Fat Acceptance - Problem or not

[DemonTim]

I was listening to SEN last night and they had the guy who set up the first PT studio in Melbourne back in the 90s (can't remember his name for the life of me). Everything he said about obesity seemed to make perfect sense--the small number of people effected genetically aside, people make conscious decisions to overeat, to not go to the gym, to sit on the couch etc. In order to change that behaviour, the obese person's thinking needs to change. They need to make the decision that they no longer accept their life for what it is, and start to make incremental changes. They can't try to change for someone else, or because they have a wedding coming up, or because their partner made a comment about their bum. They have to do it for themselves and as a life change, not a temporary measure.

I liken it to the way I was finally able to quit smoking once and for all. I tried patches, gum, tablets and that stupid book, but I'd only last a couple of weeks before I'd start again. Then a boy would tell me he hates girls who smoke, so I'd try to quit again. Or I'd get sick, and I'd quit for the duration of the illness. It wasn't until I made the resolution that I would never ever smoke again that I made the change. I went cold turkey and haven't smoked for five years.

Calling people disgusting, pathetic, fat bastards etc does nothing to help them change their psychology and by extension, their behaviour. It contributes to the cycle of self-loathing, and perpetuates the overeating.

False

I got sick of being made fun of (final straw was being asekd why I was so fat in front of an entire lunch room), went and lost 45kgs and started working in fitness. The name calling actually pushed me to change. It's just as much a logical catalyst as "not accepting their life for what it is".

(Note: i'm not saying go around calling all fat people fat)

 

[Gough]

So you're the weight loss version of a reformed smoker, or a born again Christian?

 

[DemonTim]

So you're the weight loss version of a reformed smoker, or a born again Christian?

Huh?

 

[Gough]

Huh?

Like a 40 a day smoker whose given up, or a dissolute who finds god, you were obese, now you're not, and you can't wait to tell people how great it is.

 

[Perth gal]

I think it is great. Who wants to be morbidly obese. Imagine carrying around that weight all day. Well done DT.

 

[DemonTim]

Like a 40 a day smoker whose given up, or a dissolute who finds god, you were obese, now you're not, and you can't wait to tell people how great it is.

Ah gough, always have to be provocative. We get it, you're an edgy old bloke on the internet.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

Ah gough, always have to be provocative. We get it, you're an edgy old bloke on the internet.

How dare you be proud of achieving something!

It takes a lot of effort and determination to turn that around when you have people telling you to settle for being overweight.

It's a sad world we live in when people want to vindictively shoot down your achievements out of some misplaced spite or envy.

 

[emuboy]

There is a lot of difference between carrying a couple of extra kilos that could be shed with a bit of a diet adjustment and increased exercise, and being obese.

Obesity is extremely unhealthy, and is never acceptable.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

There is a lot of difference between carrying a couple of extra kilos that could be shed with a bit of a diet adjustment and increased exercise, and being obese.

Obesity is extremely unhealthy, and is never acceptable.

And that is why the subjective should never trump objective reality.

Feelings matter, bro.

So do the facts that obesity is ******* bad for you.

 

[Bostonian]

It's never men who are driving the fat acceptance bullshit. Always fat women.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

People with red hair get grief and they didn't choose to have red hair (unless they died it)
People with freckles get grief and they didn't choose to have freckles (unless they sunbake too much - also freckles are sexy)
People who go bald get grief and they didn't choose to go bald (unless they're Brittany)

People can, in the vast majority of cases, control their weight and yet it's a very taboo subject because people don't want to hurt their feelings.

*Disclaimer: I am a red headed, bald, fat guy with freckles.

I don't see a thread where people express their contempt for the redheaded, freckled or bald.

 

[Power Raid]

I wonder what big Pharma thinks of big people?

 

[perthblue]

I wonder what big Pharma thinks of big people?

 

[Power Raid]

Big Pharma's screen saver?

 

[JG22]

The majority of the public realise fat acceptance is wrong, almost like they think Pauline Hanson is wrong.

 

[Rooz90]

Watched way too many videos of social justice warriors of fat women having a reason "not to explain" how they get to that stage.

Cringe.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Catfish Alley]

Who was asking them to explain themselves?

 

[Rooz90]

Who was asking them to explain themselves?

Saw an sbs insight debate, one girl explained her reasons to lose weight, become healthy exercise ect when girl asked bigger girl, girl refused to answer


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[Bostonian]

I don't see a thread where people express their contempt for the redheaded, freckled or bald.

Probably because they aren't a massive drain on the public health system.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Seems to be a big argument against them. I guess you wouldn't really know if they're paying for private health care.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

Seems to be a big argument against them. I guess you wouldn't really know if they're paying for private health care.

It's unlikely given poverty is usually positively correlated with poverty.

 

[Scotland]

It's unlikely given poverty is usually positively correlated with poverty.

Pretty strong correlation that one.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

Pretty strong correlation that one.

I'd love to see a regression run between obesity and IQ. A lot of the obese people I know tend to be a little on the less intelligent side.

 

[Demosthenes]

A lot of the people I know who get outraged about fat people tend not to have a lot more to be proud of than being a normal weight.

Obesity grosses me out, but realistically not even scientists can agree on how controllable it is so it's hard to condemn people wholesale for being fat.

The idea of fat acceptance being a problem is risible. For every 'body positive' message out there, there's a hundred pushing the aesthetic ideal. I have never met a single fat person who truly wanted to be that way.

 

[Scotland]

I've noticed that humans are very good at convincing themselves about their habits. Even smart people with qualifications, careers etc. are overweight and convince themselves that a can of soft drink a day is OK.