So yes, denial denial denial seems the theme of your 40s and I don't equate this with happiness.

A normal BMI is not really what I was referring to I was actually referring to the very thin.

Which is worryingly stalkerish but also not that many as I know quite a few are on politics.

So you are suggesting that people that are a healthy weight have eating disorders! Bonkers!

I think a lot of people on this thread are saying what they’d like to think they think..

there’s lots of ‘ I see the beauty in all living things’ kind of response.

and to be fair, I don’t thinkI consciously give it much thought.

however, I have a couple of friends who lost a lot of weight and they say they went from invisible to visible and couldn’t believe the difference in the way they were treated. People paid attention to them. And people were much nicer to them.

im sure if you asked all the rude people who ignored them when they were over weight, they’d not even consciously realise what they were doing. Likewise, the people who paid them attention when they were slim would deny they’d judged someone favourably for being thin.

but there’s definitely a difference in perception

How has it revealed that, you just don't agree with me abd you have constructed that narrative, I'm just utterly baffled as to the 'notice' people take over the appearance of others all along knowing that being very thin is not 'natural' to many. You would help those fatties that you feel sorry and concern for a lot more I'd you admitted the level of effort involved 😄

My sister is in her 40s. She's the same weight as she was all her life and she's had 3 kids. She has a similar exercise routine to me and eats the same as I do, basically. Homecooked and nutritious. She's absolutely not starving herself or working herself to the bone.

I'm in my 30s with kids. I can still fit into a dress I wore for my 21st birthday. I don't do anything special other than eat well and exercise.

Stop making excuses. If you're happier not exercising and eating what you are, just do yourself a favour and accept it.

Unless they were needing a walking frame/mobility scooter/breathing equipment or housebound purely due to their excessive obesity I doubt I'd notice their size as an issue. If they were as severe as I described then I'd feel a lot of sympathy.

People come in all shapes and sizes.

If someone looks visibly unwell through excessive weight or extreme anorexia then I suppose I feel a bit sad and shocked. And feel something bad must have happened in their life.

But I try really hard not to judge people on appearances. I certainly wouldn't think someone was horrible or unappealing as a person just bc they weren't average height and weight.

Omg yes ad hoc basis and like cheese more, what else are you going to dig up my tax returns. I've obviously hit a nerve with my comments - sorry about that. Well done for your self discipline and not eating a second slice of cake - a true achievement in life!

That their life would be SO much better if they were slimmer

It really is a different world

I speak from experience

When I was in my 30s I was the same, it isn't an excuse it is a real belly acquisition which is really annoying as I have not changed my eating habits or exercise.

There are much more efficient ways of exercising than walking. Walking is great for health but one does have to put a lot of hours in to burn calories with walking (even if walking at a pace). I have personally found lifting heavy weights to be the most effective way to reduce body fat.

I don’t disbelieve you when you say that the slim people you know have to make a great deal of effort/drastically reduce calorie intake- that does seem to be the case for a lot of people especially women in peri/menopause. Realistic portion sizes is still a challenge for lots of people. My in-laws are nearly 80 and eat huge portions of their evening meal- far more calories than they require for their fairly sedentary lives. But I don’t agree with you that all slim women who are 40+ are depriving themselves and exercising like nutters to the exclusion of other hobbies/interests. Some of them are just eating realistic portions sizes, keeping processed foods and snacks to a minimum, and doing hard exercise- which doesn’t necessarily mean hours at the gym but does mean pushing yourself very hard.

But anyway, I realise a lot of people are replying directly to you and I don’t want you to feel rounded on. Just saying that remaining slim and fit at 40+ doesn’t have to mean having a miserable time or obsessing.

Sounds like you are happy as you are anyway, so good for you.

Hit a nerve as not 'natural' really is it? Are you in your 40s?

Okay, but my sister is in her 40s, or did you just deliberately breeze over that point? 😆

Even if you did hit 40 and magically gain weight, it's not hard to patch up your diet and start an exercise routine to help shift it if you're bothered - which you obviously are! You just don't want to put the effort in, so you're making excuses instead.

And I have in the times I'm not posting. You are posting and stalking others is there anything better you could do with your time, even your name is a reference to a beauty tool!