Why am I fat?

[Witch25]

Well the simply answer is that I need to eat less and move more. Right, easy as that. Yet if it's that simple then why is there a million pound industry around weight loss?

Most people who have a significant amount of weight to lose and who have no medical conditions that cause them to gain weight have probably tried endless "diets" in the past. Slimming World, Weight Watchers, Low Carb, 5:2, etc, chances are they have tried them all. And they have probably lost weight on them. And as stats show, a high percentage gain all the weight and more back again within a year.

I think overeating is a mindset. It is a condition that affects certain people and it is something that has never even had an affect on others who have never had weight issues. People who are overweight eat to excess of "bad" foods. It is an addiction like drink or drugs. Overindulging must cause people to feel good/get a high at the time or else they wouldn't do it. Overweight people eat because they are sad, happy, bored, lonely, having a good time out with friends, eating a meal with a partner etc.

Through following posts on MN I have seen how fat people are hated on here. Let's not dress it up, most posts end up being taken down because it turns nasty and abusive. The attitude is "don't come whinging to me fatty, just stop shoving cake in your pie-hole". Society as a whole dislike people who are overweight and studies have shown that they are passed over for promotions at work, ignored in a group etc. And yet even though there is a palpable dislike for people who are overweight, we see obesity levels increasing in the UK.

TL:DR
So I was wondering if we could have a discussion around the mindset that causes people to be overweight and what can society do about this? Should GPs be offering CBT rather than Slimming World vouchers?

Should add that we saw our grandparents once a week. so weren't being offered sweets everyday.

It would be good to get some kind of reply! Essentially was told to lose weight in teens; then told to gain. Think it may have been to do with mothers mental health issues Too young to know She accused me of anorexia Doc visited after she died to say that he didn't think it was true
Now have doc refusing to help unless I lose weight.

This is a fascinating thread.
I am saddened that people are worried by a stomach grumble. People clear their throat or cough without dying of embarrassment. A stomach grumble is no different
There is early research that is showing that will power is finite so the more times you are tempted by things the more likely you are to give in to the temptation. So if you look at the number of advertisements we are bombarded with not just for food but clothes, jewelry, cars, nights out or shampoo all because we "deserve" it and then realise that each time we mentally say no it uses up our willpower....Then you are walking past the cake aisle and it is much harder to say to yourself no that is not a good choice. Or the chips the kids have left or or the bottle of wine that you were saving for the weekend.
It is no wonder that diets that require you to deny yourself each and every time you are confronted by a food choice don't work long term. How to break that cycle is another thing entirely unless advertising / aspirational lifestyles are banned.

" If you go 5 hours between meals you will get very hungry and possibly eat more than if you had a small nourishing snack and drink between the meals. "

I really don't think forcing myself to eat large meals would help me lose weight! I don't tend to snack during the working week anyway.
And at 5 foot 2, getting 1800 cals is not going to help me either. Good for you though.

"I am saddened that people are worried by a stomach grumble. People clear their throat or cough without dying of embarrassment. A stomach grumble is no different"

It's not me who's worried about the stomach grumble, it's how people react to it, as if you've farted, which is also an involuntary human reaction that you're not supposed to have.

Interesting thread OP. Here's the thing from my humble point of view:

I'm in my 40's.
I was brought up eating healthy food.
I eat healthy food.
I exercise.
I do drink more than the recommended daily amounts quite often.
I honestly don't eat lots of unhealthy food, but I like to eat. And probably eat too much sometimes.
I could exercise more I suppose.
I'm not depressed. I don't hate myself.
I am successful in my job and have had many promotions.
I am married to someone who could also stand to loose a few stone.
We still fancy each other and have regular sex.
I used to be a very normal size. Never skinny.
Had 2 kids & after the second one the weight has crept up.
I want to loose 3 stone.
I hate seeing people obsessively denying themselves food.
I find it sad and also annoying when grown women behave like anorexic teenagers.
My friend's who are slim still and healthy, obsessively exercise - running marathons all the time. Or they are just those naturally skinny tiny types.
I think it's probably best to try and be happy and enjoy your life. Try not to constantly worry that you are being judged on your external appearance. Men don't think like this. It's bullshit really.
Go for a walk in the park. Go for a swim. Enjoy your weekend

Where did I say that Gwen I meant that a large meal extends the stomach and makes you more likely to PUT ON weight.

Whereas a nourishing snack (and I don't mean a rubbish choc . bar and highly chemically or sugary sweetened fizzy drink) Will help keep your blood sugar level horizontal. That's why children need snacks sometimes

I think that as long as you only listen to your body and have a snack when actually hungry, there's no problem. However, I know that it is dangerous for me as I am a massive foodie and just start fancying all manner of delicious things. So I honestly feel that it is better for me to just stick to 3 meals.
Likewise, my son knows that he is always welcome to help himself to fruit, a little handful of nuts or a chunk of cheese (etc...) but that's not really what he's after!

I thought it had been discredited that adults (excepting diabetics of course) need snacks to keep blood sugar levels up.
Snacks used to be discouraged as they would spoil our apetites for the next meal. Snacks becoming normal was part of marketing campaigns by companies that manufactured them.
I keep rice caked in my desk. I find them really bland so they're a good way of finding out if I'm really, hungry or just slightly peckish. If it was something nice, I'd persuade myself that I'm hungry.