Not to mention you’d probably end up with really boring potluck picnics.
I’ve been to potlucks where every dish was a new surprise (or shock, depending). It makes you yearn for boring, sometimes.
Exactly. A picnic without greasy hotdogs and mayo-infused tuna salad? Hell no.
I’ve read the (non-flaming) responses, and I must say that I do think there are genetic differences - some people simply tend to gain weight more rapidly than others. My wife can eat pretty well anything and never gains a pound, for example - whereas I really have to watch everything I eat all the time.
What I disagree with is the notion that because of these genetic differences some people are simply condemned to be overwieight and no amount of effort can change that. I disagree strongly with that conclusion. Sure, it is harder for some than others. Again I make the analogy to cigarettes - some can quit easily, others find it a real struggle, and there are probably genetic reasons for that, too.
I very strongly suspect that many people who try dieting and fail do so because they view dieting as a one-time thing, rather than a lifestyle change. If you are prone to gain weight and wish not to, you must avoid certain eating habits more or less forever (and exercise moderately but continuously) - just as those who wish not to smoke must avoid even having a single smoke.
To my mind, it is a health issue and a happiness concern, not a moral one. There are serious health risks associated with being overweight. Were it not for that, I’d say just weigh the pain of changing one’s diet (& exercise) against the pain of being considered unattractive by some strangers, and I’d probably keep eating …
Good points, Malthus.
I will add a few:
–As one gets older, the metabolism slows down and it’s harder just to maintain a certain weight, let alone lose pounds. I walk two miles every night, work out or swim laps once a week or more, eat small portions, never have seconds, but I am over 40 now and it’s taken me several months just to get rid of five pounds or so and stay that way. Could I stand to lose more? Yes, absolutely, but I am pretty healthy overall.
–the word “diet” has so many negative psychological connotations that it’s no wonder people don’t stick with diets that well. As M. just noted, it’s not a temporary thing; it’s a lifestyle change in meal plans, among other factors.
The word “diet” conjures up ideas of deprivation, hunger, and feeling left out when everyone else is chowing down. A change of perspective is needed, and maybe we should dump the D-word altogether.
The thing is though, is that some people simply have larger frames. A healthy weight for one woman might be 180 lbs., while for another it might be 120 lbs.
I’m not saying that just because you’re driving around a body that tends to gain weight, doesn’t mean you should just give up and eat like crap. It’s that those who have this disadvantage have just that, a disadvantage. It’s exponentially harder for them to lose weight, let alone, keep it off over their lifetime.
Think of the morbidly obese. I don’t think, even if I tried, I could gain that much weight. So how is it these people exist? Their bodies are genetically programmed to be very heavy. In fact, they need a stomach the size of a ping pong ball in order to get down to not even an average size, but one that is at least practical.
It’s your typical bell curve.* 50% of the population can maintain a normal weight, if they just take a little care. But 25% have to try incredibly hard. Most will be unsuccessful, because the odds are against them, and it’s nigh impossible to maintain. The other 25% don’t have to do anything. They can eat almost anything they want, and still be thin.
*I’m just ballparking these numbers.
“Fuck everything, we’re doing a four-bean salad!”
Loathe as I am to get involved with this, but is there any evidence for any of this? Why has there been a sudden explosion of morbid obesity, if this is true? Surely the existence of such an explosion points to massive overeating as the cause—after all, what else could it be?
One of my aunts’ is like this. She’s about 6ft, big broad shoulders, large rib cage, etc.
She’s not overweight-but she is big.
Crafter_Man, as has been pointed out, a LOT of people need to deal with their emotional and psychological issues with food first. NOT saying that it’s not their fault for eating crap all the time, just that overeating is a symptom, not the actual problem in and of itself. They’re not ready to face it. And so they need to get THAT taken care of. Does your aunt have other problems?
No evidence, and I have no idea what the morbidly obese numbers are now compared to 20 years ago. But even if the MO were to lose the weight, it’s not like they’d look like Ally Mcbeal. They’d still be chastised for being overweight, even though they lost over 200 lbs.
It’s hunting house cats with a 50 cal., huh? 
Perhaps they are instead “genetically programmed” to be very lazy.
I don’t understand why it’s any of my business why someone is fat, whether it’s because they only eat at KFC or because they have glandular issues or because they never get off the couch. If I was 250 lb and ate only fast food and never exercised or cooked for myself, what would give you the right to judge me? What if I was the same weight but strictly vegetarian, never ate fast food or anything fried or processed, and worked out every day?
Either way, why is it any of your business? Fat people don’t need to make “excuses” for being fat, and that frame says more about the fat-haters than the fat people.
I’m struggling here. What are you expecting to accomplish by being so negative and judgmental towards fat people? Normally I hesitate to speak for others, but I think it’s pretty clear that every fat person knows that they are fat, and that society hates fat people. Every fat person knows that eating less and exercising more is supposed to be the key to all that is good (even if they know that it isn’t the case).
Some fat people I know know that despite being fat, they are healthy and beautiful. Why would you take that away from them? I know other fat people who feel that they are fat and worthless and unloved and a stain on humanity and an offense to everyone who has to look at them. Why would you want to reinforce that feeling? Does it make you feel good?
Maybe you mean well and think you are actually being helpful with your weight loss advice. But I don’t know any fat people who haven’t tried dozens of things to lose weight. They’ve tried eating less and exercising more, and probably worked a lot harder at it than the average person ever would. Do you take advice on your health from random judgmental strangers? I don’t. Why would fat people? And if you’re not expecting them to take your advice, then why are you spouting it?
Aren’t you aware that there’s no correlation between being overweight and being unhealthy? Lots of skinny people are unhealthy and lots of fat people are very healthy. Surely you know people like this in your own life. You cannot assume that a fat person you see is unhealthy. One of the unhealthiest people I’ve ever known is a woman who lost an enormous amount of weight and lived on a starvation level of caloric intake. She was thin and fit but constantly grouchy and nutrient-deprived. Is that really better than being fat?
I don’t get it. Why the hate? Please help me understand, because it looks like pure ugliness to me.
Anyone who could lose 200lb and not look like Ally McBeal may not deserve chastising, but they do need to start losing weight, like, yesterday.
Meanwhile, the 350lb fattie overspilling his or her two adjacent seats on the 'bus may possibly deserve my praise for her/his hard work in slimming down from 560lb, but that’s not the way to bet.
Perhaps I’m just vain and shallow, but I like the idea that I’ve added several years to my life expectancy, and drastically reduced my chances of arthritis and Type II diabetes, without surgical intervention or waiting for the pharm industry to develop the magic pill that will let me eat what I want when I want and have the figure of a leopard. Also I can now break into a brisk trot at least and, say, when playing cricket I can run two or three runs without needing to wave the game to a mercy-halt while I get my breathing under control and my heart-rate down into double figures. Compliments on my appearance and not looking like shit in the few clothes I can get to fit me are just a fringe benefit.
What?? 
Uh, if you really believe this than you really need to do some basic research, or just ask your doctor. The only people promoting this myth are those in the radical fat-acceptance movement and their claim has been thoroughly debunked.
If height, hair color and bad teeth are in our DNA, why wouldn’t fatness be in there as well?
I’m not writing off lazy, I’m just making the case that it’s waaay harder for some people to lose the weight than others. You’ve put in some good effort and hard work to be at the weight you’re at now, good for you. Now imagine it took 4x the effort (or more).
Well, I think the main issue with this whole discussion is how each of us define “hard”.
I am the only person who knows how hard I feel I work to maintain a healthy weight and avoid becoming fat. Another person may feel that their effort to do the same was “4x” harder, but in fact, they put the same actual effort, dealt with exactly the same degree of cravings and spent the same amount of time reading labels and exercising. That same person may look at me, complain that I must be “naturally thin”, then whine about how, if I had to work as hard as they did to lose weight, I’d be fat too. :rolleyes:
For them, they report the work as “waaaay harder” than other people’s, when in fact, it’s about equal. It’s all about perception of the term “hard”.
I feel that, personally, I work very hard to maintain a healthy weight. It is difficult, it is a struggle sometimes to discipline myself, but to me, it’s worth it. Being healthy in the long term, to me, is more important than the fleeting pleasure of that extra brownie. Unlike Cowgirl, I fully understand that being fat is directly linked to a myraid of serious sometimes life-threatening health issues, like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Good health, to me, is more important that that second cupcake.
Oh, and fat people who sneer at “rabbit food” are probably doomed to remain fat. :rolleyes:
I adore ice-cream. However, if I want to have a fighting chance at not being overweight I recognise that my adoration must stop at a single portion and only once in a while - not the pint of Ben & Jerry’s I could cheerfully see off every single day.
As my doctor, who looks like Ichabod Crane, tells me, in a famine, I’m going to live a lot longer than he will.
I do one thing efficiently in my life. That thing is burning calories. Go me.
LOL, yes I’ve heard that sneering phrase as well from obese people. I think it pertains to anything with lettuce in it, i.e. salads. :rolleyes: