What do you think when you see someone who is overweight? Do you think what a fat git? Do you think glad thats not me? Or do you think I wonder how that happened? If you're honest I bet most of us think what a fat git right? Is that assumption fair though? I read an article yesterday by a journalist on Fleet Street who in my view decided to absolutley destroy someone who is overweight because she needs care. I dont know this persons history or the reason for their weight gain but its important to remeber that I guarantee that this journalist doesn't either. Yet they took the moral high ground and destroyed this person to the readers of their blog. It was bordering on bullying and it really annoyed me, hence this blog.
There are reasons people are obese. Its rammed down thier throats every single day about how gorgeous this product tastes and how they will be cool and happy if they eat it. We bang on about how schools are losing thier fields and how kids dont do enough exercise yet we allow Macdonalds to sponsor kids football in this country. We encourage kids to get their parents to go to certain supermarkets to purchase goods for vouchers, yet these same supermarkest place chocolate in front of the tills and make queing times longer than they should be so as kids will pick up the chocolate.
We allow Fast Food chains to run promotions that allow kids to eat free there when an adult buys a meal and then reward them with free ice cream and a toy. We allow Cereal compaines to cover our kids breakfasts in chocolate knowing that its marketed as the most important meal of the day. We allow our kids to buy soft drinks full of sugar because they are giving away free music or an ipod on the can.
Yet we still wonder why we have an obesity problem in this country? Its there in front of your eyes. We are all different, we all have different will powers and weaknesses. We all have different metabolism as well. My brother in law can eat three Big Macs and has never gained an ounce, I look at one and I gain four pounds. Its what makes us all different. There are a few reasons why people are obese in my opinion and they are as follows:
Firstly through bad eating habits and laziness with regards to exercise. These people can only help themsleves and until they choose to do so then there isn't a lot that can be done for them. I put them in the same bracket as Smokers. They know what they are putting into their bodies will kill them and eventually they will die. Its thier choice.
Secondly you have kids who are overwieght, these are fed fatty foods by thier parents and its mainly because their parents know no better that they end up obese. Is it fair to blame the kids? No you blame the parents but you educate them and help them to lose weight and this way they start to see a change in their well being.
Finally you have the less obvious group. These people eat because they have low self esteem, are unhappy or are being bullied in some way. The thing that binds them all together is that they eat because they get comfort from it.
They get a sugar rush that makes them feel better about themselves for a while, they are trying to change the way they look so perhaps the bully will not pick them out from the crowd. They carry scars inside of them that cant be healed because they wont let someone in to help them heel it, so they carry on eating, getting bigger and bigger.
They eat more and more of the wrong foods, the foods the advertisers tell them to eat to be cool and sexy, telling themselevs that they dont care what they look like but secretly falling deeper and deeper into a depression that only gets worse the more they eat. They see the looks of disgust from people in the street and they feel ashamed but they bury it deeper because they know when they eat that next cake, that next burger, that next chocolate bar the rush they get off of it will make them feel better. Except they dont, not really, becuase that feeling fades away and the pain returns harder and deeper than it did before.
They become the happy go lucky funny person. Always seeming to be cheerful and laughing and joking yet inside no one seems to care enough to ask them how they feel. They play along with the way their friends see them because its easier that way. Its easier to be the person they have become rather than be the person they want to be.
Next time you see someone who is overweight don't judge them because you don't know them. We all have our issues, some carry them with the help of drink, others with drugs, obese people do it with food. The first group can only help themsleves but wont, the second group need educating. The third group? Well they need your love and support. They may stumble they may fall but THEY WILL thank you in the end you just need to be patient with them.
There are reasons they are overwieght, deep underlying reasons why they have allowed themselves to become what they have and they and only they can change that. You can offer them support and be friendly to them but you must not judge them because it isnt your place to do so.
How do I know so much about the third group of people? Because I was one of them.
I now have a facebook page called A Teller Of Tales. I'll be adding some exclusive content on their as well so please feel free to like the page, thanks in advance.
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