to wonder if perhaps 'fat' is the new normal and society should just accept it.

[OrmIrian]

Hasten to add that I don't mean obese and unfit, as clearly that isn't a good idea.

Our natural evolutionary propensity is to eat lots when it's available in order to have enough stored fat for the lean times. Clearly that is a problem in a world where food is freely available and more of an entertainment than mere nutrition. And where we don't need to move much to get from one place to another or get warm.

So, that being the case isn't it likely that this is a problem that isn't going to go away when it means fighting your own instincts.

Should we just concentrate on the exercise side of the equation - ie do move more and find something you like to do, rather than don't eat this and that. And change our aesthetic sense to accept the endomorph as just as beautiful as the ectomorph.

There are deep psychological reasons why we find slimness more attractive on the whole, and that isn't going to change quickly.

Well too much of anything is not a good idea. And there have always been those who overdo it. But for most of us a few gentle runs isn't going to kill us. We were designed to move!

poo - there have been studies that show not all societies value slimness.

The type of exercise that makes you healthy and fit depends on your body type - we don't all have the same propensity to make muscle or the same power in different sorts of muscles. Running suits some people and is impossible for others.

It's not nice to be fat.Noone feels good or looks good when overweight.

Enjoying food and wine and being a good weight are not mutually exclusive.

So many people seem to have forgotten the principles of basic self control in their every day lives.
I exercise a lot because I work very hard-fulltime with my dh abroad.Exercise helps me unwind and reduces stress as well as kepping my bad shoulder in check.

I live running.
Such a sense of freedom.
Crank up the iPod and away you go.
Afterwards you feel fantastic too.

Too true moondog, too true! There is nothing like it.

I have been ill for a month and not been so am suffering.My body has seized up like a rusty old machine.
Aerobics tonight though-will get me going again.

I can't do running, my joints are very hypermobile. Overexercising can definitely lead to damage, wearing out cartilege etc.

I don't see the point in eating a lot and planning to exercise it off later. I was astounded when someone told me the average person puts on 7 pounds over Xmas. Half a stone! How? And then come New Year everyone gets all hyped up about fitness and losing weight. Why bother putting it on in the first place?

There isn't any point in doing that brahms. But if you are going to eat more than you should - and that does seem to be norm these days - it's good to do something about it. And exercise provides so much more than weight loss.

Doesn't have to be running of course.

Brahms - exactly . It seems like such a lot unnecessary hassle!

DSS1, who eats like a horse, is always telling me that he can take exercise to burn it off if he gains too much weight. To which I reply that he can also do the shopping! That shuts him up pretty fast.

Ok but what do you do about those people who can't/won't change their eating habits? Just leave them to stew in their own flab? Or encourage them to do something more positive about it? And accept that maybe most of the population won't be slim - but a bit bigger and fitter?

The laziness of people generally astounds me.
Some people drive their kids 1/4 mile to school in my village.

In my aerobics class tonight, there will be about 5 people (not that i mind-we get lots of attnetion for municipal group rates.)

Yes, exercise is good. I've started doing other exercises to strengthen my joints, they are so very wibbly wobbly. I don't do it for weight loss at all. But I don't understand it when people say 'Oh I can have this chocolate because I went to the gym today'. And imo people always overestimate the actual number of calories they've consumed.

it is very interesting to watch what thin people eat, or rather don't. i work with two of them and although i too do a lot of exercise and watch what i eat, they are in a different league diet-wise.

Oh indeed.You should exercise because you enjoy it,not as grim calories in=calories out thing.
It's about finding what you enjoy. Now my kids are a bit bigger, we do long romps throguh the mountains. Fantastic and keeps everyone calm.

Walking for miles in a city is great thouigh. I loved doing that when a student in London.

thats true Orm, but societies that have traditionally valued larger sizes (for an example, Fiji) have been shown to have been greatly influenced by western media and the idealisation of the thin. But in general, and throughout most of history, human beings find fitness attractive, and fitness usually means slimness.

I exercise as part of tasks I have to do. So I get up and walk dogs, deal with chickens, bring in fuel for the stove, go to train station and walk for 25 mins to work from there. I then do all of that in reverse at the end of the day.

I would have no interest in running, aerobics or any other 'activity' = although I envy DD's dance class and wish they did adult ones around here.

I think you have to find activities that people love or can incorporate into their daily routine. I am really lazy but I have to exercise by carrying wood, walking etc or I would be cold, washing in cold water, unpaid and surrounded by cross animals.

I think we will have to concentrate more on the exercise factor than just what do or don't eat.

Evolution is dictating we are getting larger as a race, not through being 'fat' but through being taller, having bigger hands and feet etc.

Whether we like it or not we are getting larger, if we are to survive and be happy the focus will have to change to being fit rather than thin, because just being thin without being fit is going to make for a very physically weak race of humans.

I believe the more society harps on about diet the worse the situation will become. The minute someone talks about food in a 'good' and 'bad' sense they already feel deprived.

It should be more of a lifestyle and definatley focussing on fittness.

I think doing excersize it so much easier when its part of your lifestyle. My DP and I love running and fittness. It's so part of our routine we don't feel like its so time consuming. Since having our DD we have just altered it so its more running (which has been hard in this snow) and less gym time.

However, I can appreciate that it must be hard when starting out. I think the trick is to do excersize which you enjoy and ensure children do physical activity regularly which they enjoy from a young age.

The thing is some people would have to exercise pretty much 24 hours a day to burn the calories they eat!!
Infact if you had a very unhealthy diet you would not have the energy to exercise, so to be healthy it has to be a combination of eating healthily and exercise.

True zoomy. Taller and bigger people aren't going to fit into the standard size categories.

I have to say that the extra exercise I've had snow-shovelling over the last few weeks, plus the extra effort involved in walking a lively dog through deep snow has done me good. I don't feel as bad as I usually do before a period. Though that could also be because I'm not rushing to after-school stuff: because it's all cancelled--every cloud, etc.

I need to get back to running, I loved it.
I have also loved walking up and down the hills to get to my car (school is 3miles away, and not walkable with the DS's and our timescales) in this snow.

I know when I managed to do a 10km run the sense of achievement and confidence boost it gave me (then SAHM in doldrums and feeling unfulfilled) was immense. I'd gone from an overweight and exercise loathing person to a fit and healthy one, I had loads more energy too. I had achieved something I never expected to and I had enjoyed it. Unfortunately went back to work and DH's job became more demanding so found it hard to keep up. As soon as this snow goes, I'm dusting off the running shoes.

I would look very wrong at a BMI 20, but at BMI 22/23 and running 6miles 3x a week I looked pretty darn good and felt it as well.

Hmmmm. Not sure where I stand on this. I've never thought about it from the Bonsoir standpoint before, but I do get what she is saying. And being an avid exercise avoider, there is some appeal. However, I also LOVE food. Both 'good' and 'bad'.

I've never particularly enjoyed anything I think of as 'exercise' like running or going to the gym, But I don't drive and walk a round trip of four miles to and from work. I don't drive either so I generally walk everywhere, and I'm a very fidgety type of person.

This combination of characteristics seems able to maintain me at an acceptable level of fitness and just-about-slim-enoughness.