Discussion America needs to start getting back into shape. It's starting to look embarrassing.

[Amol S.]

Because my uncle in Chicago passed away, we took a Southwest flight from New York to Chicago. My mom has sciatica, so we applied for wheel chair assistance.

Apparently there was a man before us in the wheel chair line. During boarding and near the entrance of the aircraft, as the man was helped up by two flight attendants, you would realise how obese he was. Apparently his pant and undies also sagged as he stood up and was escorted into the aircraft. It was so bad because you could see his but cheeks. Had his pants sagged two or three inches more, his dingling might have been visible from a rear view.

As I got in, the aircraft the man complained to a flight attendant sitting him down on the first row, that it was two tight. The flight attendant then raised an arm rest. It was what happened next that made me feel put shame on to the health of Americans. The guy asked the flight attendant then, "Is this a child seat? " The flight was uneventful after that.

I just don't understand how Americans can feel it is normal to be obese.

 

[deadlyapp]

Start getting back into shape? It hasn't been in shape since probably the 60's when most careers were still mostly labor and processed food wasn't as significant.

People aren't going to make good rational decisions about food choices unless those choices are as cheap as mass produced processed food and they prioritize exercise or at the very least activity. The US is too far gone for the vast majority of people.

 

[Torn Mind]

Food and drink industry needs its bucks, and lack of healthy people is good for immediate tax revenue, business stimuli for other businesses, and "ethical science"(can't study heart attacks, periodontitis, etc without people eating them into a crisis).
Biology also plays a role. Consumption of insulin-stimulating foods creates more frequent hunger pangs.
So, food industry packs in those insulin-stimulating substances(anything that can be digested into glucose) into foods to keep folks eating.

Thus, no one in those fields except a select few with personal investment in health is willing to educate the public to avoiding those foods.

If everyone started eating whole food vegetables and/meats with no sugar products, that will cut food demand down.

With that said, I'm glad my father got ended as soon as he did, in part due to food.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Sure, let's start by reducing work requirements so humans don't have to spend 10-12 hours a day working (inc travel, prep for work, downshift from work), cut portion sizes in half across the board (and cut prices to reflect), increase health education for students, and eliminate medical advertisements on TV offering snake oil to cure all our ails.

 

[UsandThem]

......because you could see his but cheeks. Had his pants sagged two or three inches more, his dingling might have been visible from a rear view.

 

[pete6032]

What is a dingling?

 

[purbeast0]

Yeah I have this conversation every time I fly. My wife and I flew few weeks ago just us two and while waiting in the terminal to get on our flight, we were hoping like 75% of the people waiting for the same flight wouldn't sit next to us.

On one of our legs the flight was totally full and my wife was window and I was in the middle. And I am a big dude but because I'm muscular and in shape, with broad shoulders. This fat chick who probably weighs more than me sat right next to me when there were MULTIPLE other seats she could have sat in. The entire flight her fatass was rubbing against me on my shoulders and her legs too. I have no clue why she chose to sit right next to me.

 

[brianmanahan]

What is a dingling?

allow günther to explain

 

[Captante]

Unfortunately these days if you even dare to mention that an American is in fact a serious fat-a$$ you'll very likely be cancelled for "fat-shaming".

To be clear I DO have empathy for folks who REALLY cannot lose weight due to a medical condition and NOBODY has the right to mock the obese whatever the explanation but reality is that's a tiny minority of overweight people in the US.

Most fatties need to get off their lazy rear-ends and put down the fork.

The fact that this isn't easy DOES NOT mean it qualifies as a "medical condition".

 

[deadlyapp]

Yeah I have this conversation every time I fly. My wife and I flew few weeks ago just us two and while waiting in the terminal to get on our flight, we were hoping like 75% of the people waiting for the same flight wouldn't sit next to us.

On one of our legs the flight was totally full and my wife was window and I was in the middle. And I am a big dude but because I'm muscular and in shape, with broad shoulders. This fat chick who probably weighs more than me sat right next to me when there were MULTIPLE other seats she could have sat in. The entire flight her fatass was rubbing against me on my shoulders and her legs too. I have no clue why she chose to sit right next to me.

it's because you're muscular and in shape

 

[Captante]

I am a big dude but because I'm muscular and in shape, with broad shoulders

I think I can maybe help you out with the whole "why" thing!

 

[Captante]

it's because you're muscular and in shape

Dang too slow!

 

[purbeast0]

I think it was more because she could have an aisle seat. We were the last row and boarding from the back (front too) and she kind of stood there looking up a bit i guess looking for open seats up more, then plopped down right next to me.

I ain't no little ass guy with muscles though and it's obvious she was not going to have room next to me being the size she is. There is no way she was comfortable either.

 

[nakedfrog]

Unfortunately these days if you even dare to mention that an American is in fact a serious fat-a$$ you'll very likely be cancelled for "fat-shaming".

To be clear I DO have empathy for folks who REALLY cannot lose weight due to a medical condition and NOBODY has the right to mock the obese but reality is that's a tiny minority of overweight people in the US.

Most fatties need to get off their lazy rear-ends and put down the fork.

The fact that this isn't easy DOES NOT mean it qualifies as a "medical condition".

For a lot of people it's a mental health issue.
The engines of industry have also been deployed to extract maximum value by targeting maximum consumption, so this is a multi-headed hydra. So yeah, there's an element of personal responsibility, but if we could make the deck less stacked against people, that would help.
But fat-shaming is generally counter-productive. We don't expect an alcoholic to quit being an alcoholic by way berating and belittling them into sobriety. "Put down the fork" is about as helpful as "Don't drink so much".

 

[Captante]

"Put down the fork" is about as helpful as "Don't drink so much".

So... extremely helpful?

By far the hardest thing I've ever personally had to quit was smoking cigarettes and 99% of "quitting" consisted simply of NOT picking up a cig and smoking it despite INTENSE cravings to the contrary. I found being encouraged to keep it up helpful.

MOST people require a cancer-diagnosis or some equally grave news from their doctor to quit tobacco completely ... are they mentally ill too? (serious question)

Having insufficient willpower to quit something physically addictive without help does not automatically equate to being mentally ill. (and crappy processed foods count as "addictive" IMO)

 

[Torn Mind]

Sure, let's start by reducing work requirements so humans don't have to spend 10-12 hours a day working (inc travel, prep for work, downshift from work), cut portion sizes in half across the board (and cut prices to reflect), increase health education for students, and eliminate medical advertisements on TV offering snake oil to cure all our ails.

Food industry still has to make a living. The higher prices for a bigger portion is more profitable. An extra pancake is going cost less than a $1 in materials but restaurant will charge a dollar for it.

I remember "health class". The diet advice was the food pyramid of the day; and that is government advice compromised by profit motives.

Actually, sweet potatoes make for an okay fast food. 5 minutes in a microwave, still a lot of simple carbs, but at least there nutrients and the fiber is metabolically useless filler.

 

[nakedfrog]

So... extremely helpful?

No, it's not helpful. If it was, we'd probably already have a lot less obesity in the country. There's maybe a small subset of people that it works for, easily outweighed by the harm it does to others.

By far the hardest thing I've ever personally had to quit was smoking cigarettes and 99% of "quitting" consisted simply of NOT picking up a cig and smoking it despite INTENSE cravings to the contrary. I found being encouraged to keep it up helpful.

MOST people require a cancer-diagnosis or some equally grave news from their doctor to quit tobacco completely ... are they mentally ill too? (serious question)

I'm not really sure this is a great comparison, since everyone has to eat, no one has to smoke. And I've known plenty of people who quit smoking without the cancer/grave diagnosis factor (I'm one of them, my partner is another). Were you encouraged in the forms of insults about your physical appearance and worth as a human being?

Having insufficient willpower to quit something physically addictive does not automatically equate to being mentally ill. (and crappy processed foods count as addictive)

It took me a long time to understand the alcoholism that ultimately killed my ex, because I didn't understand why she couldn't just stop drinking. You just... don't. Except that's obviously not how it works for everyone, or we wouldn't have Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART Recovery, various rehab facilities, Antabuse, etc.
Why do some people have more "willpower" than others? I don't know, but I don't believe they just actively choose to have less willpower (whatever it is biochemically-speaking), and I don't think they should be maltreated for not having it. Maybe you've got more of some neurotransmitter or another that gives you an edge in resisting cravings, IDK.
I'm not saying that having insufficient willpower to quit is the mental health issue, I'm saying whatever it is that's causing them to overeat can be a symptom of a mental health issue. If you don't address the mental health issue, you're just adding a new one by providing derision. They (often) already feel bad about their weight and their inability to control it, and now they're getting insulted for it, which makes them feel worse, which impacts their mental health, and so it goes.

 

[Torn Mind]

For a lot of people it's a mental health issue.
The engines of industry have also been deployed to extract maximum value by targeting maximum consumption, so this is a multi-headed hydra. So yeah, there's an element of personal responsibility, but if we could make the deck less stacked against people, that would help.
But fat-shaming is generally counter-productive. We don't expect an alcoholic to quit being an alcoholic by way berating and belittling them into sobriety. "Put down the fork" is about as helpful as "Don't drink so much".

Fat shaming is human-on-human warfare more often than any genuine care for the "victim". Even thin individuals get called fat and that eventually adds up to the point some develop eating disorders.

 

[KidNiki1]

So... extremely helpful?

By far the hardest thing I've ever personally had to quit was smoking cigarettes and 99% of "quitting" consisted simply of NOT picking up a cig and smoking it despite INTENSE cravings to the contrary. I found being encouraged to keep it up helpful.

MOST people require a cancer-diagnosis or some equally grave news from their doctor to quit tobacco completely ... are they mentally ill too? (serious question)

Having insufficient willpower to quit something physically addictive without help does not automatically equate to being mentally ill. (and crappy processed foods count as "addictive" IMO)

mental health issue does not mean mentally ill

saying for some people it might be a mental health issue does not mean for all people it is

 

[Captante]

Actually, sweet potatoes make for an okay fast food. 5 minutes in a microwave, still a lot of simple carbs, but at least there nutrients and the fiber is metabolically useless filler.

Yams and Sweet potatoes are actually very healthy and chock-full of good stuff (unlike regular potatoes) provided the carbs don't cause sugar-related issues.

Even deep-fried they're still better for you then the "standard" French fries!

 

[Captante]

mental health issue does not mean mentally ill

saying for some people it might be a mental health issue does not mean for all people it is

Completely agreed .... it's a matter of degree's.

Thing is though for the vast majority of overweight folks taking in fewer calories (especially "empty" calories!) and getting at least SOME physical activity in-between meals IS in fact the PRIMARY answer to losing weight just like NOT SMOKING is the key to quitting cigarettes before anything else.

Ultimately no matter what the cause on a personal level, the problem is people placing the blame/responsibility for their condition outside of themselves.

I completely get the attraction of making somebody/something "ELSE" responsible for personal problems (done it myself!) but real-life doesn't work that way most of the time.

 

[KidNiki1]

I completely get the attraction of making somebody/something "ELSE" responsible for personal problems (done it myself!) but real-life doesn't work that way most of the time.

i dont think you understand "real life" for overweight people.

no one wishes "just put the fork down" insults worked better than i.

i had a whole thing i was going to type about my personal experience to try to help you understand. but hey, im just a fatty who cant put a fork down, so whatever.

i dont blame anyone. not anyone at all, but me, for that.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Food industry still has to make a living. The higher prices for a bigger portion is more profitable. An extra pancake is going cost less than a $1 in materials but restaurant will charge a dollar for it.

I remember "health class". The diet advice was the food pyramid of the day; and that is government advice compromised by profit motives.

Actually, sweet potatoes make for an okay fast food. 5 minutes in a microwave, still a lot of simple carbs, but at least there nutrients and the fiber is metabolically useless filler.

Maybe, but that doesn't mean they have to serve a $20 half-pound burger to make a living. If they can't make rent at $10 a plate, maybe we need to re-evaluate how we get food in mouths.

 

[Captante]

i dont think you understand "real life" for overweight people.

no one wishes "just put the fork down" insults worked better than i.

i had a whole thing i was going to type about my personal experience to try to help you understand. but hey, im just a fatty who cant put a fork down, so whatever.

i dont blame anyone. not anyone at all, but me, for that.

I think you misunderstand me.... I would NEVER say "put the fork down" (or anything else mean like that) and none of what I posted was directed at you personally.

There's a HUGE difference between being mean and belittling people over something and not just staying silent because its easier and won't hurt anyone's feelings.

People who do that kind of thing are not being "nice" or "discreet" by keeping quiet and are not actually your friends.

Having said that, if I did hurt your feelings I sincerely apologize.

 

[deadlyapp]

I think it was more because she could have an aisle seat. We were the last row and boarding from the back (front too) and she kind of stood there looking up a bit i guess looking for open seats up more, then plopped down right next to me.

I ain't no little ass guy with muscles though and it's obvious she was not going to have room next to me being the size she is. There is no way she was comfortable either.

This is why you always always split the middle seat until someone absolutely tries to sit your aisle, especially an airline like Southwest.