North Florida Nesties
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
QOTD - Thursday 1/13
I don't think we've talked about this before.
Do you think society is normalizing and accepting obesity (shows like Mike & Molly and the "big is beautiful" advocates like Beth Ditto) or do you think there is a growing stigmatism and discrimnation towards the obese?
Do you feel like this is the right or wrong way to be handling the obesity epidemic?
Re: QOTD - Thursday 1/13
I've never seen Mike and Molly so I can't comment on that. I have seen some of the Discovery Health shows about obesity that show people committed to changing their lives.
I don't have a problem with anyone feeling or saying that big is beautiful. I believe beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. I do feel that being morbidly obese and hiding behind the "big is beautiful" mantra is a way for people to be in denial about how unhealthy they really are.
I think Hollywood, which perpetuates the beauty standards in our country, needs to get away from the stick figure standard. We should not be celebrating obesity or anorexia.
Yes, I think morbid obesity is being normalized. And no, I don't think its okay. I think its terrible. There are so many increased health risks associated with obesity - diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, etc. Why would you want to do that to yourself? Yeah, I know... Exercising & eating right can really suck. But so does going to the dentist. Even though it sucks, you still go to the dentist to take care of your oral health. Why not your entire physical well being? That just doesn't make sense to me. Eating well doesn't mean a lifetime without french fries, fast food or cheesecake. Its a lifetime of eating them in moderation aka not every day or every meal.
Obesity is also increasing the cost of our health insurance (y'know cause it doesn't cost enough already). & don't get me started on people like Kevin Smith who complain because they can't fit into an airplane seat. Yeah.. the seats can be kinda small, but not unreasonably so. If you can't fit, buy a first class ticket or maybe you should take that as a hint. When the airlines have to replace all the seats on their planes to accomodate obese passengers, the cost is going to be passed on to all of us. Not cool.
I'm obviously not talking about being a little overweight... 5-10 pounds is not going to fast track you to death's door. Hell, even 20lbs. I'm talking about 50 - 100+ lbs overweight. That is just plain dangerous. But if someone wants to shorten their lifespan via morbid obesity, that's their perrogative.
I think as a society we need to focus on a HEALTHY, maintainable weight - neither grossly underweight nor morbidly obese.
As someone who was obese, I think it was too easy to get that way. The "Big is Beautiful" thing never was me, I was more indenial, thinking I wasn't actually as big as I was.
I don't think that being rude, hateful, judgemental, etc. is the way to handle it. However, I do think that there absolutely should be a stigma attached to obesity the way there is one attached to smoking. It's obvious that smoking causes diseases and death... well so does obesity. In fact, it's the #1 killer. And it also is causing a huge amount of money in the healthcare sector. I think if there were more in your face obesity labels on fast food or junk that people would take it more seriously. Why put photos of throat cancer on cigarettes but not what a hydrated fat encapsuled heart looks like on a large order of fries?
I could go on, but I think you get my point. Anyone can lose weight, anyone can gain weight, proper nutrition isn't a secret, 100% of adults know french fries and fried chicken are not as healthy as a baked potato and grilled chicken. I think we need to focus on the youth of today, but doctors and family shouldn't paint a rosy picture and enable obese and morbidly obese people.
Last side note - what actually got me to lose 85 lbs. was my doctor threatening Type II Diabetes at age 21. That sure snapped me out of my denial quickly.
I'm not really sure why my last post quoted Brit and didn't have my response. Anyway...I pretty much agree with both Brit & Devon. Yes, I think it's become more acceptable and it's out of control. I do think the people are becoming more conscious of it and the huge epidemic that is occuring in America, but I think we have a long way to go.
I'm all for feeling beautiful in your own skin and I promote self confidence regardless of your size 100%. However, obesity just isn't healthy. If it was, I would say, "Kudos to you. Be big, beautiful and proud." Sadly, that's just not the case. You shouldn't lose weight for societies standards, but you should do it for your own health.
Congrats to you for taking charge of your health. It's not always easy, but it's definitely worth it.
The children to me are my biggest bet peeve in this problem. I think it's fair to say that the majority of the time, obese people raise obese people. It's so sad. I've seen it with one of my sets of cousins. To me, it almost borders on a type of child abuse. They're helpless and you're shaping their lives, health and eating habits. They eat what you give them. Why would you fill their bodies with crap? It infuriates me to no end. They deserve a better start at life than that.
Don't even get me started on kids.
SIL doesn't make my niece eat ANYTHING she doesn't want to eat. She never makes her try new foods. The kid only eats: Poptarts, Tyson Chicken Nuggets, PB&J, Tater Tots, some occasional celery or cucumbers, chips & dip, yogurt, pickles, & turkey lunch meat. Thats about it. It drives me insane that she just lets her eat like crap because its easier than making her try new things.
ETA: I forgot.. SIL has also been told by the doctor that my niece is overweight & way below normal on height. The doctor specifically told her to start making her try new things because she's nutritionally deficient. Did she? For like 5 minutes.
I really, really worry about the future of food and future generations. I love that the local food movement and plant based diets are gaining exposure, but I doubt it will be enough. With the way childhood obesity is on the rise, it's heartbreaking.
I honestly can't stand when parents come on the cooking board wanting to know what to make their picky kids... Drives me crazy! Kids should be eating a smaller portion of what you're eating, plant based whole foods with some protein and the occasional treat. I love watching Giada at home even though I can't stand Giada because you can see her 2-3 yr. old daughter eating things like roasted tilapia with fennel salads and cantaloupe shaved ice. I know every mom isn't a Food Network Star, but more attention needs to be put towards healthy food and cooking WITH your kids, and the "oh he/she won't like that, they only eat chicken nuggets" is just really poor to me. I don't even care if it's unpopular and flameworthy.
I agree with this statement.
I think Mike and Molly is a funny show (larger ppl or not). I think there should be more shows that have more average size people on it. I like that Mike and Molly take that to an extreme, maybe too far, but I'm not going to complain.
I'd venture to guess that we all agree that Hollywood should not be as obsessed with stick skinny actresses and models and should use more average sized people.
But that's nothing new. I was mostly rthinking of how we see obesity. The actors that play Mike and Molly are not average sized - they're morbidly obese.
Ashlee, I love that show too. When she goes, "Jade, do you want to try this?" and Jade squeals like, Yay new food! So adorable.
And I agree--my mom never fixed anything diffeent from what she was cooking. We had veggies and salads every night and dessert only every few nights. She sent a healthy sandwich on whole wheat, a small bunch of chips, fruit, and carrot sticks to school every day, and we never had sugary cereals. All this catering to a kid's palate with endless chicken nuggetfest is ludicrous. Sure, I ate nuggets--at KFC for our once a week junk food lunch after church. Otherwise it was pork chops and broccoli or whatever else was on the nightly menu.
Anyway, I don't really have a problem directly with Mike & Molly, but I do think that if your goal is to act like weight isn't an issue, then make it not an issue. But if you're going to joke about it and agonize over it on the show, then it isn't really a nonissue and/or "normal."
Beth Ditto actually pisses me off. She is half naked on magazine covers (they photoshop the cellulite off and all that just like other models) and she is proud of how big she is. I can guarantee you if she doesn't have obesity related health problems already, she will in the very near future.
I've always gotten the overcompensation vibe off of Beth Ditto.
I am a lurker (Just moved to Orange Park on Dec 20th) but I wanted to discuss this.
I am obese (not happy about it) and from experience I know that people are not used to it or kind. The first thing that comes out of someone mouth when they are mad at me is about my weight. For example, I am a teacher in an inner city school and if there is a kid that doesnt like what I say, he/she will whisper under their breath "fat ***" or something of the like. Adults are no different.
Society has skewed visions of what is "normal" and healthy but in on terms are people used to or accepting of bigger people.
I don't think society in general is normalizing or accepting obesity at all. While I haven't watched Mike & Molly, I think shows like that and people like Beth Ditto are the exception, not the accepted norm. Biggest Loser is one of the more popular shows on tv...much moreso than Mike & Molly. Plus we have Michelle Obama putting childhood obesity in the forefront of people's minds with her garden, focus on nutrition, etc.
In fact, I would agree that there is a growing discrimination towards the obese. Look at this thread alone. I'm not saying it's healthy or that people shouldn't try to lose weight if they are obese, but there are definitely different words that can be used to express it other than disgusting, gross, etc.
ETA: I do agree that obesity should not be seen as a disability or be a protected class.
http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/01/13/new-school-lunch-rules-dump-lunchroom-french-fries?fb_js_fbu=757915220
New School Lunch Rules Dump Lunchroom French Fries
Question: What is a school lunch without fries and cheese Nachos? Answer: Legal. (Photo: Getty Images)
French fry lovers take note: the spud sticks' days in U.S. school cafeterias are numbered.
Under new healthy school-lunch guidelines released Thursday, lunch ladies across the country are mandated to ditch the fries and add more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The healthier menu is part of the huge school lunch nutritional makeover that was kicked off by the passage of the landmark child nutrition bill a few weeks ago.
Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010?a major component of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign?the federal government is required to raise the nutritional standards in free- and reduced-price school meals for the first time in 15 years.
So what's changing? The new school lunch rules would:
In practice, the new rules are hoped to upgrade school menus along the lines of a hypothetical set of before-and-after meals presented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during their push for the nutrition bill:
Meal 1:
BEFORE: Bean and Cheese Burrito, Applesauce, OJ, 2% Milk
AFTER: Sub Sandwich with Turkey and Low-Fat Cheese, Refried Beans, Jicama, Green Pepper Strips, Canteloupe Wedges, Skim Milk
Meal 2:
BEFORE: Hot Dog, Canned Pears, Celery and Carrots with Ranch Dressing, Chocolate Milk
AFTER: Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Whole Wheat Roll, Green Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kiwi Halves, 1% Milk, and Low-Fat Ranch Dip
Meal 3:
BEFORE: Pizza Sticks with Marinara Sauce, Banana, Raisins, Whole Milk
AFTER: Chef Salad with Low-Fat Italian or Ranch Dressing, Corn, Baby Carrots, Banana, Skim Chocolate Milk
As with everything in government, the new rules won't go into effect overnight. They're proposals right now, and the public can comment on the plan at www.regulations.gov.
The USDA is also gearing up to release new dietary guidelines to the general public, possibly as soon as this month.
ITA, and I feel like I can say that.
I know that my weight has always been an issue for me and to this day I have almost no self esteem. It's been a motivation for me to lose weight and become healthy. I want to be healthy and be around for a long time and when I see the family of obese people in their wheelchairs at Disney I just loose my mind. I truly don't understand it... you're fat, maybe you should walk some and maybe eating that corn dog isn't the best choice.
Sorry... i'm finished.