Don't read beauty magazines. They kill your self-confidence and seem 2 B 'fatist'!

:I: personally like a chunk of funk! :I: strongly believe they can handle it and they feel they have more 2 prove so they'll do anything!

But it is sad that some get concious about their sizes, all because mass media has planted this ludicrous ideology of a perfect woman being a size 8-10.

I mean look @ Victoria Beckham and then compare her to Chaka Khan (a radical example but...)... 'nuff said.

'dre

Has anyone read "Fast Food Nation"?

There are a few key reasons why we've got an epidemic of obesity in America:

• fast food joints - ubiquitous access to cheap, high calorie, prepared food
  
• television
  
• suburban (and to some extent urban) life that REQUIRES that we drive everywhere, and walk nowhere
  
• junk food addiction - entire rows of large supermarkets devoted entirely to chips, cookies, sodas
  
• supermarkets themselves - one stop megashopping for cheap food, esp places like "Costco"
  
• lack of regular exercise
  
• the myth that "normal" health calls for THREE full meals each day
  

When visiting European cities and towns, ever notice the absence of fast food places, decreased reliance on cars for trips to the market, larger number of smaller specialty stores that emphasize fresh ingredients, fewer megamarkets, and generally increased walking or use of public transportation.

On the other hand, Europeans seem to be 20 years behind on smoking. Sure, smoking helps keep you thin, but it's a short-sighted, nasty way to keep the weight off.

If you're overweight, step one is to swear off fast food. Step two: kill your television. Next, start exercising regularly, for life. Then shop for quality, not quantity. I'm 6'1", 175lbs. It's partly genetics, of course. But most of it is making better choices and getting regular exercise.

TheMax said:

Yes. Interesting read!

Maybe (!) 1% of all fat people r so bcause of disease. The other 99% r fat bcause of their food habits and life style. When i visit the us there seem (!) 2 b these 2 categories of people: the health freaks and the 'fat masses'. It definitely marks a dangerous evolution, since 'fatter' people not only put a burden on themselves but also on their environement and their society. What bothers me most though is that most of them seem 2 b proud and pretentious about it.

this thread is so sad and telling..weight..the one "allowable" thing left that can be openly and majorly discriminated against with extreme prejudice

TheMax said:

One thing that surprised me when I was in the US was the SIZE of portions of food served in homes, restaurants, fast food chains etc. They were huge!

I remember the one time my host family made dinner that month, they served a steak which was at least 40 cm. Also, it seemed more or less to be the norm to order an extra-mega-large menu at fast food places, where as in Europe, you can´t get other menus than regular or large.. Moreover you get refills in the US - that phenomenon does not exist in Europe at all... But Europeans are getting fatter too, so maby we´re just 20 years behind?!

tackam said:

okay i'm not with you on all of that but you raise an interesting point. i agree it sucks on airplanes, buses, movie theatres, sidewalks, store aisles, etc to be dodging other people who take up more than their share of space and aren't at all apologetic about overflowing into yours.
but if obesity is a disease (social? cultural? advertising?) physical or mental then we should be compassionate.

still, being compassionate shouldn't result in being squashed. if we were seated on a plane next to an alcoholic who became physically intrusive on us the airline would move or subdue the drunk. yet the airline permits fat people to physically crowd others in an already cramped situation? some people have claustrophobia to begin with and getting on the plane is hard enough. being forced into physical contact with strangers can't help so it's an issue which deserves consideration

Food = comfort to some people. I fucking hate some of the things that some of you said on here... it's sick. Would you sy that about a different race, or gender, or sexual orientation? Not likely. Yet you're actually so self-absorbed and VAIN, not to mention assholes.

I won't even continue on food addiction, depression, and these beautiful people with sould, hearts, and minds being shoved out of OUR world. For those of you who actually have the gall to say these hurtful and abrasive words to HUMANS, I have one think to scream at you: FUCK YOU and SHUT THE FUCK UP.

obviously people eat for comfort. we all gotta space to fill. so the junkie shoots up, the drunk binges, the crack head burns one. . .
and that's just it. if we ignore the problem of over eating and "shut up" about it it won't go away, it's getting worse, hell it's getting a LOT worse. it's like all of america is addicted to food. have you been reading the surgeon general's reports on obesity rates and how they've shot up in the last ten years??? it's weird and not good for our national health. not to mention that obesity ties into TONS of medical conditions (back, heart, kidneys, diabetes, etc) that we all pay insurances rates for. and with all due respect sweeping this public health problem under the carpet and maintaining a civil face on it by *not* saying things is like *not* mentioning that uncle bob drinks himself into stupor every night. the responsible thing to do is to accept that it's a problem, then help uncle bob seek treatment.

the flip side is anorexia and the culture of the thin. equally upsetting for different reasons. america is about as messed up on its notion of 'good health' as any country can be. betcha television/marketing causes a lot of this

Obesity is unhealthy. So is pollution, drugs, and crime. let's talk shit about fat people, woo hoo... some of you on here smoke weed, drink too much, inject, sniff, pop, whatever... and we're all beautiful, small or large. People can get addicted to anything. When food is shoved in some faces, it's too hard to resist. Show the love, not unjust hatred, or even nasty words. That's just terrible.

tackam said:

THAT'S some cold shit...

Supernova said:

(in a child-like whisper)She Hears Dead People

INSATIABLE said:

Sorry, but it's just not the same. There is nothing unhealthy or destructive about being a different race or sex. Saying that we shouldn't discriminate against fat people is like saying we shouldn't discriminate against alcoholics, smokers, drug addicts, etc. Naturally, such people are going to get less respect in the world, since they show a lack of respect for their own lives.

End.

PeterJL121 said:

you're quite right. Very! But let's not be rude or malicious, dispel the negative...

Ok, you psychopaths, I was being SARCASTIC in my previous post! I can't believe some of you actually agreed with it! You are cruel bastards.

I love this thread, because it shows who people really truly are.

Disgusting.

Tell it, rdhull.

Doves,
Mel!ssa

INSATIABLE said:

Amen, darling (and I hope you didn't think I was being serious in my post, for heavens sake, and if so, I'm sorry, I was trying to make a point. . .these people have made it for me!).

Doves,
Mel!ssa

tackam said:

jeez, what's the matter!? who am I? Do I want to know your version? Oh yeah, I was kidding too. We're all kidding. Keep on girl... dispelling the negative...
[This message was edited Sat Nov 16 21:57:32 PST 2002 by INSATIABLE]

INSATIABLE said:

. . .wha?. . .


Doves,
Mel!ssa

Uh, my version? The non-sarcastic one? Fine:

People who treat other people with cruelty are not the kind people I care to have anything to do with. The fact that it's socially acceptable to be cruel doesn't make it any less so. I am a fat girl, and people treat me like crap because of it, and it hurts my feelings even though I wish I wouln't let it. People think I'm lazy and have no self control. . .I'm a vegan, I live a busy and active life. . .I hate that people make assumptions about me, and I wish that people would take the time to get to know me, because I'm actually a rather cool person.

I posted the previous post to show how ignorant people can sound, not realizing that the aforementioned ignorant people wouldn't GET it!

Good gawd. Everybody take a deep breath, eh?

Doves,
Mel!ssa

PeterJL121 said:

While I think you are fully deserving of a giant "fuck you", I will instead point out:

*Being fat is not unhealthy or destructive. You can be fat and healthy. That is not TYPICAL, many people get fat because they eat too much fatty food (animal products, especially), and as a result they get heart disease, stroke, etc. But it is possible to be fat due to overindulgence in healthy food, as well as due to genetics, hormonal disorders, mental health issues, etc.

*Should we disrespect people who are fat for no fault of their own? Can you tell these fat people apart from all of the 'blameworthy' fat people? No? Well, then maybe respect should be your default position (you fucking jerk).

*That said, we SHOULDN'T treat people who have fucked up their lives for any variety of reasons with cruelty. They still deserve common, human decency. As you might know, if you had the tiniest smidgen of compassion buried anywhere in that self of yours.


GGggrrr. . .

Doves,
Mel!ssa

tackam said:

What about people who willfully mistreat their own bodies, either through food, drugs, promiscuity, mutilation, etc...

Are they not disgusting?

End.

PeterJL121 said:

No. Not to me. I'm not disgusted by people who have problems. They are still people, and deserve to be treated as such.

I have some doubts about the idea of them doing it 'willfully' as well. . .most people who are truly self-destructive probably aren't happy being that way! Something is wrong. That may be sad, but it's not disgusting, and isn't a reason to treat them with disrespect.

Doves,
Mel!ssa

A great movie to watch about this Problem of Overweight people is Fatso with Dom Deluise. It seems we just don't respect Overweight People and actually especially in HollyWood you must Conform to size 1 or 2. Those Designer stores carry only small sizes and Everybody is into Health Clubs and Gyms. Check this out also by age 30 you are doing Plastic Surgery Di'Regueur and you are that Bleached Blond Baywatch Babe. Is it any Wonder they are on Drugs with such Ridiculous standards of Success with their Rolls for Show? I've seen some of these women and they are Brain Dead from too Much Sun I do Believe or no Food. God, they are just DEAD BODIES that Don't MOVE! It is True. And Brains that are full of AIR...They are Indeed Killing Themselves. It's Retarded. I think Prince is Right with living in Minnesota. Away from the Plastic of HOLLYWEIRD!

tackam said:

All right, I guess I agree with you there. Sorry if I sounded like a jerk. Everyone deserves compassion. There is no way to justify disrespect to entire group of people. At the same time, though, I don't think they should get special treatment either (free second seat on an airplane, for example).

Basically, like you, I see it as a problem. And I just wish that people with these problems (addictions or compulsive behavior of any kind) would focus their energies on solving the problems (losing the weight, breaking the habit) instead of demanding special consideration when it comes to shopping, travelling, advertising, etc. (remember all the fuss over that health club promo?)

Anyway, that's my perspective which is, of course, hopelessly biased, since I've never had to experience such cruelty first hand. Once again, I apologize for my earlier insensitivity.

End.

PeterJL121 said:

I appreciate your apology.

The airplane thing is a problem. They make the seats for the average sized ass, which by definition will mean that it's too small for 50% of people! I agree that it is uncomfortable to cram next to a stranger, but at the same time, I think that it is pretty heartless to make people pay twice as much for travel because the airlines have crammed too damn many seats on their planes. As this will continue to be a problem, I would urge all y'all skinny people to be aware that the fat person next to you is probably mortified and would do just about anything to avoid your disgust at sitting next to them, but at that moment, there is nothing either of you can do about it except perhaps introduce yourself and try to feel less uncomfortable about the person!

I think that being fat is only a problem if the fat person thinks it is, and if they don't view it that way, they shouldn't feel pressured to lose weight to be accepted as a person in society. I, personally, have made major lifestyle changes and am still overweight. I'm healthy and happy, and do not feel like spending large chunks of my life doing pointless gym time when I can be out enjoying life, just for the sake of catering to our youth and beauty obsessed culture. That's my choice. I wish I didn't have to be socially punished for it. Unfortunately, people are very comfortable hating fat people, and don't feel the need to be shy about it.

Good to have a dialogue, I guess. And I also guess I'm sorry for calling you a heartless bastard, or whatever my actual words were. That wasn't nice.

Doves,
Mel!ssa

As u pointed out, a small minority will b fat no matter how healthy their live style is. However, what 2 think of the vast majority who cannot (or just doesn't want 2) control themselves, who take up double space on public transport or airplanes, and, last but not least, costs an awfull lot of monney 2 the community who has 2 pay 4 health issues. I have all respect 4 people who have some kind of problem, any problem, and who try 2 overcome that problem. But it seems 2 me most don't care or r even proud of their, u'd say above average, i'd say unnatural, size.

There are so many reasons why someone would be "fat" or obese. I can't look at anyone to say it's on thing or another. I've gained 40lbs in one year due to being hypoglycemic and it worsing last year. I had to get a dietican to help me understand how food works in my body and adjust my eating or of course, exercise more often. No one would no that just by looking at me.

Also because I have to eat a low carbo diet, I've realized EVERYTHING is packed with sugar. It's amazing.

Lastly, looking these sickly looking women on tv and in magazines doesn't help. I will only be a size 1 or 2 at death and yet for some that is the ideal size. If I can get back in a 10 I'll look very skinny, yanno.

But anyway, I say encourage people about being HEALTHY because there are skinny people who have damaged their hearts, etc trying to stays thin with undereating.

Rhondab said:

Health is the main thing isn't it? And if u look good with it then that's great.