Let's talk about something different for a moment. Let's talk fat people.

[BreweryYardRat]

There's a lot of talk about women and weight, and I'll encourage that in this thread. Let's talk about fat men too.

I'm 18. I stand 6'2", weigh roughly 250 lbs, and have a 22.4% body fat percentage. And in this charmingly fucked-up society of ours, that means most people give me disgusted looks, or look right through me like I'm not even there. I had to grow facial hair to conceal my double chin. Women don't even notice me as a potential romantic interest 90% of the time, although some of that may stem from poor social skills.

I won't claim my eating habits are all that great. I eat my share of junk food, especially chocolate. I've got a bad craving for Pop-Tarts. But I eat healthy food too. Breakfast this morning was a bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, Slim-Fast and whey protein. I can scarf large quantities of meat (dinner last night was 2/3 lbs of roast beef, some orange juice, and a cookie), but I do my best to trim the fat off.

I work out on a regular basis. Losing weight is hard for me because I hate cardio exercise, and I don't use any supplements besides whey protein blend from GNC. I prefer to lift weights, and I'm stronger than I look.

I'll never be really lean, because I suspect part of it's genetic. Several members of my family on my mother's side (two uncles, two cousins) are big men too. When your genes are wired to retain a certain degree of fat, there's no way to look like a cover model for Men's Health. The most I can hope for is to get down to 15-18% body fat or so.

Looking like a cover model for Men's Health isn't healthy, either. The human body needs a degree of body fat in order to optimize performance. And our society ignores this, for men and women.

There's also a nasty stereotype of fat people being stupid, but I have to get ready for my 9:30 class. I'll address that later.

***

And folks, let's not have any hateful remarks in this thread. I've seen some in other threads on the subject, and I want to avoid that here.

Edit: I'm just putting myself out as an example. The idea of the thread is to talk societal perceptions of fat people. And I posted in the wrong forum. I'm gonna start a new thread in GD.

[izzie]

1. I see not one thing wrong with you but how you think of your self.

I once got very fat as I was really depressed and that is how I fixed it. Ate. I lost 100 pound when I stopped being depressed. Maybe you just should think about why you are so un-happy with being 250 and you will find it is not so bad and you are a pretty good person.

[BreweryYardRat]

2. The idea here was to talk about societal perception of fat people.

Appreciate the sympathy, though.

[izzie]

9. Oh I never worry about what people think of me.

I do not know why but my whole life it went right over my head. I hardly understand that problem at all. It did not even enter my mind that you would have to worry about it. I guess I should as I am said to be in the most under classes type in society. Old women. Not one thing I can do about that and I will not start to worry about what society thinks about me now. I would also say you should not either.

[Beer Snob-50]

3. I gotta say seawolf, there is nothing wrong with you!!

I am 6ft with 25% body fat, and according to the trainer at my health club I am in the healthy range (I am also almost 50 years of age). When I was your age I was also considered "fat" however I considered myself far healthier than many of my contemporaries. I played basketball 4-5 nights a week (I still play a couple of days a week).

Society does look down on heavy people as not caring enough about themselves to get in shape thus how could they care about their jobs and education.

[CrispyQ]

4. My MIL once observed:

"Fat women don't get wrinkles like skinny women do."

You don't say how old you are, but age is also a huge factor with weight. It's harder to maintain your weight & if you put weight on, it's harder to take off. I think there are lots & lots of people who were easily svelte in their 20s & 30s only to find themselves with an extra 20-30 pounds in their 40s. Hmmmmm, sounds like personal experience speaking here. ;)


MY ROLE MODLES


John Turner at 67



Marie Wilcox Little at 73

[msongs]

5. it's your lifestyle choice so go for it if you like it

and since you have posted this in two different topic areas you must like it.

anyway, the laws of physics say calories in minus calories out = your weight, so it is all in your power to accept or change.

my personal experience on this issue tells me we (you/me) are NOT victims here.

Msongs
www.msongs.com

[ieoeja]

6. It's your age, kid.

When you leave school and get out in the real world where 99% of the people are older than you, you will find that your youth makes you relatively hot!

Far, far, far more importantly your circle of potential friends and lovers will expand ten-fold. Even if you still only hit it off with, say, 1% of the people you meet, there will be 10 times as many people who fall into that 1%. And you'll no longer give a shit about the other 99%.

If you're well adjusted that is how life works. A lot of people aren't that well adjusted and continue their entire lives worrying about the 99% with whom they don't fit. They end up living miserable lives ranting and raving on political discussion boards about how unfair society is never realizing: you aren't left out because they don't like the way you look/dress/act/think; you're left out because you don't like the look/dress/act/think that they do.

After all, if you really did like that look/dress/act/think, then you would look/dress/act/think that way, wouldn't you?

Try not to be one of the miserable ones when you graduate. Find your 1% and have a blast!

[Demeter]

7. Why Do You Care What Society Thinks?

If your goals and standards are internal, you will succeed.

If you take on someone else's goals and standards, you will ALWAYS be unhappy. Guaranteed. And you will get nothing done.

Figure out how YOU want to be and what YOU want to do--you are already halfway there--and then filter out the mass-psychosis that is popular culture.

Remember, in popular culture, 99.9% of us are LOSERS. And that simply is ridiculous.

Social signals cannot be totally ignored, any more than forest fires or tornado warnings. But they should not dictate your future.

Just be sure that you are acting in an ethical, upright, and honorable manner. The good people will find you out. Seek their company.

[BlueIris]

8. Um, a) I'm pretty sure "stress hormones" can mess with men's ability

to lose weight, too. Not saying feeling less stress will help you tons, but I lost a gigantic ton of weight after I managed to improve my self-esteem, and cut loose a bunch of my heartless, back-stabbing non-friends. b) I wouldn't stress about the "women not noticing you" thing. I have never known a weight-challenged man to lack for a girlfriend. All of my exes were mildly to...not-so-mildly weight-challenged. The only thing you might want to look into is self-esteem. Contrary to what the diet industry says, in good self-esteem lies better appearance, not the other way around.