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Thursday, May 17, 2012

What? You mean "being fat" is MY fault??

 A few days ago, one of my Facebook friends posted this on her status:

"Stop complaining about being fat and tired! Make a change......It's NOT a diet, it's a lifestyle of change. Yes, I could prob. devour a pint of ice cream by myself and excuse it by saying I'm pregnant, but this baby is coming out and unfortunately he is not taking all the fat/calories I consumed, with him. It's not easy to push through a hard workout, but the results are worth it. Let TODAY be the day you don't give yourself and option to drown yourself with bad choices of poor nutrition and lack of exercise. YOU GOT THIS!!!!"


I didn't see anything wrong with her status but I was honestly shocked to see some of the negative responses she received.  There were people complaining about being fat for "medical" reasons, and others even attacked her for being "judgmental"; mind you, she is one of the sweetest people I know and I'm sure her status wasn't meant to be offensive...
The whole "debacle" about the status update got me thinking about the obesity epidemic in the United States.  What is it with people not taking responsibility for being overweight or obese? I realize this is a very sensitive topic for many (including myself), but my friend wasn't too far off in her rants... Complaining about "being fat" isn't going to fix the problem and after all it is true that "being fat" isn't a freak accident... we ARE responsible and we are the only ones that can change the way we look....If you're "fat" IT IS YOUR (OUR) FAULT!..and once you (we) understand that, then maybe *just maybe* things will start to change!
Of course I don't discredit the many valid excuses people have for having excess weight (thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, etc)..but in reality most people that are carrying extra weight are not sick and they aren't always willing to lay off the fat foods, sweets and other things that might be responsible for their out-of-shapeness...
Certainly many aren't willing to exercise enough to make an impact in their bodies and many aren't even aware of the lifestyle changes that need to be made in order to get back in shape...or maybe they don't care?
I, for one, am at least 40 lbs overweight and although I have gotten better at exercising (I've been working out 4x per week for over 2 months), I'm still horrible with my dieting habits and I KNOW I'm not making a big enough effort to lose the excess weight..so what do I do instead?.. well.. I complain about "being fat" just like everyone else around me who is having the same issue...
Obesity is a HUGE problem.. it's not all about looking cute in our clothes and being able to wear a bikini during the summer.. it's about our HEALTH...our QUALITY OF LIFE... our ABILITY to run after our kids and lead a wholesome life...
So, to all my friends and family struggling with weight issues, don't get discouraged.. instead of complaining, start making those lifestyle changes you need to lead a healthier life... Start creating better habits, which will lead you to your ultimate goal...
I will never give up on this.. even if it means getting depressed every once in a while and having someone tell me to my face "you look fat!"...maybe those harsh words are inspirational after all! ;)




2 comments:

Matt, Kara, Hunter and Cavan said...

And remember to include some professional support along with those lifestyle changes. So many of us use food to escape, no different than a drug user or alcoholic. Eating can turn into a full on addiction, but with the proper help people can change their lives!

Stories of a Happy Mom said...

You are right, Kara! and you are SUCH an inspiration and a great example of understanding and executing those lifestyle changes...
Sometimes it takes professional help but finding a way to get "there" is what really matters! <3