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I am not arguing that point , just that unless you have some inner knowledge about what she eats you are just guessing and judging based on no factual evidence.
I am pretty sure that being obese is an impediment to being healthy, no matter how far one can run.
Lets just use logic. Diabetes, high blood pressure, diabetes, some cancers, etc... Then we look at the bones that hold us up. Knees and ankles take on extra stress when one is obese. Now add pounding all that weight on those joints and you have a disaster down the road.
So while it is admirable that this person can run for a long time, I dont see the point.
I know I'd lose a lot of weight doing a lot of running, all things being equal.
Currently training for a marathon at 40 lbs overweight. I've been running and active for awhile, but was hoping this would be the extra push to help me lose some of the baby weight (3 kids in 5 years). Two months in--nope. It's definitely possible to train for a marathon and not lose weight. I'm even watching my calorie intake via an app. Ironically, I'm starting to think that less exercise at my current caloric restriction might actually give me better results. Who would have thought?
But I'm still doing the marathon because it's awesome!
We've all had/have a starting point with our own road to fitness and becoming a healthier individual. I do believe we should support others in their journey as well to better themselves, given encouragement & support alone the way~... I respect this person for getting out there and doing this! Wildcard~...
288-pound woman becomes heaviest to run a marathon and aims for Ironman: 'It's about visibility'
I am pretty sure that being obese is an impediment to being healthy, no matter how far one can run.
Lets just use logic. Diabetes, high blood pressure, diabetes, some cancers, etc... Then we look at the bones that hold us up. Knees and ankles take on extra stress when one is obese. Now add pounding all that weight on those joints and you have a disaster down the road.
So while it is admirable that this person can run for a long time, I dont see the point.
The thing is, it's not a direct cause-and-effect relationship between, for example, obesity and diabetes. Rather, the same thing that can cause type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular issues can also cause obesity - overconsumption, particularly of things like saturated fats, alcohol, sugar, etc. But it's not accurate to assume a particular individual has, or is even at higher risk for, those health problems simply because they're visibly fat. There are people who have enough protective factors that they don't develop diabetes or hypertension (say, exercise, a healthy diet, good genes, a low-stress lifestyle, etc.) despite consuming too many calories.
(Being overweight can stress joints, but being heavier from a younger age increases bone mass which can prevent osteoporosis, so I guess when it comes to bones, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other, where weight is concerned, particularly in women.)
There's some evidence that individual bodies tend to have a "set point" that they default to for weight, if weight is not being actively managed, and that this weight may not be what's generally considered ideal for the average person. There's also lots of evidence that yo-yo dieting is harder on body systems than maintaining a higher but steady weight is. There are also unlucky people who to maintain a "healthy" bodyweight can consume only a very low level of calories, which makes it difficult for them to get all their nutrients and feel satiated, without overconsuming and thus gaining weight even if they're eating good foods and living an active life. This would have been adaptive when their ancestors lived with the risk of famine, but it's counterproductive now.
Now, I'm not saying it's healthy to be carrying a high percentage of bodyfat. But I am saying that someone who is overweight, even quite a bit overweight, can be otherwise healthy, and that depending on the situation, aggressive measures to drop pounds may actually be counterproductive if the true goal is health. So it's best to leave it between an individual person and his or her doctors rather than making broad statements or assumptions.
I am pretty sure that being obese is an impediment to being healthy, no matter how far one can run.
Lets just use logic. Diabetes, high blood pressure, diabetes, some cancers, etc... Then we look at the bones that hold us up. Knees and ankles take on extra stress when one is obese. Now add pounding all that weight on those joints and you have a disaster down the road.
So while it is admirable that this person can run for a long time, I dont see the point.
I agree, but I do see the point. If this is her first show of great commitment to her health then wtg her. Maybe next year she will be a little less heavy and fitter and go further in the marathon. Fitness should be an ongoing goal.
However, I get the feeling this is being used in some circles as proof that fat can be healthy- a thing I disagree with from studying physical health and aging in university. So many seem healthy but are just in the asymptomatic stage of illness.
I'm sure I won't be seen in a good light after posting this but I refuse to agree that a 300 lb woman can be as healthy as a fit 130 lb woman who runs the same marathon.
Currently training for a marathon at 40 lbs overweight. I've been running and active for awhile, but was hoping this would be the extra push to help me lose some of the baby weight (3 kids in 5 years). Two months in--nope. It's definitely possible to train for a marathon and not lose weight. I'm even watching my calorie intake via an app. Ironically, I'm starting to think that less exercise at my current caloric restriction might actually give me better results. Who would have thought?
But I'm still doing the marathon because it's awesome!
I'm retired and live in a retirement community with a lot of people with knee issues/complaints - many tell me that they ran marathons. I never could understand why they'd do that to themselves. It seems like added wt is only adding more trauma to the hips, knees. Wouldn't it be better to lose the weight another way, perhaps cycling (less trauma), swimming, or spinning, resistance training/lifting (along w/ diet changes)?
I'm retired and live in a retirement community with a lot of people with knee issues/complaints - many tell me that they ran marathons. I never could understand why they'd do that to themselves. It seems like added wt is only adding more trauma to the hips, knees. Wouldn't it be better to lose the weight another way, perhaps cycling (less trauma), swimming, or spinning, resistance training/lifting (along w/ diet changes)?
Being overweight is probably the biggest cause of knee issues, not running marathons. Being overweight and trying to run a marathon is definitely not a good mix. I highly doubt that many of the people with knee issues in your retirement community ran marathons. The percentage of the population that has run a marathon is pretty low, especially for older retired people.
The next time someone tells you they ran marathons, ask them how far that is.
I encourage posters here to read about this woman more carefully. She's a fake.
Could you point us in the direction that discredits her? I tried to look it up but it seems its either her blogs or someone reporting on her run. Only one site criticizes her.
From what I briefly gathered is that she has no interest in losing weight, she just wants to set records or prove that obese people can do these types of events. There are two things that bother me about her:
The first is that she is not on so much of a health quest, but a way to legitimize her weight. The other is that you cannot be healthy being at her weight and she should at least address the dangers of pushing her body at that size. Being that heavy IS NOT HEALTHY.
That's a lot of fat to haul around. She better be careful.
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