Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Health and Wellness > Diet and Weight Loss
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 02-15-2012, 04:47 PM
 
3,417 posts, read 3,060,331 times
Reputation: 1241

Advertisements

Almost on a weekly basis, I see stats about how obesity is rising, yet I read articles about the pressures to be thin because of the media. I guess my question is, if this country is heading towards having 1 out 2 people being obese, how is it that there is pressure to be thin? If there was pressure to be thin, shouldn't more people be trying to lose weight instead of gaining weight?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 02-15-2012, 04:59 PM
 
Location: In a house
13,250 posts, read 42,640,746 times
Reputation: 20198
There -is- pressure to be thinNER. Not thin. ThinNER than obese, which is the current problem.

If people weren't obese, there'd be little pressure to be thinner, because they already would be thinner.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 04:59 PM
 
6,066 posts, read 14,994,784 times
Reputation: 7188
Don't believe everything you read/hear/see in the media/tv/even the internet.

Believe your doctor.

If your doc says you are reaching an unhealthy weight, then you'll have something to focus on.

If your doc says you are fine, don't worry about what other people try to tell you or the negative influences you're exposed to elsewhere.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 05:09 PM
 
3,417 posts, read 3,060,331 times
Reputation: 1241
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonChick View Post
There -is- pressure to be thinNER. Not thin. ThinNER than obese, which is the current problem.

If people weren't obese, there'd be little pressure to be thinner, because they already would be thinner.
But if there is pressure to be thinner, than why are there stats showing that in 20 to 30 years, 1 out of 2 people will be obese. Shouldn't pressure from media or wherever be forcing people to lose weight intead of gaining weight?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 05:16 PM
 
6,066 posts, read 14,994,784 times
Reputation: 7188
"pressure from the media" doesn't force anybody to do anything. It only makes people guilt-trip themselves and feel bad about themselves.... which is probably why fast food joints and candy sales are so profitable. When people feel bad, they often seek comfort in ... comfort foods.

It's a viscous cycle and one reason why TV can be really bad for you.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 05:27 PM
 
Location: Boise, ID
8,046 posts, read 28,367,082 times
Reputation: 9470
Quote:
Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf View Post
Don't believe everything you read/hear/see in the media/tv/even the internet.

Believe your doctor.

If your doc says you are reaching an unhealthy weight, then you'll have something to focus on.

If your doc says you are fine, don't worry about what other people try to tell you or the negative influences you're exposed to elsewhere.
The scary thing though is how many people like me there are out there. I'm obese. I need to lose 100 pounds to be at the top end of my healthy weight range. But otherwise, I am totally healthy. I've only been to the doctor (other than my ob/gyn checkup each year) once in the last 10 years, and that was because of a spider bite. I had various blood work done at that time, and it all came back normal. No diabetes, no high cholesterol. My blood pressure is fine.

So how is my doctor supposed to tell me to lose weight, when he never sees me?

Don't get me wrong, I am trying to lose weight, I'm just saying that not everyone has a doctor to give them this advice.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 05:31 PM
 
Location: Boise, ID
8,046 posts, read 28,367,082 times
Reputation: 9470
Quote:
Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf View Post
"pressure from the media" doesn't force anybody to do anything. It only makes people guilt-trip themselves and feel bad about themselves.... which is probably why fast food joints and candy sales are so profitable. When people feel bad, they often seek comfort in ... comfort foods.

It's a viscous cycle and one reason why TV can be really bad for you.
^^^ This! Except I would add in along with TV being bad, also "beauty" magazines, including the weeklies like People and US with all their "look how we caught a photo of this thin star in a bikini and they have gained all this weight (that actually is probably only like 10 pounds)" and "who wore it best?", etc. I avoid all of those.

Edited to say, there was a "song" (sort of a poem, really, but it was on the radio) back in the 90's called "Everybody's free to wear sunscreen". It was a list of (excellent) advice to the graduating class of that year. One of the lines in it said "Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly". It is the truth.

Last edited by Lacerta; 02-15-2012 at 06:02 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 05:36 PM
 
6,066 posts, read 14,994,784 times
Reputation: 7188
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lacerta View Post
The scary thing though is how many people like me there are out there. I'm obese. I need to lose 100 pounds to be at the top end of my healthy weight range. But otherwise, I am totally healthy. I've only been to the doctor (other than my ob/gyn checkup each year) once in the last 10 years, and that was because of a spider bite. I had various blood work done at that time, and it all came back normal. No diabetes, no high cholesterol. My blood pressure is fine.

So how is my doctor supposed to tell me to lose weight, when he never sees me?

Don't get me wrong, I am trying to lose weight, I'm just saying that not everyone has a doctor to give them this advice.
This is so true, and common, isn't it? I suppose in your situation the best you can do is what you are currently doing? Be your own advocate.

If you haven't yet hit your 30's, you are in a very good place in order to get your weight under control. Once you hit your 30's... it's all downhill from there for most women... it takes a LOT more work to burn the same number of calories and lose the same number of pounds for a 30+ woman to lose the weight than it would a younger woman.

I don't really understand, though, why people don't see a doctor regularly. Aren't there free clinics? Low-income health plans? Have you checked to see what you qualify for?

There is a low-cost clinic in the grocery store near where we live that is on a sliding scale. You bring in the last two paycheck stubbs and they base your payment on that and if your income is low enough you can see the doctor for free.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 05:39 PM
 
Location: Boise, ID
8,046 posts, read 28,367,082 times
Reputation: 9470
Sorry to do three posts, but I wanted to add that the only TV that I think has a positive "pressure from the media" are shows like The Biggest Loser. They don't show skinny people doing skinny people things, while trying to subconsciously make others feel jealous or fat in comparison or whatever. (so they will buy the Doritos they see on the commercial break, because Doritos are their sponsor for the show). Instead, they show fat people working really really hard to lose the weight. They may not be realistic for the real world (they lose 100 pounds in just a couple of months), but they do motivate a lot of people to get off the couch and do jumping jacks during the commercials. I watch it while I run on my treadmill. I'm currently watching old season 2 episodes on netflix 3 times a week when I don't have a current new episode to watch.

So there is a tiny bit of positive pressure from the media out there,that makes you want to actually make a change, and helps you feel like it is actually worthwhile to park at the far corner of the grocery store parking lot to get some extra walking in, etc. But it is largely outweighed (no pun intended) by the vast amount of "make you feel like a fat, guilty loser" media, that just makes people think "I will never be that thin, so why bother".
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2012, 05:50 PM
 
Location: Boise, ID
8,046 posts, read 28,367,082 times
Reputation: 9470
Quote:
Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf View Post
This is so true, and common, isn't it? I suppose in your situation the best you can do is what you are currently doing? Be your own advocate.

If you haven't yet hit your 30's, you are in a very good place in order to get your weight under control. Once you hit your 30's... it's all downhill from there for most women... it takes a LOT more work to burn the same number of calories and lose the same number of pounds for a 30+ woman to lose the weight than it would a younger woman.

I don't really understand, though, why people don't see a doctor regularly. Aren't there free clinics? Low-income health plans? Have you checked to see what you qualify for?

There is a low-cost clinic in the grocery store near where we live that is on a sliding scale. You bring in the last two paycheck stubbs and they base your payment on that and if your income is low enough you can see the doctor for free.
Why would I want to see a doctor for no reason? I despise needles. That round of blood tests is the only time I have ever had blood drawn, and it made me really lightheaded, even before they started taking the blood, just as a physiological reaction. I see the dentist regularly for cleanings, and my ob/gyn. But other than that, I see a doctor when I need to. I see the eyedoctor when I need new glasses. I see my GP when I get bit by a spider and have huge scary 1/2" tall blisters and then again 6 months later when my hands and feet won't stop itching. In other words, when there is something wrong with me. Why would I go see a doctor to have them agree with me that everything is fine. How would they even know what tests to run?

I would feel silly going to the doctor and when they ask me why I'm there, my only answer is "because I wanted to see your smiling face". Do people actually go to a GP just for a checkup? My mom didn't even do that for us as kids after we were a few years old. Only when we were sick. Of course, as kids, you are sick a lot more often, so having a pediatrician makes sense. But I've never been to the doc as an adult for just a checkup. Other than doing bloodwork, what do they check?

I have decent income and excellent insurance, so those aren't the problem, I just don't see the point of taking time off work to go see the doc for no reason. Oh, and I'm 33, so yeah, my weight loss journey will stink. But I'm working on it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Health and Wellness > Diet and Weight Loss
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top