There's a National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance

[AGBF]

The joys of living in a PC world.

What is the point of your post?

AGBF

 

[ascari_2]

The point is that political correctness really is getting out of hand and "equality for all" appears to be the trend regardless of the circumstances and the outcome.

 

[Trekkie]

The point is that political correctness really is getting out of hand and "equality for all" appears to be the trend regardless of the circumstances and the outcome.

Oh? So you don't think fat people should be treated the same as everyone else? How should they be treated differently? At what point? When they're 10kg overweight? How about 50kg overweight? Are you qualified to make that judgement?

 

[AGBF]

The point is that political correctness really is getting out of hand and "equality for all" appears to be the trend regardless of the circumstances and the outcome.

I am not sure how that statement relates to the topic of "fat acceptance". I can infer that you are against "fat acceptance", that you consider it a movement by people with whom you disagree and whom you are therefore labelling in a pejorative way. You used the term, "political correctness" as if the normal attitude is for society to shun and reject fat people, while only people who go out of their way to do the trendy and new, the hip, political "thing" of the day would accept fat people. I do not share your point of view.

If I misunderstood you, please clarify. It is your own fault, however, because you said so little to explain your position!!! You seemed to want to slam the people who believe in "fat acceptance" in as few words as possible!

AGBF

 

[ascari_2]

The point is that political correctness really is getting out of hand and "equality for all" appears to be the trend regardless of the circumstances and the outcome.

Oh? So you don't think fat people should be treated the same as everyone else? How should they be treated differently? At what point? When they're 10kg overweight? How about 50kg overweight? Are you qualified to make that judgement?

As one simple example, I think if a person is overweight to the point of there being potential health risks, they should be told about it. I also think the same applies to someone who is 5 feet tall and weighs 70 pounds (though of course at that point you would tell the person about their lack of weight and how it might impact them). The same applies to someone who drinks too much.

And while I never purported to say that I can judge everyone, we make judgment calls every single day. I can honestly say that my dad is overweight and I mention it to him often. I know the potential health risks and I want him to lower those risks. It's not a matter of loving or caring less. It's a matter being honest with one another and not being afraid of offending every single person on earth.

 

[Trekkie]

The point is that political correctness really is getting out of hand and "equality for all" appears to be the trend regardless of the circumstances and the outcome.

I am not sure how that statement relates to the topic of "fat acceptance". I can infer that you are against "fat acceptance", that you consider it a movement by people with whom you disagree and whom you are therefore labelling in a pejorative way. You used the term, "political correctness" as if the normal attitude is for society to shun and reject fat people, while only people who go out of their way to do the trendy and new, the hip, political "thing" of the day would accept fat people. I do not share your point of view.

If I misunderstood you, please clarify. It is your own fault, however, because you said so little to explain your position!!! You seemed to want to slam the people who believe in "fat acceptance" in as few words as possible!

AGBF

AGBF, I should just have waited for you to respond so I could +1 you!

 

[Trekkie]

The point is that political correctness really is getting out of hand and "equality for all" appears to be the trend regardless of the circumstances and the outcome.

Oh? So you don't think fat people should be treated the same as everyone else? How should they be treated differently? At what point? When they're 10kg overweight? How about 50kg overweight? Are you qualified to make that judgement?

As one simple example, I think if a person is overweight to the point of there being potential health risks, they should be told about it. I also think the same applies to someone who is 5 feet tall and weighs 70 pounds (though of course at that point you would tell the person about their lack of weight and how it might impact them). The same applies to someone who drinks too much.

And while I never purported to say that I can judge everyone, we make judgment calls every single day. I can honestly say that my dad is overweight and I mention it to him often. I know the potential health risks and I want him to lower those risks. It's not a matter of loving or caring less. It's a matter being honest with one another and not being afraid of offending every single person on earth.

Do you think these women have not been told about the potential health risks associated with obesity?

Did you read the CNN article about being fat and fit? Fat does not always mean unhealthy, just as thin does not always mean healthy.

The only thing anyone can diagnose by looking at a picture of a fat person is their own level of prejudice.

 

[ascari_2]

Have I read the CNN article? Yes, and it is written by a self-proclaimed fat rights activist. That right there is enough to show that what is being written is written with with a non-objective bias. I completely agree that weight alone is not a determinative factor in a person's health. I've seen round healthy people and I've seen unhealthy people whole, from the outside, appear to be fit. But, there is no way in hell that anyone is going to convince me that the women in the HP photoshoot are likely to be as healthy/fit as their "thinner" counterparts. I certainly think it is the responsibility of health professionals to evaluate a person in their entirety to render a valid diagnosis, but I don't think that they should glance over a person's weight as if it doesn't exist.

 

[AGBF]

There is a new tide rising that I'm very glad to see.
Larger people (myself now included) have long suffered prejudice but now the medical community, and perhaps society, is taking a second look at their edict that everyone should be thin.

(snip)

Bears are gay men who are comfortable with their large body size, and hairiness, another taboo.

(snip)

I hope social attitudes will change so everyone of all body sizes feel equal.
It's certainly about time!

I love 'em big and hairy!

Deb/AGBF

 

[zoebartlett]

It's not like it's a surprise to these women that they're overweight. I'm also sure their doctors have spoken to them about the health risks. They have to want to change though and until that happens, no lecture in the world will make a difference. There's a certain sensitivity I believe one needs to have when speaking to someone at either end of this spectrum. Sure, there's tough love, but I think it has to be balanced with thoughtfulness about how one's message is delivered. Body image and eating issues are a tricky thing to address.

 

[AGBF]

It's not like it's a surprise to these women that they're overweight. I'm also sure their doctors have spoken to them about the health risks. They have to want to change though and until that happens, no lecture in the world will make a difference. There's a certain sensitivity I believe one needs to have when speaking to someone at either end of this spectrum. Sure, there's tough love, but I think it has to be balanced with thoughtfulness about how one's message is delivered. Body image and eating issues are a tricky thing to address.

Zoe,

I agree with everything you wrote. I am not sure that how a doctor handles the medical treatment of an obese person is really germane to the people who are trying to promote "fat acceptance". (I was going to say, "forgive me for continuing to put quotation marks around that phrase". I really have to decide whether or not I can bear to use it, I guess, and stop with the quotation marks already!)

I mean, I do not believe that the people who are working to get equal rights and status for fat people would want a fat person's doctor to give him less than ideal medical care! I think that equality for fat people would, naturally, mean that a fat person would be told about all the risks he had due to all his health conditions, including obesity, if morbid obesity was causing risks. And although the recent study shows that some degree of being overweight is not a cause of higher mortality, being several hundred pounds overweight is. That's not their issue. Their issue is that even if the person who is four hundred pounds overweight gets top notch medical care and is warned of health risks, that that is private. Society should not judge that person any differently from an average size or a skinny Angelina Jolie size person.

Don't talk about cost of obesity to society. So many other things that are unhealthy (but hidden) are done by others. Fat is just not acceptable. By the way, I am a lifetime member of weight watchers at my goal weight and I neither smoke nor drink any alcohol at all. This isn't about me. As they said in "The Godfather", "It ain't personal".

AGBF

 

[ascari_2]

It's not just being morbidly obese (i.e., being overweight by a hundred or two hundred pounds). If anyone looks at the actual study, their results indicate that persons with a BMI of 30+ actually are at a greater risk, and you do not need to be morbidly obese to fit into that category. I believe being 5 feet 5 inches and 180+ pounds puts a person into that category. Unfortunately, this portion of the study is not described in detail in the article, and instead many who read it will be lead to believe that researchers made a blanket statement.

 

[AGBF]

It's not just being morbidly obese (i.e., being overweight by a hundred or two hundred pounds). If anyone looks at the actual study, their results indicate that persons with a BMI of 30+ actually are at a greater risk, and you do not need to be morbidly obese to fit into that category. I believe being 5 feet 5 inches and 180+ pounds puts a person into that category. Unfortunately, this portion of the study is not described in detail in the article, and instead many who read it will be lead to believe that researchers made a blanket statement.

Well...as I said to Zoe, the medical problems associated with obesity should have nothing to do with the social acceptability of obesity. That is, I believe, the reason for the movement.

AGBF

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

At what weight do you get categorized at obese or morbidly obese? I'm curious how that is decided. I get BMI, but is there a weight for your height thing that decides, since BMI seems to maybe not be so accurate?

 

[ascari_2]

It's not just being morbidly obese (i.e., being overweight by a hundred or two hundred pounds). If anyone looks at the actual study, their results indicate that persons with a BMI of 30+ actually are at a greater risk, and you do not need to be morbidly obese to fit into that category. I believe being 5 feet 5 inches and 180+ pounds puts a person into that category. Unfortunately, this portion of the study is not described in detail in the article, and instead many who read it will be lead to believe that researchers made a blanket statement.

Well...as I said to Zoe, the medical problems associated with obesity should have nothing to do with the social acceptability of obesity. That is, I believe, the reason for the movement.

AGBF

I am just curious, but does the same hold true for overactive alcohol consumption which causes medical problems? Or it is OK to discourage that?

 

[rubybeth]

At what weight do you get categorized at obese or morbidly obese? I'm curious how that is decided. I get BMI, but is there a weight for your height thing that decides, since BMI seems to maybe not be so accurate?

BMI is the way they determine if you are overweight, obese, or mobidly obese. You can also use calipers or other other methods to determine fat percentage, but BMI is the most common way of determining whether or not someone is within the healthy range: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/123702-overview Also, you can look at height/weight charts and see the range of healthy weights for your height: http://www.rush.edu/rumc/page-1108048103230.html

Where you have fat is also a determining factor in your general health. Carrying weight around your midsection/stomach/hips is usually worse, because it indicates higher levels of stress hormones. Stress is a real killer. It will shorten your life quite a bit, as well as make you miserable. I actually work out to combat stress more than I do it to combat weight gain: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/meditation-modern-life/201111/elevated-stress-levels-increase-chance-death

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

At what weight do you get categorized at obese or morbidly obese? I'm curious how that is decided. I get BMI, but is there a weight for your height thing that decides, since BMI seems to maybe not be so accurate?

BMI is the way they determine if you are overweight, obese, or mobidly obese. You can also use calipers or other other methods to determine fat percentage, but BMI is the most common way of determining whether or not someone is within the healthy range: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/123702-overview Also, you can look at height/weight charts and see the range of healthy weights for your height: http://www.rush.edu/rumc/page-1108048103230.html

Where you have fat is also a determining factor in your general health. Carrying weight around your midsection/stomach/hips is usually worse, because it indicates higher levels of stress hormones. Stress is a real killer. It will shorten your life quite a bit, as well as make you miserable. I actually work out to combat stress more than I do it to combat weight gain: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/meditation-modern-life/201111/elevated-stress-levels-increase-chance-death

Thank you for that! According to this, I have several friends who are obese and several who are morbidly obese. I totally accept them for who they are though and if they are good with their bodies, then so am I.

I do have to say though; I have several friends who say they plan to lose the weight, but don't do anything about it. I get super frustrated when I hear about or see the extra fatty foods they eat, because it really is all about choices. Although I have to say, I feel the same way when my smoker friends say they want to quit, yet do nothing to change their habits. It isn't judging on a 'wow, they are fat' level, but on a 'wow, they don't care about their body' level. I tell my smoker friends all the time that they are killing themselves but now that I think about it, I rarely call out my larger friends when they're eating deep fried fatty things. I think I'm more sensitive about their weight (because the majority of my larger friend are NOT happy about it) and don't want to push it. Weird. Clearly I judge the smokers more.

 

[tuffyluvr]

There is a fine line between accepting individuals for who they are regardless of weight and treating everyone with respect, and sending the wrong message about health.

GF, I think you just hit the nail on the head.
Yes, it is a trade off of health vs. respect.
I think what the article is saying is the medical community is coming to realize it is not always so cut and dry and black and white as everyone should be in a BMI range.
It's complex.

I don't know where to draw the line but I'm VERY happy the topic is being discussed.
Too many people want to just shut their ears and eyes about this topic.
It's important.

Yes, yes, yes! BMI is puzzling to me--I cannot understand how someone who is painfully thin can fall into the "normal" range, yet my FI falls into the "obese" category. He might not have a 6-pack, but he is not overweight by any means. He *is* very muscular--he isn't a bodybuilder or anything--just naturally muscular with large bone structure and those factors push him into the "obese" range. At 6'1"/205?!?!

Also, I know quite a few women who are naturally "thick"/curvy/whatever you want to call it, and their BMI is in the "obese" range, yet they're in great shape. When i was swimming competitively, the two best swimmers in my team were downright chunky. A close friend of mine is about 3 inches shorter than me and 20lbs heavier and she can kick my butt in spin class and run 10 miles afterwards. Additionally, this girl is confident, sexy and so much fun. Men love her--before she was with her now-husband she went on at least a date a week and had her pick of the litter. She may not be the type of beauty you would see in a fashion magazine, but she does alright for herself

I never judge others for their weight. I don't look at someone who weighs 500lbs and think "that's gross". I do sometimes think "that looks uncomfortable" or that the extra weight makes simple thinks like fitting in a booth at a restaurant or getting out of a car look so much more difficult.

It is upsetting when I see parents feeding their kids total crap. Whether they are overweight or not. I do judge there. I feel like its really unfair when parents don't try to give their kids healthy foods. If you aren't offered fruits and veg as a child, you will never develop a taste for them. A course I took in college mentioned something about this and it stuck with me and makes a lot of sense: ancestrally, we sought out sweet foods and high fat foods because they are calorie dense. Thus, our taste buds develop with a preference to sweet foods. Hence, it is important to offer your baby bitter foods rather than sweet foods first when you start solids. For example: you should offer puréed spinach or broccoli rather than sweet potato or puréed peas. They also said that it takes 7 tries to develop the taste for new foods, so you should keep offering those dark green veggies rather than saying, "they don't like that one, let's try another!". I could not agree more with this:


I do think that our society is "fatist", and that needs to change--there are all different body types, and you can't force a "pear-shape" to become a "banana". A person who is healthy and confident is attractive, no matter what size--what's unhealthy is beating yourself up, starving yourself, following crazy diets, etc in an attempt to be a size 0 or have washboard abs!

 

[tuffyluvr]

At what weight do you get categorized at obese or morbidly obese? I'm curious how that is decided. I get BMI, but is there a weight for your height thing that decides, since BMI seems to maybe not be so accurate?

If I recall correctly, obese is 30lbs overweight, and morbidly obese is 100lbs overweight and over 100lbs overweight is super morbidly obese. What I don't think the BMI accounts for is frame. For example, I'm 5'10" and if my BMI was on the lower end of the normal range, I could be 127lbs and still be in the "healthy" range. I have a medium frame and an athletic, muscular build. I would look *frighteningly* thin at 127. When I got down to 135 my friends started telling me that I looked gaunt and too thin. My body is happy at about 145-150.

 

[AGBF]

I am just curious, but does the same hold true for overactive alcohol consumption which causes medical problems? Or it is OK to discourage that?

One doesn't "see" overuse of alcohol the moment he sees another person except in the most extreme circumstances. Even in those most extreme circumstances, the overuse of alcohol is sometimes thought to be acceptable if the context is "right". For instance if the person drinking too much alcohol is at a wedding and is well dressed, others may give him a pass. It may only be someone in rags in the gutter who is shunned for his overuse of alcohol...and in that case it isn't really his overuse of alcohol so much as his social status that is getting him shunned.

AGBF

 

[partgypsy]

Well I think people need to distinguish between "fat hating" in popular culture, which to me generally sinks to the lowest low and is all about the superficial. In that case, man wean yourself off the popular culture! Turn off the tv, don't read the crap on the internet (seems a huge % of people posting on forums are hateful, in general).

But it's a different thing, about what medical professionals may say to you. Don't diagnosis yourself by calculating your bmi and freaking out (or not). Go to a doctor every year, and ask him/her what your bmi means. More importantly, how's your endurance, blood pressure, blood values, etc? If people are calling out fat bias, because their doctor told them to lose weight because they have demonstrable risk factors, or they cannot fit in a medical machine that fits 95% of all people, maybe that's not bias, mabye it's denial about a medical problem.

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

Well I think people need to distinguish between "fat hating" in popular culture, which to me generally sinks to the lowest low and is all about the superficial. In that case, man wean yourself off the popular culture! Turn off the tv, don't read the crap on the internet (seems a huge % of people posting on forums are hateful, in general).

But it's a different thing, about what medical professionals may say to you. Don't diagnosis yourself by calculating your bmi and freaking out (or not). Go to a doctor every year, and ask him/her what your bmi means. More importantly, how's your endurance, blood pressure, blood values, etc? If people are calling out fat bias, because their doctor told them to lose weight because they have demonstrable risk factors, or they cannot fit in a medical machine that fits 95% of all people, maybe that's not bias, mabye it's denial about a medical problem.

I think your right! And the thing about denial; I don't think that any of my 'morbidly obese' friends would EVER admit in a million years that they are in fact, morbidly obese. Shoot, I have a hard time admitting it about them, but I know its true.

I think that everyone should be treated equally and with respect, but if my doctor thinks I'm gaining/losing too much weight, I would like to be told frankly about it, with no sugar coating.

 

[rosetta]

At what weight do you get categorized at obese or morbidly obese? I'm curious how that is decided. I get BMI, but is there a weight for your height thing that decides, since BMI seems to maybe not be so accurate?

If I recall correctly, obese is 30lbs overweight, and morbidly obese is 100lbs overweight and over 100lbs overweight is super morbidly obese. What I don't think the BMI accounts for is frame. For example, I'm 5'10" and if my BMI was on the lower end of the normal range, I could be 127lbs and still be in the "healthy" range. I have a medium frame and an athletic, muscular build. I would look *frighteningly* thin at 127. When I got down to 135 my friends started telling me that I looked gaunt and too thin. My body is happy at about 145-150.

Just to illustrate the opposite phenomenon. I'm 5'1"

I can have a normal BMI at a weight of 98 lbs. And look nowhere near gaunt. Ive been this weight before and let me tell you, not a sngle person thought I was too thin. I was eating next to nothing btw. Not very healthy and I rapidly changed my ways. No I've gone too far the other way and need to lose 20 lbs (lost first 6 lbs so far)

 

[04diamond<3]

Sorry to bring this back up as it is quite old. But I felt I had to comment. I have been everything. As a child suffered malnutrition due to poverty (born into a 3rd world country), then grew up into my early teens healthy, athletic and in good shape, to now, 100 pounds overweight. I have big bones (I'm 5'10) and at my heaviest I was over 300lbs 2 years ago. I know what it's like to wake up in the morning feeling great, having energy and just loving life, and I also know what its like to wake up and thank God that I'm still breathing because I didn't expect to make it through the night. I am 26 and have high blood pressure, tendinitis and inflammation in my skelatal and my doctor wants to wait to put me on meds for fibromyalgia. I wake up feeling like my hips are on fire and my chest always feels like an elephant is sitting on it and I look (I did at my heaviest), like I was 9 months pregnant. There are 70 year old women out there that don't have the pain I have (ex my DH's grandma and she's 7. I gained this weight by not being physically active. I went through major depression right after we got married and took a job working in customer service for Blue Cross and spent 11 hours a day in a chair getting yelled at by people and having mcdonalds for lunch then going home sitting on a couch till it was bedtime. in 3 years I had gained 60 pounds. This all was caused by me. I had a hard time with the way people looked at me (although no one thought I was the weight I was because I'm tall according to a nurse). But life for even a chubby person is definitely hard. And of course that causes more depression. I guess I just wanted to share this because when my doctor told me I would die if I got pregnant (which I did and the pregnancy didn't last), I quit my job and attempted to get healthy. It's hard to do when you don't have anyone to do it with. I grew up in a big family with 4 siblings and we always did everything together. Now we're all grown up and it's harder to find someone to help motivate you and keep you accountable.

Kenny - the pictures you posted made me SO sad for those women. That's not art. It's sadness and shame and clear pain and utter humiliation. All you have to do is look at their faces and the way they carry themselves which all can be seen in the photos. While yes, society has become harsh, you can't cover that stuff up and it would be wrong to just demand that people accept it because it is what it is. Yes, loving everyone is something we should do, but if we say we accept that, then we're saying it's ok to eat fast food 3 meals a day and we're condoning their behavior. Instead we should say, "You need to be healthy". I do not by any means think the run way models are better off, they make me want to cry too. It's sad to see a thin layer over scrony bones and label that as what's "in". They suffer too in their own way. But both extremes are wrong. I've lost 40 pounds and still have more to go...but I wish instead of judgement, people would reach out and say "I'm going to help you get to where you need to be for your own health's sake!". This country is the fattest in the whole world! And that's because people would rather do the easy thing (run through the drive through) than buy the health stuff and make it yourself. I don't think bigger women are ugly but I'm not as concerned with outward appearances. I just wish people were more concerned with being healthy than with being accepted for what they look like. I bet you each one of those women are on multiple meds and the sad truth is that if they don't loose the weight they will have a shorter life span (as will I unless I continue working at this weight which seems impossible at times).

Sorry for the long post!

 

[miraclesrule]

04Diamond, that was a lovely candid personal post. I can empathize with you because I have gone through the same struggle. It's actually a life time struggle for me. Food is a source of addiction, not unlike any other vice, be it legal or illegal. I think our food supply is a contributing factor because the processed foods cause an alarming spike in blood glucose that perpetuates the entire glucose/insulin malfunction that often results in Type 2 diabetes. I haven't looked at the photos before I know what I will see.

The first time that became extremely overweight was after a period of unemployment and I was extremely depressed and anxious. My neighbor was a single mom as well as she cooked a lot of unhealthy comfort foods. I ate them too! Yummy. The wake up call was when I got called back to the previous job I had and the look on everyone's face can only be described as an awkward shock. I put them at ease by announcing "I know, I know...I ate way too many nachos while I was away. Nachos are evil, don't eat them!! I am signing up with Jenny Craig once I cash my first paycheck". I did sign up with Jenny Craig and proceeded to lose the 50 pounds within 6 months.

I was much happier and content when I back to being me. I say "being me" because I really wasn't me when I was gorging at "All you can eat" buffets and making fattening foods and even thinking "heck, if it's good enough for Princess Diana, maybe I should just start barfing up my meals too". So yea, I even went that crazy.

We do eat for some many reasons that are not at all related to hunger and although I abhor discrimination against anyone, I don't think we need special rights for yet another group.

 

[miraclesrule]

Crapola, I had to cut myself off because duty called, but I didn't get a chance to edit or complete my thoughts.

In any case, I think the labeling of people is getting out of control. In a perfect world, I would like to see Male or Female (or used to be, or want to be) and adult/child. Beyond that, we are indeed labeling and separating our common humanity that shares the same needs and feelings, depending on whether or not our needs are being met.

I'll just keep dreaming of that perfect world.

 

[kenny]

I think there is universal agreement that being very obese is unhealthy.
But I endeavor to set aside a person's weight when deciding how I feel about the person him or herself.
IMHO most people don't do that.

We all form impressions of others based on education, income, appearance, manners, tolerance of diversity, morals, values, ethics etc.
I try to remove weight from the long list of things it's okay to judge a person by.
And yes we ALL judge, and there's nothing wrong with it.
If you didn't judge you'd let the 68 year old filthy bum felon who lives under the bridge date your 16-yr old daughter.

I think we should accept the people themselves who are overweight, yet not give up and accept that being overweight is equally as healthy.
How or even whether they deal with their weight is NONE of my business.
I don't see this as a contradiction or paradox.

Kind of like, hate the sin but love the sinner.

BTW, I never comment when someone loses weight. Never!
If they say, "Kenny, I lost x pounds. How do I look?" I'll reply, "Oh you always look great."

 

[monkeydogsundog]

The point is that political correctness really is getting out of hand and "equality for all" appears to be the trend regardless of the circumstances and the outcome.

Oh? So you don't think fat people should be treated the same as everyone else? How should they be treated differently? At what point? When they're 10kg overweight? How about 50kg overweight? Are you qualified to make that judgement?

As one simple example, I think if a person is overweight to the point of there being potential health risks, they should be told about it. I also think the same applies to someone who is 5 feet tall and weighs 70 pounds (though of course at that point you would tell the person about their lack of weight and how it might impact them). The same applies to someone who drinks too much.

And while I never purported to say that I can judge everyone, we make judgment calls every single day. I can honestly say that my dad is overweight and I mention it to him often. I know the potential health risks and I want him to lower those risks. It's not a matter of loving or caring less. It's a matter being honest with one another and not being afraid of offending every single person on earth.

There's a difference between a conversation with your dr and a random person shouting to you as you walk down the street "You deserve to die, fatty!"

I think a lot of people suffering from weight problems feel out of control about it. I personally gained a bunch of weight after a knee injury and felt really out of control because I've always been super active and never had a problem and suddenly I was 40 lbs overweight and what do I do because I'm injured. It hurt my self esteem and I felt bad about myself and the fact that random people felt the need to tell me I was disgusting and worthless did not help that problem. I think that treating people with dignity and respect is utterly imperative. You cannot shame people into improvement.