sirfrogsworth:

mooncustafer:

sirfrogsworth:

That… isn’t a conspiracy theory. 

I believe weight loss is possible. I have lost weight in the past. 

It’s just that statistically it is extremely difficult to lose weight and keep it off for long periods of time. 

And in some cases when people have disabilities and cannot exercise, they must rely on starvation diets or dangerous surgeries to lose weight. 

Those are not healthy or desirable options. They are incredibly hard to maintain over long lengths of time. And they can lead to yo-yoing, eating disorders, busted staples, and other complications. Sometimes those options can be more dire than not losing weight in the first place.

You have the physics right, but you aren’t including every variable. 

There is a complicated psychology to factor in. Things like depression can snuff out willpower and motivation. Food can be very addictive. It’s easier to gain than lose. So one might spend a week losing a few pounds, but then they have a couple of meals at a wedding or party and those few pounds come right back. Then one gets frustrated and thinks, “why am I bothering?” They eat their feelings and the cycle repeats. 

The math is easy. The weight loss is hard. 

Research has shown that 95 to 98 percent of attempts to lose weight fail and two-thirds of dieters gain back more than they lost. Why do you think the weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar venture?

I’m sorry, but that makes me think it is a little more than just “fat people are lazy” or that we are fucking reptiles. 

I see so many people lose a hundred pounds and immediately claim victory. Sometimes they will even deride other fat people and tell them it isn’t that hard. They parrot all the stereotypes saying it is a character flaw holding people back. Everyone is just “making excuses.” 

“Maybe if they were better people, they’d be thin too!”

But that person doesn’t realize the stats are against them. Maybe they are the 5% that keep it off. Or maybe they’ll blow out their knee. Maybe they’ll get depressed. Maybe they’ll just miss eating cookies and pizza. And a few years later they are back where they started. 

Circumstances matter. 

These are not just excuses. Having problems is not weakness. It’s just bad luck. Not everything is always within our control.  

No, I don’t subscribe to the typical “fat conspiracies” as you might call them. 

I don’t believe everyone who is fat is healthy. And if they are healthy I know they have increased risks. And I know some people are unhealthy because they are fat. But thin people can be unhealthy too. Which means health is more than a number on a scale. So maybe weight loss isn’t always the only path to health.

I freely admit there is a line where the health risks are almost certain to come to fruition. I am not naive. I don’t say I have slow metabolism or bad genes or I’m big boned. I know it’s more complicated and most of those reasons do not always hold up well scientifically. Instead, I think it is a hundred little things that add up and contribute rather than a few common tropes. 

Yes, I believe in body positivity. I don’t think shame is an effective motivator. I think respecting fat people will improve their health. I think the words “glorifying obesity” should never be spoken again. I think sometimes not losing weight is the best option for certain people. And in some cases, it might not be a viable option at all. So… not impossible. But maybe 99.99999% unlikely. I think people can make healthy decisions no matter what they weigh without the pressure of trying to shed mass. I think some fat people can be delusional but I think society and people like you help to fuel that. 

If those are the conspiracies you think I ascribe to, then I am guilty as charged. 

I got fat as a kid because I snuck food and didn’t know better. I have found over several decades that it is very hard for me to lose weight. 

It just is. 

I promise you.

I have on many occasions put in considerable effort to lose weight. I once lost 90 pounds on a starvation diet (basically what you described) and it was miserable. The hunger never went away. It felt awful all of the time. I doubt you would want to live like that perpetually. I sure didn’t. 

I was balancing a delicate house of cards to keep the weight off. I ate rice cakes and crackers and salad and not much else. And you’re right, I was able to burn those calories as you described. 

And then my best friend died.

I gained it all back in just a few months. 

How does your math account for that? 

How many kcal should I have eaten to satisfy my unbearable grief? 

Yes, I personally am unhealthy because I am fat. I have diabetes and sleep apnea. But… my options suck. I don’t qualify for weight loss surgery. My CFS has become so intense that I can rarely escape my bed. My energy is so minimal that preparing meals is difficult. My money is so tight that I must buy food that is easy to cook and sold in bulk. I’d love healthier options. I’d love to get Blue Apron’s diabetic meal plan. But usually all I can afford is a giant frozen bag of chicken nuggets. 

Got any equations for that? 

Any fancy formulas to address that happenstance? 

Also, I have food addiction issues and my depression has killed any sense of willpower I once had. But I need food to survive so it’s not like I can avoid eating.

Is there anything in the laws of thermodynamics to solve that? 

Will the Pythagorean Theorem cure addiction? Or depression?

You don’t know what you are talking about and it is insulting you think you can simplify this issue in a Tumblr ask. 

Bottom line… effective long-term weight loss can be immensely complicated. 

So maybe don’t go around patronizing fat people because you took a physics course. 

The 95% of people who fail to lose weight would like to tell your laws of thermodynamics to go to hell. 

I’d add the the person arguing with sirfrogsworth is acting on the assumption that a living body is a fairly simple machine, that does not react to its environment and, say, adjust its metabolism to burn fewer calories if fewer calories start coming in.

Exactly. 

While most people’s natural metabolic rate is not hugely varied from person to person and typically does not factor much into issues of exaggerated weight loss or gain (as is the common myth), losing weight via starvation-style diets can create a sort of hostile metabolism. 

“Losing just 3 percent of your body weight results in a 17 percent slowdown in your metabolism—a body-wide starvation response that blasts you with hunger hormones and drops your internal temperature until you rise back to your highest weight. Keeping weight off means fighting your body’s energy-regulation system and battling hunger all day, every day, for the rest of your life.“

–Everything You Know About Obesity Is Wrong

I would encourage anyone who is fit or thin to read the above article. I know it is a really long read, but I would consider it a personal favor.  

One of the most valuable things you can do as an ally is find ways to relate, empathize, and understand. I think this article might give you some insight in that regard. 

It is not about how to lose weight. It is a detailed essay on why respecting and loving fat people can significantly improve their health. Both physically and mentally. It can help them respect and love themselves. 

The article provides ample evidence that shame is actually the worst way to help those who struggle with obesity. And it shows that you can make healthy choices, reduce many risks, all without the pressure of losing weight. 

If you are overweight I don’t think it is 100% necessary to read the article. I have a feeling you already know most of its contents. I found it emotionally difficult to read. So if you are having a poor mental health day, maybe skip it or save it for another day. 

Also, don’t read the comments. 

Even with tons of sourced research people cannot seem to get the message. Or they refuse to give up their current beliefs. Or they keep asking why an article that isn’t about how to lose weight doesn’t tell people how to lose weight. 

They can’t comprehend the concept that hating fat people is literally making us sick.