Having lost 80+ pounds thru diet and exercise, I hate being around fat people, but there isn't much choice any more now is there?

Lose weight, feel better, be healthier -- and stop whining about it.

I just can't imagine a majority of the people around me being overweight or obese. It boggles the mind. But it isn't surprising. I mean, our food supply system is broken. I grew up in the middle of rural Indiana surrounded by corn fields and bean fields. But the idea of eating locally grown foods (vegetables and meat) was almost alien--except for the farm stand that popped up occasionally to provide corn in the summer. And don't even get me started on the carbo-loaded school lunches. The diets of many folks in rural America and inner city America are limited by what's available in their neighborhoods or small towns. That needs to change.

Way to represent, JHUBSPH. For reals.

Holy Smokes, that's a lot of people!

I come from a long line of short round midwestern farm folk. Good people. But round. And they tend to have heart attacks around age 55. And I was round until age 19 or so. Lost 80lbs. And I haven't looked back. For me it's mostly about exercise and not eating a lot of processed foods/pop/etc. That's not the case for lots of large folks, but exercise works for me.

Let's just assume that for SOME large people, it's difficult to lose weight. But look at that stat up there--86%! That's not some massive genetic shift in the American populace. My guess is that in large part it's just poor food choices and lack of exercise.

Which sucks.

To be tall and lean in an obese country is so gratifying.

@5, add to that that most space in grocery stores is given over to pre-packaged "food" consisting of corn syrup, sugar and starch. There is just no way that you can eat that junk, plus sit behind a computer all day and drive everywhere, and not gain weight. I know, 'cuz I was there once, and in our society it takes some serious effort to keep weight off. Most of us have sedentary jobs, restaurants serve gigantic portions, and there is corn syrup in absolutely everything.

Corn syrup, people, is the devil.

And yeah, being fat is a choice people. Deal with it!

Not only is it too hard, the weight comes back ~with a vengance~ so he or she isn't going to try any more.

And their classification of starving themselves is probably still more food than a healthy individual would need.

The rationalizing and excusing truly reminds me of the behaviors of addicts.

Just when I think I've seen it all, I happened to be returning to Tacoma on bus 594 when an obese woman that obviously had trouble walking (apparent by her double-wide walker/two-ton seat arrived at 2nd & University. I thought she would just get on the bus and sit in a seat, but noooo, she had to use the fucking LIFT to get on the damn bus. Of course, this also meant SIX FUCKING SEATS were automatically taken by this lard ass on a bus that was already full. SIX PEOPLE had to get up just for her - I don't know how she lives with herself. I would feel horrible if I took the place of six people on public transportation.

Stop eating shitty food, count your calories. Yes, your stomach may grumble...suck it up.

"A new study found that the year your neighborhood was built may be just as important as diet and exercise for shedding pounds. Those who live in neighborhoods built before 1950 are trimmer than their counterparts who reside in more modern communities, the study reported.

“The older neighborhoods had a reduced level of obesity because they were generally built with the pedestrian in mind and not cars,” said Ken Smith, a co-author of the study and professor in the department of family and consumer studies at the University of Utah. “This means they have trees, sidewalks and offer a pleasant environment in which to walk.”"

Turn off the TV, the Wii, the X Box, AND the computer you are currently sitting on your ass in front of, and chase the kids outside to ride a bike, or swim a lap, or just walk around the freakin' block. When I was a kid, my friends and I lived outside, on our bikes, at the park, and not just in the summer, either. In the winter, you could find us sledding and skating until our feet froze. My best friend's kids sit in the house, playing on their DS or the computer, or the Wii. And big surprize, they are fat.

How about a salad instead of a Big Mac? When my daughter says she's hungry, I offer her an apple or a banana, or rice cakes. Chips and candy are occasional treats, not a staple. I buy the Thinsations for her lunches, and they are only for lunches. Again, my best friend, who is grossly overweight, has no fresh fruit or vegetables in her house. Meals are carb heavy, tons of bread, rice, potatoes, and no vegetables.

And for god's sake, get out of the god damn car! My best friend, again, drives to the drive through to get her double double (Canadian term for Tim Horton's coffee with double cream, double sugar). She can't walk the 6 blocks. Get out of your cars. Your body, and the earth will thank you. Come to think of it, considering the cost of gas these days, so will your wallet.

Healthy living and eating right. These are not new ideas, and no secret. We have to stop looking for a magic pill, and teach our children healthy eating habits, and healthy lifestyle choices.

And yes, I'm not fat, but my whole family is. I'm the thinnest in a long line of aunts and uncles and parents and grandparents. I'm the only one without a car, who doesn't have the cable hooked up on her TV, and who doesn't live at McDonalds.