I may have expressed things a bit harshly and I agree that this is a suitable forum for venting feelings. I wasn't commenting on any one post but just a general feeling I got from the posts. The world is a cruel place and anyone who stands out will get some rude insensitive comments made about them and to them. However, being overweight isn't a state of helplessness. One can do something about it. Some of the posts contained a bit too much "poor me the victim" type comments. And some were just ridiculously oversensitive to relatively mild or unthinking comments.
It is about having discipline I am afraid. That means keeping off wheat if you are wheat intolerant as I am. It means doing exercise. It means keeping to a regime during weight loss and having a plan for maintainance post weight loss. Any decent exercise/diet book will tell you that.
I agree it is terribly hard to get the energy to break out of the cycle of depression, fatigue, dependency and low self esteem etc that being overweight entails. But it has to be done. An important step is to educate oneself about diet. That means reading a number of books, getting medical advice (I appreciate many doctors are hopeless in this regard) and actually doing something about it. Too many overweight people ( I know I am one of them) postpone doing anything about it, for years in many cases (again I plead guilty to this)and then are surprised if the weight doesn't miraculously come off or stay off. Going back to bad habits after weight loss is another recipe for disaster (again I plead guilty). I am advocating some honest tough self love. Being here is a good step, but instead of sitting at the computer being on the treadmill is a much better idea or better still buy a kettlebell and do some simple swinging exercises at home, in front of the tv, with no superfit hunks or lycra clad skinny super model types to intimidate or depress one.
I am writing this as an overweight male, who has since the age of 32 been on a yo-yo diet. I am now 43 and fed up with it. I have cut out wheat, sugar (allowing for a v rare treat), alcohol (though not permanently - I just don't feel like it at the moment), all refined carbs. For exercise I do the treadmill for 30 mins 3 times a week and a kettlebell for 5-10 minutes every second day. That is it. I have lost 31 lb and need to lose about 45 more lb, so I am still pretty overweight and am well aware I could falter. I am also aware that I am on a regime for life and that if I go back to bad habits I will put the weight back on.
Sorry I have rambled a bit, but I really do think one's energies are better spent into being positive, rather than being upset about comments of other people. Perhaps one reason why those comments hurt so much is that we all know that ultimately, whatever the motivation of the commentator, they are right and we need to take ourselves in hand and lose weight.
It is about having discipline I am afraid. That means keeping off wheat if you are wheat intolerant as I am. It means doing exercise. It means keeping to a regime during weight loss and having a plan for maintainance post weight loss. Any decent exercise/diet book will tell you that.
I agree it is terribly hard to get the energy to break out of the cycle of depression, fatigue, dependency and low self esteem etc that being overweight entails. But it has to be done. An important step is to educate oneself about diet. That means reading a number of books, getting medical advice (I appreciate many doctors are hopeless in this regard) and actually doing something about it. Too many overweight people ( I know I am one of them) postpone doing anything about it, for years in many cases (again I plead guilty to this)and then are surprised if the weight doesn't miraculously come off or stay off. Going back to bad habits after weight loss is another recipe for disaster (again I plead guilty). I am advocating some honest tough self love. Being here is a good step, but instead of sitting at the computer being on the treadmill is a much better idea or better still buy a kettlebell and do some simple swinging exercises at home, in front of the tv, with no superfit hunks or lycra clad skinny super model types to intimidate or depress one.
I am writing this as an overweight male, who has since the age of 32 been on a yo-yo diet. I am now 43 and fed up with it. I have cut out wheat, sugar (allowing for a v rare treat), alcohol (though not permanently - I just don't feel like it at the moment), all refined carbs. For exercise I do the treadmill for 30 mins 3 times a week and a kettlebell for 5-10 minutes every second day. That is it. I have lost 31 lb and need to lose about 45 more lb, so I am still pretty overweight and am well aware I could falter. I am also aware that I am on a regime for life and that if I go back to bad habits I will put the weight back on.
Sorry I have rambled a bit, but I really do think one's energies are better spent into being positive, rather than being upset about comments of other people. Perhaps one reason why those comments hurt so much is that we all know that ultimately, whatever the motivation of the commentator, they are right and we need to take ourselves in hand and lose weight.
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