girl_somebody

The most logical answer I've read yet!
-----Added 3/8/2008 at 10 : 39 : 53-----
These type of comments just anger me. I am overweight, and honestly, why do you care? Do have the same disgust and scorn for healthy weight smokers? What about athletes that drink? Same amount of finger pointing? Really, why do you care what health problems a person may have because they are overweight? How does it affect YOUR quality of life? And don't feed me some bullshit line about how your tax paying money is going to pay for these peoples health problems. There are millions of other health problems burdened on THIN otherwise "Healthy people" as well.

I agree that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best choice in the long run, I am not trying to say otherwise. But to say that I shouldn't enjoy my life because I am overweight is just stupid.

The problem with people like you, is that you think that every overweight person is exactly like the woman that was described by the pool: overweight, letting it all hang out, and explaining she'd rather eat her meals at mcdonalds than go through the hassle of cooking them. That is not the case. I for example, am predispositioned to being overweight: i come from a large family. I have a desk job, that does not allow me to be very active. I've had 2 babies (both a healthy weight I might add) and I don't eat at fast food restaurants every day. We are a low income family, which makes it difficult to always buy and eat right (a 69cent box of KD is alot more affordable at times!) Of course I *could* be doing an aerobic work out right now instead of sitting here typing this, couldnt I? But I guess that'd be my choice and not yours. My husband used to be thinner, but being a long haul truck driver, he's gained weight. Are you saying he shouldn't be able to enjoy a day at the beach with his shirt off because you think his belly has a little jiggle to it?

And so you're saying, not only do I have the pressure of raising my kids to be good people, to know right from wrong, to teach them to look both ways before crossing the street, to to be kind and patient and polite and share, to know their ABC's by kindergarten, but that I ALSO have to worry about other people evaluating my parenting skills, based on my child's weight????

Of course I don't agree with parents setting their kids in a bad eating pattern: i.e. not teaching them the importance of healthy foods, and feeding them sugar filled fattening foods instead. But it's really none of my business.

Maybe I should calm down and point out that I am thinking of two different classes of overweight people:

There are people who are overweight who, even though they are overweight themselves, encourage their children to eat healthy and be healthy. (such as myself) I'm not totally happy with my weight, but I am accepting and realize that I have just given myself a hard enough push yet to do anything about it. Again, MY problem, not yours. Why shouldn't I feel confident and good about myself. Should I have to live each day in disgust for myself, reminding myself how disgusting society finds me? You talk about long term health effects of being overweight, but you are not thinking about the long term mental health effects that you are instilling and encouraging by having such an ignorant attitude.

Then there are people who just don't care about anything related to health, and I DO feel sorry for kids who are raised that way. But maybe one thing I have to accept is that I can't change that. But just because these kids are raised in poor conditions, doesn't mean they should be riducled for it.