I've been overweight almost my entire life and I will admit that it's tough looking in the mirror at times. Part of why I am overweight stems from coping behaviors with things that have happened to me in the past, bad patterns of reverting back to previous habits, and how I just love food. Looking in the mirror at times really bothers me, knowing if I stuck to eating healthier, working out, and sticking to a calorie deficit it would greatly benefit how I view myself. Old habits are hard to kick, and I've got to get to a situation where a healthier lifestyle is the norm for me.
The foods I eat when I'm not sticking to something healthier are addicting. It's not like other addicting thingsĀ where you have to really seek it out and find it to get dopamine off of it, but rather unhealthy foods are categorized as part of something that's fundamental to survival (food consumption). In the United States, or at least where I live, fast foods and other unhealthy foods are advertised frequently on many types of media and there are so many companies focused on unhealthy foods like McDonalds that are everywhere you look that it's difficult to not get reminded of cravings. It's also easier, more convenient, and sometimes cheaper to buy these foods rather than to buy food from the grocery store and toĀ cookĀ from home. Also consider that it's now easier than ever to acquire these foods through apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc. where they allow you a choice of unhealthy options when you don't have food at the house so you don't have to leave the house. These apps do have healthier alternatives, yet there are several more unhealthy ones that can overshadow them.Ā This is not excusing that I make decisions personally to indulge on unhealthy foods, but rather to showcase how difficult it can be to stick to healthier food choices.
With all that being said, there are people who are overweight (and maybe even obese) who are happy with who they are, their weight and their living style. It may be more appealing to be at a healthy weight, whether that's internally or from an outside perspective, but it doesn't mean you have to be at that weight to enjoy life. Your weight isn't an indicator of your value to the world.
I have met people who are incredibly fit that have been negative towards me and others in life, and I have met overweight people who I view to be excellent people. Physical weight may be a thing that is a worry when it comes to seeking relationships (do I find their body attractive?), but a person's character and personality are what truly matter. As you said, "8's and above" are very appealing I'm sure, but they could also have a nasty personality (why rate a person on a scale like that anyway?). I have romantically been involved with a person who I found to be very physically fit and attractive where they ended up being an avoidant attachment style and a bit of a narcissist. On the other spectrum I've been romantically involved with a person who is overweight yet I still find them attractive physically and their personality and the way we conversate is genuine, fantastic and empathetic.
It's easy to dismiss people who are overweight as dumb for not caring for their health, or to think that they are pigs. Those habits of indulgence, like you said however, can stem from multiple different reasons due to a person's background. It can genuinely be a monumental challenge for those who are overweight to overcome their habits and to stick to a healthier lifestyle indefinitely. However from personal experience, once the hurdle of choosing a better lifestyle finally settles in, it gets easier.
The only "8's and up" I am interested in pulling:
(13th April 2023, 10:53 AM)Dangevin Wrote: [ -> ]With all that being said, there are people who are overweight (and maybe even obese) who are happy with who they are, their weight and their living style. It may be more appealing to be at a healthy weight, whether that's internally or from an outside perspective, but it doesn't mean you have to be at that weight to enjoy life. Your weight isn't an indicator of your value to the world.
It's easy to dismiss people who are overweight as dumb for not caring for their health, or to think that they are pigs. Those habits of indulgence, like you said however, can stem from multiple different reasons due to a person's background. It can genuinely be a monumental challenge for those who are overweight to overcome their habits and to stick to a healthier lifestyle indefinitely. However from personal experience, once the hurdle of choosing a better lifestyle finally settles in, it gets easier.
The phrasing "happy with who they are" is disturbing, as if they were destined to be fat or unhealthy which is simply not true. And sure, you can be happy and also overweight, but not
because you are overweight. This Soft-On-Fat approach (which I've just coined right now) is ultimately negative for society because people will always take the easy way out. People hear and tell themselvesĀ "Weight isn't an indicator of your value to the world" and say "yeah, I feel bad about myself so I will tell myself that I still have value and it's OK where I am"... as they continue to not change.
And I'm not saying the Soft-On-Fat approach is also always bad, I just don't think today's people want to be straight with themselves and so it provides an easy way out so that they don't really have to reckon with it.
It's harsh, yes. It's mean, sure. Would I recommend you go up to a stranger and strike up a conversation about their health choices? No. Would I tell you to constantly remind your overweight friend that they are indeed so? No. You can be delicate in your delivery, but you can't lie about the truth of being overweight and what it does to your health.
(13th April 2023, 10:53 AM)Dangevin Wrote: [ -> ]-snip-
I don't have anything to add to the discussion, I just wanted to say that I appreciate your vulnerability. It can be very difficult to talk about things so personal and I commend you for doing so in such a public setting.
I'm not overweight and never have been. If anything, i have probably been underweight.
I walk around at around 66kg (145lbs ?) and usually compete at 61kg (135lbs) so for me, i am in a calorific deficit almost all the time cutting weight to get on weight for competitions. So i restrict myself from the unhealthy foods for weeks and then usually end up binge eating for a week or two and i end up being back up to 66kg quickly.
One thing i noticed is that i became way too obsessive with losing weight and was loving the feeling of losing weight everyday so i was getting too light which i have stopped doing at past competitions, and then on the other hand, i was getting obsessed with foods that i could eat after competition and binge eating also made me feel unhealthy.
It's weird because nutrition and losing weight for this sport is often overlooked and can lead to many eating disorders and there isn't enough stuff/people who are knowledgeable on this subject to ask help with.
(18th April 2023, 5:47 AM)ExplosionZ Wrote: [ -> ]I walk around at around 66kg (145lbs ?) and usually compete at 61kg (135lbs) so for me, i am in a calorific deficit almost all the time cutting weight to get on weight for competitions. So i restrict myself from the unhealthy foods for weeks and then usually end up binge eating for a week or two and i end up being back up to 66kg quickly.
One thing i noticed is that i became way too obsessive with losing weight and was loving the feeling of losing weight everyday so i was getting too light which i have stopped doing at past competitions, and then on the other hand, i was getting obsessed with foods that i could eat after competition and binge eating also made me feel unhealthy.
How do you think you would feel being at 240lbs and competing in heavyweight competitions? Because I know guys like John Jones who stay around 225lbs competing in light heavyweight classes, even though he's spoken about being heavyweight one day.
Also, let me just say this while we're on the subject of weight classes: I think it's stupid how the UFC doesn't have super heavyweight classes because then guys like Brock Lesnar could compete at 290lbs or more. If you're at 135lbs, then that means you're competing in a Bantamweight competition. So, you're basically going back and forth from Bantamweight to Featherweight.
UFC Weight Classes
(19th April 2023, 10:33 AM)Different Wrote: [ -> ]How do you think you would feel being at 240lbs and competing in heavyweight competitions? Because I know guys like John Jones who stay around 225lbs competing in light heavyweight classes, even though he's spoken about being heavyweight one day.
Also, let me just say this while we're on the subject of weight classes: I think it's stupid how the UFC doesn't have super heavyweight classes because then guys like Brock Lesnar could compete at 290lbs or more. If you're at 135lbs, then that means you're competing in a Bantamweight competition. So, you're basically going back and forth from Bantamweight to Featherweight.
UFC Weight Classes
I mean Jon Jones has just competed at heavyweight after bulking and gaining muscle for like the last 3 years and it went successful for him. So I think cutting down has its positives such as being bigger and that is also more confidence 9/10 times. But it was probably also pretty daunting for him as he would be unsure how his power/skills would be when he bulks up and how it would affect his speed.
Yeah i always thought the UFC should introduce a class above heavyweight allowing the heavier heavyweights the option to fight without having to cut weight (Francis Ngannou, Derrick Lewis, etc). And yeah my weight usually stays at featherweight, and i compete at Bantamweight.
The beer belly photo was a jump scare.
Personally I find it so easy to lose weight, I struggle to put it on though. I was sat at 7st for years, and I recently weighed in at 10st for my check-up. I am on a meal plan via my GP, I suppose it's helping but everybody is different I suppose. There is no right or wrong way of gaining weight and losing weight.