Poll of the Day > After dieting/working out since Feb, didn't realize so many people out of shape

(+) Yeah! (+)

No I'm not fat shaming

It's just on my journey to a six pack, I never realized hot out of shape I was... I mean I wasn't fat but my gut used to stick out a bit. Now it's flat but looking at "skinny people" the amount of bellies bulging is very high

Also, I just feel like I cannot date anybody who doesn't work out because of that, better yet if they aren't open to physical fitness it feels like it's a complete turnoff now since I find it lazy

I don't know where this mindset came from but it's pretty depressing :/

Just wanna add that there's nothing wrong with choosing not to work out, but after doing it for so long, the benefits make it so much worth the effort
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No I'm not fat shaming

"I'm not racist but..."
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The thing is, you don't need a six-pack to be healthy. A bit of abdominal fat is quite normal, especially in women (and that's medically normal, not just "normal" in the sense that more people have it than not in today's world), and one generally does need to put real effort into reducing their body fat percentile if they want to eliminate that entirely. People who don't specifically say "I want to reduce my BF% by enough to have a six-pack" aren't necessarily unhealthy, they're just healthy with some abdominal fat.

Now, that's not to say that there aren't a whole lot of people out there who do have too much abdominal fat and are in fact unhealthy, even if they don't have that much fat elsewhere. That can be partially blamed on stress, since cortisol (the hormone that's released in response to long-term stress) promotes abdominal fat deposition, but regardless of the cause, there are a lot of overweight people. But simply having a visible gut doesn't automatically mean somebody's unhealthy. Just that they haven't specifically tried to reduce their BF%.
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adjl posted...

The thing is, you don't need a six-pack to be healthy. A bit of abdominal fat is quite normal, especially in women (and that's medically normal, not just "normal" in the sense that more people have it than not in today's world), and one generally does need to put real effort into reducing their body fat percentile if they want to eliminate that entirely. People who don't specifically say "I want to reduce my BF% by enough to have a six-pack" aren't necessarily unhealthy, they're just healthy with some abdominal fat.

Now, that's not to say that there aren't a whole lot of people out there who do have too much abdominal fat and are in fact unhealthy, even if they don't have that much fat elsewhere. That can be partially blamed on stress, since cortisol (the hormone that's released in response to long-term stress) promotes abdominal fat deposition, but regardless of the cause, there are a lot of overweight people. But simply having a visible gut doesn't automatically mean somebody's unhealthy. Just that they haven't specifically tried to reduce their BF%.

whaledjl
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You sound like the type of guy that would quit smoking and then want others around you to quit as well.
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Wow, holier-than-thou about fitness and he's only worked out for 6 months. That's hysterical!
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Lightning Bolt posted...

Wow, holier-than-thou about fitness and he's only worked out for 6 months. That's hysterical!

you're probably fat
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I started a new job recently and I already notice weight loss from sweating and moving around a lot. Its tiring but it feels pretty damn good not craving food like I used to. I went from an eating out of boredom couch potato to eating under 2k calories a day. Its only been a month but in a few more I see myself losing serious weight. I can't just go to a gym, I prefer exercise as a side effect
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Some of us have no real desire / reason to be "fit". I'm chubby (6'2'', weigh ~225lbs) but I've maintained this weight for the past 2 years.

mastermix3000 posted...

Also, I just feel like I cannot date anybody who doesn't work out because of that, better yet if they aren't open to physical fitness it feels like it's a complete turnoff now since I find it lazy

This is the issue. I am not into personal fitness and it is not "lazy". This kind of way of thinking is toxic and pressures people into doing things.

mastermix3000 posted...

you're probably fat

read the above.
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Judgmenl posted...

This is the issue. I am not into personal fitness and it is not "lazy". This kind of way of thinking is toxic and pressures people into doing things.

yea it's toxic because it's pure vanity. I don't think i would pressure anybody though, just not be interested so Idk where you got that assumption
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If you just want someone who isn't fat they don't even need to workout for that.
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Judgmenl posted...

I'm chubby (6'2'', weigh ~225lbs)

"Chubby" is being generous with those stats

DorkLink posted...

Judgmenl posted...

I'm chubby (6'2'', weigh ~225lbs)

"Chubby" is being generous with those stats

to be fair, I thought 5'9 and 185 was "ok"

Losing 20 pounds made me realize I was far from wrong and definitely over weight. I swear I'm not making fun of people, it's just you start to see things differently. I used to be 160 lbs from 17-22, gained 25 pounds from sitting in an office for a year

On late nights I go out of my way to not go back to 180 lbsever again, it's scary
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Welcome to the club, brotha

My farts starting smelling really good once I lost weight too, mmmm omg so good

mastermix3000 posted...

Lightning Bolt posted...

Wow, holier-than-thou about fitness and he's only worked out for 6 months. That's hysterical!

you're probably fat

Betting you're a skank
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idk people will be critical of what tc is saying but it's pretty common for people who start losing weight to realize how really overweight/fat a lot of people are getting to be.

it's easy to normalize being slightly overweight because a lot of people are 10-20lbs overweight. that doesn't make it right or healthy but it's pretty normal.
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Jen0125 posted...

it's easy to normalize being slightly overweight because a lot of people are 10-20lbs overweight. that doesn't make it right or healthy but it's pretty normal.

Being slightly overweight is healthy. I mean, a lot of people are more than just slightly overweight, but most of what I hear nowadays is that slightly overweight is healthier than "correct" weight.
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Golden Road posted...

Being slightly overweight is healthy

Umm, what?

Oh yeah, didn't Jen lose weight or something?
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Golden Road posted...

Being slightly overweight is healthy. I mean, a lot of people are more than just slightly overweight, but most of what I hear nowadays is that slightly overweight is healthier than "correct" weight.

being slightly overweight isn't healthy.

being a healthy weight is healthy.

Thunder_54 posted...

Oh yeah, didn't Jen lose weight or something?

i lost weight to go from the high end of the average weight for my height to the mid range of average weight for my height.

so i went from 155 to 135.
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The problem is that "overweight" is used interchangeably to mean both "heavier than is healthy" and "heavier than is socially considered to be an ideal weight," which are two very different things. In the latter case yes, you can be mildly overweight and still be healthy. In the former, being overweight isn't healthy by definition.
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adjl posted...

"heavier than is socially considered to be a normal weight." In the latter case yes, you can be mildly overweight and still be healthy.

ehhhh

I'd say most people I talk to seem to have way too broad a range for what they consider a normal weight.
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Jen0125 posted...

idk people will be critical of what tc is saying but it's pretty common for people who start losing weight to realize how really overweight/fat a lot of people are getting to be.

it's easy to normalize being slightly overweight because a lot of people are 10-20lbs overweight. that doesn't make it right or healthy but it's pretty normal.

Thank you <3

green dragon posted...

Welcome to the club, brotha

Ayyye
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mastermix3000 posted...

No I'm not fat shaming

To be fair your topic title isn't exclusive to obese people anyway. I mean I'm skinny as fuck(thanks metabolism) and I'm for sure out of shape. The trouble is I have very little interest in 'toning up' and getting in shape. I also can't be bothered to put in the work needed. Still maybe one day I'll join a gym or something.
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Blighboy posted...

adjl posted...

"heavier than is socially considered to be a normal weight." In the latter case yes, you can be mildly overweight and still be healthy.

ehhhh

I'd say most people I talk to seem to have way too broad a range for what they consider a normal weight.

Some do. Some have far too narrow a range. Some place their perception of average far too low (though that is shifting with the increasing pushback against the modeling industry promoting dangerously low weights). In general, you shouldn't really pay any attention to societal perceptions of weight. If you're concerned about your weight, talk to your doctor. If they aren't concerned, you're good. If they suggest anything, go with what they say.
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adjl posted...

though that is shifting with the increasing pushback against the modeling industry promoting dangerously low weights

i don't really think anyone thinks modeling is a standard for healthy weights

most people understand that models are underweight but hold that as a standard for beauty not health.
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Jen0125 posted...

adjl posted...

though that is shifting with the increasing pushback against the modeling industry promoting dangerously low weights

i don't really think anyone thinks modeling is a standard for healthy weights

most people understand that models are underweight but hold that as a standard for beauty not health.

Nobody thinks it's a standard for good health, but a whole lot of people think it's okay to be that unhealthy, or underestimate the unhealth and think the beauty is worth it. Hence the pushback, in an effort to prevent that kind of promotion.
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