You don't seem to understand how an eating disorder works. It can be like getting addicted to drugs, and not being able to get off of them, even if you know it is going to kill you. Being addicted takes away your ability to choose, making it almost impossible to change. Eating disorders can effect people very similarly.
It doesn't help that there is so much misinformation about diet and exercise. There is no one size fits all diet. A lot of the advise actually goes against the way their body stores fat. This is a medical condition, and needs to stop being treated as if though it is a lack of effort on their part.
There was a study that ran a certain test on a large number of people. The people then did different types of diets. Some people lost weight on low carb, and some lost weight on high carb. What was interesting was that one of the tests they did before they went on the diet was actually able to predict that which people were more likely to do better on a different kind of diet. I wish I could remember what study that was because I would posted for you.
As long as we keep teaching there is only a one size fits all diet, people that don't do well on that diet type of diet will continue to fall in the cracks and many of them will gain weight. This is a more complex issue than just them not wanting to lose weight.
i could write on this and use all 2,500 characters allowed. I was half there when i deleted it all to start over. i'll be brief. I hope.
1) sweets and fatty foods are addictive. even if you find healthy food you love, if just is not the same as bacon and cake
2) people drink more calories than they realize. even if you give up pop and drink, say, apple juice? almost the same caloric intake.
3) working out takes effort for people who are fit. imagine all your strength, endurance, everything. now add 20 pounds of useless weight to yourself. you will feel tired much faster. Add 40 pounds. 60. 100. or more. In fact, most fat people are surprisingly strong, seeing as they have to move so much weight. what they lack is endurance, because, well, they are carrying so much weight!
4) slow results. Imagine you are 80 pounds over weight. you work out 30 minutes every day, count calories, drop soda, eat healthy, take vitamins... and at the end of the month you lost... 4 pounds. All that effort, all that work, over 30 days, for such a small result. we know it won't happen over night, but such a small change is heart breaking.
reason 5 is a big one, so i'm going to post it separately as a reply to this post
Dieting is very difficult, the mathematics being very difficult. A person has to overcome the genetics that they were given and have the patience to persist with their diet. I was blessed I am thin. But I was born that way which makes it much easier for me to maintain a specific weight than if I were heavier and had to lose. It's not that they don't want to lose weight, it is that after a while, when they see no results for little results they give up. An effective diet requires every day denying yourself things you like to eat. And it is not about exercise. That is a common misconception. You eat one piece of apple pie you have to swim to China to work it off. That is an exaggeration but it sometimes feels like that to someone who wants a piece of apple pie. So don't put down someone who was overweight. It may seem easy at age 21 but that gets more difficult older you get. So basically I disagree with your statement of, "it's not that hard." Because it is that hard
Overweight people almost always want to lose weight. Easier said than done. Food has become an addiction for a lot of people and sometimes a lot of weight gain at once (for example, pregnancy) can be overwhelming due to other life stresses or disheartenment if new habits are becoming difficult to implement for whatever reason. It takes about 3 weeks to make a habit. That's a long time. Getting started I think is the hardest part.
It's like telling someone who studies but gets mediocre grades "why don't you just study better and get As?" Easier said than done.
Opinion
12Opinion
It's easier to not start eating crap than to stop. A lot of people start during an especially stressful period in life - our food is literally engineered to make us addicted to it. Then you have to rewire your brain to break that.
I've been underweight, had a smokin bod and been overweight, for the record.
Mostly, I was always nicely slender. But in the past two years, I had a crushing breakup, my favorite aunt and sister both died, my dad got cancer and work 50-60 hour weeks. And now I'm 25 lbs overweight... So I see both sides
Depends on a lot of factors. Some of them suffer from depression, anxiety, self esteem issues, etc. (which I believe are difficult obstacles to overcome and still not completely researched yet) and mental toughness is an important element in weight loss. Some can't do it at all with thyroid problems. But if we're completely just talking about laziness then... psssh I don't know... a big mac sounds good right now though xD
Minding your own business isn't that hard either.
Most people who are overweight and are unhappy with their weight have psychological issues as well to accompany or explain their wrong attitudes towards food. You can't just label them all as "lazy". That is the stupid and ignorant way of thinking. Something ignorant dumb bullies do.
Well, it's not what you are thinking but their action may give you that feeling, I can understand that but it's not easy for an overweight person to start losing weight, I am sure they want to lose weight, but their actions might be such that it gives you can impression that they don't want to lose weight, which might not be true
It is difficult to change a lifestyle that you have gotten used to. Imagine having to change things on your schedule to squeeze gym sessions or any form of exercise and changing your diet from big portions to smaller ones with the worry of not filling your hunger. It's not something that is easy and takes a lot of patience and perseverance which is why I have a lot of respect for people who have conquered their weight problem.
If everyone's metabolism were high, and everyone had willpower and the same body type, and no one had underlying medical issues, we would all theoretically be close to our ideal weight for our height. Unfortunately, weight is dependant on a lot more than just what you choose to eat and how much willpower you have when it comes to exercise.
Losing weight takes time it's not a overnight process and results don't show up until a year. Those overweight people could be easily losing weight but you probably have not seen a change yet so you assume they are still eating bad.
Now if they are always eating junk food when you see them then they are just whining and like feeling sorry for themselves
Dieting is a little bit hard if you at use to eating certain things. Its hard for some overweight people to lose weight. I'm over weight. I do diet the right way and exercise (especially a ton of cardio) I dont lose weight. I've tried for 2 months and saw little results. So I gave up. I just kinda watch what I eat now though.
"Why do overweight people not want to lose weight?" I'm sure they do want to lose weight. But I'm guessing that they just don't know how to get started... I'd start off by playing sports in the streets with the youngins ^_^
Some actually do try but get frustrated at either how long it's taking or something comes up that breaks the will to try. It could be that someone goes on a fat shaming spree and crushed their spirit and they simply say to hell with it
it isn't that simple. you'd never know unless you were overweight.
They think losing weight is too difficult or can't accept slow changes so just give up without trying.
It's easier to complain about something and feel sorry for yourself then actually going ahead and making a change.
They probably do, they just get frustrated with trying and lose motivation.
Some of them probably do. Food can be just as much of an addiction as smoking or drugs are.
You clearly have no idea what it's like to be overweight
Yeah i dont get either... and some come here make questions asking to be honest and get mad when we say that she/he should lose weight and get its healthy back
I want to lose weight. I don't have the willpower to.
My guess, they don't think they can, so they don't get motivated enough to do it.
Because theyd rather give their obesity cute names and try to live in denial
You can also add your opinion below!
Most Helpful Opinions