Physical Fitness, Health & Weight ManagementStaying fit and physically healthy is essential! Remember, we aren't subsitutes for your physician! As always, talk to your doctor before following any suggestions or advice!
My very obese neighbor had a new commode installed in her bathroom, and said she hated it. It looked fine to me, so I asked her why she hated it. She said it is too narrow for her.
Later that day, she was telling me how she has use powder to dust herself, because otherwise she gets a rash in the folds of her skin. Especially when it’s hot outside.
I have to admit, these are things I never thought about – there must be a lot of difficulties really obese people have that are unknown to the rest of us.
If you are very obese, or know someone who is really obese, you might know the answers some of these questions.
These questions are for/about people who extremely obese, yet still mobile and independent. These are not asked to be rude. Thanks in advance for any answers.
Does it get in the way of having sex? If it is two very obese people, does it get in the way?
How does a person clean themselves after going to the bathroom if they have trouble reaching?
Does a person who is really large require larger doses of some medicines? Have to pay more for insurance, ect.?
How does a very obese person afford all of that food?
__________________
Man is a credulous animal, and must believe something;
in the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones.
I am not obese nor do I personally know these answers from someone who is obese. I can say that After reading a couple of books on obesity, I have changed my view. People who are obese do not simply have an overeating problem. There are many who eat no more than you or I. It is simply how their body is "wired."
And when they diet, many regain the weight back on eating normal. There is some gene that is looking to be the reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deux ex machina
[*]How does a person clean themselves after going to the bathroom if they have trouble reaching?
It is very difficult. My wife being a nurse, has mentioned this. The result is that many are not as clean as you and I. And yes, they develop a rash. Imagine any fold on your own skin that shows redness when pressed together too long. This is no different and even worse.
Bathing an obese person is not easy. My wife has had back problems due to lifting them. She feels only compassion I might add.
Quote:
[*]Does a person who is really large require larger doses of some medicines? Have to pay more for insurance, ect.?
Absolutely on the meds. It is determined by weight. Plus giving them a shot can be difficult. Finding a vein is difficult.
As for insurance, I don't know but don't think so.
Quote:
[*]How does a very obese person afford all of that food?
This is based on a misconception. Yes, there a quite a few who do eat way more than they should, but there are as many who do not eat much more than a normal person. Well, they do not eat as much as it appears based on their size. Have you ever noticed that skinny guy who sits and puts away more than the average guy yet never gains weight? Same thing here. Metabolism is a key.
__________________ "Only two things are necessary to keep one's wife happy. One is to let her think she is having her own way, the other is to let her have it." --LBJ
My very obese neighbor had a new commode installed in her bathroom, and said she hated it. It looked fine to me, so I asked her why she hated it. She said it is too narrow for her.
Later that day, she was telling me how she has use powder to dust herself, because otherwise she gets a rash in the folds of her skin. Especially when it’s hot outside.
I have to admit, these are things I never thought about – there must be a lot of difficulties really obese people have that are unknown to the rest of us.
If you are very obese, or know someone who is really obese, you might know the answers some of these questions.
These questions are for/about people who extremely obese, yet still mobile and independent. These are not asked to be rude. Thanks in advance for any answers.
Does it get in the way of having sex? If it is two very obese people, does it get in the way?
How does a person clean themselves after going to the bathroom if they have trouble reaching?
Does a person who is really large require larger doses of some medicines? Have to pay more for insurance, ect.?
How does a very obese person afford all of that food?
1. Not at all..um..usually if it is two big people, doggy style or sideways works better than trying missionary or cowgirl.
2. Just like you do, we wipe ourselves clean. Might have to prop a leg up to get it clean, but it gets cleaned.
3. No, we don't require larger amounts of medicines. And no, we don't have to pay more for insurance.
4. First, that question is slightly offensive, because it takes no more food to become huge than it does to remain skinny. It all comes down to food choices.
__________________ The problem with your gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.
that question is slightly offensive, because it takes no more food to become huge than it does to remain skinny. It all comes down to food choices.
It may not take a larger volume of food to become huge, but it takes a hell of a lot more calories, so if you're not eating a larger volume of food then you must be eating very high calorie foods. You can't argue with the mathematics:
Energy input > Energy output = Gain weight
Energy output > Energy input = Lose weight
To lose weight you need to either eat less (decrease energy input) or exercise more (increase energy output).
Excess weight simply cannot appear from nowhere in defiance of the laws of physics and the conservation of energy. Overweight people who say they don't eat much have a very broad definition of what "not eating much" actually means - when they keep a food diary they actually eat rather a lot of calories compared to someone who is slim.
Last edited by Thornton; 8th October 2009 at 10:33 AM..
It may not take a larger volume of food to become huge, but it takes a hell of a lot more calories, so if you're not eating a larger volume of food then you must be eating very high calorie foods.
You contradict yourself.
One does NOT need alot of calories to become fat. One simply needs to eat more calories that are burned off via exercising.
BUT...this again assumes that ALL people who are large and obese have become that way due to eating habits and lack of exercise.
This has been proven not to be the case. While the math is simple, the reasons are complex.
For instance, metabolism. Two people can eat the same quantity of food and exercise the same amount of time. Yet one will gain weight. Metabolism. Or the one who gains weight has lower levels of growth hormone or leptin.
IMO it is definitely discrimination to make the assumption that obese people simply are lazy and eat too much.
One does NOT need alot of calories to become fat. One simply needs to eat more calories that are burned off via exercising.
BUT...this again assumes that ALL people who are large and obese have become that way due to eating habits and lack of exercise.
This has been proven not to be the case. While the math is simple, the reasons are complex.
For instance, metabolism. Two people can eat the same quantity of food and exercise the same amount of time. Yet one will gain weight. Metabolism. Or the one who gains weight has lower levels of growth hormone or leptin.
IMO it is definitely discrimination to make the assumption that obese people simply are lazy and eat too much.
You're using the exception to prove the rule. While there are some people whose obesity is medically based, the vast majority do indeed become overweight "due to eating habits and lack of exercise".
I agree that the playing field isn't level for all as regards metabolism, but that's also true in other areas. I have a genetic inability to produce a normal amount of "good" cholesterol. As a result, I can consume no more than 10% of my calories from fat and my overall target is 10 grams of fat a day - no mean feat in a world where one Big Mac has 30+ grams. Cheese, butter, bread, cream, red meat, etc, are all off the table for me and I have to be very discliplined in my approach to eating and lifestyle. I also have specific requirements for type and duration of exericise. The challenge for me is no different than it is for many obese folks - if I want to be healthy and live a normal life, I can't eat like "most people". And while it's often difficult to stay on track, it's something that one accepts in exchange for the obvious benefits...
I agree that metabolism can make a difference... two people can eat the same food and be different weights because they have different metabolisms. However I greatly doubt that one person would be a stick insect while the other would be so fat that he could hardly move... metabolism doesn't cause that big of a difference! Sorry, but if you're 300lb then you ate all the pies. Also, as Mr Lucky commented, if your body doesn't process food the same as everyone else's then you adapt... you look in the mirror and think "Hmm, I'm getting a bit tubby, better cut down on the donuts and exercise more"... i.e. you do something about it, you don't continue to stuff your face with donuts while blaming your metabolism for the fact that you don't look like Kate Moss. Virtually everyone who is obese could fix it if they really wanted to; only a very small minority of people actually have medical problems that result in obesity.
My very obese neighbor had a new commode installed in her bathroom, and said she hated it. It looked fine to me, so I asked her why she hated it. She said it is too narrow for her.
Later that day, she was telling me how she has use powder to dust herself, because otherwise she gets a rash in the folds of her skin. Especially when it’s hot outside.
I have to admit, these are things I never thought about – there must be a lot of difficulties really obese people have that are unknown to the rest of us.
If you are very obese, or know someone who is really obese, you might know the answers some of these questions.
These questions are for/about people who extremely obese, yet still mobile and independent. These are not asked to be rude. Thanks in advance for any answers.
Does it get in the way of having sex? If it is two very obese people, does it get in the way?
How does a person clean themselves after going to the bathroom if they have trouble reaching?
Does a person who is really large require larger doses of some medicines? Have to pay more for insurance, ect.?
How does a very obese person afford all of that food?
What is your definition of your very obese neighbor? I weigh around 260, so that is how I answered the questions..
Tell her to try using a cornstarch based powder, and to sprinkle it all over her body. Also, tell her to use her hair dryer to dry under her fat rolls, in between her thighs, under her breasts. Also, if she has an 'apron' (she'll know what this is) tell her that it is vitally important that she keeps that area clean and dry, constantly. Using powders..even taking some Degree deodorant and rolling it on there will cut down on not only the rashes, but also the smell.
I'm around 260 and I don't have any "fat rolls" that cause me to get red irritated skin...I get itchy sometimes (pretty much all over my whole body) if I skip showering for a day or two...and also then when I do shower depending on the soap/bodywash I use it can even make it worse (or better if it is a good one) because I have sensitive skin. I may smell better but I still feel itchy..I think I'm going to try Dove ...I always see those commercials about how it washes cleaner and other soaps leave a "film" on your skin..and I believe it cause I kind feel that way sometimes even if I use a wash cloth or a loofa to exfoliate...Anyway and when I get sweaty I get a little itchy too....which of course I do get sweatier more easily than I used to because of my weight when it's warm outside and I do physical activity even just walking up a hill or stairs....
But yeah I guess my weight is pretty evenly distributed? my whole body is just a larger version of itself basically...so I don't really have any "rolls" yet (hopefully won't ever get them till I'm an old lady cause i'm working on losing weight now and I hope to never get above 260)...evenly distributed except unfortunately my once beautiful c-cup boobs ....a good portion of my weight went there so I don't know what'll happen when I lose the weight, but it's annoying now and hurts the back sometimes, and embarrassing to have the Dolly Parton boobs, but maybe that's why I don't really have any rolls on my stomach or something? When I sit down and hunch over of course I have rolls, but many thinner people do as well. Strangely the only place on my body that is still rock hard are my calves...still feel like pure muscle just bigger, hopefully they will shrink a little though but keep the muscle.
Anyway quantity of food is not necessarily related to price directly always anyway...sure I'm sure I eat more food than a lot of your average people...particularly women my height and my age...Maybe even twice as much as they do on a daily basis...sometimes I basically eat two meals in a row. But I don't eat even close to what a lot of people I think imagine that a person my weight really eats...whole pizzas in one sitting, and whole cartons of icecream, etc. Once in a while I "binge" and get somewhere close to that, but 85/90 percent of the time I'm eating much more moderately. Sometimes I actually go a long time without eating because I get tired of it or get involved with something else on my mind and "forget to eat" as much as sometimes I can think of nothing else...if my stomach feels ok and not starving and something else is pressing on my mind, I can go 10 hours without eating just like anybody else who is worried about something...but i have to be careful because I'm hypoglycemic and my blood sugar can get low and then I get faint.
Anyway yeah I was saying that well if you think about it and you look at the store, you can get little debbie cakes for a couple dollars, a whole box of them. And I think that is possibly even worse for you than a real homemade cake in some ways...don't know about the calories but it's got to have lots of bad stuff in it. And you can get greasy burgers and fries from all sorts of fast food places for just a few dollars as well, and they're packed with calories. You may get an even bigger meal at another restaurant but even if it has cheese and all that good stuff in it, it might probably be overall less calories because it's made with fresher ingredients..healthier with more actual nutrition and a little bit less calories even though with all the ingredients together and cooked well it may taste great.
So in essence since buying really healthy organic food typically costs more (not saying there aren't ways to buy healthy that aren't so expensive)...you know it kinda evens out. So obese people may in fact eat more than others, and may even pay a little more, but that does not mean they are going bankrupt the way regular middle class people with another more expensive addiction (say cocaine or something) would likely end up.
What is your definition of your very obese neighbor? I weigh around 260, so that is how I answered the questions..
I answered it based on proportions and not a number.
My brother probably is at least 250 but is also 6' 1". I would not call him obese.
A good friend of ours is at least 250 and about 5' 5". I still would not call her "very obese." Big...yes, but not obese. I would call her a BBW.
Now if my brother was 350#, then for his frame I think he would be classified as obese. If our friend was 300#, then I think yes.
I can honestly say that I have not experienced a larger percentage of "very obese" people who are unclean than I have found with "skinny" people. In fact, the opposite is true in my experience.
No question, there is a prejudice against obese people, and the main reason is that "normal" people assume that obesity can be avoided. Hence, obesity equals laziness, and this is not true. If the nation would come together and realize that obesity is much more than simply a change in diet, then it could be solved. If obesity was not considered a symbol of laziness, then we could see beyond the physical and realize that there is someone no different than you and I.
I think that more people are prejudiced against obese people than any other "classification" of people in our society today. While we all "love" to say we are not prejudiced, in reality when confronted with someone who sits next to us at a restaurant who is obese, the look on our face says it all.
I answered it based on proportions and not a number...
In my original post, that is what I did, too.
First, I'm terrible at guessing weight - when anyone asks me to, I refuse to do it.
Second, weight and BMI are only a very small part of a much broader picture. BMI is next to useless when applied to individuals, imho. Some of the most obviously fit people around would be classified as obese according to BMI.
Thanks for the pretty evenhanded, honest responses thus far.
JamesM - Thanks for addressing those things that you know of from your wife. Helps to have a nurse in the family.
whimsical_memory - I know she uses medicated powder now. She got out of the hospital for knee issues, and learned to about the product there.
EarthGirl - I love your post. You brought up so many lot of great points! Thank you
I am not obese nor do I personally know these answers from someone who is obese. I can say that After reading a couple of books on obesity, I have changed my view. People who are obese do not simply have an overeating problem. There are many who eat no more than you or I. It is simply how their body is "wired."
And when they diet, many regain the weight back on eating normal. There is some gene that is looking to be the reason.
I haven't read the book you mentioned James, so forgive me, but I do find it really really hard to believe what you say above when obesity is very uncommon in many populations around the globe, and was relatively uncommon globally until about 50 years ago.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesM
My brother probably is at least 250 but is also 6' 1". I would not call him obese.
A good friend of ours is at least 250 and about 5' 5". I still would not call her "very obese." .
BMI can be very misleading, but people (particularly the medical field) need some kind of index to help standardise obesity, otherwise its all down to subjective opinion, which could be potentially dangerous.
Eating "normally" is also subjective unless you follow scientific guidelines, which many people would find difficult. My normal calorie intake is about 2000cal a day, sometimes I need to make myself eat more at the moment- other people would struggle to eat less than 4000.
You say you wouldn't call the above weights obese, but I most definitely would, esp the 5'5"- thats a BMI of nearly 42, which is unhealthy from a cardiovascular point of view among other things. That person would almost definitely be in a much higher risk category were they to require a general anaesthetic.
To the OPs questions.
Our insurance company definitely charges you more if your weight falls outside the recommended healthy range for your height.
I have been wondering a few of these things myself, as I am pregnant (full term) and a few of the things you asked now apply to me.
I was 63kg (138lb) when I fell pregnant and I am now 83kg (182lb). Putting on that amount of weight is considered safe and within normal limits given I started out at a nearly optimal weight for my height. (5'7")
1. Sex- my size definitely has gotten in the way. We have had to be a little more creative.
2. Drying myself has become much more difficult after a shower. Esp my feet! bending over is tough.
__________________
Wonderbaby born 22.10.09, 10lb.
well as having been previously heavy (275+) i must say- if it's a lifelond thing, you get used to doing what you need to do to get things done, like tying your shoes or reaching awkward spots....... usually it is not an overnight thing where one would be at a total loss.
__________________ .... you just wouldn't get it.....
Eating "normally" is also subjective unless you follow scientific guidelines, which many people would find difficult. My normal calorie intake is about 2000cal a day, sometimes I need to make myself eat more at the moment- other people would struggle to eat less than 4000.
I couldn't imagine consuming 4000 calories a day! But I guess some foods can be deceptive. A muffin for instance may seem harmless for breakfast, but can run up to 600 calories.
I used to be able to stay thin on about 2000 calories a day along with a good excercise program- now that I am in my 30's, I eat under 1500 (try to stay around 1200). I also try to excercise a little more.
I'm the first to admit that it's totally hard to stay thin with all the food temptations out there.
I disagree that a large amout of obese people are victims of a genetic disorder - that they eat the same amount as a much thinner person but still reach obese levels. The thyroid is sometimes the culprit- but that can be regulated with medication. I think it's really about consuming too many calories and not enough excercise. I think the availability of bad foods are too readily available.
Some people might be a bit larger naturally- but rarely reaching obesity.
I'm almost 5'8", currently around 120lbs. I have to work hard, hard, hard to stay in this range- and I fight wanting to eat the wrong foods everyday all day. If I ate everything I had a craving for, I'd be in trouble.
I think food is as much an addiction as alcohol.
__________________ "Running around, robbing banks, all whacked on the Scooby Snacks"..... BloodHound Gang (FLC)
I haven't read the book you mentioned James, so forgive me, but I do find it really really hard to believe what you say above when obesity is very uncommon in many populations around the globe, and was relatively uncommon globally until about 50 years ago.
Read the review I linked below. It will give you an idea of what the book proposes. And since a fat gene was discovered, it makes sense. It does NOT mean that all obesity is genetic, but it certainly does give a basis for why many obese people can eat little and not lose weight.
Please note: The suggestions and advice offered on this web site are opinions only and are not to be used in the place of professional psychological counseling or medical advice. If you or someone close to you is currently in crisis or in an emergency situation, contact your local law enforcement agency or emergency number.
Hybrid Mode
