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The doctors tell me that being 5-10 pounds overweight is no big deal, but being obese is. And, the doctors tell me that "overweight" is not the same as "obese." Obese is one extreme of being overweight. Being marginally overweight is not unhealthy. If you take the "exact median weight" - for instance - say you're 5'4" with a small bone structure, female, 25 years old, never pregnant, living a fairly active lifestyle with no diabetes or cancer in your immediate family history and you don't smoke.
Maybe the perfect weight for you is 124 pounds. If you weigh 130 pounds, you are technically "overweight." You are above what is "perfect" for you. But there is absolutely nothing unhealthy with a 5'4" 25-year-old active female with no risk factors weighing 130 pounds. You might even weigh 135 - and feel terrific, look frighteningly exquisite in a bikini, have all the curves a woman should have...and be very muscular - this is technically "overweight" but it is also healthy. Not UNhealthy.
Overweight is a meaningless term. Obesity is a problem. Being overweight is not.
^^^Being closer to your ideal weight is better most likely because of how a higher body fat percentage affects blood sugar & triglycerides. At the very least one should aim for a BMI under 25, and closer to 20 for social reasons.
It doesn't look good. It's like when you go for a walk and see garbage lying around. You wonder why people would let things get that way. Why would people just leave garbage lying around. Often people look at overweight people and ask how did that happen?
It would be more correct to say that "there is a wide and deep consensus that obesity is a major health problem. About being overweight but NOT obese, there are conflicting studies and opinions"
It is certainly NOT the case that all reputable experts agree that overweight is not a health problem.
I didn't think I felt bad at 213, but in almost a year dropped to just under 170lbs...through diet and divorce...well actually the other way around (that's my secret I tell people when they ask...divorce!) It wasn't because of a fear of mine regarding my health or even how I looked...which I had always had an issue with, even when I was in a size 7, wishing I was a couple sizes smaller!
Of course I had always been unhappy with the way I looked, it wasn't enough motivation to be as successful as stress...the effort came after that, and the loss of about 20lbs. It was then that I realized how much I liked fitting into smaller clothes and less aches, that I'm sure would have not only continued...but would have gotten worse.
I have the same view as some of you, and have since plateaued...but intend to lose more weight because I am happier than I realized I would have been, but don't dwell on it! I too enjoy a desert or treat, on a very regular basis too! But I enjoy things in moderation, often in small quantities...not even because I intend to make them small, but just because my appetite and sweet-tooth aren't all too big. Don't get me wrong...when I'm really hungry, I'll have a bigger meal...it's just important to remember that the desire for the dish shouldn't outweigh your level of hunger...moderation is the most important factor I can think of!
And if you had a big meal last, or a treat...is it really too hard to maybe watch the next couple? I often feel inclined to be careful in such instances. I love fried food, which is why I mostly avoid them (not at all cost, and will eat them if that is what is served or far more convenient than something better), same with cheesecake...I bet I could eat half of my favorite crazy-dense strawberry cheesecake...but don't! Instead, I will buy only a slice and only once in a while!
For the most part, I have always had the same eating habits, I was just very sedentary for a long time! But stress caused me to almost starve myself...which was enough to make me drop weight! Now I have an easy time staying at that weight, but am now slowly adding in some moderate exercise to my daily routine, as I know that will be the next step in my new weight loss goals!
It will be worth the extra effort though, because even though I hadn't realized how unhappy and heavy I was...I am much happier now, and would like to get to around 140...perhaps even 130, that would be great, but I'm not pushing too hard! So enjoy life and be happy...but don't be afraid to at least practice moderation, I think that's the biggest key, along with at least some exercise! This is something that we should remember and teach to others, especially kids! Hopefully I have done that today, and maybe one of you will do that too!
The message that I was trying to say is that why does everyone assume that a 200 pound person must be unhealthy? What if they had 20% bodyfat at 200 pounds(it is possible). Are bodybuilders overweight even though some weigh 200 pounds with 15% bodyfat? Are they unhealthy?
I see, not only in this thread but in other threads in this forum, that there is a lot of prejudice and double standard against fat people. All I read is "they should stop shoveling (idk what that word means, have to look it up, cause its always used here to refer to obese people) food into their mouth and get to the gym" and much more agressive comments.
A user called "tigerlilydownuder" (lol, long name) made really interesting posts about this issue in this thread. I mean, why the prejudice? its like for you people, fat = lazy, lack of selt control, loser. Also, theres such a sense of superiority in what you guys write, like you do feel "superior" to a fat person only for being thin. Hey, im thin, been skinny all my life and i dont feel more or less lazy than any fat person. There are a lot of factors that can make a person fat, and there are also (in this same thread a lot of people posted examples) very motivated, hard working, un-lazy fat people!. Maybe they have thyroids, or a slow metabolism, or they live in those weird suburban places in the USA full of higways and fast food places (hey, i would probably be fat too if i didnt live in a walk-all-day-everywhere- city) or they have depression or some medical condition. I dont know, but to instantly ASSUME that a fat person is LAZY just for being fat is so ridicoulous.
Like, i know so many people that eat like animals, dont excersise and have the bodies of adonis (my boyfriend is one of them, lol, but at least he used to excersise a lot. I have friends that never excersis and they are thin and have great bodies!) and no one, would EVER look at them as if they were lazy. And there are a lot of thin LAZY people too, you know?. When i was a teen i was super thin (110-5´8-medium sized) and ate everything like there was no tomorrow. Nobody ever looked at me with disgust when i was eating cause i was so thin and tall nobody cared. BUT if an obese person is eating a hamburguer you instantly assume all they do is lay around in the couch and eat junk.
I know in some cases its like that, but there are so much more factors to take in count in obesity that is ridicoulous to be this narrow minded and bigoted against an obese person.
I see, not only in this thread but in other threads in this forum, that there is a lot of prejudice and double standard against fat people. All I read is "they should stop shoveling (idk what that word means, have to look it up, cause its always used here to refer to obese people) food into their mouth and get to the gym" and much more agressive comments.
A user called "tigerlilydownuder" (lol, long name) made really interesting posts about this issue in this thread. I mean, why the prejudice? its like for you people, fat = lazy, lack of selt control, loser. Also, theres such a sense of superiority in what you guys write, like you do feel "superior" to a fat person only for being thin. Hey, im thin, been skinny all my life and i dont feel more or less lazy than any fat person. There are a lot of factors that can make a person fat, and there are also (in this same thread a lot of people posted examples) very motivated, hard working, un-lazy fat people!. Maybe they have thyroids, or a slow metabolism, or they live in those weird suburban places in the USA full of higways and fast food places (hey, i would probably be fat too if i didnt live in a walk-all-day-everywhere- city) or they have depression or some medical condition. I dont know, but to instantly ASSUME that a fat person is LAZY just for being fat is so ridicoulous.
Like, i know so many people that eat like animals, dont excersise and have the bodies of adonis (my boyfriend is one of them, lol, but at least he used to excersise a lot. I have friends that never excersis and they are thin and have great bodies!) and no one, would EVER look at them as if they were lazy. And there are a lot of thin LAZY people too, you know?. When i was a teen i was super thin (110-5´8-medium sized) and ate everything like there was no tomorrow. Nobody ever looked at me with disgust when i was eating cause i was so thin and tall nobody cared. BUT if an obese person is eating a hamburguer you instantly assume all they do is lay around in the couch and eat junk.
I know in some cases its like that, but there are so much more factors to take in count in obesity that is ridicoulous to be this narrow minded and bigoted against an obese person.
Good post. But what I want to emphasize is that being fat most times is caused by being busy and sedentary. In my case I was working 2 full time jobs with little sleep and calorie rich foods since I had the money.
But what if someone is happy being 200 pounds? Those type of people exists,and they
Realize they will never be 111 pounds.
Another thing,being 200 pounds doesn't make you fat,its the body percentage that counts
The message that I was trying to say is that why does everyone assume that a 200 pound person must be unhealthy? What if they had 20% bodyfat at 200 pounds(it is possible). Are bodybuilders overweight even though some weigh 200 pounds with 15% bodyfat? Are they unhealthy?
bodybuilders are a kinda small subpopulation, and not really much on my radar screen.
I dont generally go around dissing people for being fat/overweigh/obese (though there ARE times I wish they would have bought two airplane seats)
THis is a diet and weight loss forum, so our orientation here is how to help people lose weight.
Of course people gain weight for all kinds of reasons. My sense is that hyperthyroidism (or whatever its called) though real, is relatively uncommon compared to the extent of obesity in our society.
And that you gained weight, does not mean you cant lose it. I got obese through one of the "involuntary" things that was mentioned in on of the posts above. I have finally LOST all the weight I gained. It was not a trivial task to lose it - it was not easy - it took work - but then it was not mind boggling in difficulty either.
I guess my POV is like an exsmoker, hearing someone who smokes talk about how hard it is to quit. I mean Ive been there, and I kinda understand, but I also know how very doable it is. And while I know all our bodies are different, I am suspicious that those differences arent whats holding others back so much.
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, have to look it up, cause its always used here to refer to obese people) food into their mouth and get to the gym" and much more agressive comments. 
to a fat person only for being thin. Hey, im thin, been skinny all my life and i dont feel more or less lazy than any fat person. There are a lot of factors that can make a person fat, and there are also (in this same thread a lot of people posted examples) very motivated, hard working, un-lazy fat people!. Maybe they have thyroids, or a slow metabolism, or they live in those weird suburban places in the USA full of higways and fast food places (hey, i would probably be fat too if i didnt live in a walk-all-day-everywhere- city) or they have depression or some medical condition. I dont know, but to instantly ASSUME that a fat person is LAZY just for being fat is so ridicoulous.
. Nobody ever looked at me with disgust when i was eating cause i was so thin and tall nobody cared. BUT if an obese person is eating a hamburguer you instantly assume all they do is lay around in the couch and eat junk
.
