Weight and body image

[Ishie]

Of the kids in my neighborhood the fat ones are allowed to spend every afternoon watching TV or even worse, playing video games. The other kids are out playing (running, riding, etc) If the weather is nice after school or on a weekend I make my kids go outside and play (not that it takes much convincing)

Activity is clearly the best, but if the kids are just watching cartoons, the video games are actually better for them. They're more active while playing them (vs. watching tv which requires no movement) and studies indicate it contributes to development of hand/eye coordination. It's also more difficult to eat while playing video games, and eating in front of the television is one of many major factors contributing to America's obesity problem.

NOT to say video games trump physical activity, outside play, and so forth, but I do think to some degree (largely also because of contraversial games like Grand Theft Auto), video games have gotten a worse rap than they deserve, particularly when there are a lot of fun and educational ones out there. However, moderation moderation moderation.

Ishie

 

[alcina]

I do agree however that business is partly to blame only in that when I was a kid a coke was 12oz now they're 20oz. Fries were a small bag now they are super, wonder sized. Business, in an effort to have the best "value" has simply made the portions larger.

Just coz they are marketing ponchos this season don't mean you gotta buy and wear 'em (and please, please don't!)

Each person still chooses - and you can eat only half (if you can't bring yourself to simply order smaller!) I feel we really need to get away from blaming others for our own choices.

 

[Sue-ba]

Sorry about the keyboard and pants! :icorolley

My husband is in the insurance business and recently attended a conference on health issues. There was a woman there that read statistics about obesity. She said that they can trace back when people started to get fat in epidemic numbers. It was from the time they invented High Fructose Corn Syrup and Hydrogenated palm kernal oil.

The numbers of obesity were astonishingly higher than they ever predicted them to be. I wish I could remember the report better.

 

[cdiver2]

Sue. Now isn't this a surprise. remember when the report came out about a cigarette Co putting more nicotine in cigaretts. Food for thought (no pun intended),
Your married how big is he, forget it I'd better wash my own pants I don't want any problems, but this sticky key board is getting on my nerves.

 

[divemistress]

Consider this: Not all fat people get that way by eating Double-Quarter Pounders With Cheese and Super-Size Fries while watching Friends re-reruns. Physical medical issues have already been mentioned. But serious to moderate psychiatric and psychological issues are responsible for a lot of weight problems. And these very real issues are things one can´t easily `boot-strap´ out of. A person with deep internal problems rarely successfully just up and decides to cut calories and start exercising without a lot of gut-wrenching emotional work.

BTW, when the morality police are issuing their citations, they shouldn´t forget (obviously) smokers, and also drinkers, reckless drivers, people practicing unsafe sex, those with bad tempers/bad manners/foul mouths, people who give away the endings of books and movies, people who jump queues....

Other suggestions?

DM

 

[Kennedydive]

The main point I was trying to put across is that if you have a friend or family member that is overweight than family and friends should care enough to say "Hey I'm concerned. I think you may have a problem. If you want help I'll be there for you."
If I had a friend or a family member who had a drug or alcohol problem I'd do the same but this discussion was about weight so I tried to keep it to the subject. As a friend or family member, if you can't bring yourself to openly talk to the person with the problem than I honestly feel sorry for you. I know If I had a problem it would be nice to know that there was someone out there who cared enough about me to tell me so and be in my corner when I needed them. As far as the divers that came on here with the attitude of "If you don't want to dive with me because of my weight than it your loss" I sorry that you may have misinterpreted my intentions. My feelings however are not damaged any. If you came on and said that I didn't want to dive with you because you were a great diver with a great personality than I may have been bothered a little more. I dive because I love to. I'll dive with anyone who is fun to dive with as long as they are a safe diver. I dive with new divers in little shallow lagoons and deep with experienced divers to wrecks galore. I'm not at a loss if I never dive with you and age and weight has little to do with the equation. Safety does. And if this means I have to tell someone I'll not dive with them at a particular level because I deem it to be risky than that is my choice. I would rather lose a friend's friendship than to lose a friend period.
Jason

 

[cdiver2]

Consider this: Not all fat people get that way by eating Double-Quarter Pounders With Cheese and Super-Size Fries while watching Friends re-reruns. Physical medical issues have already been mentioned. But serious to moderate psychiatric and psychological issues are responsible for a lot of weight problems. And these very real issues are things one can´t easily `boot-strap´ out of. A person with deep internal problems rarely successfully just up and decides to cut calories and start exercising without a lot of gut-wrenching emotional work.

BTW, when the morality police are issuing their citations, they shouldn´t forget (obviously) smokers, and also drinkers, reckless drivers, people practicing unsafe sex, those with bad tempers/bad manners/foul mouths, people who give away the endings of books and movies, people who jump queues....

Other suggestions?

DM

People who dont know how to respect others rights.

 

[NauticalbutNice]

Hey there -

I'm a fairly well built girl, always have been. All the women in my family are. My attitude towards myself is that I'm pretty damn good! No this isn't my ego talking, but I'm the only person in the world who looks just like me. I have been the same weight for years now, it doesn't go up or down. It's where I'm meant to be.

My weight does not (As far as I can tell!) interfere with my diving. I have never been overexerted, keep up easily with my buddy etc. I think the issue here is not so much "What do you weigh?" but "How fit are you?".

As far as the media is concerned, I must have a really thick skin (all the fat you see ) If I see a really beautiful, thin model, I think "Oh, she's pretty". That's it. If I see a really beautiful, big model, I think the same thing.

I think it's all about perception, unless it really affects your health (and nobody's perfect - you're always going to have something that affects your health).

As Popeye says "I am what I am"

NauticalbutNice :fruit:

 

[Zoe83]

If a person is comfortable with themself, and have a reasonable health condition, weight should not matter. unfortunately media and popular views alter this, and it is very sad what it can make some overweight people feel like. my mum is bipolar and her medication has given her a thyroid problem, as with your wife moogyboy. so when she gets a bit sad about her weight i support her, i just remind her about all her good qualities, and that it is her medical condition and tell her to use her sad feeling as a motivation to go for a walk or swim to feel a bit better about herself. this seems to work. as she is prone to severe depression she is very negative but at every negative remark i put a positive spin on it, and she eventually gets the hang of it herself. its terrible that some overweight people require this support, in an ideal world everyone would accept people for who they are and not have a second thought about what they look like.. as long as they are happy with themselves it should be irrelevant. on the other end of the scale, i think crash dieting and disorders such as bulimia and anorexia are equally sad. again with the popular views and media i beleive are the major cause..i cannot stand to see people not eating right. i love food. i have a very fast metabolism and i always say if i didnt, i would be overweight, and i wouldnt care, because i enjoy it. we're not here for long, might as well be happy! im not easily motivated to exercise & i dont push myself, but i probably would if my metabolism slowed & i became overweight just because i am used to my health now and wouldnt want that to change. the most important thing is to be yourself and be proud of it!

 

[Moogyboy]

Thanx Zoe, my sentiments there exactly. The only thing I'd mention is that we're not married--we don't even live in the same state--but of course if we can find a way we'd both like to change that. She's mah sweetie. hehe

cheers

Billy S.