Fat or obese?

Should I be offended by the above image?

Maybe at one point in my life this may have offended me, but it’s all in the “delivery”. Ok at the use of the phrase "Fat Person" 

 If you’re talking to someone and they bring up health and you comment about how unhealthy being overweight is 1) news flash they already know since they have a scale and mirrors. There is a difference between someone being unhealthy due to smoking and those who are overweight and there for unhealthy.

Your smoking affects my health as well…bottom line

Yes, I hear the argument already that overweight parents or partners “could” effect the health of their partners or children if its genetics, poor portion control and consuming the wrong foods all together. I am not referring to that. I am saying me being overweight does NOT directly affect your health by standing right next to you and eating.

If you want to smoke it’s on you, really I won’t tell you otherwise (unless you’re my child). But I just prefer not to have someone smoke in my house or vehicle.

Health insurance comments are moot since both smoking and being overweight is affecting our health premiums.

You can pinpoint why a smoker is unhealthy, you cannot always pinpoint why someone is overweight.

You don’t know my full story; you don’t know why I am overweight. Just like I don’t know why a vast majority of Americans are overweight. None of us have the same back ground that will result in our conditions. It could be genetics, medical conditions, emotional issues, poor diet and exercise.

I also don’t see being overweight as a disease.

Notice I am using the word overweight, I hate the word FAT I just do. It has been used in such a horrible derogatory manner my whole life I find it offensive. I have accepted that at this point in my journey I am still obese. Besides the word fat just makes me think of blubbery substances. The icky stuff you strip off of meat. Yes I said icky.

Granted “Fat” has not been the only term used towards me or to describe my overweight persona over the years. Obviously I have been referred to as the “Big girl”, “Fat Chick”, “Extra Large Chick” and a few R-rated terms used to describe a female dog just put “big” or “fat” in front of it.

I have been called (and yes these have been said directly to me):

·       Big Beckie

·       Lard

·       She who blocks the sun if walking behind you

·       Lumpy (family nickname)

·       Pooh Bear (I don’t like being referred to a dumb chubby bear) (another family nickname)

·       Chubby

·       Chunk (yet another family nickname)

·       Hungry Hippo (Junior High was AWESOME right?)

·       Cow

How many derogatory nicknames do think a person who smokes has?

Yes people who smoke get a lot of grief, but so do those who are overweight. I was once told by a family member not to screw up my marriage because “when you’re fat you can’t be picky” since they were amazed my husband was good looking. Gee, Thanks!

I am lucky I can reverse the health effects causes by being obese, can smokers?

For now I am obese, but my changing lifestyle is changing my health and my weight.

I really cannot provide any advice on how to approach someone who is a friend or family that is obese or in my case morbidly obese, about their health. It really is in the approach on how they will take it and honestly if they bring up the subject use that to voice your concerns. There are different factors to why an individual is overweight so you should assume people will react differently when talking about their weight.

When I saw the above image I was conflicted on the responses. I do see the humor in it but I also know a few years ago I would have been offended.

America does have a problem with obesity. Portion sizes, quality of food being put into bodies and lack of exersise is causing the deteration of health.  Bullying or embarsing people into become healthy does not work.  At some point people need to take control of their health and make the nessisary changes to save themselves.