How taking fat shaming to heart backfires for health

[xuros]

Have you tried working less?

If he owned his own company maybe he can do that. If he works for someone else and they have to keep a schedule then its up to the people he works for. If its the second he could always just work less, lose his job and lose weight from not being able to afford to eat lol.

[Evangeliste]

Sometimes I wonder if for some people, its that truth hurts. They know themselves that what they eat or do is not really desired but just happens and not got the motivation or someone to support them to do so?

I was at once in my life overweight, I couldn't fit into trousers and someone suggested going a size up. When I saw what it was I was mortified because I thought 'Christ! No way am I going to be that size'. I wasn't ashamed but I in the end, believed to have enough - I already felt a little cumbersome and awkward when silly things happened like finding a piece of clothing I loved and simply not having my size.

I guess some peoples are just because of illnesses like thyroids or medication related and therefore content on reasoning for their size and happy to be catered for with clothing and so forth. Meanwhile others get upset because they can see the issue but no solution and not even able to fathom on beginning.

[Sesshou]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/weight-stigma-1.3966705


People who experience fat stigma have higher blood pressure and increased stress hormone levels that increase their risk of health concerns, Kahan said.

"There's been two studies showing that it actually increases the likelihood of premature death," said Kahan, also director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, D.C. "It also predisposes to unhelpful behaviours, so it increases the risk for binge eating. It increases the risk for emotional eating. It decreases motivation for exercise."

I'm not going to argue against the effects of long term stress... but aren't fat people especially at risk of those things already because they are fat? They're also likely already predisposed to the unhelpful behaviors of binge eating and lack of motivation to exercise... or they wouldn't be fat in the first place (though there are obviously exceptions).

I don't find it shocking fat shaming doesn't work to get fat people to lose weight. Once you're already fat, depending on exactly how fat, losing that weight can take serious, long term commitment to major lifestyle changes. That isn't easy. I am curious though if fat stigma has prompted people who aren't fat to have a more healthy diet and exercise.

[dextersmith]

Internalizing fat shaming — being judged differently because of weight — can be particularly damaging to a person's health and well-being, doctors and other experts say.

They need to get off their fat high horse! Everyone is judged on something, be it race, color, age, sex, disability, preference, class, income, education, etc. What's actually damaging to their health is their inability to stop eating; stop scapegoating fat shaming. And they need to stop being so self centered, we shame because they're disgusting, not to encourage weight loss.

[dextersmith]

The doctor said I should lose 20 pounds, I did but even that small amount of weight was a struggle that required changing the way I lived. I gave all the sugar I could and that worked for me.

I have a thick skin and if someone at work were to call me a "fat f'ck" I would reply "your mom didn't call me a 'fat f'ck' she said I was 'the best f'ck ever!'". "Then she baked me cookies." But not everyone is like me.

Being asinine is only going to make people more repelled.

[Kathandira]

If you know any fat people you know it's very hard to talk to them about their weight, this article says maybe you should lay off.

The doctor said I should lose 20 pounds, I did but even that small amount of weight was a struggle that required changing the way I lived. I gave all the sugar I could and that worked for me.

I have a thick skin and if someone at work were to call me a "fat f'ck" I would reply "your mom didn't call me a 'fat f'ck' she said I was 'the best f'ck ever!'". "Then she baked me cookies." But not everyone is like me.








http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/weight-stigma-1.3966705

Internalizing fat shaming — being judged differently because of weight — can be particularly damaging to a person's health and well-being, doctors and other experts say.

They were interviewed ahead of Eating Disorder Awareness Week in Canada, which wraps up Tuesday. The week, declared by the National Initiative for Eating Disorders, also involves lobbying for better ways to support people with eating disorders.

In Canada, the U.S. and much of the world, there's an expectation of extreme thinness, said Dr. Scott Kahan of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

People who experience fat stigma have higher blood pressure and increased stress hormone levels that increase their risk of health concerns, Kahan said.

"There's been two studies showing that it actually increases the likelihood of premature death," said Kahan, also director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, D.C. "It also predisposes to unhelpful behaviours, so it increases the risk for binge eating. It increases the risk for emotional eating. It decreases motivation for exercise."

Burlesque dancer fat-shamed online tracks down teen abuser, calls his dad and principal
Discrimination no joke: obesity forum

There is a common misconception that stigma might help motivate people with obesity to lose weight and improve their health, Kahan said. But that's inaccurate, and such discrimination can have the opposite effect.

Psychologist Jennifer Mills at York University in Toronto conducts experiments on body image and eating behaviour.

In one experiment, Mills and her team brought participants into the lab and had them complete one of three tasks: read a mock newspaper article about the dangers associated with obesity, read about the dangers of sun exposure, or do a word search as a neutral control.

"What we found surprisingly was reading the anti-obesity article, it made people feel worse about themselves," Mills said. "Right after reading the article, it didn't change their eating."

The findings show stigmatization of obesity in the media probably isn't helpful, she said.

"We don't want people feeling discouraged," Mills said. "We want people feeling like they have some control over their lives."
Not the type of reassurance needed

Jill Andrew, whose doctoral research focuses on women and beauty, helped organize a petition aimed at getting discrimination based on size and physical appearance included in the Ontario Human Rights Code, and supports similar #Sizeismsucks movements in Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.

Andrew said she was recently ill and needed emergency surgery. As she was on the surgical table, she heard the team talking about fat felines.

"They're talking about their cats and their pets, and their pets that are 'obese,' she said. "Their pets that are lazy. And I'm sitting there or lying there thinking to myself, 'What do you think about me?'"

A few hours earlier, Andrew said the surgeon spoke to her about how surgery tends to be more difficult in "people with abdominal girth."

"When you're in a life-defying moment and this is the person you're looking for to save you, this is not the type of reassurance or reinforcement that you need."

Why willpower isn't enough to keep the pounds off

This idea of wanting to "size down" cuts across different ethnic, religious and class lines, Andrew said.

Growing up, she said, relatives sometimes told her to suck in her stomach.

Kahan has specialized in obesity for more than 10 years. While more information is emerging about the health effects of weight stigma, he said few physicians and dietitians pay attention to stigma and help those experiencing it to get past it with counselling.

For family member or friends wanting to help someone with obesity and concerned about their weight, Kahan recommends against giving advice.

Instead, "I would offer your empathy and support," he said.

My best friend has been gaining weight, he isn't much taller than I, No taller than 5'10", and is over 200lbs. I give him crap about getting fat all the time. But he is the only person I would say these things to as he is like a brother to me, and genuinely care about his health (he was born with heart problems and has to get open heart surgery every 10 years) and I care about his image. He is a "ladies man" and enjoys the comfort of women quite regularly. I don't want to see him ending up with health issues, or intimacy issues, so I talk to him about it.

Other people who I am not so close with, or just don't know at all, I do not make any mention about their weight as it is not my place, and would be out of line.

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being fat is a choice and fat shaming works

if you tell somebody there is no problem that's going to cause ??? what? nothing ?? a early death maybe

I disagree that it works. If it did, we wouldn't have a problem with obesity in the U.S. where fat shaming is quite common.

[dextersmith]

I would lay off, if he'd stop crying that he can't get any girls to like him. I *roll my eyes* everitim.

They know girls won't go near gross and smelly but they won't accept it.

[RyanEX]

Don´t fat people have a thick skin per se?
jkjk

OT: I call bullshit. If you are fat, you most likely know, that you are fat. Since you know that you are fat, you either like it or dislike it. If you like it, you have come to terms with the fact and thus cannot be emotionally harmed if someone called you fat. He is right and it is your choice. However, if you don´t like it, you need to lose weight. If someone calls you fat or "tries to talk about your weight", you´d have to agree with him. He still is right. Being hurt only comes from either failing to realize, that you are fat or failing to agree with someone, that you are mentally to weak to change something in your life, that leaves you unsatisfied. Both is weak and I lack empathy for the weak.

Have to agree with this guy here. If your feelings get hurt by somebody calling you out on something true then you know they're right. If it doesn't bother you then it doesn't bother you.

[dextersmith]

My best friend has been gaining weight, he isn't much taller than I, No taller than 5'10", and is over 200lbs. I give him crap about getting fat all the time. But he is the only person I would say these things to as he is like a brother to me, and genuinely care about his health (he was born with heart problems and has to get open heart surgery every 10 years) and I care about his image. He is a "ladies man" and enjoys the comfort of women quite regularly. I don't want to see him ending up with health issues, or intimacy issues, so I talk to him about it.

Other people who I am not so close with, or just don't know at all, I do not make any mention about their weight as it is not my place, and would be out of line.

No! He thinks he is a "ladies man" but short and fat like Danny DeVito will never be a "ladies man".

[RyanEX]

there is a big body acceptance movement in Western Culture that may be counteracting most of it

Big body doesn't necessarily mean fat.

For men it could mean anything from muscular to simply not having six pack abs. I'm 6'5 and 240lbs. I could definetly afford to lose maybe another 20lb but anyone calling me fat I'd ignore.

For women it could be a bit more complex since the style in the West still seems to revolve around being a stick figure and having any kind of curves makes you fat.

[pateuvasiliu]

TL: DR: Fat people get called fat because they're fat, and their fee-fee's can't handle it.

Can I, as a future engineer, go around and call people who aren't engineers or doctors stupid?

Can I also call them ugly if I am more handsome?

Fatshaming is just a fad. Weak people will always find a target for bullying. Luckily for them, they can mask fat shaming behind '' oh you are unhealthy, change that '' while getting wasted every weekend.

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being fat is a choice and fat shaming works

No, it doesn't. You're just putting more stress on those people and how do they deal with stress?

They eat more.

[Kathandira]

No! He thinks he is a "ladies man" but short and fat like Danny DeVito will never be a "ladies man".

He is though, lol. He is stocky, but he doesn't have the short and round body.

I know the women he has been with. He hasn't really had any issue getting attractive women. But if he keeps it up, no matter how much charm he has, he will be found unattractive and could hinder his opportunities.

[McFuu]

That's not 100% true. It's way more complicated than that. You can eat 1500 calories and exercise like crazy and you will lose weight but it's not something you can maintain realistically and you end up feeling like shit and burning muscle instead of fat. Also every ones body types are different, there are people like my son who lays around plays video games eats junk food and I could pick him up with one arm. While I know people who work their ass off eat one meal a day and remain overweight.

Please don't spread this bullshit. Weight gain and weight loss are easily tied to activity and caloric intake. Disguise have shown in the long run it matters less what you eat and matters more how much you eat.
It's difficult to judge people based off of children's metabolisms, people who are still growing have far higher energy expenditure that you just don't see. For adults it's simpler, eat less while maintaining your life style Anna's you will lose weight. You body has to get energy from somewhere. There is no such thing as a person who has issues losing weight. They are just consuming more than they should be our what they are eating is so high in sugar and fast carbs that their bodies are fueled enough by that it doesn't need to dip into energy stores.

People over complicate weight loss by applying too much bro science and excuses. Eat better, eat less, go to the gym and actually work out, not walk on the tread mill for 20 minutes, hit the weights, break a sweat, be sore the next day. People phone in gym time too much as well.

[zenkai]

Please don't spread this bullshit. Weight gain and weight loss are easily tied to activity and caloric intake. Disguise have shown in the long run it matters less what you eat and matters more how much you eat.
It's difficult to judge people based off of children's metabolisms, people who are still growing have far higher energy expenditure that you just don't see. For adults it's simpler, eat less while maintaining your life style Anna's you will lose weight. You body has to get energy from somewhere. There is no such thing as a person who has issues losing weight. They are just consuming more than they should be our what they are eating is so high in sugar and fast carbs that their bodies are fueled enough by that it doesn't need to dip into energy stores.

People over complicate weight loss by applying too much bro science and excuses. Eat better, eat less, go to the gym and actually work out, not walk on the tread mill for 20 minutes, hit the weights, break a sweat, be sore the next day. People phone in gym time too much as well.

My child is almost 21 so I think he's past that.

You need to read a book call the Calorie Myth that is based on 10 years of studies done from universities. It is the only book I found that has talked about things I had to find out on my own. I have helped many people lose weight teaching them how to eat healthy and not starve themselves and live in the gym. This is why most of the time diets fail because people keep think its just calories in vs calories out when there is a lot more to it than just that.

[Deleted]

People over complicate weight loss by applying too much bro science and excuses. Eat better, eat less, go to the gym and actually work out, not walk on the tread mill for 20 minutes, hit the weights, break a sweat, be sore the next day. People phone in gym time too much as well.

This is one of the big ones. I'm a gym rat, I admit it. I go to the gym five days a week and my body hurts every damn day. I however am in prime physical shape, due to my hard work and suffering.

So many of the people who I see in the gym who are only there to 'lose weight' are the ones that I often see doing: talking for a good 30 minutes, literally only walking at a below avarage walking speed on a treadmill, burning 50 kcal while 'cycling' for an hour.

And they're always like "yeah but i go to the gym so often". But they're not sweating, pushing themselves to their limits or even trying. It's like they only come to justify their circlejerk logic that their body is just what it is. It's just "genetics" yo, get off my case.

[Dhrizzle]

They need to get off their fat high horse! Everyone is judged on something, be it race, color, age, sex, disability, preference, class, income, education, etc. What's actually damaging to their health is their inability to stop eating; stop scapegoating fat shaming. And they need to stop being so self centered, we shame because they're disgusting, not to encourage weight loss.

Yes, and now we shame fat-shamers because it's despicable to pick out a member of society who has health problems and pick on them in a way that you know will exasperate their problems.

Stop being so self-centered and try to find a way to make yourself feel good without making others feel miserable.

[dextersmith]

He is though, lol. He is stocky, but he doesn't have the short and round body.

I know the women he has been with. He hasn't really had any issue getting attractive women. But if he keeps it up, no matter how much charm he has, he will be found unattractive and could hinder his opportunities.

My response starts at 10 seconds.

[Independent voter]

My child is almost 21 so I think he's past that.

You need to read a book call the Calorie Myth that is based on 10 years of studies done from universities. It is the only book I found that has talked about things I had to find out on my own. I have helped many people lose weight teaching them how to eat healthy and not starve themselves and live in the gym. This is why most of the time diets fail because people keep think its just calories in vs calories out when there is a lot more to it than just that.

I found that just cutting all the sugar out of my diet that I could worked for me, you probably know all the sugar culprits but I was surprised at a few, like juice.

[McFuu]

My child is almost 21 so I think he's past that.

You need to read a book call the Calorie Myth that is based on 10 years of studies done from universities. It is the only book I found that has talked about things I had to find out on my own. I have helped many people lose weight teaching them how to eat healthy and not starve themselves and live in the gym. This is why most of the time diets fail because people keep think its just calories in vs calories out when there is a lot more to it than just that.

I'll check out the book, but one book isn't going to change basic bio mechanics of every living thing on the planet. If energy in is less than energy out, you will have the necessary situation for weight loss. The common myth that the human body will start burning muscle because of hovering too low on the energy in side is largely reserved to extreme survival situations.

The big problem that people make when attempting to diet is they greatly over-estimate their effort on both their diet and on their work outs. As I highlighted before people assume workouts are going to the gym and being there for a set amount of time and leaving. That's not going to get you any results, likely your diet is going to take you to an even level and you will plateau with weight loss. I see personal trainers make this mistake all the time. They show people exercises but they do nothing to emphasize the importance of actually pushing themselves. Or explaining the difference between high rep and high weight days. They aren't actually teaching them how to work out for effect, they are just showing them exercises.

Weight loss and fitness require discipline, the type of discipline most people who are overweight don't have and never have exhibited in their life. It's a real blow to a person when they find out how hard they have to work to not only lose weight but keep it off.

I was a spin class instructor and a personal trainer when I was in my early 20's. Than when I was in the military I ran the BCP program for my company and then my entire battalion because I got people who were never within weight standards, within them and kept them there. I have a lot of experience on this subject. And 100 times out of 100 people over-complicate weight loss and fitness. It is the second biggest culprit, first biggest being the discipline issue I spoke of before.

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This is one of the big ones. I'm a gym rat, I admit it. I go to the gym five days a week and my body hurts every damn day. I however am in prime physical shape, due to my hard work and suffering.

So many of the people who I see in the gym who are only there to 'lose weight' are the ones that I often see doing: talking for a good 30 minutes, literally only walking at a below avarage walking speed on a treadmill, burning 50 kcal while 'cycling' for an hour.

And they're always like "yeah but i go to the gym so often". But they're not sweating, pushing themselves to their limits or even trying. It's like they only come to justify their circlejerk logic that their body is just what it is. It's just "genetics" yo, get off my case.

Yeah, it's honestly annoying because you will see the same people in the gym for years. They are always there and they are always out of shape. But man are they good at Lat Pulldowns at 75lbs.

[The One Percent]

Okay, just fucking die then. Weak-willed bitch. Just don't expect to do it on someone else's dime.