Is Being Fat A Choice (If There Is No Underlying Medical Reason)

[robblok]

In all honesty when I was at my largest it was the only way I could work out without chaffing.

Now its just for the cycling, have a padded arse patch too, stops the numb nuts.

I know i got a spinning bike in my home gym, i use that thing too else my nuts really go numb.

[eek]

Eek, really a matter of weeks. I am not doubting you here i just like to know more. Because I have read stuff about the thyroid but never this extreme. 13 kg in a few weeks is enormous. If that was in a month is 3kg a week. Your MBR must have gone down to nothing at all.

if all of that was fat that means you were consuming 21.000 cals a week say 3000 cals a day and metabolic rate at zero. Or it could mean you were holding a lot of water too because this is real strange.

Not doubting you just curious, could it have been a bit longer then weeks ? Because you said you did not monitor your weight that much

?

I take it you are taking something like t4 hormones now ? I am just really interested in this because i like to know more about MBR rates and stuff.

Its actually all in the forum here somewhere, from when i first got seriously concerned, to sheryls recommendation and then trying to solve a residual goiter issue. http://www.thaivisa....os-thyroiditis/ Its old ground for me and really dont wish to go back over it. Happy to answer any direct questions though, but as i said, i have a few different threads in the forum from when it first happened (2007 i think)

Edit: this was the first post on my concerns:

[robblok]

Thanks eek, i will try to read it when i got a bit more time. Just like to know more about this.

[tropo]

In all honesty when I was at my largest it was the only way I could work out without chaffing.

Now its just for the cycling, have a padded arse patch too, stops the numb nuts.

I know i got a spinning bike in my home gym, i use that thing too else my nuts really go numb.

Maybe that's why recumbent bikes have become so popular.

[robblok]

In all honesty when I was at my largest it was the only way I could work out without chaffing.

Now its just for the cycling, have a padded arse patch too, stops the numb nuts.

I know i got a spinning bike in my home gym, i use that thing too else my nuts really go numb.

Maybe that's why recumbent bikes have become so popular.

Probably, without one of those special pants i wont touch the bike 5555. But if i buy an other kind of saddle it might help. Anyway since i got the rower i don't use the bike much. Gf does however.

[billd766]

Many thanks for the Horizon episodes.

My Ghrelen response must be the one for the obese person, constant nagging for food.

I can avoid food for hours but once I start - exactly like it was in the program.

Then the two articles on visceral fat added greatly to my understanding of me.

I am not currently obese but have the life time tendency to be so, I only have to take my eye off the ball for a short time

My stats: 70 yrs, 70" tall, waist 34", neck 14.5", 155 pounds, BMI 22.46, I used to have high BP and tool attenolol and Captopril to control it from my mid 40's until I lost weight (from 95Kg to 75Kg) in 1996.

However, the weight steadily came back to 95Kg and I was put on meds again.

In 2009 I started to lose weight again and not my BP is at acceptable levels so no meds.

This time I have less muscle than ever before though I have less overall fat. This means that my metabolic rate is lower and therefore it id harder to lose fat.

However, I never had much in the way of muscle (very similar to my Dad) and if I train to build some up, it falls away rapidly as soon as I exercise less.

There are places on my body where I can pinch a little more that an inch and this tells me that I have too much fat and my aim is to reduce it.

I used to be a very heavy smoker on more than 60 a day when I gave up at age 33 and I still have the smokers wheeze and my lung function is not as good as it should be.

My real problem is motivation.

Do you have any suggestions that may inspire me - for life?

If you really want inspiration i could send you a photo of me.

This would certainly encourage not to look like this EVER and the second part is that you show it to your kids and tell them that if they don't behave this guy will come and sit on them and squash them flat. Not a pretty sight.

[laislica]

Many thanks for the Horizon episodes.

My Ghrelen response must be the one for the obese person, constant nagging for food.

I can avoid food for hours but once I start - exactly like it was in the program.

Then the two articles on visceral fat added greatly to my understanding of me.

I am not currently obese but have the life time tendency to be so, I only have to take my eye off the ball for a short time

My stats: 70 yrs, 70" tall, waist 34", neck 14.5", 155 pounds, BMI 22.46, I used to have high BP and tool attenolol and Captopril to control it from my mid 40's until I lost weight (from 95Kg to 75Kg) in 1996.

However, the weight steadily came back to 95Kg and I was put on meds again.

In 2009 I started to lose weight again and not my BP is at acceptable levels so no meds.

This time I have less muscle than ever before though I have less overall fat. This means that my metabolic rate is lower and therefore it id harder to lose fat.

However, I never had much in the way of muscle (very similar to my Dad) and if I train to build some up, it falls away rapidly as soon as I exercise less.

There are places on my body where I can pinch a little more that an inch and this tells me that I have too much fat and my aim is to reduce it.

I used to be a very heavy smoker on more than 60 a day when I gave up at age 33 and I still have the smokers wheeze and my lung function is not as good as it should be.

My real problem is motivation.

Do you have any suggestions that may inspire me - for life?

If you really want inspiration i could send you a photo of me.

This would certainly encourage not to look like this EVER and the second part is that you show it to your kids and tell them that if they don't behave this guy will come and sit on them and squash them flat. Not a pretty sight.

Like.

It seems that I have reached my quota of Likes for today.

I have enough photos of me that I could use but you have made me think.

My Mum was advised (in the late 40'3) to find a picture of herself as a slim person and put it somewhere prominent. The idea being that if her image of herself was slim, then she would change to being slim.

Now - how to use Photoshop

[NoshowJones]

I am 68 and fat because I am happy that way.

I never force my lifestyle or opinions onto other people because I am not made that way.

I know I can loose weight if I want to and I also know that at sometime in the future that I will die.

I would rather and I will die a happy person instead of being miserable knowing that I would just love to eat a ........... whatever but if I do I may put on 100 grams and feel that my life has been cut short by 20 minutes.

I have too many things I want to do than worry what someone who has never met me thinks about me.

I would rather die fat, happy and have a great life than watch everything I eat and see all my friends and family die around me.

That must be worth at least 3 baht rather than the normal 50 satang.

I don't know how fat you are, but if you are obese, how can you be happy if you can't go for a walk or climb one flight of stairs without being breathless? Or maybe you jump on a motorbike to go to the end of the road for your beer etc. I am not condemning you for your lifestyle, I agree that is your choice, but I can't see how anyone can be happy if they have about 0% fitness and are breathing heavily after the slightest bit of exertion. Also, how can you be happy if you are Obese, and everywhere you go people are looking at you knowing how disgusting you look.

Maybe this does'nt apply to you, but is it fair to marry a slim girl, then let yourself go by piling on the weight sitting around the house all day surrounded by cans of beer? but it's OK because you are happy. Is it fair to your wife as she is the one who has to nurse you through the ill health because you are happy to let yourself become obese? It's fine to be fat and happy if you don't care about how unhealthy you are and how worse you are going to get, as long as no one else is affected by it.

[NoshowJones]

I started it way back in 2006.

In 2008 I lost 12.5 kg, 2009 I lost 11kg, 2010 only 5.5kg, 2011 5.2kg but each year I slowly put it back on because I enjoy good food.

IMO this contradicts your original attitude/post. You say you're happy being fat, but you dieted for 5 years in an attempt to lose it.

It looks more like you're a failed dieter rather than a person who is happy to be fat. Even the fact that you visited this forum points that way.

Let me tell you something, we all like good food - that never changes. You're no different in that regard than the rest of us.

Tropo is talking a lot of sense here Billd

I started it way back in 2006.

In 2008 I lost 12.5 kg, 2009 I lost 11kg, 2010 only 5.5kg, 2011 5.2kg but each year I slowly put it back on because I enjoy good food.

IMO this contradicts your original attitude/post. You say you're happy being fat, but you dieted for 5 years in an attempt to lose it.

It looks more like you're a failed dieter rather than a person who is happy to be fat. Even the fact that you visited this forum points that way.

Let me tell you something, we all like good food - that never changes. You're no different in that regard than the rest of us.

Tropo is right what he says Billd766. I don't believe you are happy at all, I would say you are just covering up for how unhappy you are by convincing yourself it's OK to drink lots of beer(that's if you do) and stuff yourself with lots of high calorie food. I'm 6ft tall, weigh 80 Kilos, I don't drink alcohol, but as Tropo says we all like good food, I like my mashed potatoes and mince etc, I also enjoy a cup of tea every night with a donut, two or three biscuits. But I also go to the park 5 mornings a week and use the exercise machines.

[tropo]

Maybe this does'nt apply to you, but is it fair to marry a slim girl, then let yourself go by piling on the weight sitting around the house all day surrounded by cans of beer? but it's OK because you are happy. Is it fair to your wife as she is the one who has to nurse you through the ill health because you are happy to let yourself become obese? It's fine to be fat and happy if you don't care about how unhealthy you are and how worse you are going to get, as long as no one else is affected by it.

Things aren't always so cut & dry.

I've heard of wives overfeeding their lazy husbands with the most unhealthy fatty food they can find in an effort to kill them off more quickly. It's not like all these young ladies marry their husbands for love, you know.

I've heard of other girls overfeeding their boyfriends in order to keep them fat and ugly so they're not easily going to find a replacement.

[NoshowJones]

Maybe this does'nt apply to you, but is it fair to marry a slim girl, then let yourself go by piling on the weight sitting around the house all day surrounded by cans of beer? but it's OK because you are happy. Is it fair to your wife as she is the one who has to nurse you through the ill health because you are happy to let yourself become obese? It's fine to be fat and happy if you don't care about how unhealthy you are and how worse you are going to get, as long as no one else is affected by it.

Things aren't always so cut & dry.

I've heard of wives overfeeding their lazy husbands with the most unhealthy fatty food they can find in an effort to kill them off more quickly. It's not like all these young ladies marry their husbands for love, you know.

I've heard of other girls overfeeding their boyfriends in order to keep them fat and ugly so they're not easily going to find a replacement.

You make good points Tropo, but one of my best friends married a lovely slim lady about ten years ago, then drank himself to death, he was cremated about eight months ago, he told me he was not fat when he met her, and in the six years I knew him, I never saw him without a can of beer by his side morning and night, and he became really obese, but you never could have met a nicer guy.

[robblok]

In defense of Bild i do believe people can be fat and happy. My dad is fat and quite happy. I still dont know why he is fat as he bikes over 10.000 km a year.

He does not drink excessive and has great stamina.

As for girls keeping their husband fat,it happens. And i find it hypocritical of all those guys wanting a slim sexy girl why they let themselves go but expect her to stay slim.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect App

[NoshowJones]

Smoking, over-eating, drugs, alcohol ..... all personal lifestyle choices.

It's up to you!

Yes indeed i agree 100%, as long as your not bothering anyone with it im ok. Nobody should tell someone what to do.

Problems start if healthy people have to finance the healthcare of the unhealthy. Not happening here but back in my home country it does. So there id say let the people doing unhealthy things pay more. (no need to discuss it here) You could argue they die sooner so cost less.

Exactly.

And there are peripheral issues as well, like having to sit next to an obese person taking up half your seat in an airplane or bus.

Complaints/lawsuits from the obese who demand to be accommodated.

Even something like buying clothes--it seems a bit harder now to find good-fitting clothes in the old normal/slim sizes.

Quite a few times I have been on a bus or airplane and have an obese person sit beside me and encroach on my part of the seat. I just looked at them, put my hand and forearm on the halfway part of the seat and say "you stay on your side of the seat"

[billd766]

Maybe this does'nt apply to you, but is it fair to marry a slim girl, then let yourself go by piling on the weight sitting around the house all day surrounded by cans of beer? but it's OK because you are happy. Is it fair to your wife as she is the one who has to nurse you through the ill health because you are happy to let yourself become obese? It's fine to be fat and happy if you don't care about how unhealthy you are and how worse you are going to get, as long as no one else is affected by it.

Things aren't always so cut & dry.

I've heard of wives overfeeding their lazy husbands with the most unhealthy fatty food they can find in an effort to kill them off more quickly. It's not like all these young ladies marry their husbands for love, you know.

I've heard of other girls overfeeding their boyfriends in order to keep them fat and ugly so they're not easily going to find a replacement.

You make good points Tropo, but one of my best friends married a lovely slim lady about ten years ago, then drank himself to death, he was cremated about eight months ago, he told me he was not fat when he met her, and in the six years I knew him, I never saw him without a can of beer by his side morning and night, and he became really obese, but you never could have met a nicer guy.

firstly Possum thank you for your concern about my health and happiness and also to Roblok for defending me.

On the matter of my health

Firstly I am happy with it and my doctor isn't too bothered about it either.

I can't remember the last time I had a beer as I normally drink Sang Som, ice and soda. My first one is around 5.30 pm and I have about 3 or 4 and I am usually finished beforer 9 pm.

I have known my wife for some 19 years now and she has known mw when I was slimmer and also fatter than I am now and she has no complaints.

In my life I have know a few serious alcoholics and having been in the military for 25 years I have shifted a lot of beer in my time in many different countries but I can't be bothered any more. now I am a social drinker and comfortable with that.

Only a very few people on TVF know me personally and they are people I am willing to listen to. As for the others like Tropo who is on my ignore list I simply don't like armchair doctors, psychiatrists, psychologist who say that because I fit a profile I must therefore be fat, sick, lame, lazy, unhappy or whatever.

I am as reasonably fit as a 68 year old man with two crook knees and a back I injured 30 years ago can be.

As for being happy I suppose the truth is that I AM happy. I have a good wife, a great son, a Thai MIL who is younger than me and nowhere near as healthy.

I have been retired just over 3 years now and no longer have to say yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir, nor do I have to listen to managers who reckon they know more than anybody else.

I don't have to work 50 or 60 hours a week in some crap country to earn a decent living.

I live quietly on 14 rai of land out in the country next to the Mae Wong national park nor do I HAVE to please all and sundry.

We have enough money to live reasonably and do more or less what we want to do.

If I won a million dollars would I be happier. Richer yes though I am not sure about happier.

This is not a rant against you Possum, I am merely explaining me and for those who "know" more about me than me.

If you don't like me find somebody who gives a **** and tell them but it won't be me.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

I have been retired just over 3 years now and no longer have to say yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir, nor do I have to listen to managers who reckon they know more than anybody else.

I don't have to work 50 or 60 hours a week in some crap country to earn a decent living.

Goodbye tension, hello pension!

[robblok]

I have been retired just over 3 years now and no longer have to say yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir, nor do I have to listen to managers who reckon they know more than anybody else.

I don't have to work 50 or 60 hours a week in some crap country to earn a decent living.

Goodbye tension, hello pension!

I must say it sounds like that, though one of my old co workers who stopped working went down real fast (mentally). My dad wanted to work more after retirement just a few days to keep him busy. So in some cases its good to work a bit (if you like your job that is) after retirement.

I actually like my job and would keep doing it (but less) if i won a couple of million euros.

[laislica]

A lovely post Bilid, thanks I may know how you feel.

I've been retired just over 12 years.

At first I found that I was soooo busy, my time was taken up doing this and that.

It took me quite a few years to calm down.

Once the house rebuilding project was finished (it dragged on over 5 years) and I was having to learn Spanish from scratch.

I was in a difficult relationship, a roller coaster since 97. However, in 2009 we parted and in February I met a Thai lady who makes me very happy.

As I have written, I have a lifetime of fighting getting fat but unlike you, I dare not relax or the weight piles on and with it comes high BP, needing bad meds just for starters.

I would love to stop thinking about what I eat and drink but as I cannot accept the consequences I dare not.

I notice that you mention 100 grams as a weight gain, if that means that your current lifestyle does not pile on kilos in months then good for you.

My body build is tall but small for muscles so I don't naturally burn lots of energy.

I guess you have more muscle and that is a good thing.

Good luck to you and yours, live long and prosper,

may I be as happy.

[eek]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

[laislica]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

Hmm, while I agree with most of your post I'm not sure that being fat is a choice.

I feel that, in my case at least, I am predisposed to be fat, right from child birth.

It is a constant struggle to maintain my BMI in the so called healthy range so how is that a choice?

BTW, I prefer %fat as a more accurate guide, the old pinch an inch.

So I ask if you think being fat is a choice for me or are "things" so stacked against me it would be no wonder if I caved in? (Unfortunately, I do from time to time).

[robblok]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

Hmm, while I agree with most of your post I'm not sure that being fat is a choice.

I feel that, in my case at least, I am predisposed to be fat, right from child birth.

It is a constant struggle to maintain my BMI in the so called healthy range so how is that a choice?

BTW, I prefer %fat as a more accurate guide, the old pinch an inch.

So I ask if you think being fat is a choice for me or are "things" so stacked against me it would be no wonder if I caved in? (Unfortunately, I do from time to time).

Its still a choice.. a harder choice.. I agree that its harder for some people.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

There is a widely held presumption that people would prefer to be happy and wish to avoid being miserable. In fact a lot of people seem to prefer misery as their prevailing state of affect. They actually like misery with all it's trappings which include being angry without justification,upsetting others and being sarcastic and critical.

Being fit and being slim contribute a lot to my state of contentment ,however there seems to me to be a critical age when your susceptibility to gain weight increases. I am at my highest weight ever yet in recent years I have paid more attention to my diet and lifestyle than ever before.

There was a time when I was always slim and fit despite the fact that I paid no regard to diet or exercise.

[robblok]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

There is a widely held presumption that people would prefer to be happy and wish to avoid being miserable. In fact a lot of people seem to prefer misery as their prevailing state of affect. They actually like misery with all it's trappings which include being angry without justification,upsetting others and being sarcastic and critical.

Being fit and being slim contribute a lot to my state of contentment ,however there seems to me to be a critical age when your susceptibility to gain weight increases. I am at my highest weight ever yet in recent years I have paid more attention to my diet and lifestyle than ever before.

There was a time when I was always slim and fit despite the fact that I paid no regard to diet or exercise.

I am now slimmer as i was in my teens, im 38. User Tropo who is in his 50ies is also in great shape (better even). There is a lot possible, but it takes a lot of effort too. I would not advise the kind of effort it takes on anyone. But keeping even moderate in shape is possible.

I am not doing this only for looks, if i look at my dad and see how strong he still is and his stamina (even though he is fat) im convinced that keeping a certain amount of fitness is important for later life. Compare him with my mom who did not do any sports who is slimmer as my dad its amazing the difference in stamina and things they can still do. I know its not all about exercise but i think it counts for something.

[eek]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

Hmm, while I agree with most of your post I'm not sure that being fat is a choice.

I feel that, in my case at least, I am predisposed to be fat, right from child birth.

It is a constant struggle to maintain my BMI in the so called healthy range so how is that a choice?

BTW, I prefer %fat as a more accurate guide, the old pinch an inch.

So I ask if you think being fat is a choice for me or are "things" so stacked against me it would be no wonder if I caved in? (Unfortunately, I do from time to time).

Pre-disposed in what way laislica?

Both my parents are overweight, as is my brother. My grandparents were too. (However, my aunt-(fathers sister)- is very slender).

I know if i overeat and dont exercise i gain weight. If i eat carefully (though never calorie count) and keep myself fit, i keep slim.

Im honestly not being funny.!.i just would like to know what exactly does pre-disposed mean. An imbalance i understand, but i do (sorry) have a hard time understanding what pre-disposed is all about.

If i was pre-disposed to having high cholesterol i would either watch my cholesteral levels more, or take medication if necessary..i wouldnt let myself have a coronary.

[laislica]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

There is a widely held presumption that people would prefer to be happy and wish to avoid being miserable. In fact a lot of people seem to prefer misery as their prevailing state of affect. They actually like misery with all it's trappings which include being angry without justification,upsetting others and being sarcastic and critical.

Being fit and being slim contribute a lot to my state of contentment ,however there seems to me to be a critical age when your susceptibility to gain weight increases. I am at my highest weight ever yet in recent years I have paid more attention to my diet and lifestyle than ever before.

There was a time when I was always slim and fit despite the fact that I paid no regard to diet or exercise.

I am now slimmer as i was in my teens, im 38. User Tropo who is in his 50ies is also in great shape (better even). There is a lot possible, but it takes a lot of effort too. I would not advise the kind of effort it takes on anyone. But keeping even moderate in shape is possible.

I am not doing this only for looks, if i look at my dad and see how strong he still is and his stamina (even though he is fat) im convinced that keeping a certain amount of fitness is important for later life. Compare him with my mom who did not do any sports who is slimmer as my dad its amazing the difference in stamina and things they can still do. I know its not all about exercise but i think it counts for something.

I applaud you and Tropo, body building is your stated hobby and you spend many hours per week indulging in your hobby - and why not indeed.

Although it is most unlikely that I will be around in 30 years, I would be interested to see how you deal with the ravages of time.

In my late 30's I could do much more than I can now. Same in my 50's. 60 came and went and I'm in my 70's and I can tell you for sure that our bodies naturally decay with age.

A good diet is most important, coupled with sensible exercise and proper sleep and hydration etc.

In these posts we read that some people suffer from long standing injuries that would get in the way of exercise. In my mind, this is not a choice, they are limited by their bodies.

My younger brother needs knee, hip and shoulder replacements, some have been done. His injuries were work related RSI's in heavy engineering.

He has a fight with weight every day and does his best to keep control without it becoming an obsession.

When both arms and legs are disabled, taking sufficient exercise becomes impossible.

In an earlier post you said "Its still a choice.. a harder choice.. I agree that its harder for some people."

In my opinion, it is Not Always a choice.

A forum like this is a great place to encourage those less fortunate in the weight/fitness game and I thank you for starting the thread.

However, perhaps we can learn from this thread and start a new one aimed at helping folk learn the do's and dont's of food/drink and exercise for people who have a daily struggle and would like some advice and support.

Could it be :- Struggling with a weight problem? Unable to easily exercise due to injury?

Just a thought.

I would be interested in your views.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

However, perhaps we can learn from this thread and start a new one aimed at helping folk learn the do's and dont's of food/drink and exercise for people who have a daily struggle and would like some advice and support.

I suspect there are a lot of ordinary members who don't undertake serious "professional" exercise who would welcome some basic advise on how to get fit and lose some weight.

[laislica]

Some people can be in great physical shape and miserable as sin.

A feeling of happiness and what makes each of us happy, is so very subjective.

Robblock asked us in his opening post "Is being fat a choice"..which i believe, if no medical implications, it is.

Its also a choice to be fit.

I personally feel happier when i feel fit, but its just one thing that adds to my overall happiness. If it was removed, i wouldnt suddenly be depressed.

I think none of us can ever really understand how another person defines their feeling of happiness.

Subjective, subjective, subjective!

Hmm, while I agree with most of your post I'm not sure that being fat is a choice.

I feel that, in my case at least, I am predisposed to be fat, right from child birth.

It is a constant struggle to maintain my BMI in the so called healthy range so how is that a choice?

BTW, I prefer %fat as a more accurate guide, the old pinch an inch.

So I ask if you think being fat is a choice for me or are "things" so stacked against me it would be no wonder if I caved in? (Unfortunately, I do from time to time).

Pre-disposed in what way laislica?

Both my parents are overweight, as is my brother. My grandparents were too. (However, my aunt-(fathers sister)- is very slender).

I know if i overeat and dont exercise i gain weight. If i eat carefully (though never calorie count) and keep myself fit, i keep slim.

Im honestly not being funny.!.i just would like to know what exactly does pre-disposed mean. An imbalance i understand, but i do (sorry) have a hard time understanding what pre-disposed is all about.

If i was pre-disposed to having high cholesterol i would either watch my cholesteral levels more, or take medication if necessary..i wouldnt let myself have a coronary.

OK, well I was fat as a baby, adolescent and adult.

I have never had much muscle (like my Dad) despite going to the gym every working day from my 40's until almost 60.

Don't get me wrong, I am not fat because I choose to be obsessive about making sure that I'm not.

For me it has to be an obsession, I cannot describe it in any other way.

In earlier posts you may read what I said about my Mum and her weight problem.

I suppose that if we were in the Paleolithic period, I would have been regarded as very lucky to have a body that runs with little need for energy, I would have survived a famine where others, who might have been fitter, would not.

30 years ago with a colleague, a black man, we discussed how he would eat anything he wanted, do no exercise but still have a slim body. His answer was that he naturally had very high bone density and lots of muscle. Just normal movement, walking etc was sufficient to burn loads of calories.

I would have needed to add kilos of weighs to my wrists and ankles to do the same as him.

I have read that it is not possible to outsmart your genetic make up.

If your genes say you will not have a lot of muscle, well that's it.

If I ever gained any through specific exercise, it fell away as soon as I did less.

Well, I think that this is a predisposition.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Predisposition may refer to:

Genetic predisposition, a genetic effect which can identify individuals who may be predisposed to certain health problems

Predispositioning Theory, mathematical term in the field of decision theory

Calculus of predispositions, method of calculating probability

Instinct, a biological predisposition, an innate and biologically vectored behavior that can be easily learned

[Tolley]

There are plenty of people that arent fat that dont exercise much so I dont think people should be using this as an excuse.

If you eat the right kind of foods then even if you are inactive you can still maintain a healthy body weight.

I wont buy into the happiness and weight debate because it is hard to defiine what happiness is and you never really know what is going on in someone elses head anyway. So I wont make assumptions about anyone else.

Personally I could be happy if i was a bit overweight but if it started affecting my lifestyle negatively then I think it would become an issue.

[laislica]

There are plenty of people that arent fat that dont exercise much so I dont think people should be using this as an excuse.

If you eat the right kind of foods then even if you are inactive you can still maintain a healthy body weight.

I wont buy into the happiness and weight debate because it is hard to defiine what happiness is and you never really know what is going on in someone elses head anyway. So I wont make assumptions about anyone else.

Personally I could be happy if i was a bit overweight but if it started affecting my lifestyle negatively then I think it would become an issue.

I like this post because you are not going to judge others.

I like that you do something about it if it would adversely affect your lifestyle.

I didn't understand the first sentence "There are plenty of people that arent fat that dont exercise much so I dont think people should be using this as an excuse."

[eek]

I go through periods of exercise and periods where i more dormant.

When i had a serious bike accident (2 in fact ) i did what i could. Had to intake a lot of protein so put on some weight, but whatever exercise i could do, i did..also to try keep my mood elevated, as was pretty depressing being stuck in a hospital bed (and at one point, a vacuum pump dressing, which wasnt portable).

Age will always be a factor of course, as injury too.

i know it will get harder.

I dont spend hours at the gym either.

If i dont have access to a gym, ill do something else active.

Im not judging anyone at all in this! I just know what works for me, and i still eat cake and chocolate! (and cheese! yum!.. i dont have a fast metabolism, i just try to balance how my body feels..hopefully i can keep measuring that balance as i age)

[laislica]

Think Positive!!!