"Come on man, seriously. How can anyone be so ignorant as to form a huge group, no pun intended, that totally shuns being healthy and helps its members think it's okay and good to be 3, 4, 5, 600 pounds ... "
Uh, that personally isn't quite the message *I* get over there. Maybe some people have improved their self-image to the point that they're not wretchedly, grindingly miserable every waking minute over what they weigh, but I don't think anyone over there would *recommend* anyone be that big. The purpose of the board is more like, If you do weigh that it does suck, and we're here for moral support if you can lose weight/if you can't lose weight/if you hate it/if you don't hate it/but especially if you're getting flak for it. And, there are those *few* who wouldn't want to lose anything. We're not there to haze those people. (That's *y'all's* job ...
)
Maybe there are a couple of people who "totally shun being healthy" but most folks have tried and failed to lose weight so many times they are just fed up. You haven't had that experience. I have. Some people just want to be as healthy as they can at the weight they're *at.* I personally want to exercise and eat healthier **whether I lose any weight in so doing or not** and I don't know anyone over there who would argue with me on that point.
"I've been lurking on this board and over at the NAAFA board too. I gotta ask the question: why the hell is there such an organization that calls for "fat acceptance" when they can't even accept their own bodies? Why do we have to accept them when they can't even accept themselves?"
Actually, some of us are doing a pretty good job of accepting ourselves the way we are. For some people, that's the only way to start changing anything ... Actually, *you* don't have to accept anything at all. However, if you don't, why don't you just go away and quit harrassing people? You people are acting like schoolyard bullies. We didn't start this.
"So I did somethin' about it. I stopped stuffing my face, took responsibility for my own actions (that's something I have yet to see over there), quit feeling sorry for myself and got my ass moving! I've lost about 50 pounds from exercising and eating better. I feel great. So why the hell can't those fatties do it too?"
As I said, most fat people have tried and tried and tried to lose weight. Most of the time, it all comes back and then some. If it's so simple then why are only 3% of all people who attain significant weight loss able to keep it off long term??? For those of you who really did use to be fat, do you realize that you are in the tiny *3%* of people who successfully and permenently lose weight?? Good for you, but most people don't experience your success!! And a whole lifetime of failure does tend to leave a person disgruntled and discouraged.
That board is there because people *are* discouraged. They've had it, OK?? It's easy for you to say, "Well, they've done the wrong things. All they have to do is this, this, and this," but it's tough for people in that state of mind to pick themselves up and try AGAIN. People feel like failures as people and they're sick of that.
Maybe some day some of those people WILL be able to try again, and they'll find the thing that will actually keep the weight off. But chances are it won't happen if all you can meet a discouraged, defeatist attitude with is "YFF."
Better yet, why not just let people alone? Those who really want to work toward the best health they can have will find their own way -- and you know what, it may never be yours! I don' t think people are doomed to hell fire eternal for committing the unforgivable sin of eating some way different from what you eat, or exercising some way different from your way. Personally, if I never get diabetes or heart disease, and I can still cook and do for myself at age 80, I've met my first goal no matter what I look like, and you won't have to whine about paying any of my health bills either.
You can't make a person change before they're ready to change. I think an accepting environment does more to foster that for the overweight than you people.
Mojo:
"One of the mods sent me a message that said I was not welcome there because I am thin."
WHAAAAAT?????
If you still have a copy of that message, I'd like to see it, because I frankly don't believe *any* of our moderators would ban anyone just because they are thin!!!
Come to think of it, I still haven't seen that link where J Portnik describes herself as weighing 350 lbs. Hmmm ... how 'bout it, Hulkster???
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