Why are/were you fat?

When asking if my obesity is my fault, to me the question is whether I could have prevented it. And for me, the answer is no. The low fat dieting I did for years was too high in carbohydrates and slowly led to the insulin oversupply which made losing weight impossible. The high impact exercise I did for hours a day when I was younger destroyed my joints and made losing weight so much harder.

If I could go back in time and tell myself these things when I was 10 years old, maybe I could have prevented it. I could have told her not to listen to the experts or the doctors, that what they were telling her was wrong. I could have explained to her about carbs and insulin and hunger, and why she should skip that fat free cereal and eat an egg. I could have told her that jogging and step class were not going to help her in the long run, that she had inheritied bad knees and she needed to stick to swimming.

In that sense my obesity could have been prevented. I just can't accept responsibility for what I didn't know. And the sad thing is, experts today are STILL putting kids on the type of low-fat high-carb diet that ruined my metabolism.

I agree.  When I looked for medical help I was first shamed and second told to do the most unhealthy things.  I even went to a endocrinologist to get help when we wanted a baby.  She told me I should do a liquid diet for 3 months.  Hummmm...shakes for 3 months then get pregnant.  Sounds like a healthy idea...I am sure I wouldnt have the worst rebound in the history of rebounds...all while pregnant.  I didnt do it.  But I looked and searched and couldnt find the help I needed until I met my surgeon.

Part of it was me.  I had to turn some of my power over to my care providers and not second guess them (something I had to do before because of the dumb advice I had gotten my whole life).  And part of it was finding the bravery to make a huge life change.  So I did have something to do with it...but I dont think its a fault issue.

1) There is no "single main" reason, its quite complex

2)
Yes, I am evil and a weak person
No, not more then a person is guilty for having asthma

take your pick

Sorry, but there is no possible way that you are going to do any "quasi-scientific" thing from this web site. 

First of all, you have no controls at all. 

You do not have a randomised sample. 

You have no controls to balance off whatever might be said here. 

The concept that you are doing a "quasi-scientific experiment" with this "data" is simply silly.  Either you have absolutely no knowledge of research design and methodology, or you are simply playing games here.

Perhaps I should have labeled it a "social experiment."  I thought the word "quasi" was a sufficient qualifier on "scientific," but apparently it has gotten under your skin.  I should also state that I have never clamed to understand "research design and methodology."  I simply asked two difficult questions and asked folks to answer if they chose to do so.

But hey, If my use of the term "scientific" is inappropriate, than I'll change it.  In fact, I'll edit the damn thing right now.

And no, I'm not playing games.  Do you not find the variety of responses and reasons illuminating?  Have you not read them and found yourself agreeing or disagreeing, or perhaps challenging some of your previously held views?  I know that I have, and I doubt I'm alone.

You see this thread as either flawed or ridiculous, and I say -- more power to you.  We can add that to the list of responses and go about our merry way.
 

I've really enjoyed reading this thread. And I not only understand research design and methodology, I also know what "quasi" means. 

I overate and ate the wrong things on a consistent basis, and yes, I absolutely AM responsible for that and for my well being now.

sue

i took as it was intended...and answered accordingly...interesting questions and even more so, the answers...

were on the same page bear...you an' me...right here (picture me doin' that two fingers back/forth pointing at our eyes thang)...no, NOT the 3 stooges fingers in the eye thing!!  you know what i mean, d*mmit!!

love this thread...need more of this schtuff...

One thing that I think of is..
There's a few types of obese people..

There are those of you who went to MCD's... who ate 5000+ calories a day... who when you went to the nutritionist, you had zero idea what a carb was... how much fat you should eat... and what dieting was.

Then there are emotional eaters.

Then there are people with hormone issues.

Then there are people who are just constantly hungry...

I think a 5,000 calorie eater who was skinny in their childhood... has different reasons for being fat than a 2000 calorie eater who has tried diet plans, exercise, and lifestyle change.. and got bumpkiss..

Preop.. I went to a nutritionist meeting and there were women there eating **** on their journals that literally made me sick to my stomach to think of consuming... yet they were only 10-20 lbs heavier than me..

There were women there who hated exercising... and ate fast food daily.. who were 20 lbs lighter than me..

It's all relative.

And I think people who had skinny childhoods/teen years/ college years then over ate to obesity.. have different reasonings than people who were chunky monkeys as a kid...

One was a lifestyle choice..
one was obviously genetic..