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I'm serious here - since probably no woman wants to go from normal weight to obese, if she does, that means at some point she gave up on herself? What about giving up on relationships and career? I can't think of any highly successful obese woman. And yes, I know that thyroid disorder, medication, etc. can cause weight gain, but the chances of going from slim to obese due to that are almost zilch. I'm actually trying to get over the probably common perception that the typical obese woman doesn't care, but at some point she probably was neglecting herself.
Camryn Manheim, the lead on "Mike & Molly", the one who played Charlie's housekeeper on "Two and a Half Men", etc. are quite successful in their careers. I am really bad with names.
I'm serious here - since probably no woman wants to go from normal weight to obese, if she does, that means at some point she gave up on herself? What about giving up on relationships and career? I can't think of any highly successful obese woman. And yes, I know that thyroid disorder, medication, etc. can cause weight gain, but the chances of going from slim to obese due to that are almost zilch. I'm actually trying to get over the probably common perception that the typical obese woman doesn't care, but at some point she probably was neglecting herself.
I used to know a young woman who was in fantastic shape, fit, worked out and was slim, around 115 lbs. She got placed on steroids due to a medical condition. Without changing her diet or workouts, she ballooned up and gained 90! pounds in something like a month! And got the awful steroid 'moonface'. She was upset, understandably but took in stride, and I admire her for it. I can't imagine how absolutely devastating it must be to have that happen. You really need to be a confident self-assured person to get through it.
I'm small and I'm absolutely terrified of gaining weight. I feel like a huge part of my identity is tied up in being feminine and petite and looking put-together, and I'd be absolutely devastated for that to change and go into a deep depression. In fact, I'm not sure I wouldn't be vain enough to refuse medical treatment altogether if it had this side effect. However, I know that this is not a healthy attitude, and I commend those who don't have it.
Camryn Manheim, the lead on "Mike & Molly", the one who played Charlie's housekeeper on "Two and a Half Men", etc. are quite successful in their careers. I am really bad with names.
That's true. Melissa McCarthy and Kathy Bates, too. Arguably their weight benefits them, giving them a career niche. (Shortening their lives, though, we'll probably find.) Oh, right, Kirstie Alley - http://www.people.com/people/archive...282114,00.html - but I don't really understand what she was thinking.
Some women put on a lot of weight after getting pregnant (probably from overeating). I'm not sure that takes anyone from normal weight to obese. I'm hoping for first-hand stories. However, a funny thing about Internet forums: they seem to have no obese people (I guess mainly because obese members don't disclose their size). I suppose there's less stigma against obesity in Latina and black women, making it easier for me to understand their weight gain.
I used to know a young woman who was in fantastic shape, fit, worked out and was slim, around 115 lbs. She got placed on steroids due to a medical condition. Without changing her diet or workouts, she ballooned up and gained 90! pounds in something like a month! And got the awful steroid 'moonface'. She was upset, understandably but took in stride, and I admire her for it. I can't imagine how absolutely devastating it must be to have that happen. You really need to be a confident self-assured person to get through it.
I'm small and I'm absolutely terrified of gaining weight. I feel like a huge part of my identity is tied up in being feminine and petite and looking put-together, and I'd be absolutely devastated for that to change and go into a deep depression. In fact, I'm not sure I wouldn't be vain enough to refuse medical treatment altogether if it had this side effect. However, I know that this is not a healthy attitude, and I commend those who don't have it.
Early last fall I was placed on steroids for six weeks due to a medical condition as well. Thank goodness it was short-term because I gained 20 pounds in that time. Fortunately I also lost it all over the next few months.
Very few people set out to be obese. Often it comes about due to depression, genetics, ignorance or certain pharmaceuticals, especially psych meds.
All that being said I have to wonder "why" this thread.
It absolutely can happen. Some drugs really cause a lot of weight gain, steroids as well. Coupled with the diagnoses people have who have to take these medications is a pretty bad mix. Some people have medical issues which cause them to be unable to exercise and then add on the weight gain from the medications.
It is just a terrible catch 22. You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't.
Then we have the people who think in such a way as this:
"And yes, I know that thyroid disorder, medication, etc. can cause weight gain, but the chances of going from slim to obese due to that are almost zilch."
Sometimes slim to obese isn't hard to do at all. I am happy for the OP that they do not have to endure that or know any fat people excluding the one man who died years ago.
People aren't thin because they don't neglect themselves.
There are more choices than thin or obese. And, to a degree, the OP is correct. If one neglects their diet and exercise for whatever reason, obesity can easily be the outcome. I think that is what the OP is expressing. And, once the pounds keep adding up, they give up rather than educating themselves about the causes and solutions to a weight problem. Lifestyle change to be mindful of themselves rather than neglectful.
I'm serious here - since probably no woman wants to go from normal weight to obese, if she does, that means at some point she gave up on herself?
No, it can mean any number of things. It can be a genetic thing. It can mean she had children and never lost the weight. It can mean she gradually let it creep up on her. It can mean she is comfortable as an overweight woman. Sure, it can mean she has given up on herself, but that is only one out of likely countless possibilities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodheathen
What about giving up on relationships and career? I can't think of any highly successful obese woman.
Being overweight or obese is not a career killer or a relationship killer. I see plenty of overweight women who have healthy marriages and careers. Perhaps if you can't think of any highly successful obese women it is because you don't get out enough? That you have not been exposed to enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodheathen
And yes, I know that thyroid disorder, medication, etc. can cause weight gain, but the chances of going from slim to obese due to that are almost zilch.
Do you have data to support this claim? And it's usually not the thyroid alone. For example with my wife her thyroid went kaput while she was pregnant and already gaining weight associated therewith.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodheathen
I'm actually trying to get over the probably common perception that the typical obese woman doesn't care, but at some point she probably was neglecting herself.
If you have genuine questions and are curious about this subject, that is good. And I'll concede that some obese people are there as a result of neglecting themselves. But even in these cases they still are unfairly targeted more so than other unhealthy groups such as heavy smokers, drinkers, anorexics, etc... It's easy to make fun of the overweight girl because society still very much glorifies or at a minimum condones some of these other conditions. So please keep this in mind when you ask such a "weighty" question.
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