Mommy I Want Plus Size Barbie

Funny, that's exactly the conclusion that I came to when you decided to start calling me "obtuse." I had thought we were going to find common ground and instead you start acting like a jerk. I really don't get it. If I'm agreeing with you, you act like a jerk. If I'm disagreeing with you, you act like a jerk. What the hell?

Sure it does. Most of the "strains" put on the body by being overweight are identical to those imposed by exercise. You seem to be making some kind of claim with no basis in fact.

Define what you mean by "strain," Josiah. Right now I'm stabbing in the dark because every problem associated with being overweight is a simple one of dragging around a lot of weight, which is functionally not much different than doing exercise.

You have been abusive and rude to basically everyone who disagreed with you beginning with Zahrah, I was quite civil the entire time. You have been arguing with things I didn't say then arguing when I clarified even further the points I made. I'm really done now.

Then I will repeat, Josiah, that is identical to what one experiences with exercise. Runners' knees deteriorate with the same efficacy as the morbidly obese, if not more if they're marathoners. And just because someone's cartilage is deteriorating, their insulin ducts don't suddenly give up the ghost and die.

You seem to be saying that being overweight is "unhealthy" strain on the basis that you consider being overweight to be unhealthy. While I won't disagree that many people who are overweight are unhealthy, the strain placed on the body is no less unhealthy than what I do to my body every day I go to work (I do heavy labor).

The hell you were. And every time I've been civil has been when you started acting like a jerk again. If you're done, then be done. You make yourself look foolish by claiming you're leaving and then posting repeatedly.

What the actual fk is being debated here?

What a doctor tells his patient is not the same as what is medically true. I know a lot of doctors who believe in a lot of hokum that varies from "completely unprovable" to "measurably false." I say this as a real warning: not all doctors are reliable.

I could tell altogether too many stories.

Anyhow, the strain you're talking about is purely physical. If I weigh 100 lbs. more than I need to, I'm hauling 100 lbs. around all day, every day. It is very likely I won't be running too many marathons and will probably be seated for most of that time. As someone who works in construction, it is not at all uncommon for me to do things like unload building materials that can weigh up to 100 lbs. Doing that for 8 hours is actually considerably more strain on my joints because it is external and poorly-balanced compared to internal fat reserves, to say nothing of having to use considerably more muscle power to lift and stabilize that load. However, I don't lift that load every day, so it sort of evens out.

I can't point you at a source, though I wish I could. We're talking about simple mechanics. I can explain it in very simple terms, though. In order for the body to maintain a given weight, it needs to intake a given amount of calories. This is, by the way, why the 1800-2000 calories per day guideline is a lousy and, once again, only serves the needs of the hopelessly sedentary. In order for me to maintain my current weight (which is admittedly higher than I want it to be) and at my current activity level, I need to eat about 2700 calories per day, sometimes more. In order for someone who weighs 300 lbs. (and is the same age, weight, and sex as me) to maintain his weight at a low activity level, he also needs to eat 2700 calories per day. The body needs exactly the same fuel because they have the same fuel expenditure.

Does that make sense? I hope it does.

As to a doctor telling someone to lose weight, it's because of the correlated problems. Obesity doesn't cause diabetes, but the bad habits that cause obesity can contribute to diabetes as well (this is the point Jassik was making). My objection, as a reminder, is that telling someone they will get diabetes because they are fat means that you've left the actual causative agent unchecked.

My mother is obese, for instance, as a consequence of hypothyroidism and the medications she has to take for it. She is in no danger whatsoever of developing diabetes. My father, on the other hand, is normal weight and has never been more than slightly overweight, but he scarfed sugar like a beast and developed diabetes. Perhaps you can see why I have a personal stake in making this point that everyone wants to dismiss.

There's a thing called "cosmetically overweight." It is, for example, what I am. My blood pressure is normal, my blood sugar is normal, my cholesterol is low-to-normal, my resting heart rate is low. I just have excess weight. None of the physicians and nurses I have seen have made any comment on my weight after seeing my other metrics. And I've been hospitalized more times in the past three years than I was in the previous three decades because I've gotten more healthy. Ironically, I've had several nurses tell me that I need to stop being as physically active as I am because I keep getting unavoidable injuries. I have placed more strain on my body since selling my car and taking a physical job than I ever did when I was obese and sedentary. I've greatly increased the probability that I will die, too.

Strain is strain. Exercise is just as taxing for the body. Ask Jim Fixx.

I mean it's how the skeletal system works. Being "over" one's BMI weight is going to be fat or muscle, the skeletal system compensates regardless. The body compensates additional mass by making the bones sightly bigger via osteoblasts. Now Onorgul is edit: slightly incorrect in the point he's trying to make. Additional weight will cause "strain" depending on how one must compensate that weight via posture. [E.g. overweight in abdomen = lumbar issues, overweight in chest (or pregnancy fat gain) = neck issues etc. Those strains to the vetebral column can cause a slew of problems since it houses the spinal cord.] My point is you can be in Olympic status shape but if you get Dolly Parton size breasts installed that "over"weight is going to cause issues.

Additionally, let's say you get "fat" without crappy food OK? Ones higher adipose tissue results in higher estrogen levels. Higher estrogen levels lead to a greater risk of breast cancer in females and prostate cancer in men.


Dietary issues aside, weight alone will cause issues because of posture.

So now that Christie has been mentioned again I'm having flashbacks to that thread about the time cover where the pubs on the site were so very offended that the dems behind the Time cartel of the mainstream liberal media alluded that he was fat on the cover and the outrage that ensued. Now they're criticizing everyone else for being fatties!

Who is your favorite fat celebrity... at least I think that is what is going on.

John Goodman! He's the best, I have no citation for that, and I'll cut you if you say otherwise! >:

Chris Farley if we can pick a dead guy.

John Candy!

Uncle Buck over King Ralph?!? You have lost your mind!

Uncle Buck would slap King Ralph in the face with a Bowling ball, only after letting King Ralph do it to him first to show him his weakness, then retire to his dining area to feast on giant pancakes.

Is it specifically supposed to be a fat dude from the 90s? 'cause that seems to be the trend. I like Patton Oswalt.

nah I think fat celebrity was the criteria we began with.

John Candy was 80's tyvm.