Average size of women-a statistic that does more harm than good.

thatlemming

People always overestimate how many calories exercise burns, and underestimate how much they eat. I'm skinny, always have been but it's entirely down to the fact that I cycle/run/swim everyday for at least an hour and have a long (4+ hr) ride on the bike at the weekend, and the fact that if I eat crap, I feel like crap.

lostinrates

MandM90 wrote: »

I've done a couple of Zumba classes and didn't think they were very effective at all - the same time spent spinning or in a Body Pump class will get me going much more. I think they are nice as a fun way to move a bit but I don't think they are very intense.

lostinrates, I hope I didn't offend. I do absolutely believe that in some cases extra weight can be due a medical problem but having met one too many people (my own mother, included) who eats rubbish, hardly exercises and makes awful excuses as to why they are overweight I think it is too easy for the average person to hide behind imaginary 'metabolism' problems, having never actually had these diagnosed. In fact recently, on the train I overheard two teenage girls complaining about their weight whilst eating Burger King meals...they then went on to talk about how yummy McDonalds milkshakes are - bleurgh - and from my pre-vegan days I know these to be full of sugar and about 500 calories...and that's before even eating the greasy meal itself!

No i am not offended at all, just saying, the fat person next to you might be me, and might feel mortified about being next to you and making you uncomfortable, really,, profoundly uncomfortable. Some people find, especially if they are ill, this kind of discomfort with how they make others feel compounds their discomfort and leads to them perpetuating problems by staying home and being less active!).


though i do find the post above this one offensive.

Some one without a limb but other wise well may indeed find it easier to be fit than someone who is bed bound but with limbs. E.g. For a period of time when i was first ill i was in a coma, gaining weight while not conscious. I was simply not able to move at all then or for a while after. But people find it easier to assume i am more able to keep because i have two legs...sadly, broken brains, neuorolgy problems and biochemistry problems are less visible often. Some people feel like 'crap' when they eat 'crap' others might feel 'crap' all the time because of health. If i ha the choice of something that stopped me feeling rubbish you be i would take it.

To refer to being suicidal is not so far off either for many with chronic illhealth at times.

It just shows how damaging it can be to mental health that while i could not walk or communicate effectively i was worried about my weight at least as much and on discussions since then, doctors have talked about the chronic pain management etc, and i have said...thats ok, i'll kkep the pain if we can do something about the fat.... It might make people feel it would make them 'suicidal' to be ' doing nothing' but what i found was going from being an active person to one with enforced inactivity has been very hard. When you add to that the social pressure of how it looks, and the judgement not only on your appearance but your lifestyle and choices it can be very hard.

Fwiw, since the last post and this one i have been gardening, sometimes walking and standing, sometimes having to sit. Sometimes i have to do things like gardening lying down, propped up on an elbow. Often i am able to do stuff but no not because if i get physically stuck alone, forexame gardening, then well....i am stuck!

Today i am adventurous because my dh is home, and my mother came round, so if i fell or got stuck my mother could call my husband, or he would be here to sort me out .

Ten years aho the idea of me living independantly or taking care of pets, gardening, managing my own house (well....i leave hoovering to dh mostly) would have been impossible, but i feel, and society things i should feel more worried about how i look than how my health is.

I know this is not a majority position. But never the less, it is mine.

Brighton_belle

sophief333 wrote: »

I'm the same!

For me its not so much about how I look (although I would hate to look fat!), its all about my life style. I cant imagine a life of sitting on my a** doing f*** all! Seriously, I would be suicidal!

I am so passionate about being outside and making the most of my life. I mountain bike, rock climb, run, swim, walk, play sports! And then I go for a burger after!

Then be very very grateful that as yet in life, you have not been subjected to debilatating illness, particularly of the sort where it doesn't immediately show. It's very hard work to not only feel rubbish, but to also have to learn to let go of all the interests that you are passionate about and make your life fufilling and find other ways to be fulfilled.

And also, if you love a good burger now and can get away with it size wise because you do a lot of exercise, it is hard to let go of the 'treat' of such food, when robbed of all your usual pleasures in life (like exercise) and often your identity as someone who works for a living and is very active.

Edit to add; we cross posted: I do appreciate how you have put in in this post compared to the other one But do remember though that not all disability shows. I still don't like the picture you posted - how to we know the chap on the left doesn't have good reason not to have the drive and energy of the guy on the right. There is something so judgemental about those pictures and 'it's all about looks'.
I actually think the guy on the left looks fine anyway.

Mojisola

sophief333 wrote: »

I didn't meant to offend you, I don't know your story but you are maybe disabled? People like you (if you are disabled) just makes me more grateful for the body I have and more determined to make the most of it.

What I can't stand is lazy people who wake up, eat, watch tv, go to work, com home, eat, watch tv, repeat. Its awful how many family's see a day out a trip to the shopping centre. What kinda life is that?

Could you tell by looking whether the fat person you see in the street comes into the first or second category? While it's socially acceptable to be rude to fat people, those in the first group will get as much nastiness as the second.

**Patty**

sophief333 wrote: »

I didn't meant to offend you, I don't know your story but you are maybe disabled? People like you (if you are disabled) just makes me more grateful for the body I have and more determined to make the most of it.

What I can't stand is lazy people who wake up, eat, watch tv, go to work, come home, eat, watch tv, repeat. Its awful how many family's see a day out as trip to the shopping centre. What kind of life is that? And what's with all the 2year old kids that mindlessly staring at iphones, operating them like NASA engineers when really they should be out side getting muddy! No wonder everyone is so fat!

Check out this...

http://www.wimp.com/sitski/

Up at 4.30am.....watch tv while having a coffee & breakfast....start work at 6....work 12 hour shift (days & nights rotating) .....get home at 7....spend an hour with the kids...eat tea...watch tv....go to bed at 10.

And you think that's lazy? Try doing it 6 days a week & THEN come back :rotfl:

Incidentally, thats not me...its what my husband works.....Sadly, MSE won't let me post his reply when i read it to him

*max*

sophief333 wrote: »

People like you (if you are disabled) just makes me more grateful for the body I have and more determined to make the most of it.

http://www.wimp.com/sitski/

That's probably one of the most insentive and callous things I have ever read here. :cool:

Would you go up to a stranger who is, say, in a wheelchair, and tell them "people like you make me so grateful that I have a healthy body!"? Urgh...

adelight

I think sophiefff3's posts are being slightly misunderstood. Some people do have genuine problems and of course you can't know these just by looking at someone and often i (and many other people i know) don't judge someone about their weight/lifestyle unless i actually know them. It's situations like the girls on the train or people I know moaning where I do think "stop whining you're choosing to be that size".

The "I don't have enough time" argument is often garbage, people put too much rubbish before their health. If you try you can often fit it in. My OH is out working 12-13 hours a day(**patty** not taking a pop at your oh, they just happen to work the same hours but mine doesn't have kids to look after) and still exercises, often whilst listening to the tv. I've been doing 5 A levels, working 30 hours a week and caring for a loved one and still took care of my health because I am much more useful when I'm healthy and fit.

Tiddlywinks

sophief333 wrote: »

People like you (if you are disabled) just makes me more grateful for the body I have and more determined to make the most of it.
.....

Check out this...

http://www.wimp.com/sitski/

Do you have to try really hard to be offensive or does it just come naturally?

What the hell do you mean by 'people like you...'? People living with disabilities are exactly the same as anyone else - they think, live, love, have fun etc. They just have different limitations and considerations to those that are more physically able. They don't need to obviously appear disabled to have 'issues' - do you actually understand that?

Also, what does your link hope to demonstrate? Not all disabled people use mobility aids - being disabled is not as simple as you seem to believe. Some may live in constant pain, have fluctuating energy levels, have slowly deteriorating conditions or other 'invisible' factors that prevent them from just getting out and becoming anything like the 'Milk Tray' man in your link. You seem to believe we can all use this clip as our inspiration for bettering ourselves - I hope you never experience any condition that makes you personally understand how wrong you are.

I'd recommend you get educated on the subject before trying to lecture anyone again - otherwise, you just risk the chance of being seen as an un-informed bigot.

bossymoo

Shapes change after having children too. I weigh less now than before I got pg with my first (have only had two), like 2st less. But can I get in smaller jeans? Not a chance! My waist has gone. I buy to fit my waist, and I have a baggy @rse. I buy to fit my bum, and I can't fasten the buttons...

My youngest will be 2 in sept and despite losing weight, my middle hasn't gone back. It's so frustrating!

But, there is so much more to people than their clothing labels...

Brighton_belle

*max* wrote: »

That's probably one of the most insentive and callous things I have ever read here. :cool:

Would you go up to a stranger who is, say, in a wheelchair, and tell them "people like you make me so grateful that I have a healthy body!"? Urgh...

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Do you have to try really hard to be offensive or does it just come naturally?

What the hell do you mean by 'people like you...'?

I have read this quite differently and I am struggling to see what is offensive about it - I have people I have known who have said this sort of thing to me - " with what you have to put up with, I really appreciate my health" etc and I see it as supportive and a positive learning experience for the person concerned. I am glad I have inadvertantly helped them appreciate their own good fortune. And it is said to me in an a respectful way.
I can't image the op would go up to strangers and say it - she was responding to someone she was having a dialogue with on here