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Changing trend in socially acceptable body weight? (Read 361 times)

NikoRosa


Funky Kicks 2019

    As far as the FB posts, I'm not sure the context of someone posting that but I don't think that first person was insulting skinny people.  Maybe I'm being charitable and s/he probably needs to be told FB is for pictures of kittens napping in teacups but from my reading s/he's talking about their own body. I have a weight under which I think I look pretty emaciated. That doesn't mean I think everyone under that weight looks emaciated. Something to consider before you unfriend this person. Smile The later posts do sound rude, though.

     

     

    Oh, I totally didn't get mad at her or anything.  It more just made me stop and say, "What?  I'm disgusting and look anorexic?"  And that made me think about how maybe normal now is not the same as normal was 30 years ago.  I mean, I see someone at 5'6" and 114 pounds and I don't think anorexic.

     

    I know what real anorexia looks like.  It is scary.  Calling anorexic on every thinner than average person is just flat out mean.  But I know that heavier people face more negative attention than thinner people.  I feel a lot of sympathy for anyone who struggles with either end of the scale.  It just seems to me that putting down other people doesn't make you look good either.

    Leah, mother of dogs


    Tiefsa

       

       But if I can give a heavier person a pass, they should be equally willing to accept me for who I am without needing to put me down. 

       

      BOOM.  Well said.

       

      The silly thing about it is people feel comfortable saying things to thin people like, "Eat more.  You're wasting away!  You can afford to have more dessert..."

       

      On the other side, I can't say, "You can afford to miss a meal, or two, or three..."

      BeeRunB


        When everyone knows for sure what the socially acceptable body really is, let me know, so I can get to work at becoming socially acceptable. I get very uncomfortable when I'm exposed to be an individualist. Camouflage is a must.Cool

        NikoRosa


        Funky Kicks 2019

           

          BOOM.  Well said.

           

          The silly thing about it is people feel comfortable saying things to thin people like, "Eat more.  You're wasting away!  You can afford to have more dessert..."

           

          On the other side, I can't say, "You can afford to miss a meal, or two, or three..."

           

          I recently got a tattoo on my side.  My tattoo artist told me to "eat a sandwich".  Then I posted a photo of the tattoo in progress.  I got another "eat a sandwich" comment from another guy.  Both of them are overweight.  I would never, ever tell either of them to lay off the bacon.

          Leah, mother of dogs


          Why is it sideways?

            When everyone knows for sure what the socially acceptable body really is, let me know, so I can get to work at becoming socially acceptable. I get very uncomfortable when I'm exposed to be an individualist. Camouflage is a must.Cool

             

            Smile


            Mmmmm...beer

              Overweight is the new "normal", it's sad.  I've been on both sides of it.  When I was 270lbs, I was considered to be just a "big guy".  I didn't even think of myself as fat.  I knew I had some extra weight, but I certainly didn't consider myself obese, even though I was.  What's really funny is that I never had anyone say anything to me.  But after losing 85lbs, I got a lot of comments about getting too skinny, to be careful not to lose too much weight, etc.  All of the comments I should note, came from overweight people.  I stopped telling people that I was still looking to lose more weight, because I got tired of hearing it.

              -Dave

              My running blog

              Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

                At the age of 56 I realized I was overweight, over 190lbs. at 5'11" on a small frame. What really worried me was the possibility of reaching 200lbs in a few years.

                My son had been running a while and had lost weight so I started. I felt at the time that 180lbs would be great, and when I reached that I could stop. That is an example of the general public perception of "normal" weight.

                 

                Another couple of examples-

                1)  A popup on the right side of my screen right now shows before and after photos of a woman who lost 160lbs.- she is still fat in the after photo.

                2) Weight Watchers has recently been using a spokesperson named Jennifer Hudson to show how effective the program is. To my eyes she needs to lose some weight, but I am sure most people think she is slim.

                 

                I am not the most sensitive person and got into trouble at my sister in law's place the other day. After a gathering there was a lot of Black Forest chocolate cake left over, which was offered to me. I declined saying it would make me fat, which was not well received by the family, all of whom are obese.

                I am rather conscious at the moment of being nearly 10lbs over race weight, but not a tactful thing to say.

                PBs since age 60:  5k- 24:36, 10k - 47:17. Half Marathon- 1:42:41.

                                                    10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.

                 

                LedLincoln


                not bad for mile 25

                  A TED Talk on obesity, metabolism, diabetes, and compassion.

                    I can really identify with a lot of the posts on here.

                    At 5'7" and 135lbs I'm 36 years old and in the best shape of my life. Yet I'm finding a lot of overweight people think they need to tell me how "scrawny" and underweight I am. They even look at me like I'm crazy when I turn down their fatten, sugary, processed foods. But when I was over 170lbs with a muffing top hanging over my belt no one ever commented on my weight.

                    They don't seem to have any ideal what it takes to get in shape and stay healthy, its a complete lifestyle change. Its one I'm proud of myself for making and so I tend to get pretty pissed off at these people.

                     

                    By the way I think that "normal" body sized Barbie has a big ass. Sorry but I just don't find that very attractive and isn't the point of Barbie to be VERY attractive not just "normal"?

                    MJ5


                    Chief Unicorn Officer

                      Overweight is the new "normal", it's sad.  I've been on both sides of it.  When I was 270lbs, I was considered to be just a "big guy".  I didn't even think of myself as fat.  I knew I had some extra weight, but I certainly didn't consider myself obese, even though I was.  What's really funny is that I never had anyone say anything to me.  But after losing 85lbs, I got a lot of comments about getting too skinny, to be careful not to lose too much weight, etc.  All of the comments I should note, came from overweight people.  I stopped telling people that I was still looking to lose more weight, because I got tired of hearing it.

                       

                      I lost over 20 pounds several years ago, enough to be noticeable, and I got similar comments from many people at work (mostly older, very overweight ladies, the kind that take the elevator DOWN one floor) and I came to the conclusion that people make these comments toward those who succeed at weight loss/healthy lifestyle changes because they are maybe resentful that they have not been able to do it for themselves and are probably unhappy with how they look and feel.  The comments from healthy friends were more like "you look great!  how did you do it?" and the comments from the unhealthy crowd are of the "you're too skinny" and "eat a sandwich" variety.

                       

                      You look fantastic, Dave! Don't let them bring you down! Smile

                      Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54

                      LedLincoln


                      not bad for mile 25

                        By the way I think that "normal" body sized Barbie has a big ass. Sorry but I just don't find that very attractive and isn't the point of Barbie to be VERY attractive not just "normal"?

                         

                        If Barbie was a real woman she'd be forced to walk on all fours and would be physically incapable of lifting her over-sized head.


                        Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2308658/How-Barbies-body-size-look-real-life-Walking-fours-missing-half-liver-inches-intestine.html#ixzz2YJ523AHO

                         

                        MTA: A less blurry version of the infographic, from the original source.

                        FSocks


                        KillJoyFuckStick

                          I find it ironic that the conversation delved into the unattainable of a Barbie figure.  I think very few people are calling for people to look like models but if you're overweight, you're overweight no matter what you want to call it.  And, yes, I've been overweight.  At my heaviest I was 205lbs on a 5'11" frame.  Not seriously overweight but I knew I was going in the wrong direction (I had gained 30 lbs over a few years).  So I worked at it (diet and exercise) and I've lost 40lbs.  Yes, I know it comes off easier for some people than others (just like most everything in life; some people have it easier than others) but if you want something bad enough you'll find out the "secret to success."

                          You people have issues 

                          ilanarama


                          Pace Prophet

                            Norms are relative not just to the times but also to the place.  I live in a mountain town in the least obese state in the US (Colorado) and I'm pretty average size compared to most of the people I see.  Yet when I'm in an airport and seeing a cross-section of mostly Americans, I'm clearly way on the skinny end of the scale.

                             

                            There has been a lot of positive things to come out of the health at every size movement - it is undoubtedly a bad thing and encourages eating disorders for young girls to obsess about their weight, and it's true that some amount of overweight isn't necessarily unhealthy.  But it's also brought a lot of militant fat acceptance, a lot of the 'real women have curves' attitude (with the implication that if you're skinny, you're not a real woman - which is just as bad as the emphasis on the thin ideal), a lot of the rationalization that because some people's bodies do naturally gravitate to higher weights, therefore everyone's higher weight is natural and they shouldn't bother trying to lose weight because it won't work, and so on.

                             

                            So I think that it is more socially acceptable to be overweight, and that is both a good and a bad thing.  I don't think people should be shamed for being overweight, but neither should they talk themselves into believing that it is pointless or not useful to their health to attempt to lose weight.

                             

                            I do think that here, where the majority of people are athletic and fit, obesity is more noticed and covertly remarked upon, than elsewhere in the US where it's more common.

                            CanadianMeg


                            #RunEveryDay

                              I was thinking about this when another board I belong to pissed me off posting about "the chubby girl who won Wimbleton" (their words). Marion Bartoli is 5'6" and 138 lbs. Hardly makes her chubby. Black eye

                              Half Fanatic #9292. 

                              Game Admin for RA Running Game 2023.

                              GC100k


                                I think it's sad that it's socially acceptable to be overweight.  Unhealthy people should not be socially accepted.  They should be shunned and publicly shamed.

                                 

                                And it's great that you're skinny.  It's so horrible that people are so mean and tell you you're too skinny.  I'm sure you hate that.

                                 

                                You're right, the ideal body weight now is fat.  Like that fat cow Kate Upton.  All the "beautiful" celebrities - all fat.  What about the good old days when skinny people like John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe were the ideal?  These days everyone wants to be fat and no one is trying to lose weight.  If only we could make them feel bad about themselves for being fat, then they would all lose weight and be healthy.

                                 

                                The whole society is fat and ostracizes the oppressed skinny people.

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