I think we're missing the whole point: who WANTS to be fat? Seriously. Just look in the mirror (preferably a full length one) naked sometime and ask: "Am I happy with the way I look?" Nobody can lie to themselves in that situation. If you are happy being a fatty then that's your choice. If not, then change.


It seems that many just don't really care. Or kinda care, but not enough to actually do anything. Just like many want to eliminate credit card debt but just don't do it.


Anyone who hates having people stare at you and laugh or who hates having trouble sitting on an airplane or gets out of breath walking up a set of stairs, change! Why does society need to implement rules to fix a problem YOU should want to fix?

Whoa. Don't lump me in there. I just found this thread.

I am 100% with Lewdog on this topic. I've never said a negative thing about anyone on here struggling with weight & I've given several people advice on weight loss/fitness based on my own experiences.

I was going to state something about the amount of time I work out, but a lot of things that I do for fun could be considered working out. I don't really consider biking a workout, although it is. It's just something I do for fun. The same goes for racquetball, football, running, volleyball, and many other things I do.

I spend a lot of time being active, but I think it's pretty silly when I hear people say they can't find an hour each day to work out.

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You don't need to workout an hour a day to be in shape. An hour of activity will suffice most days with 30 minutes to an hour of something more intense (actual workout, running, etc) a few days a week mixed in.

I absolutely agree. I was just dealing with a round #. An hour should give you time to shower and get back to work if needed.

I think for a lot of people poor sleep habits and dehydration lead to poor eating habits. They're tired and dehydrated and they perceive their body's reaction as hunger. The problem is that it leads to spur of the moment snacking, which is often junk food. Chips, cookies, drive thru, etc. Convenience food.

I don't know that anyone really laughs at fat people in public.

That said, as we become older, fatter, etc., we simply become invisible. A 42 year old guy who is 5'10, 215 pounds doesn't stand out enough to be ridiculed. He doesn't get noticed at all most of the time. He simply disappears.

It's the same with women. I always argue with my friends when they are "rating" women based on their appearances. What most men call a "5" is probably more attractive than 80% of the women out there. An actual 5 doesn't even get rated. She doesn't even get noticed.

I'm not making value judgments. Different people obtain happiness in different ways. If you get more happiness from eating and lounging than you do from liking the way you look getting out of the shower, you're probably going to be overweight...and most Americans are.

The average adult male in the US is 5'9.5 and weighs 191 pounds. In 1960, it was 5'8, 166.

For women, it's 5'4 , 164...up from 5'3 140 in 1960.

There are medical conditions that can lead to obesity, but they don't have to. Those conditions actually do require medical treatment. However, I seriously doubt this is the case for 1/3 of Americans. It's actually probably a very, very small percentage.

I do think that the signs stand a chance of getting more people to consult with their doctors in order to get some help. It's a step, anyway. And, if they're going to see their doctors, then they can also be checked out for the many conditions that can be caused by obesity.

For those people who look for something else to blame for their laziness/inability to eat properly, then, yes, they will view this as an excuse. However, they will look to anything as an excuse. Those people probably would not seek help anyway. Hopefully, these billboards can reach those people who will eventually seek help.

While the basic concept of weight loss is simple (I know there are many ways to make it a little more complicated), there are probably people who just feel that it is out of their control for whatever reason. Maybe a doctor can put them on a wellness program, suggest a nutritionist, or send them to a personal trainer.

My only concern with this is whether this type of campaign will affect insurance rates. Will these types of things start being covered? In any case, the increased number of doctor visits surely would affect them.

Don't see a doctor. They will just tell you have some kind of condition and put you on meds. They will also give poor nutritional advice. What people need to realize is that it is a long process, shows like the Biggest Loser gives unrealistic expectations. Our society has done a very poor job educating people on how to eat and take care of themselves. The snake-oil salesmen make it worse with their crash diets.

Losing weight is simple. All you need is the willpower, dedication, and patience to make it happen.

Do you really think this is true?

1. Whose job is it to teach people that Calories in < Calories out = weight loss?

2. Are there people walking around who don't know the lesson in #1?

Everyone knows that fast food, Twinkies, and inactivity make people fat. Everyone knows that being fat leads to loads of health issues. Nobody is forced to opt for fast food, Twinkies, and inactivity.

"Our society" (whatever that means) has not done a poor job of educating people on what makes us fat. It just makes it too easy for people to come up with excuses for why we aren't in shape.

Excuses are always easier to find than solutions...

To a degree, yes. Think of the food pyramid crap that the gov pushes.

I agree that in the end it can be chalked up to an excuse. But people being confused about what they are supposed to eat and then giving up because they can't lose weight is a problem. How many times did you ever hear cals in/cals out before you got in to fitness? I never did.

How many people do you talk to that spout out nonsense that they have been educated about in regards to dieting. I hear it damn near every conversation with people.

We all need personal responsibility and to take charge of our lives, but the nonsense that is pushed out for how we should eat doesn't do anyone any favors. And as I said in my first post, obesity isn't a disease, it is lazy people that don't want to take the effort to get fit. That is what our society is mostly made up of now...so yes, if educating them on proper nutrition will help them, then we should do it.

I agree with this. I'm not young anymore, and I don't have kids, but I think people are doing what they can with the children's Play 60 and such. And it's not rocket science to know that cals in < cals out is the basic solution to weight loss.

You've got fast food places promoting "healthy" options. It's a gimmick. They make people think that they are doing a good thing by eating out. Sure the healthier options are better, but better than what? Better does not mean good. Until you take the time to learn about food and prepare meals for yourself, you will never really know what all you are putting in your body. I'm not blaming fast food places. I'm blaming people (myself included) for being too lazy to learn, cook, or not fall for the convenience fast food offers.