The Myth Of Low Self Esteem In Overweight People

By Roberta Temes, PhD

Did you know that the idea of a fat person having low self esteem is a myth? Humans come in various shapes and sizes. Every psychological test given to overweight people indicates that if you are fat you are as mentally healthy, or unhealthy, as anyone in the general population. There is nothing about overeating that is associated with poor emotional health. In fact, it is possible that obese people are emotionally stronger than slim people because many slim folks who were interviewed said they'd stay at home if they were obese.. they would not have the psychological fortitude to be seen in public if they were heavy.

There was a time, right here in the USA, when only the most successful folks were heavy and everyone else tried to emulate them. Large bodies were proof of robust health and substantial wealth. But, in America in the 21st century fat is out, thin is in.

Obesity is not a psychological disorder. Obesity is not an eating disorder. Fat people have a genetic predisposition to gain weight and if they wish to conform to today's ideal of slimness and if they want to maintain good health, they must counteract their inborn biological impulses. This is possible. Difficult, but possible. Particularly possible if you have a diet buddy or buddies.

Our genes may give us the capacity and tendency to eat much and gain much, but it is our environment, our habits, that permit the tendency to flourish. Thankfully, we can change our environment and thus fool Mother Nature. You can be a slim person, after all. You can counteract your inborn biologic capacity.

Dr. Jules Hirsch, the famous obesity researcher at Rockefeller University, says that obesity should be treated as a chronic disease for which there is no cure but for which there are management techniques. And those techniques do work. But, it's up to you to apply them every day.

You override your genetic destiny when you eat when you are not hungry or when you eat only low-calorie foods when you are hungry. It's the gene that opens your mouth that is responsible for overeating.

How do you want to manage your weight? You can do it, you know. You can go for surgery and staple your stomach. You can go to a diet doctor and get lots of pills. You can stop eating solids and go on a liquid diet. You can get group support via the Internet. You can lessen urges by acupressure, acupuncture, or aversion therapy. You can count calories or fat grams. You can use hypnosis. And the list goes on and on. There is no shortage of diet programs.

In my practice everyone who wants to lose weight does lose because we add hypnosis to the mix. Hypnotic suggestions make it easier to stick to whatever program you decide to follow. And it is crucial to follow a program. Talk to others and find out about a program that may be new to you. Remember, any diet program will work if you follow it.

I consider obesity an eating disorder. But it's also something on a mass scale that reflects society. The comfort level of a society and their edge

I got fat because I got lazy and it was easier to be in denial then to get off of my fat lazy butt and work it off. Simple as that. No self esteem issues, just laziness. Same with a lot of other people I know. There are exceptions, but they are few.

My wake up call came when I started having health problems associated with being overweight and not being able to be as active as I would like. I felt like a total idiot letting myself get so out of shape and fat. That was big fat wake-up call. Sometimes that's what we fat spouses need to get us up off of our lazy behinds - a big fat wake-up call of some kind.

QUOTE:
Fat people have a genetic predisposition to gain weight and if they wish to conform to today's ideal of slimness and if they want to maintain good health, they must counteract their inborn biological impulses.

I don't buy the fat gene stuff. There is tons of information on this site and over at unfatblog : The Fat Gene isn’t all that FAT

The genetic markers that have been identified with obesity only make about 8 pounds of total weight difference, IF YOU HAVE BOTH OF THEM!

Additionally if obesity was genetic condition, then why has it EXPLODED in the last 30 years. The genetics of the United State have not changed in 30 years significantly.

There is no genetic predisposition for metabolic weight gain but there is a genetic predisposition for bingeing.

These people who say they eat 1000 calories a day and weight 300 pounds are liars.

Fat acceptance is a farce. They are a bunch of pissed off fat women who need a reality check and a muzzle.

QUOTE:
These people who say they eat 1000 calories a day and weight 300 pounds are liars.

I think everyone here agrees with this!!!

Hmmmm, interesting, but what do you guys think about this?;

"WOMEN who have been severely sexually abused as children are twice as likely to be overweight by age 21 than their peers, a study has found...."

"They found women who experienced penetrative sexual abuse before the age of 16 (7.9 per cent of respondents) had a higher body mass index, on average, as young adults than other females in the study. But the link did not hold for men who had been similarly abused (7.5 per cent of respondents)..."

"It has also been suggested that 'comfort eating' may be an adaptive function after childhood sexual abuse," the researchers wrote in the journal Obesity."

I personally had a drunk StepFather growing up but blocked a good chunk of it out (still enough to remember to keep the kids away from him).

My obesity was from learned bad eating habits, semi-laziness, not enough motivation, thyroid malfunctions and a Pepsi addicted morbidly obese Mom who makes you feel bad for losing weight.

I love my Mom and all but she has horrible taste in men and rags on me about wanting to be thinner and on my morbidly obese Sister who just got on an exercise and diet plan (for wanting to be healthy) and she had to deal with the Step Father, too..


Whatevs..

I think the fat gene thing is bullshit too. However I do believe that some people's bodies and brains react differently to foods with a high fat content.

Obesity is not entirely genetical/hereditary (is genetical even a word?). Obesity stems from habits developed, one's own bodies composition and it's reaction to certain foods. Most people's cases stem from laziness and bad food choices.

I want to point out that when fat bodied people claim they are fat because of low self esteem they are lying.

This individual has a PhD. Not an M.D., DDS, MPH, or even a PT. He probably has his doctorate in Creative Writing.