by Mom+Me » Sat Oct 27, 2018 1:27 pm
Yes, I do agree that becoming overweight +/or obese has become much more common and acceptable. Thank you, Jeff, for including the added graphs and clarifications.
When I wrote my above post about there stlll being a stigma, bullying, etc., I was focusing primarily on the youth. I still see quite a few very trim teens around. But, I see the opposite of them, too. ... I've heard the stories of teens/early 20 somethings trying to look like so and so (fill in the blank thin celebrity) and I've heard of the bullying towards those who don't look like said celebrity.
But yes, Viv, the thicker look (including bigger rears) does seem to be the "in" thing.
Atheria, I know exactly what you mean about your fairly fit friend and also yourself being looked upon as too skinny.
fOOdie, it's also crazy how people's perceptions of you changed in the wrong way when you gained weight.
I noticed after Dr. McDougall lost some weight a couple to a few years ago that there were some who commented that he now looked sickly. But the majority of the commentators said--and rightly so--that he looked healthy and people just weren't used to how a healthy weighted person looks. I couldn't agree more. I think he looked and looks great!
When I think more about this topic, I'm realizing that I see a wide range of people in my day to day life (no pun intended). When I'm in more affluent areas, most (certainly not all) people are trim and fit looking. Being healthy, or at least what they think is healthy--coconut oil, paleo, etc. is what they're trying to achieve, and physical fitness is a priority. But when I get away from those areas, especially in the more rural areas, it's usually the complete opposite; the majority of people are overweight or obese. Seeing a trim person and one who runs, etc. is much less common. In these areas, they seem to cherish and indulge in homemade "goodies"/passed down family recipes more often. Again, I am generalizing. I think, too, that people in the more rural areas are probably used to (passed down through the generations) the farming life where they ate the hearty meals to get them through their physically demanding chores. But of course the chores--some of them at least--have become less labor intensive, so they don't use up so many calories as their ancestors used to. And we all know that hearty, tasty meals can still be eaten with gusto if they took out the meats, dairy, eggs, and oils. ... But please know that I am not in anyway downing the intelligence of these people. There are plenty of people who believe and act nutritionally wrong whether they are college educated or not, live in affluent, non affluent areas, in the city, or in the countryside.
"Eat your heart out (of trouble)!"--Dr. John A. McDougall