Reasons why you are, and may always be, fat

I came to the conclusion about 38 years ago, after being overweight several times in my teens and 20s that vigorous exercise was the only way for me to maintain a healthy weight. Since then, I've maintained a 5 to 6 day a week exercise regimen which includes weight lifting, running, biking and other activities (dancing, softball, etc).

However, until I decided about 8 years ago to follow the weight watchers food plan (about 4 days out of 7 with the other 3 days overindulging in food) I gained and lost the same 20 to 25 lbs. about 5 different times. This program, plus becoming more careful in my eating habits as soon as I go over a certain weight (for me, 173 lbs.) has worked well for me. Accordingly, I don't believe that you have no choice regarding being overweight, at least in the vast majority of cases.

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For many people, reasons like those listed in the article may be very real obstacles to losing weight.

But it bugged me that there was no mention of genetic differences in that list--it was very much a "blame the fat person" bunch of reasons.

I know they may be in the minority, but there are definitely some people out there who do all the right stuff they're supposed to--and they're still overweight. They have lousy metablolisms. I know people like this; they aren't cheating. To accuse them of psychological problems when they're eating half what we do and working out and taking care of stress, etc, seems unfair and discouraging.

But I agree, for a lot of people, this would be a very helpful list. (I have a close relative who struggles despite heroic efforts, so this topic always hits close to home)

Crabby does her usual grousing at http://crankyfitness.blogspot.com/

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I saw a medical doctor on TV who did gastric bypass surgery. He said that he'd been doing the surgery for 20 years and patients told him how they just didn't eat "anything" and still couldn't lose weight. He said when he'd do the surgery, they had a stomach so stretched that it could hold five pounds of food. He said that there was NO WAY a person would have a stomach that size who didn't fill it up. Then he went on to say that he had never once had a patient that after the surgery (and these were his words) when they couldn't eat like a pig, that didn't lose weight.
We don't know what people really eat when no one is around. My sister-in-law died from being obese, but to hear her tell it she never ate anything. It took EIGHT men to carry her coffin.
I think this list is VERY honest is saying that a person has to ask for help and own up to what they are doing to themselves. It isn't about the food, as Dr. Phil would say.

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