A weighty issue

[FurryFury]

Fury,

Am truly curious. What pisses you off about it?

As someone who exercises regularly but is considered overweight according to BMI charts, I actually found it comforting in some sense, because the implication seems to be that fitness, rather than appearance, is probably more important to overall health...

Neon

The fact that it's not good enough to be thin and look good now, NO, you should be scared that you are obese anyway!

*grr*

I know people who do everything "right" in this area (diet, exercise three or more times a week) that have dropped dead suddenly to everyone's shock.

The whole, you just can't win mentality of the article, the media in general, the be afraid, very afraid-ness of it pisses me off.

Well I say fuck that, be happy. It's the only life I know I get. Yanno?

If that mini heath bar is going to make my day that much brighter, I'll take it.

I'm not saying go nuts but damn I refuse to live in fear. Something that my recent health problems have pushed me into for a while. I'm done with that now. I refuse it.

I'm going to enjoy what I've got.

Fury

 

[neonflux]

Thank you for the explanation. I do get it!
& back...
~ Neon

The fact that it's not good enough to be thin and look good now, NO, you should be scared that you are obese anyway!

*grr*

I know people who do everything "right" in this area (diet, exercise three or more times a week) that have dropped dead suddenly to everyone's shock.

The whole, you just can't win mentality of the article, the media in general, the be afraid, very afraid-ness of it pisses me off.

Well I say fuck that, be happy. It's the only life I know I get. Yanno?

If that mini heath bar is going to make my day that much brighter, I'll take it.

I'm not saying go nuts but damn I refuse to live in fear. Something that my recent health problems have pushed me into for a while. I'm done with that now. I refuse it.

I'm going to enjoy what I've got.

Fury

 

[FurryFury]

Thank you for the explanation. I do get it!
& back...
~ Neon

Thank you!

I'm glad I made enough sense. LOL

Lately I wonder.



Fury

 

[CutieMouse]

*****

 

[Sir_Winston54]

<Snip> Therefore, any increase in calorie consumption -- say, one more cookie each day -- leads to greater weight gain among an initially heavier person. </Snip>

Rut roh...

 

[neonflux]

A bump inspired by a news article I read the other day...

Link

Article:

"American women have gotten fatter as it has become more socially acceptable to carry a few extra pounds, according to a new study.

Florida State University Assistant Professor of Economics Frank Heiland and Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Economist Mary Burke are the co-authors of a paper published in the academic journal Economic Inquiry that argues that the ballooning weight of the population has fed even more collective weight gain as our perception of what is considered a normal body size has changed.

“This is a social force that we are trying to document because the rise in obesity has occurred so rapidly over the past 30 years,” said Heiland, who also is affiliated with FSU’s Center for Demography and Population Health. “Medically speaking, most agree that this trend is a dangerous one because of its connection to diabetes, cancer and other diseases. But psychologically, it may provide relief to know that you are not the only one packing on the pounds.”

The paper, “Social Dynamics of Obesity,” is the first to provide a mathematical model of the impact of economic, biological and social factors on aggregate body weight distribution. It also is one of the first studies to suggest that weight norms may change and are not set standards based on beauty or medical ideals.

Many economists believe that people eat more -- and thus gain weight -- when food prices drop, but that’s just part of the story behind the nation’s dramatic weight gain since the late 1970s, according to the researchers. The full price of a calorie has dropped by about 36 percent relative to the price of consumer goods since 1977, but prices leveled off in the mid-1990s. And yet American women continued to get bigger.

Heiland and Burke’s “social multiplier” theory offers a potential reason why: As Americans continue to super-size their value meals, the average weight of the population increases and people slowly adjust their perceptions of appropriate body weight. Given that these changes in perception may come about gradually, Heiland and Burke suggest the nation’s battle of the bulge may extend into the future.

Heiland and Burke studied body weights among American women in the 30- to 60-year-old age bracket from 1976 to 2000. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, they found that the weight of the average woman increased by 20 pounds, or 13.5 percent, during that period. There was disproportionate growth among the most obese women as the 99th percentile weight increased a hefty 18.2 percent, from 258 to 305 pounds.

The researchers also looked at self-reports of women’s real weights and desired weights. In 1994, the average woman said she weighed 147 pounds but wanted to weigh 132 pounds. By 2002, the average woman weighed 153 pounds but wanted the scales to register 135 pounds, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

The fact that even the desired weight of women has increased suggests there is less social pressure to lose weight, Heiland said, citing a previous study that 87 percent of Americans, including 48 percent of obese Americans, believe that their body weight falls in the “socially acceptable” range.

While it seems thinness is increasingly idealized in popular culture -- images of waif-like models and stick-thin celebrities are everywhere -- there is a gap between the cultural imagery and the weights that most people consider acceptable for themselves and others, according to Heiland.

Biological forces also play a role in the rise of obesity. An additional pound of body weight is more likely to be fat, which does not metabolize calories nearly as well as muscle tissue, Heiland explained. Therefore, any increase in calorie consumption -- say, one more cookie each day -- leads to greater weight gain among an initially heavier person.

The researchers focused this study on women partly because their weight gains have been so dramatic, Heiland said, citing a whopper of a statistic: 33.2 percent of American women over age 20 are classified as obese, according to 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. However, men also have become heavier, and the researchers believe the same economic, social and biological forces are to blame.-Florida State University"

Interesting, seems to mirror another recent Harvard/UC San Diego study that found the single greatest social predictor of whether or not someone gained weight was having a friend who had done so.

I do think that the reasons for our increased obesity are extremely complex and include increased work demands, decreased physical activity, the way food is both raised and prepared, and the low-fat food craze. (One has to wonder about the criteria/data the scientists fed into their "formula." I suspect that our standards have changed partially in responsse to people finding their weight harder to control, although 135 pounds as the ideal is hardly obese (and probably healthy).

In my own case, I do think that having heavier friends played a role in my weight gain, even though thyroid problems were the primary factor.

Neon

 

[CutieMouse]

*****

 

[reignophelia]

bumpity bump bump

 

[graceanne]

bumpity bump bump

Uh, oh. I think the tire's flat.

 

[BBWcanBsexy2]

I am overweight, I have always been overweight. At my smallest size I was a 12/14 (depending on where I bought my cloths), but that was when I was a freshman in high school. I am not going to say how much I wiegh now or what size I am. I gained alot of weight because of mental issues when I was a teeenager, but managed to loose about 40 lbs before I met my husband, and it's slowly crept back, loosing some here, gaining some there, then when I was pregnate 2 years ago, I was really strick on my diet, and I exercised regualary, and even my doctor said that I was doing an excellent job with not gaining alot of unessicary weight -- that is UNTIL I was put on bedrest at nearly 6 months when I went into pre-term labor. I feel like all I had to do was LOOK at a cookie and I gained 10 lbs because I wasn't allowed to be on my feet for more than 15 minutes at a time and I couldn't life anything heavier than 10 pounds. Needless to say, that's were my weight has come from, and I have not had any success in loosing any of it.

I have to say that YES, weight does interfear with sex alot, my self-esteme is rock-bottom, and I have to say that posting pics on here has helpa tad bit with it. It's mainly that I can not do all the positions that I used to be able to do and that I enjoyed doing. I love being submisive (more than I love being Dom) but since I can't stand feeling that exposed naked at my currently weight (that and I don't think that my hubby really likes to be dom with me at my current weight), I am usually Dom. While I love being in control, hubby doesn't let me do everything that I want to do (I fanticise about fucking a guy with a strapon or getting fucked while the guy fucking me is getting fucked in the ass), which has left me empty in some aspects, which then makes me wonder if I am happy.

Of course I love my husband, and he is terrific, but because of my weight, I don't feel sexy enough for him, which leaves me unhappy. I have tried dieting - I eat as healthy as I possibly can for what our income allows (we are barely above the "poverty" line for a family of 3 - just enough so we can't get any assistance - but we don't make enough to buy as much healthy food as I used to before I got pregnate). I try and exersice, but I have been making myself sick lately from anxiety (which I am on very strong , controlled, medication for) so I have a hard time working out like I would like.

There are two big factors in my life effecting my self-esteme : MONEY and my WEIGHT. One effects the other, which in turn effects every part of my life negitivly usually. I am trying to get healthy for my daughter, but it has not been easy with not working - not being able to find a job with the hours that I can work.

Hopefully life with balance out enough so I can fixx this weight problem for good.

 

[reignophelia]

Uh, oh. I think the tire's flat.

Graceanne! You crack me up. How are you?

 

[reignophelia]

I am overweight, I have always been overweight. At my smallest size I was a 12/14 (depending on where I bought my cloths), but that was when I was a freshman in high school. I am not going to say how much I wiegh now or what size I am. I gained alot of weight because of mental issues when I was a teenager...

[/Edited for brevity]
There are two big factors in my life effecting my self-esteme : MONEY and my WEIGHT. One effects the other, which in turn effects every part of my life negitivly usually. I am trying to get healthy for my daughter, but it has not been easy with not working - not being able to find a job with the hours that I can work.

Hopefully life with balance out enough so I can fixx this weight problem for good.

Good luck to you! We have a thread here where we're supposed to be getting healthy, but I'm terrible at it - quite stressed out these days. You should come over and say "hello" if you haven't already.

I saw your profile picture and I think you're beautiful!

Hang in there! Pm me if you'd like.

-R

 

[graceanne]

Graceanne! You crack me up. How are you?

Bitchy. LOL As the vicodin wears off, I remember why - I have an abcessed tooth. You?

 

[reignophelia]

Bitchy. LOL As the vicodin wears off, I remember why - I have an abcessed tooth. You?

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. I'm ok. I should probably sleep, but I've got quite the touch of insomnia. What's being done about the tooth?

 

[graceanne]

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. I'm ok. I should probably sleep, but I've got quite the touch of insomnia. What's being done about the tooth?

Nothing, I'll call the doctor and get some antibiotics tomorrow. I need surgery, but I'm on state health care, and that'll take awhile. *shrugs*

 

[reignophelia]

Nothing, I'll call the doctor and get some antibiotics tomorrow. I need surgery, but I'm on state health care, and that'll take awhile. *shrugs*

Oh maaan. That sucks. You mentioned Vicodin. Are they going to treat you with a combination of the antibiotics and some good pain meds at the very least in order to tide you over until surgery?
Hang in there.

 

[graceanne]

Oh maaan. That sucks. You mentioned Vicodin. Are they going to treat you with a combination of the antibiotics and some good pain meds at the very least in order to tide you over until surgery?
Hang in there.

Well, the weird thing is that I'm already on antibiotics - for the strep. Like I said I'm gonna call the doctor tomorrow and see if I can get sme more antibiotics, until I see the dentist on the 19th. Hopefully we'll be able to move things forward since i've got this freaken abcess. Or not.

 

[BBWcanBsexy2]

Good luck to you! We have a thread here where we're supposed to be getting healthy, but I'm terrible at it - quite stressed out these days. You should come over and say "hello" if you haven't already.

I saw your profile picture and I think you're beautiful!

Hang in there! Pm me if you'd like.

-R

Thank you sweetie, it's always very flattering when people give you compliments even if you don't feel like you nessicairly deserve them. Where is that thread located hun? I would definitly be interested in stopping in...

 

[HottieMama]

It's in this forum. i bumped it for you!

 

[WriterDom]

http://www.xpertfitness.com/map.swf

 

[Bi_Kitty]

According to all the charts about "how-much-you-are-suppose-to-weigh," I have always been overweight. I remember the summer between JR high and SR high, I went on a major diet. I lost a lot of weight and have to say I looked damn good. However, weighing 140-ish I was still overweight according to those charts. Those charts need to be updated. :sigh:

 

[BiBunny]

According to all the charts about "how-much-you-are-suppose-to-weigh," I have always been overweight. I remember the summer between JR high and SR high, I went on a major diet. I lost a lot of weight and have to say I looked damn good. However, weighing 140-ish I was still overweight according to those charts. Those charts need to be updated. :sigh:

It's pretty well-known that they don't take muscle mass into account, and muscle weighs more than fat. That's not the excuse I'm using now because I know I'm terribly out of shape and overweight, but at one time I *was* in shape and not overweight, but according to the charts, I still weighed too much.

 

[Homburg]

BMI is largely hogwash for health purposes. Body Fat percentage is a MUCH better metric for tracking that sort of thing. BMI is just an oversimplified thumbnail view used by the health industry. The idea being that the incidence of healthy people with high BMI is much lower than unhealthy people with high BMI insofar as gross trends are concerned. This is because heavily muscled types tend to have their own health issues, they're just of a different sort.

Example - Fat Joe has a BMI of 39 with a Body fat percentage of 31%, and is borderline diabetic, has bad knees and ankles, heart issues, clogged arteries, etc. Muscle-head Ed also has a BMI of 39 and a body fat percentage of 8%. He has bad knees from crappy form in the squats, irritable bowel syndrome from too much dietary mucking about, tendonitis in the elbows from too much benching, etc. Both have issues. Ed, statistically speaking, will live longer though. The sad part is that Joe is more of a burden on the healthcare system in the short term, as his fatbound carcass decomposes while still metabolising, but Ed may actually be more of an overall burden simply because the overly buff health nut will live a longer time (thanks, in no small part, to weight training keeping his T-levels up) and survive through a lot more in the wasy of generic malaises as he ages.

*shrug* I fight tendonitis in the wrists if I do too much, and have to watch my knees and left shoulder. If I don't watch it, my bp creeps up. But, y'know, I'd rather have a high BMI and be strong than diet down pathetic and weak. No thanks. Strong is good.

 

[EmpressFi]

I am fat.

There's no two ways around it.

I'm better now than I was a year ago..

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j145/Llikia/march2007.jpg

I'm a HELL of a lot better than I was two years ago...
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j145/Llikia/england2006.jpg


I stopped getting on the scale somewhere around 360-370lbs. Malin and I tried dieting and kept saying.. we need to so something.. but we never did. We were in our mid-thirties and moved around like old people.

A year ago last September, he decided he'd had enough and bought this diet plan. Well he spent a lot of money, we had to try it, right? Right?

I hated it.

So one day, after losing about 10lbs maybe 20.. I told him I was going back on Atkins. And he joined me.

In the first year, he and I lost 100lbs. Last July, we joined a gym. Right now, we're struggling with the same set of 10lbs as our body builds muscle and loses fat. The clothes fit better but the scale doesnt move that much.

What I have noticed, is that my stamina is better. I can be on top now. Used to be my hips and knees hurt so much, I couldnt.

I'm better.. but in my eyes.. on bad days.. I dont see it. To me, I'm still the HUGE woman I was in England... I'm the same woman who couldnt walk up a flight of stairs on the subway.

This is my in February..

I have a LONG way to go.. and I know it.. and some days, I cant see how anyone could bear having sex with me or see me naked.. but I will get there.. I will NOT turn into my mother.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j145/Llikia/1203792877.jpg

 

[Stegral]

I am in a "kinky weight loss" group within my play group.
we all weighed in & got measured, & do weekly weigh ins on sundays.
we all decided on a personal "punishment" if we gained.
4 of the 7 are in weight watchers so we had access to an abundance of materials. My goal is 195 pounds. the BMI chart tells me that is "obese". I personally KNOW the only way I will get NEAR what is recommended for my height & age is to be dead & buried for at least 6 months. The charts SAY I am supposed to be between 140 & 175 at the MOST.

I have been watching my food amounts, reduced my sugar intake slightly & bee making an effort to get out of the truck & walk if I am sitting at lunch now that the sun is out & shining

I have lost only 3 pounds so far but still it is something...
we are only at week 5 so I think a pound a week is good