Is Obesity A Disease?

There's more to it than narrowing it down to simply no willpower or selfcontrol, and as we realize this, we should revise our existing beliefs, rather than clutch to outdated perceptions, no? Otherwise it's somewhat akin to writing a university paper with nothing but the knowledge you gained in kindergarten.

Agreed. . . I would never tell anyone who's trying to lose weight that all they need is a little willpower. . . that theory is a bunch of garbage, because sometimes your body is your own worst enemy, working against you even if you have all the willpower in the world.

That's why I'm so excited by the variety of new diets coming out. . . not because I think any of them work, but because many of them are acknowledging what overweight people have known forever, namely, that a lot of people have tried to follow "the rules", and have not succeeded. That nod is encouraging.

One of the side benefits of the latest fad to "help" us fat folks lose the weight is the manufacturing of home exercise equipment sturdy enough to allow us to use it without further damaging our bodies.

More and more people are also becoming educated about the stigma of being fat in society and how their "innocent" comments can be extremely hurtful to us and have the opposite effect. They're learning that what many of us overweight people need is encouragement, support and companionship along the journey of losing the weight and not the constant ridicule, jokes, finger-pointing, uninformed diet and medical advice, and ostracizing those "helpful" people offer while we are making efforts to lose the weight.

And yes, it's extremely welcoming to see that more and more chairs are being manufactured with us in mind to allow us to come out of our lonely homes to seek out that beneficial companionship we need to inspire the weight loss. It is also interesting to watch all these big-named department stores that used to stick our plus sized clothing departments in tiny dark corners with the maternity clothing (if they had one at all) now falling all over themselves to get us to spend a buck in their store on something besides a large tent.

I applaud the fad and continue to work my way toward a more healthful body. I just wish more people would get it that I know I am fat and really really do not need them to point it out for me. A smile and a few minutes of their time to chat about the weather would be so much more encouraging.

I suspect there are metabolic processes that cascade when obesity sets in. Whether a diet high in carbohydrates causes all the trouble suggested by Atkin's diet theory - which sounds logical to me, or some other combination of physiological phenomena, certainly the body gets into a fat accumulating pattern that is hard to swing the other way long term, fat accumulation being a survival process in the first place.

My friend recently wrote an entry on her Xanga account about why society hates obese people. I couldn't believe that she would do such a thing since she is overweight and probably on the borderline to obesity. Just because she is not obese as of now, I still think that she is somewhat "fat." (...although I never do say that to her face.) I was so disappointed in her that I wrote a long comment to her post about why one shouldn't be mean to obese people. I hope she gets my point.

As for your post, Butrflynet, I fully understand what you mean. I am not fat but the exact opposite. I am so skinny that people think I'm anorexic. Actually, I'm not. I noticed that I have really fast metabolism. Around two hours after eating a meal, I notice that I am hungry. In fact, I am hungry right now... I'm like an eating machine! But I got so tired of satisfying my hunger that I just ate the normal meals.

Even the friend who posted that disgusting entry says that I'm too skinny even though I never say that she's too fat. She knows that I know, but she wants to think that she's better than me or something. I noticed that she says, "Angela...you know what? You're TOO skinny!" whenever she feels that I surpass her in everything. I guess she sort of feels like I shadow her since I am very ambitious and achieve awards, so I accept her reasons for complaining about my physique. However, when she bad-mouthed the obese, I really felt that she had gone too far.

I s'pose for some it's a disease of soughts. for other's it's just laziness and gluttony. Hard part is knowing who's afflicted with what kind. I know that if I ever become obese, it'll be the latter.

Gee, I've got to walk 30 minutes everyday now just to keep the "love handles' at bay.

Hi Sententia,

Welcome to A2K and thank you very much for acknowledging my post. It isn't easy talking about this stuff on a personal level and I very much appreciate your taking time to offer the smile in your post rather then be judgemental.

You sound like someone I'd enjoy getting to know. I hope you'll stick around and give me the opportunity to do so.

I caught a disease one morning on the way to class that turned my life inside-out. No more football and many other physical activities for over a year, couldn't lift over 5 lbs and gained 80+lbs in the course of that time frame. Went from running 4 miles a day to being lucky to talk 100 yards at a time.

Then getting re-physical is easier said than done - I've been struggling with it for 20 years now. I'd almost wish it were due to laziness and gluttony - that'd be an easier way out.

How do you deal with all the prejudices, Husker?

apply grace liberally

edit

I for one never judge a person on their appearance. I know plenty of people who are overweight who actually eat less than the average person and unfortunately they live with a slow metabolism, so it's not easy for them to keep the weight off. I also know just as many people who are very thin, don't exercise and eat like a horse, but have just as hard a time gaining weight as some people do losing weight. I also know many people who are overweight because they eat constantly, but whatever the situation I think it's cruel for them to be discriminated against in any way. Being fat is not a disorder or a disease! It's either caused from overeating or metabolism. People overeat because they simply love food. Hell, I'd love to be able to eat whatever I want without gaining weight because I simply love food.
I know many people who would be very offended by some of the things that have been said here!

No kidding! Thanks for that Montana. :::hugs:::


I don't completely agree about the statement that people are fat because they simply enjoy food, are lazy or gluttonous. In a vast number of cases, food has absolutely nothing to do with it. It's a coping mechanism for other issues.

Well said, Montana. . .

Hugs right back to you and you're very welcome ;-)

I also agree with the coping mechanism for some, but in many cases it simply is the love of food or metabolism. Either way, no one has the right to judge or discriminate. If many people took as much time to see a person on the inside as they do looking at what's on the outside, this world would be a much better place.

Thank you Princess ;-)

This is one of the reason I've always loved these types of forums (fora?) Just look at the crush thread. . . 22 pages of people, most of whom have never seen eachother, interacting free of those physical hangups. Forming crushes, even.

That was both a cool and a weird thing about spending time with the hihpster offline. . . we liked our interaction online so much we were scared to send eachother pics and ruin it :-) Luckily it didn't happen. . . but I've heard that it has. . .

Princess
I hear that. When I started the Crush thread here I was Gezzy, so if I wasn't told that it started up again, I would have never known. Those threads have been such a blast that I have to get another one going real soon since there are so many new people aboard now :-D

I'm so glad things have worked out for you and hihpster. You're both wonderful people :-D

Why, thanks! I mean, we agree, but. . . . . .

;-)

http://www.stud.ntnu.no/home/alexann/