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[Squalor]

I have a super low metabolism and have to watch what I eat VERY carefully... but that doesn't mean I can't eat pizza once a week.

As long as you're active and eat healthy most of the time, you will likely not be obese. I'm still slightly overweight and working to fix that, but in general I'm healthy because I eat healthy and don't sit around all day.

With children, it's even easier than that.

For most people, hasn't this "slow metabolism" myth been debunked?

Metabolism is, essentially, how much energy the body needs to function by burning calories.

On average, overweight people have slightly higher metabolisms than "normal-sized" people because overweight people need more energy to function.

 

[marrec]

For most people, hasn't this "slow metabolism" myth been debunked?

Metabolism is, essentially, how much energy the body needs to function by burning calories.

On average, overweight people have slightly higher metabolisms than "normal-sized" people because overweight people need more energy to function.

As far as I know you're correct. I don't know what my metabolism actually is but I do know that I can't eat burgers and fries all week and not gain weight. It probably has more to do with activity then with metabolism. I sit in an office at work for 8 hours with little time to stretch my legs so were I to have an active job I'd probably be able to do whatever I wanted food wise.

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

This isn't accurate at all

actually I thought it was that stupid blog post that was going around. still this is an actual photo from a real student in france

Nicer than some schools, probably equal to a lot. I'd love to see a picture of a meal in the banlieues though

Didn't France ban ketchup at school lunch?

 

[Deleted member 325805]

I didn't mean that it's easy to lose weight, I just meant that once you leave home it is up to you to change your eating habits. It's a hell of a hard thing to do so when you've grown up fat. Like yourself it took me realizing that I wanted to change, and I wanted to change for myself. It's a constant battle to avoid slipping back into old habits but I have put my weight behind me for over 6 years at this point.

A lot of what you're saying resonates quite hard with me. It takes a big commitment to break the fat > depression > eat > fat cycle

Definitely. I'll give you an example of a daily struggle. Yesterday someone brought a pack of chocolate biscuits into the house, I knew they were in the fridge and all I could think about was eating them all, the urge to stuff my face with them was so great I had to throw them in the bin to avoid gorging on them. While people may think that was extreme, to me that was a victory as I could have easily said "Fuck it, what's 500 calories" and eaten the lot. My brain still loves food and keeps telling me to overeat but I do my best to fight it and I win more often that not.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

Definitely. I'll give you an example of a daily struggle. Yesterday someone brought a pack of chocolate biscuits into the house, I knew they were in the fridge and all I could think about was eating them all, the urge to stuff my face with them was so great I had to throw them in the bin to avoid gorging on them. While people may think that was extreme, to me that was a victory as I could have easily said "Fuck it, what's 500 calories" and eaten the lot. My brain still loves food and keeps telling me to overeat but I do my best to fight it and I win more often that not.

This is where I find myself. I liken it to being an alcoholic, except that you can't ever stop eating entirely, and every meal with even the slightest level of easily digestible, insulin-raising things in it (ie, the vast majority of non-salad, non-meat meals and snacks) makes me want to flip out and eat ALL THE THINGS until I find myself feeling shitty and wondering what just happened.

It's only with a total shift in eating habits and deliberate avoidance of pretty much any social event that involves food I know I shouldn't eat (or at that very least, staying as far as possible from said food) that I can even remotely control it. People offering me cookies they brought into work is the kind of shit that basically wrecks my day.

And of course, if I dare mention that I'm intentionally avoiding cards or eating a ketogenic diet, I have to deal with people badgering me about the science of it or whatever else when the simple reality is that eating like this is the *only* diet change that has ever been even remotely effective for me, in my entire life.

 

[The Technomancer]

And see, this is why the "ridiculous" fat shaming reactionary movement exists. Not that I don't think that in general people should actually get healthier and lose weight, because I absolutely do, but I also get that for people who are overweight being bullied and made to feel like shit, not just as kids but as adults, produces, surprisingly, a really strong negative reaction

 

[Northeastmonk]

A lot of kids end up eating shit like that because they've been exposed to it - and they're exposed to it because it's easily available, designed to be addictive and something that parents will find easy to give to children intentionally (chips, sodas) and unintentionally (white bread, 'fruity' yogurt, etc).

That shit hijacks the brain like any pleasurable thing can do - and makes you think about them automatically when you start getting hungry.

The fact is, we're now at a point in modern society where it's easier to feed kids (and yourself) the wrong thing... much harder to do right by them.

Couple that with the prolonged working hours and greater cognitive and economic pressures... and we've basically got a system that makes it hard to do anything but get fat as fuck.

I've watched a few parents do extremely well with monitoring their kids diet. I'm taking notes and using my own knowledge for the day that I have kids. Kids will eat up anything like candy, soda, and the like because its a tasty derivative from their normal diet. I find a lot of it being about finding the right substitute for your kids.

http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2010/02/easy-no-bake-chocolate-matzo-cake/

Like this. This can be a better substitute instead of loads of candy. Fixing an alternative at home and fixing a home cooked meal.

 

[excelsiorlef]

That it can be changed, over time, with proper knowledge and a lot of work is irrelevant.

Fat kid is fat at school today and gets made fun of for it today. It doesn't matter what the future version of said fat kid may be, because that doesn't change how shitty (and unwarranted) the treatment he's receiving right then is.

And bullying will likely cause weight gain and not be some inspiring motivation like so many would have you believe

 

[Deleted member 325805]

This is where I find myself. I liken it to being an alcoholic, except that you can't ever stop eating entirely, and every meal with even the slightest level of easily digestible, insulin-raising things in it (ie, the vast majority of non-salad, non-meat meals and snacks) makes me want to flip out and eat ALL THE THINGS until I find myself feeling shitty and wondering what just happened.

It's only with a total shift in eating habits and deliberate avoidance of pretty much any social event that involves food I know I shouldn't eat (or at that very least, staying as far as possible from said food) that I can even remotely control it. People offering me cookies they brought into work is the kind of shit that basically wrecks my day.

And of course, if I dare mention that I'm intentionally avoiding cards or eating a ketogenic diet, I have to deal with people badgering me about the science of it or whatever else when the simple reality is that eating like this is the *only* diet change that has ever been even remotely effective for me, in my entire life.

Food addiction is very real and people who haven't experienced it will never understand the struggle we go through every day. Having your brain constantly working against you when you're trying to better yourself makes losing weight that much harder. And like you I have to avoid certain situations, for example my Mother is having a BBQ soon and she wants me to come but I know if I do I will overeat because I love me some BBQ so I'll find an excuse not to go. It's like asking an alcoholic to come to a party in a pub with an open bar. Losing weight is 99% mental and it's a constant battle so when people say it's "easy" I get mad, because it's the furthest thing from easy.

 

[QuantumZebra]

France's school lunch program is amazing.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1484...-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html

holy shit id eat this at home

 

[Hari Seldon]

One thing I have started with my young kids which seems to have been lost with the baby boomer generation is growing a garden. My WWII era grandparents always had gardens going, even with fairly small yards. It is much easier and cheaper to eat healthy if you are growing your own veggies, plus it gets kids outside and some activity. I was always enlisted for weed pulling and shit when I was a young lad.

 

[marrec]

I've watched a few parents do extremely well with monitoring their kids diet. I'm taking notes and using my own knowledge for the day that I have kids. Kids will eat up anything like candy, soda, and the like because its a tasty derivative from their normal diet. I find a lot of it being about finding the right substitute for your kids.

http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2010/02/easy-no-bake-chocolate-matzo-cake/

Like this. This can be a better substitute instead of loads of candy. Fixing an alternative at home and fixing a home cooked meal.

I have an 8 y/o who is maintaining a perfectly healthy weight and the #1 advice I can give to anyone who's interested in keeping kids healthy is keeping healthy foods readily available.

Or, in perhaps more simplified terms:

Instead of having poptarts in the house, keep apples on the table. Your child will learn to reach for healthy stuff instead of unhealthy stuff even outside of your influence if you start early and encourage healthy habits.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

That's right victims, it's your fault.

LMAO. Pretty much.

"It's ok to bully fat kids...it's their fault. Just think of it as motivational speaking..."

 

[Vincent Grayson]

I have an 8 y/o who is maintaining a perfectly healthy weight and the #1 advice I can give to anyone who's interested in keeping kids healthy is keeping healthy foods readily available.

Or, in perhaps more simplified terms:

Instead of having poptarts in the house, keep apples on the table. Your child will learn to reach for healthy stuff instead of unhealthy stuff even outside of your influence if you start early and encourage healthy habits.

Yeah, as a lifelong fatty, this is what I've tried to do with my kids. Unfortunately, they also see quite a lot of their friends eating shitty foods, and I feel like I'm pretty much constantly battling others to not just give my kids any old crap, or buy snacks they don't need, etc.

I can already tell my youngest is going to struggle with food issues, as she's incredibly picky and gets really upset about food-related things when she doesn't get her way. Luckily, my wife's genes seem to have largely dominated my own as far as the physical stuff goes, and both my girls are (so far) skinny, active kids with enough energy to burn off the stuff they eat.

 

[tcrunch]

People. Never be on the bully's side.

And bullying will likely cause weight gain and not be some inspiring motivation like so many would have you believe

You would think this would be obvious but unfortunately some of GAF's crusaders are incapable of differentiating between helping people become healthy and terrorizing children.

Some of it is the kid.

A parent can't always keep taking the hits, the screaming, and being blamed for stuff they didn't do. I think a lot of it (including FOOD) can be the child's fault.

If they're brought up right and they decide to do something different then it is their fault.

I've watched a few parents do extremely well with monitoring their kids diet. I'm taking notes and using my own knowledge for the day that I have kids.

 

[AbsolutBro]

This is where I find myself. I liken it to being an alcoholic, except that you can't ever stop eating entirely, and every meal with even the slightest level of easily digestible, insulin-raising things in it (ie, the vast majority of non-salad, non-meat meals and snacks) makes me want to flip out and eat ALL THE THINGS until I find myself feeling shitty and wondering what just happened.

I'm not asking to pry, but do you go to or have you considered therapy along with your diet? A coworker of my mother's was morbidly obese. Somewhere around the 400 pound range. She got into a program at John's Hopkins, and in addition to the usual diet and exercise, the program mandates therapy sessions. She has successfully lost over 200 pounds, which is amazing to me because that's more than I weigh and I could stand to lose at least 20 myself.

Also, there may be other treatments. What you've described is now called Binge Eating Disorder.

Basically it may not necessarily just be an issue of self-control. There are medications (used to treat things like AHDH) that can help, since it's likely a brain issue as much as self-control issue. No reason to spend every day fighting your own brain.

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

It is also one of the easiest things to change about yourself.

As a kid? No. It's the parents fault.

It's not so easy as an adult either.

 

[excelsiorlef]

LMAO. Pretty much.

"It's ok to bully fat kids...it's their fault. Just think of it as motivational speaking..."

I just like that this thread is already like every other thread about fatness. It immediately went from fat children are bullied to let's talk about how bad being fat is with a mix of anecdotal thin folk are bullied more, happened almost right away

 

[Infinite]

This highlights is why fat shaming is asinine and does no good for anyone.

 

[Principate]

It is also one of the easiest things to change about yourself.

It's actually one of the harder addictions, which is why it has such a high relapse percentage. For drug, alcohol additions etc the addicted person could put said substance far away and place various barriers to prevent themselves from engaging in it. A person addicted to food still needs to eat, they have to face that struggle every time they have a hunger pan, and it's much difficult to keep track of

Thankfully not everyone has such serious additions to food but it's certainly not the easiest, otherwise it would be such a serious problem for most of the western world.

 

[Count Dookkake]

When I was a kid, I was always worried that I was the fattest kid in class. Looking back at pictures from that time, I look normal by today's standard.

 

[……forgetit]

This isn't accurate at all

actually I thought it was that stupid blog post that was going around. still this is an actual photo from a real student in france

Nicer than some schools, probably equal to a lot. I'd love to see a picture of a meal in the banlieues though

That is amazing compared to the US still

Note: this still looks better than my lunches from school.

 

[Deified Data]

People. Never be on the bully's side.

This is a fat shaming thread on Neogaf - it was inevitable.

 

[Fuchsdh]

That's insane. Give your children a dedicated hour of ballsport per week, it's not that costly. No need for a whole gym, just get some balls and let them play some football, the real one. You don't need more than a ball and anything that could work as goalposts.

The issue is less cost from a monetary standpoint and more time. An hour of activity a week is better than nothing, but regular gym hours eat into time that has to be spent getting kids up on their academics. You aren't really getting graded on how healthy your kids are, you're getting graded by how well they do on their achievement tests. So obviously P.E. will fall by the wayside.

This is of course ignoring that kids' diet is going to have a bigger impact than running around outside on their weight.

 

[Tagyhag]

Considering people are getting fatter and fatter I'm still amazed that bullying is so prevalent, eventually we're going to reach the point that the skinny kids are the ones getting picked on .

How about we just stop bullying altogether? No? Too Easy? Ok.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

The issue is less cost from a monetary standpoint and more time. An hour of activity a week is better than nothing, but regular gym hours eat into time that has to be spent getting kids up on their academics. You aren't really getting graded on how healthy your kids are, you're getting graded by how well they do on their achievement tests. So obviously P.E. will fall by the wayside.

This is of course ignoring that kids' diet is going to have a bigger impact than running around outside on their weight.

Yeah, and on a broad scale, we can't really say "kids just need more play time", because the real answer is that obesity is so pervasive that it's pretty obvious what we actually need is a massive change in how and what we eat on a cultural scale, which includes the way we regulate and sell food. Sadly, there's a lot of money involved there, and the most egregious offenders when it comes to what we make, sell, and market, are utterly disinterested in changing anything.

 

[John Kowalski]

This is a fat shaming thread on Neogaf - it was inevitable.

It's almost like they bullied the fat kids in school and are still trying to find ways to justify their behavior.

 

[Morts]

I don't have time to cook real food for my kids since Jeb Bush said I need to work longer, so they get Wendy's.

 

[NickFire]

I would have thought the most common reasons kids get bullied are because they are different and/or the shithead bullies perceive them as weaker and less likely to effectively fight back. Actually, I still think this way.

 

[Zoe]

That's insane. Give your children a dedicated hour of ballsport per week, it's not that costly. No need for a whole gym, just get some balls and let them play some football, the real one. You don't need more than a ball and anything that could work as goalposts.

Playing sports doesn't mean you're not going to be fat.

 

[Squalor]

Considering people are getting fatter and fatter I'm still amazed that bullying is so prevalent, eventually we're going to reach the point that the skinny kids are the ones getting picked on .

How about we just stop bullying altogether? No? Too Easy? Ok.

People in the "overweight and up" category make up more than 60% of the US population already.

They could revolt against us, haha.

Then the world ends up like Wall·E.

 

[marrec]

I don't have time to cook real food for my kids since Jeb Bush said I need to work longer, so they get Wendy's.

Wendy's (tm) Baconator (tm) is FILLED with essential Vitamins and Nutrients!

 

[Lunar15]

Remember, the cause is never the problem because people who are likely to make fun of or gossip about other people will always find something to belittle others with.

It's never about what the other person is. It's about making yourself feel better about what you are. That's why we gossip/make fun of/bully others, to prove to ourselves and others that we're normal and just fine.

 

[hodgy100]

It is also one of the easiest things to change about yourself.

couldnt do it till I had left home and self sufficient. you know when I was 21.

 

[G.ZZZ]

And bullying will likely cause weight gain and not be some inspiring motivation like so many would have you believe

I agree see Asia as an example

 

[Scrabble]

And bullying will likely cause weight gain and not be some inspiring motivation like so many would have you believe

Bullying worked for me and motivated me to lose weight. Been skinny ever since and have rock hard abs, and a muscular ass from squats.

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

That is amazing compared to the US still

Note: this still looks better than my lunches from school.

That looks luxurious compared to LAUSD

 

[Kyuur]

Amazing, a topic about bullying of overweight kids is met with "well they should just lose weight"!

 

[Zoe]

Amazing, a topic about bullying of overweight kids is met with "well they should just lose weight"!

More like "childhood obesity is on the rise and is a serious problem."

 

[marrec]

Amazing, a topic about bullying of overweight kids is met with "well they should just lose weight"!

Overweight kids especially should be helped to loose weight because they're still in a developmental place where they can form healthy habits.

This thread isn't about laughing at or being mean to fat kids, obviously that's upsetting, but we as a nation can't accept the current state of affairs.

 

[M3d10n]

It will go away when the vast majority if kids are overweight. We are almost there.

 

[Kyuur]

More like "childhood obesity is on the rise and is a serious problem."

Overweight kids especially should be helped to loose weight because they're still in a developmental place where they can form healthy habits.

This thread isn't about laughing at or being mean to fat kids, obviously that's upsetting, but we as a nation can't accept the current state of affairs.

I mean sure, it's a problem, but that's not what this news is about and we've had tons of other threads on the issue. It's rather telling that the thread got sidetracked into that debate within the first couple posts. I mean, this was right in the OP:

There’s also a widespread misperception that stigma may not be such a bad thing, and that maybe criticism will get people motivated to lose weight,” Dr. Puhl said. In fact, she said, the opposite is true: People who are picked on because of their weight often engage in unhealthy behaviors. Students who are teased for being fat in gym class, for example, often start skipping P.E. to avoid being bullied.

 

[marrec]

I mean sure, it's a problem, but that's not what this news is about and we've had tons of other threads on the issue. It's rather telling that the thread got sidetracked into that debate within the first couple posts. I mean, this was right in the OP:

I think we all agree in this thread that bullying kids or even well-meaning criticism isn't going to help them lose weight. But losing weight isn't going to stop them from being bullied either. So we have three separate issues:

Bullying, Fat Stigma, and Weight Loss.

I think the article conflates overweight adults with overweight children as if they are the same entity and the issues therein are connected. I don't think that's true at all. We don't need special laws to protect overweight kids from bullies, for instance, but we should have specific laws to protect overweight adults from discrimination. If we want to stop bullying we need to target the reasons kids bully, not protect the seemingly most acceptable target.

In the meantime, we as a nation need to fix the fact that yes, a lot of our kids are fat. Too fat.

 

[Suite Pee]

It's a bit insulting to overweight people to think some quick advice in a thread like this is going to change their lives.

 

[L95]

This isn't accurate at all

actually I thought it was that stupid blog post that was going around. still this is an actual photo from a real student in france

Nicer than some schools, probably equal to a lot. I'd love to see a picture of a meal in the banlieues though

This looks leagues better than what was at my HS (United States), I just skipped eating lunch when I was in school. (Sometimes I'd eat a roll...)

 

[marrec]

It's a bit insulting to overweight people to think some quick advice in a thread like this is going to change their lives.

Are you suggesting that giving casual advise to a fat person is insulting?

 

[Log4Girlz]

Considering people are getting fatter and fatter I'm still amazed that bullying is so prevalent, eventually we're going to reach the point that the skinny kids are the ones getting picked on .

How about we just stop bullying altogether? No? Too Easy? Ok.

Lol no. Fat kids will pick on fatter kids. It'll be the overweights vs. the obese.

 

[Squalor]

It will go away when the vast majority if kids are overweight. We are almost there.

"I am the 1% of skinny people!"

Lol no. Fat kids will pick on fatter kids. It'll be the overweights vs. the obese.

The obese will just stop going outside and wind up forming the new super group, the super obese.

 

[Suite Pee]

Are you suggesting that giving casual advise to a fat person is insulting?

To me, it's like when people tell me their tricks to lessen sadness when I'm experiencing a full-blown depression.

Your heart is in the right place, but that doesn't mean you're being helpful.

Edit: And in a thread about bullying, we should be focusing on the bullies.

 

[Astral Dog]

Wow, thats awfull, i only got midly annoyed by my classmates after gaining weight in elementary school, but it hurt a lot, fat shaming is a hideous thing, its even more sad when you see overweight people calling others "fat".

terrible diet at my house though, could only gain and lose weight all over again ;(