Why Women Lose Weight—or Don’t

Could it not be that the people who find their self esteem by sleeping with as many individuals as they possibly can before they die, spreading STD's could be raising your healthcare? Or the 'drinkers', 'smokers' and 'drug users'? Those who get behind the wheel of a care and kill innocent people rather than deal with their self esteem driven addictions? I am sorry, but the comments on overweight people and health care is very upsetting to me. And I am not obese. I am stunned by what so many of you are saying here. I am slightly overweight and I love myself. I am not raising your health care costs.

The plain and simple fact is that fat people have an eating disorder. They cannot control what they eat, how much they eat or even when they eat. They, like drug addicts, become sorry looking, unhealthy, unhappy people who then start to rationalize their eating disorder. You know big bones....I don't eat hardly anything, etc.. Most of you will always be obese and die young and fat and miserable. This of course costs us healthy people more money in healthcare costs just like smokers do.

Fat is not normal, I believe that women in the US are using he fact that many other women are obese as a crutch. It is an excuse to feel better about being fat. Personally I will never subscribe to the trend that fat is normal. you will never be attractive if you are abese and your physical ailments will not subside just because there are more obese people in the US.

Although the topic of many other posts clearly ignores the point of the article, I must address Diobalikal and others who have the "Just Do It" attitude, clearly not understanding there is more to weight loss and gain than what you eat. You have obviously never been significantly overweight. Having struggled my entire adult life with my weight, trying everything I could, sometimes having success but ultimately falling back, I joined Weight Watchers and have lost 60 lbs in 9 months. But more importantly, I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE MY ENTIRE LIFESTYLE to do it; just stop for a minute and think about that and imagine if you could just up and do it one day. I do not regret it. It is the most wonderful gift I have ever given myself. But before you criticize those who are suffering something you don't even understand, take a step back. If it were easy, everybody would be doing it. This will be a struggle for me for the rest of my life, and I accept that. But it took me 15 years to find a program that could help me to manage my food addiction. I pray you never find yourself succombing to something the public at large finds so distasteful; you'll be mortified to feel the stones striking you first.

Society would not be overweight if they could afford to eat, fresh fruit and vegatables. As far as exercise most get enough at work unless in a noffice position, perhaps. Twelve hours of heavy labor and then family responsibilities fills a day. The salt and cheap sugar itmes compared to fresh fruit and vegatables are the problem.Many medical findings now see that as far as heart attacks etc just as many thin people die or get ill from it as heavy and we all die of something .Comparing the diet of "baby boomers" I have found by working in adult home a nuymber of years most lose weight from less stress, and they do not get the sugary and salt items as much but regular diest of all three good meals aday, and eat what they want( we would do not want to infringe on anyone's rights) They in the one I speak of, live to be in their 80's -90's on an average and loose weight, I found very, very few wer over weight, but had good meals served each day.Eating this way, was the only thing they had control over, and so found they even would demand things as: " Real Butter", in the one I worked in, and foods they lioved on all their lives.. We can learn much from them. They love parties and really will not come out if no food offered. So they get smnacks less often then many in society, perhaps?

Wow, there is a lot of hate on here. As someone who has been skinny and fat and everywhere in between I have to say it isn't about size but fitness. I am considered obese but I work out, I eat good, and I get out of the house and enjoy life. The bmi is a hopelessy flawed way to measure obesity anyway. Everyone talks about the health risks associated with obesity (ie. diabetes, heart disease, ect) but the numbers on the scales don't necessary tell you what is going to happen. I think it is dangerous and makes skinny people assume that just because they are skinny they won't get diabetes or heart disease. If you are not eating a balanced diet and moving, being skinny isn't gonna help you prevent disease. The reality is that obese people don't get sick just becaue they carry extra weight, they get sick because they are malnourished and skinny people who might have the same diet as someone 40 lbs heavier are just as malnourished. If you are worried about your health, obese or not, get your vital levels checked (ie. glucose, triglycerides, cholesteral) and then take a walk, because even that can begin to have positive effects on your vitals and according to some research can even improve mood and happiness.

This is predudice society against over weight people. They are not hurting anyone, perhaps themselves, and they will loose it, if they can. am sure they do not want to be heavy. Why try to aggravate the matter and hurt them? Actually it is slander and notreally anyones business. Theyu may have glandular problems, or medications could be doing it, and health issues and could not exericse if they wanted to, and we have not any right to make fun of people in any way. People have always come in different sizes. We have caused people to make cruel remarks, and teach our children to be cruel to people of heavier sizes but we do not know how ill they may be as do we want to listen to them and their health issues?? We should realize different people have different reaaons for being heavy and it not laziness, I have seen many heavy people who can work, well over their thin counterparts. usually they stand around and talk, while the heavy people are working as they know they are discriminated against so must keep working. If they ''played games, at work" they would be fired on the spot. It is ridiculous when we do not have ALL the information to WHY a person is heavy we can poke fun, that shows us to be barbaric at the least.

I wanted to add one more thing, if I may. I agree one hundred percent, that sever obesity is unhealthy. However there are women who are overweight, but healthy, who are beautiful women, on the inside as well as the outside. If ones health is at stake then by all means, something should be done to alleviate the problem. But when health is not an issue, then we need to accept that not all women are small and that does NOT make them less beautiful.

I agree with all of you folks that if you like yourselves the way you are..... fat/obese.........and won't change that's OK with me....but once you start flapping over into my airline seat, breaking my furniture and increasing my taxes because of your special needs in health care.......then YOU are not my best friend. Excuses, excuses.........heart and compassion is another excuse. Good Luck! PS...... Was fat...took time....watched what I put into my mouth and how it was prepared......it works, along witj walking .....it's free.

Well the saying " Don't stand next to a 20 year old when your 50" works here. My trainer told me she had a tummy tuck, my neighbor has had several plastic surgeries and helped others recover...(my daughter thought she had been in an acciden)t! The woman almost bled to death when she had liposuction but was back for more...well she walks around looking 60 with perky breasts when she's 75...in a stupor...she's developing dementia...hmmmm...can't run away from it ....just do the best you can....ask for help (you may or may not get it) when you need it....then keep on trying. Use your head not the TV or Magazines.

Comment: Wow...popular story! I've kind of skimmed over both the article and the comments below. The reason why I don't read everything everyone has to say is...well, it really doesn't matter.
I will tell you that I was once a size 10, hoping not to get up to a 12. I began exercising and eating better with the help of an ex-boyfriend (God bless him!). It was certainly not an easy transition. I would exercise and not eat correctly or vice versa. I didn't see the change that I was dreaming of until I took the initiative and said to myself, "SELF! Why put in all this work without seeing the results that you want?"
NO ONE will make a change in their lives until they make up their mind that enough is enough. That's why none of the studies, none of these comments, none of the fad diets matter. It's up to each individual. It's a choice to feel better and look better. I look forward to exercising (and yes, ladies, I hear your collective sighs. I never thought I would say it, either) and every other type of physical activity. Is there anything better than going on a hike with some one that you love?
I'm down to a size 6 and I've never felt better. A size 2?! Well, let's just say that just wouldn't look good on me. I want so badly for overweight women to feel that way that they should and to able to experience things that they may not be able to experience right now. 90% of the women in my family are overweight and it really hurts me that they don't want to go white water rafting with me, train for a marathon or go hiking for a weekend.
Here's the website that helped me get started with my weight loss...and I promise I'm not some one working for them, I just think it's an easy and VERY effective program! www.bodyforlife.com
In the end, it's about commitment and consistency. You CAN make a change in your life. It doesn't matter if you have a strange work schedule, have kids to watch...if you want to exercise, you just DO IT. Don't let anything stop you. Find a workout buddy if you can. They are a definite help.
God bless and good luck!