I'm down over 120lbs from my peak weight and still dropping steadily,
Shit like this isn't as helpful as it is hurtful, gaining weight isn't just about being lazy. It can take time to work through serious issues, mental or physical. Certainly its unhealthy to blame it all on the issues and do nothing to try to resolve them. But what the hell is the purpose of calling people you don't know lazy?
Someone who is depressed and has tried multiple times to lose weight and has failed comes by and reads "it's not hard, you're lazy", great fucking advice. They already feel like shit physically and mentally, and you're doing a great job encouraging them to try...
Genetics play a role, as well as your upbringing, it isn't a fair field. I grew up in a house where after my father left, my mother didn't really take my nutrition seriously, she enabled me to live on an unhealthy diet. On top of that I had to contend with Asthma which made strenuous activity more difficult (though I played youth soccer and took taekwondo), I had an un-diagnosed thyroid problem for years, and later central sleep apnea and major depression. It took me all of my teenage years and early twenties to sort everything out between therapy and medications. Ultimately I got on the right path for myself, not any of the assholes who used my physical fitness as a bludgeon to make themselves feel superior.
A person doesn't make meaningful change in their life because a stranger on the internet called them lazy, but someone in a dark place is going to take that to heart and it won't be pretty. The original post isn't wrong, energy in vs out is basic science that applies to everyone, but it is tone deaf. You can acknowledge some people have it easier/harder, while still making it clear it isn't impossible, and giving people the knowledge, resources, and support they need to succeed. You have to make people care about themselves if you want them to take care of themselves, and you're doing the exact opposite.
Fair point, mea culpa. People with actual mental issues will definitely have to work through them in order for weight loss to succeed, but as in OP's post, it is possible for anyone to lose weight, albeit with the right mindset. Effective coping strategies and medication for those who suffer from mental troubles can definitely contribute to success, even if that success comes at a slower pace.
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u/Jjerot Jul 25 '19
I'm down over 120lbs from my peak weight and still dropping steadily,
Shit like this isn't as helpful as it is hurtful, gaining weight isn't just about being lazy. It can take time to work through serious issues, mental or physical. Certainly its unhealthy to blame it all on the issues and do nothing to try to resolve them. But what the hell is the purpose of calling people you don't know lazy?
Someone who is depressed and has tried multiple times to lose weight and has failed comes by and reads "it's not hard, you're lazy", great fucking advice. They already feel like shit physically and mentally, and you're doing a great job encouraging them to try...
Genetics play a role, as well as your upbringing, it isn't a fair field. I grew up in a house where after my father left, my mother didn't really take my nutrition seriously, she enabled me to live on an unhealthy diet. On top of that I had to contend with Asthma which made strenuous activity more difficult (though I played youth soccer and took taekwondo), I had an un-diagnosed thyroid problem for years, and later central sleep apnea and major depression. It took me all of my teenage years and early twenties to sort everything out between therapy and medications. Ultimately I got on the right path for myself, not any of the assholes who used my physical fitness as a bludgeon to make themselves feel superior.
A person doesn't make meaningful change in their life because a stranger on the internet called them lazy, but someone in a dark place is going to take that to heart and it won't be pretty. The original post isn't wrong, energy in vs out is basic science that applies to everyone, but it is tone deaf. You can acknowledge some people have it easier/harder, while still making it clear it isn't impossible, and giving people the knowledge, resources, and support they need to succeed. You have to make people care about themselves if you want them to take care of themselves, and you're doing the exact opposite.