Interesting article on fat kids...

[hoser813]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20060514/hl_hsn/bullyingkeepsoverweightkidsfromexercise

It makes an interesting comparison, but once again people are blaming other people for their issues. You'd think the redicule would want to make them work harder to not be fat, not make them get fatter.

[WBBIRL]

Its not bull in the least, I knew several overweight kids that quit football because of bullying. I would have as well, had I not been physically bigger then the bullys themselves and planted them every time I lined up aginst them. I was one of 2 fat kids like that, we played as long as we wanted and then quit. The other fat kids quit in a year.


Its not like your self concious enough that someone has to constantly rag on you for your weight. People can say what they want, but very few have the mind to not be affected by it... probably 1/10 of the people who say they do acutally do.

A few fat people were also discourage from going to the gym because of the curl jockeys and their opinons. I would have been also, but their insults didnt bother me... I was curling what they could bench.

[shootermcgavin7]

I knew several overweight kids that quit football because of bullying.


Amazingly, I would bet that several skinny kids did as well.

[Built]

I took a LOT of insults for being fat - it just made me feel more defeated. Nothing I did ever worked anyway - It was like getting reminded that it was hopeless every time somebody made some comment about "the fat chick".

[WBBIRL]

If any skinny kids quit, its because they lacked the mass/strength to be competive. Fat kids never got picked on for being poor tacklers, or for being bad athletes. They got picked on for their physcial appearance.

[sharkall2003]

I used to be fat, and that article is true to an extent. I used to be bullied around a lot in physical education class, but I used it as motivation. When they would throw dodgeballs at me and make fun of me it gave me that much more motivation to completely crush them when I was older. After all the teasing and making fun of I started weightlifting, doing very well in school, and just beating everyone at the things they were good at. Now I am in the position to where I could make fun of them, but I refuse to participate in such activities and bring my character down.

[shootermcgavin7]

If any skinny kids quit, its because they lacked the mass/strength to be competive. Fat kids never got picked on for being poor tacklers, or for being bad athletes. They got picked on for their physcial appearance.



WBBIRL, my point is this: skinny kids were picked on trying out for football because they didn't physically appear like a football player. Whether or not they stayed skinny was up to them.

Overweight kids were picked on trying out of football because they didn't physically appear like a football player. Whether or not they stayed overweight was up to them.

****loads of different groups get "bullied", and turn out alright. Maybe it depends on your mental makeup, but if I was an overweight 14 yr old being harrassed about my weight I'd probably try to lose it. But again, that's just my personality. I notice that Built offered a varying perspective.

[WBBIRL]

How often are kids being harassed for being not heavy enough... in a country where the obesitiy is becoming an epidemic.

[shootermcgavin7]

How often are kids being harassed for being not heavy enough...

In high school football? I'd imagine quite often...........






in a country where the obesitiy is becoming an epidemic.


Perhaps this is the reason that this particular angle on "high school bullying" got so much press?

Just curious.

[hoser813]

in a country where the obesitiy is becoming an epidemic.

you bring up a good point. Ive never been so embarrassed when I had a foreign exchange student from norway. We took him to the mall and he laughed at how many fat people there were. Hes never seen so many fat people all at once and he couldnt contain himself.

We as a country need to stop blaming other people (fast food corps, bullies, whatever) for making us fat, but instead need to start taking responsibility for ourselves to be healthier.

[CrazyK]

In high school football? I'd imagine quite often...........








Perhaps this is the reason that this particular angle on "high school bullying" got so much press?

Just curious.Yup. Past middle school the skinny kids got it a lot worse than the fat kids. Especially on the football team. They might crack a joke at the fattest kid on the team, but usually its laughed off. The skinny kids were the ones who would just get mauled with insults.

[toki]

hahaha...

I used to be a fat kid...I got tired of it and went and got in shape. Problem solved.

Fat? Being taunted? get some damn sense and do something about it.

[CrazyK]

Fat? Being taunted? get some damn sense and do something about it.That's hard when your 8 years old and the only thing for dinner is a choice between McD's and Taco Bell.

[McIrish]

:withstupi: Honestly, I think that's the problem. When you're raised by mom and dad who eat crap all day and they're overweight, do you think you're going to be a gym rat? Probably not, you'll just do what your folks did, to a large extent. You can *ask* your folks to buy healthy food, but if they seem to think there's nothing wrong with having McD's 5x/week then most young children are not going to complain. Starts 'em off young, unfortunately. I was a chubby child, too. I'm finally heavier now (160's) than I was when I was 10-12 (150's).

[xMeat_Headx]

I sympathize with victims of ridicule and bullying, but this sounds like another excuse put out by people who don't want to put out the time and effort to change their bodies. Who cares if the fat kid doesn't want to participate in gym class? There isn't a single damn thing that stops him from getting in shape ON HIS OWN when he's not in school. Its a matter of motivation and willpower.

[BCC]

That's hard when your 8 years old and the only thing for dinner is a choice between McD's and Taco Bell.

Yeah, that's something different called having bad parents.

[d'Anconia]

Hahhahahah ya know I was actually thinking about this while going to sleep last night. I was gonna ask if it's okay to poke fun at fat people. IMO it's in a totally different category than making fun of people for permanent physical appearances.
I figured making fun at them would make them want to lose weight but apparently these days it actually makes them want to get/stay fat(er). Who would have known? So do they just want us to make it a mute issue and let them keep living an unhealthy life? Because I would think that if no one harassed them every once in a while that there wouldn't be much stimulus for them to lose weight. Only the obese person themself can then make the decision to change their body, but you have to remember this is the same person who let it get obese in the first place.

Honestly at this point I hardly care. I work hard to maintain and improve my body while most obese people do nothing and then complain about it. I have very little sympathy for that.

Edit: Plus, if regular-sized people know that fat kids get made fun of... wouldn't that prevent them from getting so fat in the future?
God, sometimes people are borderline idiotic.

[Built]

Hmmm - interesting how many people assume that insults and teasing are motivational.

Fatrb, the flaw in your reasoning is that losing weight and getting in shape are so misunderstood in the mainstream. This is an artefact of the fitness industry - the longer we can't figure it out, the more money the industry stands to make off fat people. Add to this differences in upbringing (as Chase alluded to) and metabolism, and you've got a generalization that just blows up.

Also, there may very well be differences in how males and females respond to negative motivation. I know it was never anything but demotivating and humiliating to me when it happened, particularly when I'd hear insults just after leaving the gym.

[xMeat_Headx]

Hmmm - interesting how many people assume that insults and teasing are motivational.


But insults and bullying don't make the kids fat... None of the kids ridiculing an overweight kid in the cafeteria choose what food he eats. None of them choose wether or not the kid gets some exercise outside in his free time or sits on his butt playing video games. I agree it doesn't help the situation, but the fault for a kid being overweight is at the feet of the child and the child's parents!

[Built]

I agree.

And teasing the kid about it won't help. If anything, he may seek comfort in more food. I know more than one person who medicates this way.

[monotone]

as you said earlier built, i think there is a gender difference when it comes to negative motivation. Its widely accepted to make fun of or insult one another among a group of males and much more common in that type of setting.

[Built]

Men expect it of other males, too.

It's a cultural difference.

[xMeat_Headx]

It actually plays a significant/necissary role in male bonding if I remember correctly from my psychology course.

[WBBIRL]

It was insulting and hurtfull to me also, but I had a temper... 100lbs and 5" on everyone else in my class so I never got it too often, and when I did I avenged my self esteem.

Kids who get made fun of for being fat are going to feel hurt, guilt, anger and so many other feelings. Who wants to go exercise after their dog just died, or they found out their father is in crtical condition from an accident at work... mind you neither of these things are nearly the same as being teased... but they all lead to the same kinds of feelings on the reciving end.

[monotone]

Kids who get made fun of for being fat are going to feel hurt, guilt, anger and so many other feelings. Who wants to go exercise after their dog just died, or they found out their father is in crtical condition from an accident at work... mind you neither of these things are nearly the same as being teased... but they all lead to the same kinds of feelings on the reciving end.


well from my point of view... and using you examples. Id go work out and eat right if it would bring my dog back to life. Id work out harder and eat healthier if it would improve my father's condition from an accident, and id work out and eat right if it would end me being made fun of. Its all personal perspective, and i dont think everyone is going to see eye to eye on this but that doesnt change the fact that one way of looking at the situation obviously improves everything. While the people who seek food as a means to cope with being made fun of are making it worse.

[Guido]

I respect the overweight people I see working out at the gym. At least they are doing something about it, even if they don't know what they are doing when they're there. Same would go for the fat kid who decides to participate in sports, despite the ridicule he might receive.
To fault someone for trying to make better of their situation is just mean-spirited and uncalled for.

[d'Anconia]

Well these days I don't see much excuse for being unhappy about one's fat but not doing anything about it. We have Google, enough said.

[razorcut]

I respect the overweight people I see working out at the gym. At least they are doing something about it......
To fault someone for trying to make better of their situation is just mean-spirited and uncalled for.
I agree 100%. Those are the people I go out of my way to help if possible.

[Built]

well from my point of view... and using you examples. Id go work out and eat right if it would bring my dog back to life. Id work out harder and eat healthier if it would improve my father's condition from an accident, and id work out and eat right if it would end me being made fun of. Its all personal perspective, and i dont think everyone is going to see eye to eye on this but that doesnt change the fact that one way of looking at the situation obviously improves everything. While the people who seek food as a means to cope with being made fun of are making it worse.

They totally are - it's true. This, in turn, makes them feel guilty. So they eat more.

It's a bad cycle, and I know, totally illogical. But then, so is alcoholism, right? I mean, just have a drink and stop. It seems so simple …

This is not the case for every fatty. In my case, I just couldn't control my appetite when I was eating super low fat and doing tons of cardio. Once I got the diet figued out - higher fats and protein to control my appetite - and dropped most of the cardio, I was able to diet effectively. But there's a million reasons why people get fat. Most people who are fat HATE it - and many hate themselves because of it. It's not a simple problem.

[Eszekial]

I was always a fat little kid and my brother a rail.

Now i'm the ripped one and he's got the gut.

His instaults were motivation for me. I never got picked on at school because i hid it well and was bigger, more athletic, than most kids.

Maybe it's different with siblings.

[Organichu]

Not even attacking the issue of emotional trauma and diffidence, there's this: the people need to want to lose weight.

I lost 70 lbs. It was difficult. I've never been one to have massive self-esteem issues, but I know that for me, being called fat and being called porker wasn't enough to make me lose weight. It hurt, sure- but I don't get fuel from the disapproval of others. I get fuel from the disapproval of myself.

Without my own visceral desire to become physically fit, I would have remained fat- and I was teased consistently throughout my childhood. In fifth grade, for the secret Santa thing, some kid gave me a bottle of chocolate syrup. I got told I couldn't see my penis- etc etc. :)

The effort required to lose and keep off a lot of weight is so massive that I think it requires a profound self-driven desire.

[D Breyer]

I too used to be the fat kid, The insults were my motivation to change the summer before high school. My friends were astonished at my change in the fall. Over the summer the kids that picked on me got skinnier, and I got stronger. Supprisingly, those kids don't have much to say anymore. :)