Is the Surgeon General nominee too fat?

http://newsone.blackplanet.com/nation/benjamin-too-fat-to-be-surgeon-general-some-say-yes/

I have to admit when I first talked about this with my dad on Tuesday, I was both impressed and appalled. Impressed by her obvious dedication but I did say out loud, "How can she be plus sized and the face of our nation's health?"

In retrospect, I don't know that woman's struggles and I deal with fat everyday and have since I was 3 or 4 so who am I to judge? I don't know where she came from so I was pretty ashamed of myself.  I also assumed I was isolated (you know talking from my own subconcious****il I saw this article....what do y'all think?

would you rather have the person born with the ridiculously high metabolism who eats 6k calories a day and never gains an ounce? the person who has no idea the struggles some folks have with weight and health?

i know there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.  for this job, i only care that she knows it. 

I would have to agree with Sam...as long as she is highly capable of performing her job duties (from reading the article it seems she does) then I will not question her weight.

I'm proud of her.  I read some of her background and she has a history of being a strong healthcare advocate.  We need somebody like that in the Surgeon General's office.

Being skinny is no guarantee that someone is healthy and physically fit.  As long as she can do her job effectively, I hope people will allow her to do so without prejudice. 

I yo-yo dieted for over 30 years and was unable to keep weight off without surgical intervention.  I have no judgement against her because of her weight.

Hey there.  You pose an interesting question that I'm sure will lead to much debate. 

The President smokes, priests are known to drink, psychiatrists suffer from depression, legislators cheat on their wives . . . you feel me? 

She is qualifed that is all that matters to me. 

Hmmm - interesting question. 

On one hand - I have the visceral reaction of 'how CAN you be fat and speak on health' issue - the same as having an overweight personal trainer.........

HOWEVER - it is a bit different...... I have had fat doctors in the past tell me to lose weight - and heck - they were right!

As a parent, I tell my daughter to do things that I KNOW good and WELL I either have done, or do when she is not looking. 

So - nothing wrong with 'do as I say, not as I DO'

Shay I am going to have to agree with you on this one. 
 
I was the same way back in the day when I went to a OBESE doctor, who was telling me I need to lose weight and watch what I eat and exercise.... WTF???

I would feel the same way if I was looking for a trainer at the gym who was overweight.

I MUST include this her being plus-size may have nothing to do with her lifestyle BUT it could be something medical (Thyroid).

I feel y'all. That's why I was a bit ashamed of myself after the discussion with my dad. I was in no way judging her, by the way, I was taken aback and that was my initial response. I know we all have issues, hell I have subscriptions, however the reason I brought it to the board was that it I am not the only one who thought the thought.

I realize it is easier to talk than it is to act...heck somebody up in this joint today thinks I am working as they hear my nails go clicky-click on this keyboard, lol, but I thought the question was a viable one. 

We seem to want to hold the people in the spot light, be they celebrities, political figures or what have you to a different standard, that can't possibly be fair....sorry board, alas I am human *sigh*

Think about some of the people that you know who are "plus-sized". Are they all unhealthy? I know that I was a very healthy "fat" person. The only problem that I had was my blood pressure that would go up to 160/90 other than that I had no other health problems. Size can be deceitful when it comes to health issues. We shouldn't assume that because someone is small that they are healthy. I hope the day will come when we( myself included) will stop looking at the outside of a person and start looking at the inside.

Jo Ann