Fat people are stupid apparently.

[mytwopenceworth]

did anyone read that bit in the express about the business man who won't hire fat people because he says they are unintelligent and just smoke fags, drink beer and eat pies all day?

how can people think it's ok to be so hateful and discriminatory.

i hope he gets leprosy and his watnot falls off.

Nice assumption that all obese people are slobs, expat.

This grossly obese person walks everywhere, including walking for pleasure, takes exercise, and takes the trouble to try and look and dress nicely. And I don't think that I'm dealt a rough hand, despite the fact I've been sworn at and spat at for being fat.

Maybe it's discrimination, maybe it's not - but I do think that stereotypes like the one in MTPW's original post are vile. Labelling people for whatever reason is wrong - and labelling someone as unintelligent because of their size is very blinkered. I have an IQ of 152 ... my waistline doesn't alter that. Do I come across as an unintelligent slob in my posts? (On second thoughts ... don't answer that!) Maybe it's judging a book by it's cover that's wrong.

I am assuming for the sake of this arguement that I knew they were anorexic

understand that wouldnt be the case in real life

why are you so fat wwb? you sound like you take an awful lot of exercise (loads more than me)

Tell that to Michael Jackson.

I said I would not hire an obsese slob as a personal trainer, WWB, NOT that obsese people are ALL slobs. Quotes are a handy thing. Taking things out of context is just that.

Do I think obsese people are ALL unintelligent and lazy? No.

Did I write that anywhere? No.

I wrote that I would not hire an obese slob to be a personal trainer.

Anymore than I would hire a black-toothed person with a foul ordour from their mouths to be my dentist.

I overeat for emotional reasons, Enid. It's almost like an addiction. And like any habit it's hard to break - but I'm trying. My mother equated food with love - if you love something then you feed it. Don't tell it, don't show it, just feed it. And I still do the same, I guess.

I didn't pile it all on in one go - it's been a gradual thing and has been going on all my life. It's not like you wake up one morning and you're suddenly obese - it goes on slowly over a long period of time.

And then you look at how much there is to lose, and it seems impossible - so maybe it's just easier to get on with pretending that it's OK and pretending that you don't mind being big. But of course I mind, and of course I should do something about it.

Changing a mindset takes a long time. Plus when you're fat you're almost invisible - so it becomes easier to remain invisible where people will generally leave you alone.

The "eat less, move more" idea is common sense and of course it works, but doesn't factor in the emotional stuff - and that's where my biggest problem is. It's scary to change.

You wouldn't tell an anorexic just to start eating; it's a problem that's in their head. And for many overweight people that's true too, and just stopping eating is as difficult as starting eating is for an anorexic.

it is possible to lose weight if you change your eating, exercise, thinking patterns

it demands effort and experimentation but it is possible

the same as for drinking and smoking, taking drugs, mental health too

lots of personal strength but that is where all the rewards in life come from ...personal effort

it sometimes looks as though other people have it easy but often they are just exercising personal discipline

that wasn't to wwb ..just took me a while to post

Exactly, zippi. I still struggle with alcohol and fags and think I will for life.

I think about alcohol often, particularly when stressed.

I can't have it in the house because I will drink ALL of it, in one go.

I have to limit situations where I'll be exposed to alcohol.

Ditto fags.

It's no fun and it's not easy, but expecting everyone to walk on eggshells because I struggle with booze isn't going to help.

I have been both overweight and underweight. I agree with WWW's last post. It is bloody hard .

Breaking any pattern of emotionally and physically damaging behaviour is incredibly hard.

And the worst is that you know it's a lifelong struggle.

You know, like the old saying, 'the best way to quit smoking is never to start.'

It'd be nigh on impossible to find truer words.

I've known folks who quit decades ago and still fancy them.

oh I have permanent fights but just have to battle it out

if I didn't I would be in self destruct which is always round the corner

I eat too much because I enjoy it. I also do it out of boredom and when I'm stressed. So ATM I am the biggest that I have ever been.

You would think that being a biology teacher I'd know better. In fact I spent today teaching about the problems caused by fats in the diet and cardiovascular disease. My mum is demented because of a stroke ffs, I really should know better.

Have been fighting the lure of the biscuit barrel all afternoon.

WHAT A LOAD OF BLOODY TOSH!!!
Some of the comments on here are fcking offensive.
YES I am fat - I am not lazy. I walk everywhere, I haven't been on a bus since August last year. I run around with GS - ad I mean 'run' around...outside - I am not, like many mothers I witness, sat on my arse getting annoyed because he interupts me or whatever. I have recently given up paid work, but intend to return full time work (if someone will employ a fat person!!) when GS goes to school full time in September - in fact I have already started applying. For the past 25 years, I have worked full time, as well as brought up three kids of my own and now my GS. Simultaneously, I have gained a degree, two teaching qualifications (including a PCET), a postgraduate professional qualification in Youth & Community work, an MA, completed two years of my PhD (left on legal advice due to court case with GS), not including the numerous other qualifications that I gained and 'in-service' courses and training. In addition, I have also worked on a voluntary basis for various organisations since 1986. I am doing voluntary work at the moment during GS's time at nursery, plus I am doing two college courses. I have a treadmill whcih I use at least once a week (ok it's not much - but still more than some people do). I do not smoke, rarely drink and definately do not eat pies, pastries or buns etc due to my nut allergy. I haven't eaten sweets since 2005 and do not like chocolate. I eat and provide a very healthy diet for myself and my family. I haven't eaten chips for about five years, never eat fried food and do not use processed food (due to the nut allergy.
I do not take lift - deliberately choosing the stairs. I passed a whole range of tests on a recent full medical with 100%. The doctor said he couldn't comment on my weight just could not understand how I passed everything successfully.
I am confident and do get my fair share of attention from men - once they get to know me.
When I am out of the house, I dress smartly, my hair and skin look good, I am polite and accepting, respectful of other people.
...And yet I am regularly subjected to a barrage of abuse from strangers in the street, or passing in cars, etc - all who have the audacity to make assumptions about me and feel it is alright to verbally abuse me!!
People at the schoolgate ignore me, simply because I am fat!! GS does not get invited to parties, etc - because I am fat!!! I spent 18 months at college with everyone being invited to go out or socialise with everyone else, except me - because I am fat!!!
This is not another 'obese' person whinging about something that she coulddeal with - this is bloody anger at a bunch of adults that should know fcking better!!!!!
YES - I do believe that there should be anti-discrimination laws to cover this. As it seems that there are obviously a lot of people out there and on here who have understanding that if something does not affect them personally, it's okay to be disrespectful, rude, selfish, spiteful, childish, discriminatory and downright offensive!!!!

that should read "...who have NO understanding that..."

I still think that you could find a way to lose weight

it's finding the right combination of activities and eating patterns and will power and mental energy

Or finding out what may be an underlying medical condition, such as Cushing's Syndrome, PCOS, thyroid conditions, diabetes, etc.

The body would normally not grow so large it would self-destruct.

Thought this in the Times yesterday was quite interesting on the subject of being fat - the last few paragraphs being the most relevant.

I've struggled seriously with my weight since about the age of 6 years old. I've been morbidly obese, (briefly) quite thin and everything in between. I am no cleverer in the latter state than in the former and just as demented over food - think lots if not most women, fat and thin, are in our society.

But being rude to and about larger people is apparently the most acceptable, if sometimes tacit, form of discrimination left in our society. As as has been witnessed on this and many threads. You get (rightly) flamed for being racist but not often for being just downright rude about larger people.

must say though, i used to be quite clever pre children...i was also slim.

now i barely remember my own name and find it difficult to string a sentance together..and im a lard arse

maybe there i something to it??

here here moonshine

I have read some of the posts and am actually quite peeved. I am not arsed about whether duncan B would hire me or not. What I am peeved about is the bad attitudes in general towards fat people. I am overweight, I dont stop from morning till night and even then with my lot. I am not a mother who sits on my arse doing nothing all day, we go out we walk, I chase my kids around the park. I often dont eat in the day and our evening meal most times is something balanced and healthy. I am fat, I have been fat for years, I have also been thin. My mum is fat, my nan was fat her mum was fat and so it goes on. Yet not one of us is lazy!!!

yes the conclusion in the article is that some people don't naturally take to exercise and they tend to put on weight so like alcoholics they have to work against their natural inclinations

that's life unfortunately

I'm in the process of losing 7-10lb. I exercise a lot (running, gym etc), walk as much as I can but the reason I'm losing the weight slowly is because I am not honest about what I am really eating.

I know that if you ingest more calories than you expend, you will put on weight. People who are extremely overweight must be ingesting a huge amount of calories just to maintain that weight. Really overweight people who say that cannot lose weight are in denial, imho. Only a tiny percent of people have genuine medical reasons to be overweight. As for the so called fat gene, yes some people are more inclined to put on weight than others but it still comes down to controlling the amount you eat. After all, this so called fat gene would have existed hundreds of years ago but obesity was not as prevalent as it is now because they moved around more and snacked less.

I put on 4.5 stones when I had my DTS 3 year ago and it required discipline as well as honesty to lose it, which I did in less than a year.

All the women in my family are heavy and I have to work really hard to keep weight off. Much harder than most people I think. I do think genetics plays a huge part but you have to overcome that yourself and it can be overcome.

expatinscotland...

I am dead against smoking, I absolutely hate it BUT I do not think you should not get a job because you smoke. As long as you would be willing to go off my premises to do it (if I didnt have a smoking room) it should not affect the way you work. (If you admitted that it would affect your work that is a different matter)

Yes psycholocial disorders can be overcome with a lot of help but that is just my point. The help is not being given in the right area. Telling people how to eat healthily and giving a prescription to the gym is all well and good but if a person does not have the know how to break the psychological cycle then they will not get anywhere.

You make it sound like I am saying it is okay to discriminate against race etc... its not okay in any circumstances.