Speaking of Obesity...

[smileyeagle1021]

I started thinking about this after reading the thread in customer suck about "why america has an obesity problem"

I started thinking about some of my lazy fat coworkers who will use handicap parking spaces for no other reason than they are fat... nothing pisses me off more than coming into work and seeing a guy who lost his right leg in Iraq having to park at the very outer edge of the parking lot and hobble in on crutches because all the closer spaces were taken up by people whose only handicap is that they are fat bastards... honestly, shouldn't these people who are so overweight be the ones parking at the very edge of the lot and walking to the building so the guy on crutches without a freaking leg can be close.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who wants to slap these people and say, hey fatass, maybe if you parked further out and started walking you might take off some of that weight.

And for the record, I am now 95 pounds overweight, I have been working on and off to lose weight (the heighest I've been is 100 overweight, and that two weeks ago and I've been working on losing that weight, and am hoping to this time get closer to my goal weight than last time, last time I got down to 25 over my goal before giving up)... and do you know what some of the things I've been doing have been... if you guessed when I go out shopping I park out as far as possible and walk in, and try biking more places... and guess what, it is working slowly but it's working.

[the_std]

I'm sorry, but what you just spewed is blatant prejudice. What about glandular issues, or other major health complications that affect their weight?

I agree that the amputee having to hobble in from the corner of the parking lot sucks, but you are assuming an awful lot there, pal.

Sizeism is one of my biggest pet peeves, and it works both ways. Saying "get on a treadmill, tubby" or "eat a sandwich, you stack of twigs". Both ways, it's prejudiced.

[anriana]

So your center doesn't have enough handicap parking spaces to accomodate all of the employees with handicap parking passes? Or are these people parking in handicap spots without having passes? These would both be issues your center should be trying to solve.


I know we've had at least one thread here talking about invisible handicaps - do you have access to these people's medical records? How do you know that their only handicap is being "fat bastards?"

[smileyeagle1021]

maybe I should clarify a little, the person in particular that I'm referring to admits that he uses the handicap space because he just doesn't want to walk... which I'll admit leaves a sour taste in my mouth about other people who have no visible disability other than weight. I know that invisible disabilities exist and someone may look entirely healthy but have a defective heart valve or something like that, but knowing the medical community I doubt that is entirely common... my grandma had weight problems her whole life and she did eventually have to get a permit, but that was because she was wheelchair bound due to her age, not because of the weight, she had to fight with her doctor that she didn't need a closer space that she needed to walk a little bit further (which is another reason why I have a sour taste about people who park in handicap spaces without obvious disabilites because I know doctors who will literally give away passes).
And in regards to sizeism, I will agree and disagree at the same time (i'm a chub and I admit it). I have no problem with people being overweight, what I do have a problem with is the people who will complain about how their weight is ruining their life and then go out to McDonalds and supersize (this same principle applies to a lot of things), I'm sorry you can't have it both ways, if you don't like your weight you are going to have to diet, if you don't want to diet you're going to have to start liking your weight. (so basically I'm saying that I understand some people are overweight for reasons they can't control and it's not the weight that bothers me, it's the people who could easily have control of their weight, want to control it, but lack the will to actually control it).

[Lace Neil Singer]

Also, the amount of people who have medical problems compared to those who just stuff their faces is very small... and yes, I have been there myself, suffering from compulsive eating disorder, the "other" eating disorder, so I know that there are sometimes other reasons for being big other than the obvious. But to assume that all obese people are only obese cuz they have medical problems is probably one of the reasons why obesity is taking over the western world. Maybe if some of these people had a short sharp shock, ie someone telling them they were fat, rather than everyone pussyfooting around them and tiptoing around the obvious elephant, then they'd make an effort to be more healthy. An elephant is an elephant, not a grey, gravitationally challenged, big boned creature... and same goes for a fat person.

[Boozy]

But to assume that all obese people are only obese cuz they have medical problems is probably one of the reasons why obesity is taking over the western world.

Quoted for truth.

There are lots of conditions and medications that will cause weight gain regardless of what people eat and do - but only up to about 20 pounds or so.

There are a few conditions that will make people very susceptible to gaining weight, but as long as they watch their diets carefully they'll be fine.

There are hardly any conditions that will cause excess weight gain to the point of morbid obesity; they are so rare, in fact, that I find it annoying that they are constantly mentioned during debates like this. They are statistically insignificant.

However, I live my life trying not to judge people. There may not be many medical conditions that cause weight gain, but there are hundreds of social, economic, mental, and emotional reasons. I'm not perfect either. I don't want that pendulum swinging around to me.

Besides, I have no idea how someone else's weight could be any of my business anyway. Live and let live.

[Rapscallion]

I have to back Lace on this one. My mother is a retired nurse, and when she was working she asked a doctor about the statistics for obesity. How many people had genuine disorders that caused them to pile on the pounds?

A fraction of a percent.

I've overweight because I eat too damn much. A shock like that wouldn't work on me because I know the reason and result.

It tastes rather nice, I have to admit. However, I don't expect special treatment because of it.

Rapscallion

[IDrinkaRum]

Prejudice against those with obesity is on the rise as it's the only "acceptable" form of -isms left.

My husband is fat. I'm fat. Not sure about my husband, but I'm an emotional eater. (When I'm upset, I eat. When I'm happy, I eat. When I'm having an anxiety attack, I eat. Get the picture?) Plus, both hubs and I love food and we love to eat food.

However, I'm on a medication that causes you to gain weight. I was in a car accident where I messed up my right knee to a point where I can't do too much walking because of pain. I have a bad back (fell on black ice and then a year later I fell on wet wood, lower part of back was swollen and black & blue for almost 2 weeks). My back acts up if I walk too much (shooting pains down legs is bad).

I would love to lose weight, but we have no $$ for the gym and my BIL#2 keeps promising us an elliptical machine that he wants to get rid of, but does he follow through? No!

I'll figure something out, but please. I don't park close to the stores I shop at, and I don't normally over eat when I'm either at home or eating out. I'm just fat. Thank you.

[tropicsgoddess]

My paternal grandmother is overweight and because of that and her shot and small frame, she has problems with her knees. I am 5'7" and 180lbs, which is a little overweight. I can understand where the OP is coming from: talking about the lazy fat people as opposed to the ones who are fat due to hypothyroidism and other glandular conditions. The laziness isn't the only problem why the US has such a huge problem with obesity, it's also the diets and the additives in the foods we eat. When you go into a store, how many foods can you name that do not have any processed chemicals in them or that aren't laden with high amounts of sugar, salt and fat. Tons. What gets to me is seeing the overweight and obese children who are too young to get things like type 2 diabetes because of the parents not instilling good nutritional and exercise habits. How hard is it to turn off the TV and take away the video games,junk food and tell your kid get out and get some fresh air?!!

[Zyanya]

I'm overweight.


I am neither self-righteous enough nor self-deluded enough to imagine that people have no right to notice nor judge.

They are just as allowed to judge me for being 'fat' as I am to judge them for having two safety-pins piercing their eyebrows or a big honking tattoo of the word 'Mom' inside a heart, or a crucifix the size of a baseball bat, or a beehive hairdo with a thousand bangles, or enough perfume to kill a cockroach.

[Slytovhand]

I don't have a lot to say on this one (but hey... like that's stopped me before :P)

I knew a guy at work. He was quite overweight... probably because of the couple of litres of coke he had during his breaks, and the hambugers (plural) etc... all while sitting at a desk job. He wanted to get back into the police force, but they didn't want him (he can't run for squat). I told him (not having a medical condition) - "energy output must be higher than energy input". His response was along the lines of "Sod that - I like my food too much"... fine - then don't expect to get your police job!

As for American Food (ok...stereotype)... yeah... much of it is preprocessed crap. We had an american ribs place open up some years back. I tried it once, and was disgusted at how sweet it was, like it was laced with sugar. If it was typical, I'm not surprised.

Similarly, in the "Get off your ass..." thread, I'm shocked that WIC only gets carrots and beans for vegies, but is entitled to a large jar of peanut butter... nice message going out there!

(as for thyroid conditions... which way does it go? thyroid causes the other physical issues, or vice versa.. or emotions eventually negatively impacting it, or..... I know what current western medicine will say, which is almost directly opposed to alternative medicines...)


Slyt

[Norton]

I'm fat as well. I don't make excuses for it. I mean yes, I had good reason to be overweight when I was younger (emotional eating - thanks mom!), but now that I'm an adult, my weight is no one's problem but my own.

Like IDrinkaRum, I love food and I love to eat. My boyfriend is the same way. Between his cooking skills and my baking skills, most of our meals tend to be feast-like.

Physical activities take a toll on me because I'm out of shape. I get tired, sore, and sweaty easily. Still, I don't go out of my way to be lazy. When the parking lot is full, I won't circle for 10 minutes waiting for a close space to open - I'll simply park at the open end of the lot, away from the store. In fact, when it happens that I have to park a half-mile away from the store, the first thing that jumps into my head is "Hey, my legs work fine. I could use the walk, anyway".

However, if I spot an open space right next to the handicapped stall with no one stalking it, I'll gladly take it.

If they object, oh well, prevents me from having to weed out the shallow people from the pool of potential friends.

Well said.

[Greenday]

or a big honking tattoo of the word 'Mom' inside a heart

I have one of those...But its not huge. It's easily concealable with any shirt that has a sleeve.

As for the main topic, if it truly is a medical condition, or something along those lines, yea, I'll feel some sympathy. But if the reason you are overweight is because of just plain excessive eating, eating unhealthy foods, and refusing to get any exercise, I won't be feeling much sympathy if I hear complaining. I eat food all the time. Tons and tons of snacks every day. I drink soda a lot. But just by walking everywhere, I manage to keep most of it off.

Now, whether I feel sympathy or not, I'll always keep my mouth closed. There is absolutely no reason why people who are overweight should be put down.

[the_std]

I wasn't saying that the Western world has high rates of obesity due to medical problems. I know that it's a small, small number of people that are truly obese due to medical issues.

I just took umbrage to the OP jumping straight to the conclusion of fat-bastard-ism. Like IDaR said, being prejudiced against fat people is seen as socially acceptable, and that makes me sad.

[Zyanya]

I just took umbrage to the OP jumping straight to the conclusion of fat-bastard-ism. Like IDaR said, being prejudiced against fat people is seen as socially acceptable, and that makes me sad.

Some people have internal chemistry that makes them always smell bad.

Does that change that most people who smell bad do so because of poor hygiene?

Does that change that I don't care to be around someone with poor hygiene and am usually justified in making judgment calls about them?