Serious Discrimination due to being...fat. Yes, really.

[ElvenAngel]

Okay, so I'm overweight. And I'm not talking the 'oh crap I've gained 5 pounds, must lose them or dieeeeee' kind of thing. I am honest to goodness chubbier than what's good for me and tubby enough to be frustrated at my difficulty in finding clothes that are the right size but don't look stupid.

Over the years I've been bullied, insulted and humiliated simply for being overweight. I could deal with is when it was coming from kids and teenagers, because it's the kind of mean, stupid stuff you expect from underagers who don't give a shit about anyone's feelings but their own.

I was actually rather shocked to find that even adults will insult a fat person in a number of different, indirect (or direct ways) even in front of others or what you'd even call polite society.

And worse yet, I was horrified to realize that people actively discriminate obese or overweight people. I got a big taste of that on one of my first ever job hunting excursions. I was applying for sales girl in a clothes shop of a rather well-known brand and frankly they sounded like they were desperate for hiring...and then they drop the bomb: "I'm sorry, you're quite qualified but you'd be unable to wear the clothes of our line around the store..."

I stared. They were seriously declining me because I was too fat to wear their clothes. And then I realized they never carried sizes over XL... and RARELY at that.

I left the store and I've been telling any friend or acquaintance I have to avoid that chain.

Fast forward a year or two later, I enter a different store because I liked a particular pair of jeans. So while I'm browsing around the store I notice that the two sales girls have more or less slowed down their work tidying clothes and whatever (no other customers) and are talking quietly.I can't hear what they're saying but they're both eying me an awful lot. Eventually one of them comes up and asks me if I need help. I ask about the jeans I saw on the window and before I can even ask about the sale...the girl randomly blurts: "Oh, I'm sorry. This doesn't come in sizes over L..."

Now, if she'd just said that casually I'd have been okay with it because she's just being honest and saving me the humiliation of trying clothes that won't even get past my thighs.

However, she had this sorta look in her face that said she thought my presence in the store was hilarious. No sooner that she said that, two stick-figure tweens came in and the other sales girl was all over them.

I was on my way out when I heard one of the women in there (not sure who) say "what was that cow looking for in here?"

Needless to say I left the store on the verge of tears.

This kinda thing's been repeated over the years. People who randomly have wanted to insult me (like some guy who was cussing out my mom because he nearly rammed our car with his stupid jeep and I told him to cut out the swearing), the first thing they grab onto and spout is stuff like 'fatso, 'fat bitch' or 'pachyderm'.

And then there's people appearing on TV, or writing health articles in papers and such. They all talk in a very patronizing and holier than thou attitude. They always talk about obesity as a disease (which, if you ask me is a heap of stupid turd) and how people need to be cured. You can almost hear the 'you fat people are a lesser species and we can saaaave youuuu' in their voices.

And don't get me started on the fashion industry and clothes designers. If you're a bit fat, you're forced to go to specialized stores for clothes and most of the time they have incredibly bad clothes that I wouldn't be caught dead in. And going into those kind of specialty stores can feel bad or ashamed...like every other store doesn't want you and you're settling for what you can get. I don't understand why regular stores won't carry sizes for bigger people. Fine, don't carry hot pants for obese teeny boppers and incredibly short skirts or skimpy shirts... but regular sweaters? Normal jeans? Underwear? What's so wrong with allowing fashion for chunkier people? It's like they're trying to tell us that the planet belongs to skinny people and all the rest of us who have a bit more fat on our bones are all maggots.

I'll never understand this attitude. It just makes people hate themselves and honestly, it's NOT a good motivator for losing weight. People who aren't fat need to stop assuming we're fat because we pig out and need to get off their skinny pedestals. Genetics dictates who is a stick-figure and who is chubby and honestly, I'd want to see a return to older ideals of beauty, when women and men with meat on their goddamn bones were sexy. Look up Titian's Venus of Urbino sometime.

 

[Naoto Shirogane]

Sad thing is...

Society wants to be perfect.

they want to be smart not stupid.

All to be straight not gay(yes. There are more Homophobis than non-homophobics sorry to say)

Not skinny not fat but inbetween

Dressed proper not in baggy pants or ripped jeans.

Not rich or poor but able to support yourself.

since the Majority of the world is many of the above(not saying your any of them) a lot of us are outcasts. shunned.

There is Really almost nothing you can do beside sAppricate yourself. Maybe lose some weight but dont try to change your lifestyle to fit in.

Theese situations are EXTREMELY hard to surpass and ignore. but just remember. Its their opinions. Their opinions are WRONG! You only trust yourself about your appearance. your personality your life.

Dont listen to them. They know nothing about the inner you. and that inner you is the most beautiful thing on earth.

I sincerely hope you can get through this. Ive been bullied on theese accounts too. Its nothing new. but it Hurts us all diffrently. Just think abotu the inner you and You'll know weather their right or wrong.

 

[Bones]

Meh I could say to not listen to them, but I know from experience that's easier said than done, I mean this could possibly put some perspective into some aspects of life, like I dunno, maybe you would one day take this experience and think "you know what? I'm gonna design clothes for plus size women, and I'm gonna start my own label, and I'm gonna make some money!" (It's only an idea but you know what I mean)

No matter where you go, there are gonna be shallow people who like to hurl abuse, sometimes it's because THEY are insecure, and belittling someone else will make them feel better, at the end of the day nobody is perfect, I have people make harsh comments about my eyesight, or the fact that I'm very pale, yeah it insults me, but I get over it in time, because I know that they're not worth getting livid about.

So don't get too wrapped up in what happened, you're your own person at the end of the day, screw what everyone else thinks.

 

[moogling]

I'm still in high school so I've not had the wonderful opportunity to experience discrimination in the workplace yet, however from an outside point of view I'm still of the opinion that it does need to be considered discrimination. Being skinny does not mean you are in shape or healthy. You can be skinny (ie. have a fast metabolic rate) and be extremely out of shape. By the same token, you can be chubby and be healthy. I'm not denying that being overweight through overeating poses health risks, but people shouldn't be denied jobs because of their weight. Using your experience as an example... I can't imagine why it's so important that you be able to fit into the store's clothing. If you can do your job and do it well, who fucking cares.

BMI is utter shite anyway, google it and you'd find countless reasons why. I've seen plenty of beautiful, healthy looking (and in actuality, are) girls that are considered overweight or obese by these standards.

As long as you're at least attempting to care for your health, you don't deserve any discrimination for your weight or appearance for that matter.

And in the end, the only person's opinion that matters is your own. :dave: I'm a size 10 US, averagely (? ) healthy and perfectly happy with my body, yet am still considered overweight because I'm so short. It all depends on individual genes, upbringing, eating and exercise habits. I'm fairly certain the only reason doctors go by BMI is because it'd be so much more expensive to use a system that focuses on the individual, not a general height-weight proportion.

 

[Harlequin]

I was actually rather shocked to find that even adults will insult a fat person in a number of different, indirect (or direct ways) even in front of others or what you'd even call polite society.

That's life. It came as a surprise to me when I first realised it, when you're a kid most people are polite to you and they don't really challenge you in any way but when you get to a certain age you become competition and people recognise the competitors. When people pick on you over something that has nothing to do with them like you weight, looks, etc, they're almost certainly highlighting you inadequacies to obscure their own. Think of it this way, if they were really all that would they have to resort to that kind of behaviour? Alot of people don't have anything interesting to talk about aswell which is why some will gossip away about others.

Some people are bigger than others, but it's never healthy to be obese. Sometimes patronising yourself over how much you weigh can be just as damaging as beating yourself up about it. The same goes for any possible flaw.

 

[Will Graham]

Well it is clear that both of those stores treated you in a very shitty manner and there is no excuse for that, however I disagree with the idea that people are prejudiced against the overweight in general.

People say that we are having the 'skinny' look forced down our throats which is true to an extent, but it is also something constantly railed in the news and by people in general. Particularly girls who are skinny in my experience are repeatedly asked are they anorexic, if they have a disorder, etc.

Obesity is a medical problem, people who are vastly overweight are open to some serious medical problems in life. Diabetes, heart disease, respiratory problems.

It's a six of one, half a dozen of the other situation

 

[Howl]

Sorry to read that you feel that way, ElvenAngel.

But the truth is that it’s not just obesity or the idea of being overweight that encourages mockery. I was mocked all throughout high school because other thought people my nose was big. They used to call me a crow and joke about how I looked like ‘a Jew’. Yeah, your face isn’t something you can change without plastic surgery and a shit-ton of dejection.

It took me a long time to realize that other people don’t matter. First of all, if someone judges you based on your appearance, it’s because they have their own deep-seeded issues and they’re taking it out on someone else. Lets take you, or even me for example. It’s obvious that you’re fat and that I have a big nose comparatively speaking. People know this just by looking and it doesn’t need to be said out loud in order to come to light.

“She’s fat”.
Well no shit, Sherlock. Everybody in the room can see that. The only reason someone will state the obvious out loud is because they:
A) Need attention
B) Are trying to draw attention away from their own problems
The fact that someone opens their mouth in order to express thought is somewhat of a validation of their stupidity. It’s like they need other people to hear and verify whether or not their judgment call is true. Example:

An ignorant person will state the obvious: “She’s fat”
Let’s have a glimpse at what’s going on inside the head of the ignoramus:
“…ok, let me wait to see if other people agree...”
“…I hope no one notices that I’m fat too.”
“…maybe now people will pay attention to me.”

Let’s just say that your body is an amazing and beautiful thing and you have to take care of it. That’s my personal opinion, and I usually keep it to myself. If someone gives me a reason to say something about fatness, I will; otherwise, it’s a private opinion that doesn’t really matter.

The only fat people I usually bitch about are the whales on welfare who only buy junk food for them and their overweight babies. Not only are they killing themselves, but their kids are the next generation and they’re setting them up on a bad path. But that's a different conversation topic...

P.s. Most adults still retain the mental capacity of 9 year olds.

 

[ElvenAngel]

Thank you for your input guys. I still feel like society keeps petting the thin and kicking the chubby people. If they do label a big person as beautiful it's almost always in a kind of 'fetish' or unusual form of beauty and that irritates me a little.

P.s. Most adults still retain the mental capacity of 9 year olds.

Ain't that the truth... =/ I see it all the time in more things than just this.

 

[asm]

Not going to get to the part where people in general are shit, because it's been covered. It's true though, people hate what's different.

Some things though:
The clothes outlets and fashion in general, like to push certain ideas that are masqueraded in some beauty ideal that doesn't really exist. Most of this is done for monetary gain alone. First up, is variety. It's just plain cheaper to make as few sizes as possible. Simple to manufacture, you don't need to fiddle around with the sizes.
Second up, and this is so obvious rarely do people think of it: smaller sizes = less fabric = more money for less. These sound absurd I know, but it's true.

About the health issue though, it really is a concern. My mother has been overweight for as long as I remember (and that's a long time). She's a bit over 60 now, and has gone through extensive back surgeries over the years because of her weight, and she's also having some of that adult onset diabetes her way. I can understand there's more than just saying what's healthy and what's not and everything doesn't go like in the movies, but please consider some people really might care for you and want you to be healthy. Perhaps everyone doesn't always get the message relayed like they want to... but some people really do care, and want what's best for you.

 

[Kei]

(In my post, I'm not talking about people who are a bit overweight, I'm talking about people who are extremely overweight)

I'm not gonna be the good guy and start saying oh there's nothing wrong with being extremely overweight, because there is, why would be overweight in the first place, don't you have any self-control over what or how much you eat? If being obese is because of a certain disease then I'm okay with it (It is a symptom of certain diseases, if you don't eat much), I have no problem with it and I'm not a person to mock people for how much they weigh, I find it pathetic, childish and inappropriate to mock people or bully people just because they are fat.

You said something about you try finding cloth that fits you, don't you think you have problem then? =/ If you understand that you have to go around finding clothes just to fit you, isn't it better to start working on the better solution which is losing some weight? Sorry but this how I just see it. Also, some people might hate for what I said, but I don't care much, I said what I think was right.

Like I said, I'm against people making fun of people or discriminating them because they are "fat". However, I'm quite positive that you're not happy with your weight, my proof is that you started this thread, if you were happy you wouldn't care about what people would think and would have went said a thing to those idiots who treated you that way.

Again, sorry this what I think, a debate section and opinions can conflict.

 

[Tucker]

People don't take into account of the person's personal struggle. Do you think they wanted to be that way? Do you think the person sits on the couch all day eating cheetos? No, they don't.

In America, it's almost hard NOT to get fat. All of our foods are LOADED with calories, sugar, and fat. My favorite taco dip at the store? They started adding sugar to it. Why? Cuz Americans looove sugar. Even though now it was really unhealthy and tasted much worse. Most foods in restaurants are loaded with calories and fat.

Also, some people are born with less metabolism than others. Some have so much that they never get fat. Others have extremely low metabolism, and can gain weight extremely easily.

It's extremely unfair and I would call it discrimination. Especially a job as a sales girl! And what ever happened to customers being first? It's sad.

I have realized that people can be very pompous about obesity. All those organizations to "stop obesity". Yes, it is a problem, but should be handled by that person of their free will and time.

Why do people find the need to point that out? When you insult someone's weight (directly and indirectly) you not only hurt someone very badly, but it also makes you an ass.

So I gotta say I agree

 

[ElvenAngel]

@ Kei
I'm aware that most people just assume that certain individuals are fat because they can't keep their mouths shut. While in some cases that's more than true, for the majority of obese people, the factors are a lot more than just pigging out 24/7 or even a bad choice of diet. Most of the time it's not even lack of exercise.

My problem is that some people don't understand that being not-thin is written in your genes. If your genes don't specify you to be a M size, you'll never be.

The other thing...is that people also do not understand that dieting and losing weight is NOT an easy deal. The human body does not like losing weight. It thinks we're starving due to lack of food, not trying to regulate our weight, because it's stupid and instinct driven like that. In nature that's a pretty darn good strategy but sadly we have given nature a boot to the taint. Anyway, the problem is mostly the way people view people who are somewhat fat.

They tend to view us as lazy, good-for-nothing pigs who have no feelings. They don't even try to think we're normal, and that's what bothers me. I've been trying to lose weight for some time but the hurdles I have to deal with are not easy to overcome and I wish people would realize that living as a fat person is not fun, and making us out to be freaks isn't helping anybody.

 

[Kei]

They tend to view us as lazy, good-for-nothing pigs who have no feelings. They don't even try to think we're normal, and that's what bothers me. I've been trying to lose weight for some time but the hurdles I have to deal with are not easy to overcome and I wish people would realize that living as a fat person is not fun, and making us out to be freaks isn't helping anybody.

I agreed wholeheartedly that people who view fat people like that are just pathetic. I'm just saying some fat people lack the will to lose weight and are just slacking off thinking that weight is gonna disappear just like that.

About genes, it's mainly due to low metabolism (Genetic + Age factor), and the solution is to adjust your diet to it. While I understand that changing diet is never easy for anyone, that's why it needs encouraging and this is where I hate people who insult fat people, because insults based on physical appearance tend to destroy a person's confidence, and might make him lose the interest in doing anything to fix himself. (EDIT: Some people actually gain confidence to lose weight from insults but some people just don't, they just get crushed)

You don't have to be an M, be L, just don't go extremely overweight, it's bad for your health and might develop diseases you don't want to... =/

The other thing...is that people also do not understand that dieting and losing weight is NOT an easy deal.

I understand it but from the opposite side, as I have quite the fast metabolism and gaining weight is hard for me. Still I achieved the weight I want to be and I'm maintaining it so far.

 

[Toshiya]

Hmmm.
Whilst I understand (and sympathise) with your point of view on how the people treated you, I disagree with your view that society as a whole is against overweight people.

The thing is (well, it's the case over here in England anyway) - it's not beneficial for shops to stock things in XXL sizes. Over here you'll only find small-large (maybe extra large if you're lucky) in pretty much every store. This is because so few people are above XL or below S that producing clothes in other sizes isn't going to make them any money. I have a friend who is absurdly skinny - her whole family is - who can't find clothes that fit her because she's too skinny. Likewise I find it impossible to get trousers that are an appropriate length because I'm so short. Shops cater for the average person, not people at extreme ends of the scale. It's the same with a woman's bust size - my aunt has to get her bras specially fitted because she's way too big for shop sizes. It costs her a fortune as well - but that's life.

However, people shouldn't treat you like they did. Personally I can't judge anyone until I know their background. If I knew someone who was overweight just because of their own greed and laziness, then fine, I might criticise - but it doesn't sound like you're like that.
Unfortunately, prejudice IS a fact of life. If it's not your weight, it can be your height, gender, whatever. Some things you can change, some things you can't.

 

[Shu]

Alright I think your clash is actually wish society, not people in general. People in general, are pre-programmed to what society finds fit.

Today's day and age people don't want to provide coverage to every weight class, because if you put XS with a XXL, you tend to get people coming into the store confused as of what to buy. They see these bigger less appealing people, or if they are the bigger the skin and bone anorexic types and they say the store isn't for them. Let's take the popular teenage stores' Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollisters for example. These stores market to skinny teeny boppers. The tight, low cut clothes that the youth have today, sort of brings up that bile taste in the back of my throat and makes me ask myself, how fucked up are we to market our children this way in the first place. No offense you can wear whatever you damn well please, but for these little stores to cater to such tightly worn clothes, by both men and women .. it sort of says something about society.

Let's take adult stores like Express or Ralph Lauren. Well I can find Jeans there, because I'm mostly fit, but still if I drink a little too much on a weekend, the damn things won't fit the next day, due to no elastisticity. I don't even buy tight wear boot cut jeans, I just buy the damn things that are cheap and look a little bit beat up and on the more manly side (not the tight women's jeans dudes are wearing today).

Our society caters only to the "In" crowd, and no offense, the bigger folks will never be in the "in" crowd for as long as America is around. In the past 10 years we have identified and became self aware that America is a might obese place to live. 50% of our children in the ages of 11-19 are overweight. 10-15% of these children have health problems on account of it (diabetes, heart arrthmias, and some times blood clots at the later ages.)

I agree we are fat, though our damn food market doesn't help. Food is like cocaine over here in the states. We put in high amounts of sodium in all our meats, we have over produced processed foods which has mounds and mounds of chemicals in them. We put cheese on everything it seems, even salads. Our deserts alone are over 800 calories, and things like yogurt are just a snack instead of a meal. We always take advantage of fast food, due to we don't have time too cook, or are too lazy to cook a home meal due to a long day of work. And fast food consists of a bag of shit basically. You literally are injecting greese into your veins, aka Breaking out with acne + fat as shit. Tell me something, do you feel like going outside after having a big mac? No. You want to take the 3 hours necessary to digest, when a healthy meal would take like 10-30 minutes.

We also have all the excuses in the world not to TRY to at least do something about our weight. No offense Elvenangel, but genetics is no excuse period. Whoever you read about, unless you have a disease, this is not an excuse. Being overweight and being obese are another thing. If you stay obese too long, there are definitely over the top health risks. I'm not saying be super thin, I'm not even saying be thin, I'm saying be healthy enough to go outside and do something for at least 1-2 , 2-3 hours a day. The reason the american demographic is called the fattest, because we hardly walk anywhere, while in other countries walking is the main source of transportation. I can never empathize with bigger people, because I enjoy food like anyone else, hell I can eat more than most people I know (bigger people included) but it all depends what you eat and what restraint you show.

If you have a Mcflury, a milk shake, or anything else.. that right there is like 630-1300 calories (size varying) That's like 4-5 lean cusines.

Though let me get back to the main point, do what makes you feel happy. If you are happy being overweight obese, then fuck em all. It's you who needs to worry about yourself, not what others think. Shop online, and don't worry about going to the mall as much, because again I'll say the Mall is a trap.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

Over the years I've been bullied, insulted and humiliated simply for being overweight. I could deal with is when it was coming from kids and teenagers, because it's the kind of mean, stupid stuff you expect from underagers who don't give a shit about anyone's feelings but their own.

I was actually rather shocked to find that even adults will insult a fat person in a number of different, indirect (or direct ways) even in front of others or what you'd even call polite society.

People who bully and insult people because of their weight are just cunts. Period. Normally those people generally tend to think their looks are 'perfect' or are just hiding behind their own insecurities. At the end of the day everyone has a judgmental side to them, but the difference between the non-wankers and the wankers is that the former might think it but it doesn't bother them. I'll admit myself that sometimes I walk down the street and I might think someone is a bit overweight, but I wouldn't think any less of them because of it.

And worse yet, I was horrified to realize that people actively discriminate obese or overweight people. I got a big taste of that on one of my first ever job hunting excursions. I was applying for sales girl in a clothes shop of a rather well-known brand and frankly they sounded like they were desperate for hiring...and then they drop the bomb: "I'm sorry, you're quite qualified but you'd be unable to wear the clothes of our line around the store..."

Fast forward a year or two later, I enter a different store because I liked a particular pair of jeans. So while I'm browsing around the store I notice that the two sales girls have more or less slowed down their work tidying clothes and whatever (no other customers) and are talking quietly.I can't hear what they're saying but they're both eying me an awful lot. Eventually one of them comes up and asks me if I need help. I ask about the jeans I saw on the window and before I can even ask about the sale...the girl randomly blurts: "Oh, I'm sorry. This doesn't come in sizes over L..."

I think the problem with these two scenarios is that they're potentially on different ends of the spectrum. Whilst I don't agree with the whole 'you need to wear out clothes' if that's company policy, it's company policy and it's not that unexpected. My ex used to work in USC in Middlesbrough (UK) and she was forced to buy Soviet brand clothing to wear to work as was everyone else. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand why you'd be pissed off but I honestly do think it might be down to company policy rather than discrimination. Is it technically discrimination? Yes, and I've never agreed with the "you have to wear our clothes" which I told my ex. Is it solely down to your looks? I'm not so sure.

With that latter scenario, those girls just fit into my first paragraph about being wankers. What they were doing was simply nasty and unprofessional, which I feel is the difference between the two cases.

This kinda thing's been repeated over the years. People who randomly have wanted to insult me (like some guy who was cussing out my mom because he nearly rammed our car with his stupid jeep and I told him to cut out the swearing), the first thing they grab onto and spout is stuff like 'fatso, 'fat bitch' or 'pachyderm'

Again, those people are just arseholes.

And then there's people appearing on TV, or writing health articles in papers and such. They all talk in a very patronizing and holier than thou attitude. They always talk about obesity as a disease (which, if you ask me is a heap of stupid turd) and how people need to be cured. You can almost hear the 'you fat people are a lesser species and we can saaaave youuuu' in their voices.

I know what you mean with this, especially in this country which is why I specifically avoid certain articles in papers or certain programs on the radio or TV because not only is it patronizing to certain people those people blurt out shite that isn't even true, especially when it comes down to dieting and exercising and things like that. Anything fitness wise I tend to go to LIVESTRONG.COM because it's written in a professional manner and doesn't discriminate against groups of people.

And don't get me started on the fashion industry and clothes designers. If you're a bit fat, you're forced to go to specialized stores for clothes and most of the time they have incredibly bad clothes that I wouldn't be caught dead in. And going into those kind of specialty stores can feel bad or ashamed...like every other store doesn't want you and you're settling for what you can get. I don't understand why regular stores won't carry sizes for bigger people. Fine, don't carry hot pants for obese teeny boppers and incredibly short skirts or skimpy shirts... but regular sweaters? Normal jeans? Underwear? What's so wrong with allowing fashion for chunkier people? It's like they're trying to tell us that the planet belongs to skinny people and all the rest of us who have a bit more fat on our bones are all maggots.

As far as designer clothes go it literally comes down to the whole 'sex sells' type of advertising unfortunately. Again, I don't necessarily agree that designer clothes shouldn't be made for bigger people but the harsh reality of life is that the fashion industry is extremely shallow. For example:

The picture on the far left is an actual irl non-photoshopped photograph of the model. Yes, she was sacked by Ralph Lauren for being too fat.

 

[nomad]

This isn't news. Of course fat people are treated like lesser human beings. Whether it's due to genetic problems or not, it's not acceptable in society because it's not attractive and for other reasons. I try not to consciously judge people for being fat, but I'm sure I, like everyone else, unconsciously judge people for every little reason and it probably affects my overall behavior. Sorry.

I edit/write direct mail/email for a life/health insurance company. I deal with the "business to business" communications, so I'm generally making things for insurance brokers and employers to read. And obesity comes up frequently enough in these communications. The health insurance company has wellness programs and coaches to help members reach a healthy weight through exercise and diet, and it's explained that a lot of costly chronic conditions (costly to the employer, employee, and insurance company) are due to preventable unhealthy lifestyle situations; obesity causes a lot of these problems. Obesity causes high blood pressure, diabetes, can lead to stroke and heart disease, and lots of other things. So in the professional world, obesity is considered a high-risk situation for health insurance and costs a lot of people a lot of money every year.

It's also really just not good for you. It's terribly unhealthy. If you're obese, you should be seeking ways to combat it. If it's tough, there are plenty of programs to help you reach a healthy weight.

 

[Rapture]

I think I've said it before in one or two of my previous posts in this forum...but society is bent on an image of perfection.

Women are discriminated against men in the workplace and therefore we get paid less for doing the same exact job. Companies are less likely to hire people in their 50's now than those in their 20's because they can probably get away with paying the person in their 20's less because they might have less career experience...which is ageism. I could go on and on.

It stinks but there really is no drive to fix this pov and an attitude of tolerance is far from what society on a whole is about today.

I myself have been ridiculed for being too thin. I have had friends who have had gastric bypass surgery and have said to me "oh if only I had your build or was like you." ..and I say "actually, you don't want to be like me because I've heard people say I look anorexic." ...and you get that awkward silence and they change the subject.

The point is, if you yourself are worried about your weight and are feeling unhealthy... or are uncomfortable with your appearance then you need to try things that will help you lose weight until you are fortunate enough to find something that works. If not, gastric bypass may be an option. Research it, explore your options...and go from there. Information is your best weapon.

The trick is to find a way to be happy with yourself. People will always try to find a way to ridicule someone because they are different or disapprove of them in some sort of way. ...its not their opinion that really matters though, its yours that does. ...and there will always be mean and hateful people out there that are either so ignorant that they don't realize that what they are saying might actually hurt someone...and there are others that are purposely out to hurt other people. There are always people like that out there, its just the way they are.

 

[Howl]

Alright I think your clash is actually wish society, not people in general. People in general, are pre-programmed to what society finds fit.

Today's day and age people don't want to provide coverage to every weight class, because if you put XS with a XXL, you tend to get people coming into the store confused as of what to buy. They see these bigger less appealing people, or if they are the bigger the skin and bone anorexic types and they say the store isn't for them. Let's take the popular teenage stores' Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollisters for example. These stores market to skinny teeny boppers. The tight, low cut clothes that the youth have today, sort of brings up that bile taste in the back of my throat and makes me ask myself, how fucked up are we to market our children this way in the first place. No offense you can wear whatever you damn well please, but for these little stores to cater to such tightly worn clothes, by both men and women .. it sort of says something about society.

I think a lot of men and women have overlooked the fact that these stores are geared towards boys and girls. Hollister in particular advertises their clothing as 'surf apparel'. How many sufers are overweight?

Not to mention that the guy behind the cash register might actually be some kind of bearded collie.

Is that shaggy dog ringing me up?

I agree we are fat, though our damn food market doesn't help. Food is like cocaine over here in the states. We put in high amounts of sodium in all our meats, we have over produced processed foods which has mounds and mounds of chemicals in them. We put cheese on everything it seems, even salads. Our deserts alone are over 800 calories, and things like yogurt are just a snack instead of a meal. We always take advantage of fast food, due to we don't have time too cook, or are too lazy to cook a home meal due to a long day of work. And fast food consists of a bag of shit basically. You literally are injecting greese into your veins, aka Breaking out with acne + fat as shit. Tell me something, do you feel like going outside after having a big mac? No. You want to take the 3 hours necessary to digest, when a healthy meal would take like 10-30 minutes.

Well you basically said everything that needs to be said right their.
It's easy to blame the food industry but after all is said and done, people are shoving pig shit into their own pie holes. It's easy, really.

1) Don't eat fast food, or if you do, only as a treat once a month or so.

2) Snacks are not meals. For example, most people ignore the fact that a serving of oreos is only TWO cookies.

3) A meal is not intended to put you to sleep. Eat in small portions. When you eat large meals, your stomach stretches and expects more. When you overload, your body diverts all of its energy to digestion.

4) Sodas are snacks. Always drink water with a meal because it helps you digest your food. Throwing down sodas only tacks on more calories. IMO, soda is a snack to be enjoyed between meals.

5) If and when you do work out, walking at 2.0 with zero incline on a treadmill burns about as many calories as walking to the fridge. If you're heart's not pumping, you're wasting your time.

If your body is creating a road block where your mind should be in control, there's an issue. It doesn't happen overnight either; you have to pace yourself and create goals.



Here's a really good practice I recently learned. Next time you're about to bite into something delicious, do it with your eyes closed. You'd be surprised at how much pre-meditated satisfaction comes from the sight of good-looking food. Don't oogle it, just toss it into your mouth without looking at it and really give it a taste test. I've almost completely lost interest in oreos with this method; they really are disgusting little things.

 

[Dee]

I think if you're at a weight where you're still healthy, but you've got meat on your bones, it should be fine--no biggie. However, a lot of larger people tend to use the excuse that it's genetics and nothing else and their eating habits do not come into play (ever or rarely) and then whine about the fact that they can't lose weight, etc, so on and so forth. NO I am not saying, at all, that this is one of those threads. I think people of all shapes and sizes should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of what the scale says. And if you're large and you're proud and don't care to do anything about it, then embrace it, own it. But if you're generally concerned about the most important things like HEALTH, you need to do something about it (if you are capable of losing the weight).