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how can americans get so fat??

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nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
We're set up so that fatties (like me) don't feel bad about ourselves. People with poor diet and exercise habits *should* feel ashamed.

:thumbsdown: Shaming people is the least effective way to get them to change. It's better to encourage them to find healthy foods that taste good and exercises and activities that they enjoy. Then they're more likely to enjoy being healthy and make it a habit.

We should be reaffirming people's positive choices and small victories, and not placing so much emphasis on the negative things they do. After all, if they have fast food occasionally or spend a bit of time gaming or watching TV, that's not a big deal, as long as it's balanced with healthier food and activities.

I know we all laugh about it, especially on AT where everyone has an 8-pack and bench presses 3 times their body weight, but "fatty bashing" is really not such a good thing.

I say this as a fatty myself: Acceptance and tolerance of self-inflicted obesity only validates those behaviors.

I say this as a fatty myself: shame only makes me want to drown my sorrows in pizza and ice cream.
 

InflatableBuddha

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2007
7,416
1
0
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
We're set up so that fatties (like me) don't feel bad about ourselves. People with poor diet and exercise habits *should* feel ashamed.

:thumbsdown: Shaming people is the least effective way to get them to change. It's better to encourage them to find healthy foods that taste good and exercises and activities that they enjoy. Then they're more likely to enjoy being healthy and make it a habit.

We should be reaffirming people's positive choices and small victories, and not placing so much emphasis on the negative things they do. After all, if they have fast food occasionally or spend a bit of time gaming or watching TV, that's not a big deal, as long as it's balanced with healthier food and activities.

I know we all laugh about it, especially on AT where everyone has an 8-pack and bench presses 3 times their body weight, but "fatty bashing" is really not such a good thing.

I say this as a fatty myself: Acceptance and tolerance of self-inflicted obesity only validates those behaviors.

Then what is the solution? If we shame people, they often get embarrassed and continue to eat to comfort themselves. If we accept them, they think their current weight is fine and do nothing about it.

I understand that the motivation to change has to come from the individual, but what can others do to help that person? I don't believe that encouraging and validating someone's positive changes (once they decide to make them) is tantamount to accepting their current state. They are two separate behaviours.

 

Newbian

Lifer
Aug 24, 2008
24,779
882
126
I still don't understand how we are not even the fattest country.

They are going to throw the planet off the tilt.
 
S

SlitheryDee

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
We're set up so that fatties (like me) don't feel bad about ourselves. People with poor diet and exercise habits *should* feel ashamed.

:thumbsdown: Shaming people is the least effective way to get them to change. It's better to encourage them to find healthy foods that taste good and exercises and activities that they enjoy. Then they're more likely to enjoy being healthy and make it a habit.

We should be reaffirming people's positive choices and small victories, and not placing so much emphasis on the negative things they do. After all, if they have fast food occasionally or spend a bit of time gaming or watching TV, that's not a big deal, as long as it's balanced with healthier food and activities.

I know we all laugh about it, especially on AT where everyone has an 8-pack and bench presses 3 times their body weight, but "fatty bashing" is really not such a good thing.

I say this as a fatty myself: Acceptance and tolerance of self-inflicted obesity only validates those behaviors.

Then what is the solution? If we shame people, they often get embarrassed and continue to eat to comfort themselves. If we accept them, they think their current weight is fine and do nothing about it.

I understand that the motivation to change has to come from the individual, but what can others do to help that person? I don't believe that encouraging and validating someone's positive changes (once they decide to make them) is tantamount to accepting their current state. They are two separate behaviours.

Think about it in evolutionary terms. Shame would probably not be among our repertoire of emotions if it did not serve some survival-related purpose. Humans who experienced shame in the past were more likely to reproduce. The most obvious use that shame could serve is a source of motivation for modifying behavior to better fit into the human social construct. The only reason for shame to even exist is because it successfully causes humans to change what they do to make themselves fit in.

People seem to think that whatever solution sounds the most counter intuitive must be the best. I'm not sure where this comes from, but I see it in virtually every discussion on modifying human behavior, from corporal punishment with children to shame with obesity. If shame doesn't work as an impetus to change behavior, then why does it even exist?
 

Wag

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2000
8,288
8
81
Originally posted by: Fayd
a 12000 calorie salad...

QFT. "Taco salad" will do it nicely.

Drinking soda every day and juice will do it too.
 

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
Originally posted by: KeithTalent
This http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/ plus a lack of exercise would be my guess.

KT

Ok I can understand wanting maybe:

Bacon Infused Waffles
Kentucky Hot Brown
The Camvan Carnage

But the rest? Don't think even many obese people eat those things regularly, I would know I'm not skinny (though not wale like either).
 

Regs

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
16,666
21
81
America was proven that it has a lower gravity pull than other countries. Hence every year we lose more bone and muscle mass leading to fatty deposits.....
 

Boo Boo

Golden Member
Aug 2, 2005
1,514
0
0
single moms want more than a lay now, so i have been getting fat waiting by the phone