Why does Candy hate fat people?

[Mountain Girl]

I am not overweight or obese but I am still high risk for several health issues that run in my family. So while obesity might be considered a risk factor for some things, it's not the deciding factor that many people seem to think it is. I was surprised last year when my OBGYN told me that my BMI has crept up over the years. It's not too high, it's in the "normal" range. But she felt compelled to tell me that I am at risk of becoming fat :naughty: . I told her that I used to be a twig and my extra BMI points have made me feel more confident and made it easier to buy clothes. I find it incredibly weird that extra padding is so frowned upon that a doctor is giving pre-fatty warnings.

[Peas n carrots]

I am not overweight or obese but I am still high risk for several health issues that run in my family. So while obesity might be considered a risk factor for some things, it's not the deciding factor that many people seem to think it is. I was surprised last year when my OBGYN told me that my BMI has crept up over the years. It's not too high, it's in the "normal" range. But she felt compelled to tell me that I am at risk of becoming fat :naughty: . I told her that I used to be a twig and my extra BMI points have made me feel more confident and made it easier to buy clothes. I find it incredibly weird that extra padding is so frowned upon that a doctor is giving pre-fatty warnings.

I had a similar experience to Mountain Girl last year at my obgyn annual. My 70 something yo doctor told me I've crept into the higher range of my BMI. I was still in the normal range, but I had a few extra lbs on from the holidays that hadn't come off yet.

I'd also like to add BMI is a crap way of determining if someone is obese or not. If you have a lot of muscle mass you are considered overweight even though you have 10% body fat. If I told you my weight and told you my clothing size you would be surprised I could fit into those clothes, but BMI doesn't account for the muscle mass I have. Also if you look at my family tree on bio dad's side they are BIG people. I'm the smallest by far on that side but I'm still very solidly built...you can't always escape genetics.

[Closed Womb]

That's ok. She's just jealous of all the lovely "fat" women out there! ;) I'm included on that! I may be large, but I am fairly active, eat healthy, and have a full and wonderful life. She needs to stop taking out her insecurities on others. I don't understand it. I guess... partially because my husband loves me just the way I am. But also because.. I don't know. I just don't understand it. I guess for the same reason I don't understand "fat shaming" to begin with.

Edit: And I'm just as beautiful and feminine FAT as I was when I was skinny. Well, more so because when I was skinny I was a girl. Soon as I became a woman, I developed very quickly and even then was considered fat because I'm short (5'3"). Now, I know I'm at a larger end of fat, and would love to be down some lbs but I can't see where putting myself or other larger women down is going to help that any! I friggin HATE the "fat women aren't feminine" thing. That is such BS.

I think there might be some truth to that. I am *not* speaking for all women here, but I do know a few who are full out angry (at me, at fat girls, at life) because I am married to a great guy, who has a good job, with a thoroughly impressive title (although the work itself is just work, nothing special, it's still has that element of, "I can't believe you're married to a _____ _____!!), all without being thin. I don't "deserve" it, apparently.

In a way, it pisses me off. I usually eat well, exercise like crazy (10 hrs of cardio, minimum, a week), and, basically, do everything they do (save the starving) without the resulting thin body (I do it because I value good health) and the increased value in American society that comes with having a thin body. Why should my natural body devalue me? But it also makes me feel bad for them. I mean, they have exercised and starved themselves to societal perfection only to see someone else live the life they think they deserve. They have really bought into the narrative that the worth of a woman really decided by how close her body is to today's prevailing ideal. Clearly, Candy is one of those people, and Candy's husband spouts that narrative. It must be sad to know that a naturally slowing metabolism or a life saving drug that includes weight gain as a side effect can ruin a marriage. No snark, it must be sad to have such limited value to the man you are married to.

itsnikki05, many props to you for loving yourself and knowing your worth. The world needs more women like you. Shine on!

[Closed Womb]

I had a similar experience to Mountain Girl last year at my obgyn annual. My 70 something yo doctor told me I've crept into the higher range of my BMI. I was still in the normal range, but I had a few extra lbs on from the holidays that hadn't come off yet.

I'd also like to add BMI is a crap way of determining if someone is obese or not. If you have a lot of muscle mass you are considered overweight even though you have 10% body fat. If I told you my weight and told you my clothing size you would be surprised I could fit into those clothes, but BMI doesn't account for the muscle mass I have. Also if you look at my family tree on bio dad's side they are BIG people. I'm the smallest by far on that side but I'm still very solidly built...you can't always escape genetics.

Adolphe Quetelet devised the BMI equation in 1832; it was a statistical tool to analyze large populations, he never intended for the number to be used as a measure of individual health. In addition, the parameters for "overweight" BMI changed in 1998; four members of the committee had ties to either pharmaceutical companies that manufactured diet pills or diet companies.

Any doctor of mine that assesses my health using BMI is fired and replaced with a doctor who assesses my actual health.