# The Fat vs Thin debate in America **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 27, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fat-vs-thin-debate-in-america/18141 "2000-04-27T16:20:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fat-vs-thin-debate-in-america/18141/201 "2000-07-02T01:34:24Z")
I am fat. I don’t care why. I was fat when i worked at a job where i spent my time (averaging 60 hours a week) on my feet walking around from one computer problem to another. I am sick of people trying to make me feel like I am less of a person because there is so much of me. The only times I have been thinnish is when I starved my self. Once was on a diet reccomended by a doctor. The other time was due to poverty. As I shed pounds I was praised and told to keep up the good work. The first time I ended my diet because a the doctor in the emergency room convinced me that I was hurting my health. Eating a varied and normal diet i steadily gained weight. I starved my self again to save money and very nearly died. When I resumed a normal and varied diet, I gained weight steadily until i reached nearly my current weight. My weight only changes noticiably when I change jobs and that changes my activity level. I am generally healthy. I have normal blood pressure and chloresterol levels. My fat great-grandmothers lived to a ripe old age, I will probably be following in their heavy footsteps. I am happily married, 11 years so far. I have great sex frequently. I am smart, funny, and have a generally happy life. I have a good job. I am attractive to my husband and many others, at least judging from the flirting and propositions. I accomplished the amazing goal of rising out of poverty. Those of you who tell fat people to lose weight need to learn better manners. Those who think fat people should \ should get bent. Any statement about so broad a group as the obese is a sweeping generalization and should be replaced by actual thought. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fat-vs-thin-debate-in-america/18141/202 "2000-07-02T04:06:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > “…for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139:14 Maybe Hollywood should start promoting that! > \*\* Remind me to use that one on my wife. Love it! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fat-vs-thin-debate-in-america/18141/203 "2000-07-02T04:12:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Well, not doubt I’ve tapped into a very sensitive nerve with many of the posters here. I doubt I would have raised more ire had I attacked people’s ethnic or religious background. > > So the way I look at it, if you are not doing everything reasonable to maximize your health you are doing a dis-service to all those who love you and depend on you. All excuses to the contrary are simply …well… BULLSHIT! > \*\* _sniff_ what a wonderful story. \ it worked for you. Conga-Rats. Will it work for me? It never has. I’ve worked my butt off over summers and didn’t lose enough to notice. Don’t tell me I wasn’t doing enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fat-vs-thin-debate-in-america/18141.md?page=10)