Why Women Lose Weight—or Don’t

I am absolutely sick of overweight people saying that it's normal and that they ''love their curves.'' don't get me wrong, i totally don't believe in being overly thin. i know for a fact that there are a lot of thin people that work very very hard to stay the way they are. so they have the right to say "i'm hot" with confidence. that's the right way to do it. you can't have it both ways. either watch your weight, or get fat. but if you get fat, don't pretend that you're still hot. i'm only saying this because i am working on losing some weight myself. so trust me, i understand how hard it is to lose weight, and more importantly keep it off. now that i'm thinner and i've worked hard to get here, i get a little angry when people say that they're "beautiful no matter what you say" beauty...is 100 percent on the outside. however, good personality is on the inside...which is way more important. but being a good person doesn't make you beautiful, it just makes you a good person!!! the way you gain weight is by eating more than your body needs. i'm sure we all know that. its not all about genetics. some are more fortunate than others. however, what you look like is in YOUR hands. i'm not saying this to offend anyone. i see it as empowering........genetics is not an excuse at all. if you're fat, its your fault. and if you're thin, its of your doing as well. i know it may seem like thin people eat and don't get fat, but they probably exercise and it all evens out. so to wrap things up. you eat to much and don't work out, you get what you deserve. i've been there. i've been fat, and i know that it was because my calorie intake was way to high. so get a grip people! its your weight.....you make it whatever you want it to be.

While the BMI is,theoretically, a good tool, I have to say that, at 5 ft. even, when I weighed the 100-105 pounds I SHOULD to fit into the "normal" weight group, I looked like I was ill and felt worse--and ate hardly anything at all. Now, I eat healthy, no fatty, fried, fast, or white, weigh 125-130, and am in a lot better shape, physically and emotionally. Before, I also exercised up to 12 hours per week--I was additcted to both thin and some weird concept of "fit". I still have to fight the "idea" that I should look like a twig, and studies like these don't help!!

This study is great. It's absolutely true that the better you feel about yourself the more likely you are to take care of yourself. Why? Because if you feel bad about yourself you're going to launch out onto a drastic diet, then get discouraged and toss in the towel. Then you gain more weight! It happens. It's possible to be overweight and still be healthy, as long as you eat right and exercise.

Valhallan, first of all, good for you! It's great to see someone with a healthy attitude regarding weight. You're absolutely right. There are a number of factors that can contribute to obesity, and I don't know what entertains me more-when those people that are naturally thin try to degrade people who struggle with their weight due to factors beyond their control, or family members that degrade their children for struggling with the same issues they have. I have a friend who has struggled with her weight her whole life, and although she's very athletic and healthy I remember watching her obese mother put her on a diet all through high school in an attempt to get her to lose weight.

That said, I have to disagree with you regarding the price of food. You're right in that it's expensive to try to purchase healthy foods; however, there are cheap alternatives without having to throw in the towel. I know b/c I have a health condition that makes it impossible for me to eat anything fried, processed or fatty, so I HAVE to have "healthy food". If you carefully explore and visit big chain food stores you're very likely to find healthy food that you can afford. It usually means cutting a lot of the fun stuff out of your grocery budget, but it can be done-for example, drinking water or iced tea (a box of tea bags only costs $2 or $3) rather than soda and juice and shifting that money over to the purchase of wheat bread rather than white and fresh produce rather than canned (salty).

Personally I think a lot of you are ***. Pardon my language, but a lot of you say you're size 0 or athletic and you try to 'educate' people on how they're overweight and what caused it, and how it can be helped. Well, here's something-- Try it yourself before you downgrade people because of their weight. Yes, it is a health issue, a big one, and people who are overweight should take better care of themselves, eat right, excersice, but the main problem is people like a lot of you. It's no wonder people who are overweight have low self-esteem, and virtually no self love. If people didn't base all this on IMAGE, then maybe people who are overweight would feel more confident to go to gyms, and work out more without having to be afraid of people seeing them. And I'm amused when a lot of you say that it's because they're lazy, didn't eat right, ect, ect. Think of the people who don't have the money to buy all those 'health' foods. Food and the cost of everything has gone up, it's becoming harder to buy the healthy food instead of the cheaper, more unhealthy lot.

And this part is for billy_f14. Good for you... I am overweight, I have been eating healthy, working out, and I have lost only 5 pounds. It's a small amount, but it's something. And 1. I love myself. Not my image, but my SELF. My self-esteem is huge. 2. I do not have back, joint, or any sort of pain like that. At all. Only if I'm lifting something about 80lbs, but honestly, who wouldn't? I did not choose to become big. I am not lazy, I don't even watch TV. Ever. We don't even get channels, and I don't care. My father's side of the family has always had a problem with weight. Sometimes genetics play a role and it becomes harder to lose weight. No, it's not an 'excuse'. So maybe, before you shoot your mouth off on how lazy they are... Try it. Get fat, and try it before you attempt to educate people....

Yesterday I was talking to a woman and we got into the conversation of diets cause she said she was on one because of Diabetes. She was not overweight really at all. And I told her my weight and she called me a liar. She said I did not look it at all and it made me feel very confident in myself. Doesn't mean I'm going to stop working out and eating right. It's just nice to know SOME people can look at you and think you're beautiful no matter how large, or small you are.

True, overweight people, like myself, are at very high risk. I am at risk for Diabetes, not only because I'm over weight, but because it also runs in the family which I can't control that. But it's hard to lose weight, and without people to help them, they give up. If more people were willing to look past weight and help someone emotionally before helping them physically... then maybe the world, and the people in it, would be better off. But of course not. Millions of people are rude, mean, selfish, and they don't care.

I'll know people will flame me, and probably say all my veiws are wrong, but I don't care. Go ahead.

I am 18 and 4'11 weighing about 130. Now, normally you would think that I should be 97 pounds and that is what the BMI tells me also. According to the BMI I AM obese because I am so short. Here's the kicker : I am a dancer and gymnast. I am nothing put muscle and there is hardly any fat on me. Am I still obese? No, the BMI is a flawed system. There is no way you can judge your Body mass by just your height and weight. What about muscle mass? What about larger breasts that add an extra 15 pounds?

I believe that it is all just numbers. When someone looks at you, there's no way they are going to say, "Oh yeal, she wears a size 4" Nobody does that. It's just a number. What matters is when you get up and look into the mirror. If you are happy with how you look, then be happy. There's no since in placing yourself with a number, cause that's all it is.

and I'll be happy to let it alone as long as you don't come asking for my tax dollars to pay for your medical bills later on.

You're in denial. I learned from my Mom and Dad who both died at an early age due to their unhealthy lifestyles. Dad died at 46 and Mom at 61. I could be obese too had I not woken up.

Get off your horse, billy_f14, and live where the "real" people are; that is, the people with the weight problem. I'm so happy for you and your family to be living such a healthy lifestyle. Good for you. But please don't enter a comment debasing others who are not as fortunate as you and your family to have such positive eating habits. Many people were led astray early in life, and now have an uphill battle to straighten themselves out. It's like having a smoking or alcoholic addiction, except you can't quit eating cold turkey. I'm not overweight, but several members of my family are, and I have seen them struggle with this issue for most of their life. I understand your tired of articles normalizing obesity, but I'm tired of "healthy" people telling overweight people they are that way because they're lazy. Just handle your family, and let the obese and overweight peole find hope where they are able.

Pullease! I don't want to be crude or rude but I have to be, while attractive, the two women used in the photo really need to apply for license plates before they end up on my health care bills because of they're hearts, blood pressure or get blood sugar problems. Yes jeannean, women are supposed to have curves and there's a seat for everyone, but I like most men, draw the line at S.U.V. a small bus is a bit too much!

I have always been a size 0 or at the most two. I had 2 children. But in the last few yrs. I have just accepted I am NOT a runway model type, I have curves, I am more of a pin-up girl look. If we just accept we are women and we are sopposed to be curvy, we'll be happy-- confidence and don't look sloppy, take care of one's self no matter the size.