Apologies if this has been done before but...

I'm interested in peoples perceptions of 'being fat'.

Is it an acceptable lifestyle choice?
Can people truly be 'fat and proud' or is it a brave affront to crushing self loathing?
Why do fat people attract such public abuse?

My Journal - Cut 2.0

Chris Moyles does just this.

There are no shortcuts. Fat Loss Through Conditioning. No excuses. 

Johnny Vegas too ...

ORIGINAL: tubbyman
Is it an acceptable lifestyle choice?

of course, you don't need to ask other peoples approval for your personal choices

ORIGINAL: tubbyman
Can people truly be 'fat and proud'

to be proud I guess you need to be able to let other peoples prejudice wash over you

ORIGINAL: tubbyman
Why do fat people attract such public abuse?

I cant explain very well, except it's too easy to be critical and judgemental and not look deeper.
What do you think.
We can argue it's down to what is perceived as attractive, although that is a cultural thing.
If it weren't then surely evolution would have 'hard wired' us to look for a mate with more adipose tissue who would be able to withstand shortages of food?

I find the notion of being proud of it a bit odd - being proud is being pleased about your acheivements, seeing the work you've put in pay off.

In the case of somebody overweight that will of consisted of not looking after yourself properly for an extended period, which is an odd thing to be proud about.
I can understand someone being unrepentant about it - like being a smoker and saying ' i smoke, I like it and i dont really care what anybody else thinks' but I dont think many smokers would describe themsleves as being 'proud' about their habit.

BTW - I've been both fat and a smoker in my time, sometimes at the same time

My Journal - Cut 2.0

Overweight and happy is possible if people are in deed happy in their own skin. What may appear to be fat to some may not be to others. Some members on this board have said they would never look at someone the opposite sex who is more than a size 10.....probably rules out 90% of the female population!! So are all those females of size 12 upwards not allowed to be proud of their figures according this? Of course they are!

For me personally I would rather see overweight and fit than skinny and unfit.

Before picture Jan05 BNBF finals Oct07 Sponsored by Muscle Finesse

i love a bit of meet on my girls.. my gf size 10-12 and shes absolutely gorgeous. I dont think you can be fat and proud but you can be fat and not care about it, being fat isnt even that bad... being obese is a problem

I'm a LOT happier not being fat, is all I will say on the subject.

My Story
Female Member of The Year '07!

ORIGINAL: RedHotF

I'm a LOT happier not being fat, is all I will say on the subject.

Yup me too, i actually used to think i was happy being a plumper, but now i am not i know i was just kidding myself to make me feel better.

  My MT Shape up Journal, Encouragement Needed

appearace plays a big part in everything today. not only is it considered to be unhealthy also if someone was going for a job interview and theres a fat person and other person is in good shape. everything appart from that is identical. they will choose the 1 in better shape. Its just the way society is......

Im not even that fat tbh and Im not happy with my current BF at all!

If someone if fat and doesnt care about it tho, good for them! Who gives a sh!t? Its there body

13 week Road to Ibiza cutting Journal!!
3 weeks left till Ibiza!

3 years progress

ORIGINAL: RedHotF

I'm a LOT happier not being fat, is all I will say on the subject.

^^^^^^ My sentiments exactly.

I always thought I was happy being "fat" but now I realise I wasnt truly happy I was just "comfortable" and not confident enough to think there was any other way to be. The main difference I have found is my level of confidence I actually went swimming the other day without a tshirt on for the first time in 15 years and thats something I would never have done before I lost my weight. So as far as "fat and proud" I dont know whether this could ever be true but that just my opinion.

Sorry but IMO fat = greedy and lazy.
Everyone has access to the information, and can choose a healthy, balanced diet and a modicum of excercise.
If you eat junk and treats all day you know it's bad for you inside and outside, and continuing to eat this way when the legacy of your greed is plain for all to see (i.e. you get fat) just shows mental weakness and a lack of self-respect.

Getting into nutrition has made a me bit of a weight fascist, i'll admit.

Buy My Novel!  http://snipurl.com/AwayDay

^^ i think your right in SOME cases but not every, if you see someone who is fat how can you assume they are all lazy and greedy ? they could have health problems, could have emotinal problems that cause them comfort eat!!

i am currently over weight and exercise nearly everyday and eat a good diet, i have between 2 and 4 cans of beer spread between the week and 1 cheat meal a week and yet i am still chubby, this is because of my genes, i have friends who drink every day and eat nothing but take aways and stay skinny. maybe i could stop having that meal with my family and maybe i shouldnt have a couple with mates when the football is on then i wouldnt be lazy and greedy ? i'd just be skinny with no life !

i think if someone reading this site to gain that imformation that is everywhere see's your post it wont do much to their confidence !

ORIGINAL: daveo

Sorry but IMO fat = greedy and lazy.
Everyone has access to the information, and can choose a healthy, balanced diet and a modicum of excercise.
If you eat junk and treats all day you know it's bad for you inside and outside, and continuing to eat this way when the legacy of your greed is plain for all to see (i.e. you get fat) just shows mental weakness and a lack of self-respect.

Getting into nutrition has made a me bit of a weight fascist, i'll admit.

I see where you are coming fro.

I used to be really fat and unfit to the point of it threatening my social life, as well as my psychological and physical health. Only after I lost all that weight and got much fitter I realised how deeply unhappy I was. However, I am not sure whether this newfound happiness is coming from me now getting fitter (i.e. higher cardio endurance and strength) at a reasonable and satisfying pace or me simply looking better than before. Probably 50/50.

Also, a lot of people criticised me when I was fat and targeted me as lazy and overrun by consumerism and wastefulness (which is probably what you refer to as 'laziness', daveo). Now I kinda get what they mean.

Now just because I feel this way about my fat past doesn't mean all other fat people are unhappy, but IMHO 90% of fat people would be happier if they were slimmer. Note that I said happier rather than less unhappy

ORIGINAL: adam123

i think if someone reading this site to gain that imformation that is everywhere see's your post it wont do much to their confidence !

Personally, for me, reading this kind of stuff or hearing this kind of stuff was precisely the catalyst which lead me to look after myself and treat myself better.

And too much blame is put on "bad genes". Unless someone has something serious like an inherited cardiac condition, the whole "unlucky fat gene" thing is a big middle-finger to all those who drip sweat and vomit and spend thousands of hours a year in the gym trying to improve themselves and achieve what they want through work (and I am not talking about steroids). It's way too easy to feel sorry for others when you talk about exercise IMO. Thousands of unhappy people removed an obstacle to their happiness (whatever that obstacle was), why do "genes" have to even come into it?

too much blame is put on "bad genes"

I agree - sorry to be crass but you dont see Eritrean famine victims complaining about sluggish metabolism.

If you conduct your diet to a calorie deficit you will lose weight. That said I do regularly get irritated by mates who eat crap do little exercise and dont get flabby like me.

My Journal - Cut 2.0

i said genes because its true, nearly everyone in my family are big, not just overweight but big in general, very stocky

so yes its harder for a stocky guy from a large family to lose weight than it is for an adverage build or skinny guy, we just hold onto fat more and gain easy

mike i;m glad that you feel an insult is needed before you do something about your health and body but this thread is about being fat and proud and someone has come in and said fat people are greedy and lazy!

some people are proud that they didnt go out at the weekend and get trashed (many on this site with threads about it) what if i were to say you shouldnt be proud your alcoholics and shouldnt binge drink in the first place, its not my place to say that

not all fat people are lazy and greedy imo and saying so is harsh

ORIGINAL: adam123
if i were to say you shouldnt be proud your alcoholics and shouldnt binge drink in the first place, its not my place to say that

You don't see many people saying "alcoholic and proud" do you?

ORIGINAL: adam123
not all fat people are lazy and greedy imo and saying so is harsh

Some opinions are harsh.
And yes, all obese people (i'm not including your "stocky" people in this) that don't actually medically have a condition (i.e. most obese people) ARE lazy and greedy.
It's not natural for a person to eat processed, unhealthy crap and not get some exercise. They all know that, and if they then don't make the effort to live a more healthy life then that's their decision, but they will rightfully feel the scorn of people who can be bothered to make the effort.

Buy My Novel!  http://snipurl.com/AwayDay

ORIGINAL: daveo

Sorry but IMO fat = greedy and lazy.
Everyone has access to the information, and can choose a healthy, balanced diet and a modicum of excercise.
If you eat junk and treats all day you know it's bad for you inside and outside, and continuing to eat this way when the legacy of your greed is plain for all to see (i.e. you get fat) just shows mental weakness and a lack of self-respect.

Getting into nutrition has made a me bit of a weight fascist, i'll admit.

Very POOR comments...

Fta could = medical problems or Diabetes... please check facts before issuing such a statement.