Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

The Saddest Thing



Recommended Posts

On my way home from work this morning I passed the middle school. The P.E./Gym class was running laps around the school building and acreage. Most of the teens were in healthy (skinny) form and seemed to be keeping a good pace. The instructor (firm & fit) sounded like a drill sergeant screaming at the kids. At the tail end of the line were two heavy set (one was morbidly obese) boys. :think They were doing all they could do to keep up. I wanted to cry. I wanted to stop the car and deck the instructor, :couch2: I wanted to stop and tell those boys don't give up hope and things will get better. :clap2: I was those boys all through my school career, school was hell being the FAT kid. :cry Any thoughts or comments?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't want to talk about school, I was misrable.

If I could sue the district I wouild for all the pain, harasment, bulling and just plain suffering.

I know that the school my kids are in now have a code of conduct that everyone must follow.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had to go in and talk to my daughter's principal last year due to something that was happening in her P.E. class. (7th grade) THe first two weeks of school I kep asking specific questions about each teacher and how she was feeling about her classes... when it came to P.E. she would look down and avoid my questions. My DD is slim but she has certainly been made fun of for being different and she is very sensative and kind. I finally asked her if she was having a problem in P.E. and she told me this....

Mom... we were running laps the other day and there were two boys that were way behind. We all sat down and waited for them to finish and our teacher started asking us to chant "slugs" "slugs" "slugs" until they finsihed. She said it made her feel horrible even though she didn't do what was asked of her. She is not athletic and it also scared her half to death that is she came in last this would be done to her. She then said... they were all doing different activities and her teacher looked around and stated... "Well... I guess I know which kids are getting As and which are getting Fs... again... my daughter was horrified as she was not doing well in some of the activities at that moment. THEN... the same boys were not doing well on another day and she asked the whole class to think up their punishment????? HOLY %$#... at this point I nearly blew a gasket!

Needless to say... there was a BIG discussion at school and this very young teacher was leaking big tears when trying to explain her behavior to the principal. She apparently was having trouble with these boys and was thinking that peer pressure might straighten them out... she really didn't realize how another child might take it OR that she was encouraging children to be bullies.

Anyhoo... I think that as adults it is out job to teach our children to be kind and actively make sure they are living what they are being taught. I was so proud of my daughter... she was petrified that her teacher was going to hate her but she did the right thing. Her teacher was VERY nice to her the rest of the year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm with Vera I don't even want to discuss gym.

Maudispan feel free to call the school principal anonymously and let them know what you saw and the other options should have been to walk. I'm sure that is some of my pain talking.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

People are so cruel and just because they are teachers doesn't exempt them. Speak out now and maybe save those boys from harrassment. It's cruel out there and everyone needs to learn compasion and tolerance. That teacher needs to be asked "how does that help" and what's a better way to motivate.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i had a drill sargeant type PE coach and my parents forced me to play basketball on her team.

yeah...life was hell.

i eventually just quit basketball but that made PE even harder. the witch had it out for me!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

People of weight (we shouldn't say FAT) need to exercise.

Yes, teachers can be cruel.

But I wish my parents had taught me good eating habits. I had no trouble in P/E but many people of weight did. We need PE instructors who are not x-jocks or wanna-be jocks. We need P/E instructors who have training.

But most school districts would rather save the money. Many school districts have dropped P/E from 5 times a week to 3 or 1 or ZERO times a week.

The most exercise many people of weight get is "game boy".

Our next American generation of children will be markedly different than this generation by the sizes of their thumbs. It will surpass the heart as the strongest muscle in the body.

Yes, I am a wise-guy, but we must help our children with more than just their egos. Teachers like the one mentioned in the opening post must go. But we have to willing to expend tax dollars. Maybe even pay more taxes. Pardon me for using filthy language.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm with Vera I don't even want to discuss gym.

Maudispan feel free to call the school principal anonymously and let them know what you saw and the other options should have been to walk. I'm sure that is some of my pain talking.

I dont know about that.. to single them out and make them walk would almost make it worse... "look at the fatties having to walk!!" I can hear it now.. I just dont know what the solution is...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We all know that obesity is a national problem, and it's starting younger and younger. But just as adults trying to start up a program, you have to start small so that you dont burn out. If they told everyone before you entered the aerobics class that you had to perform exactly as the instructor did and couldnt leave mid class, then how many people would go in? I think that everyone should have the option to walk, or jog walk. I think that pe coaches should be motivators, not humiliators. I was very athletic in all the sports, so I never experienced this as a child, but gosh I would think it would stay with you a long time. Shame on those teachers/coaches. :couch2:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Has anyone noticed that as soon as the USA get's a foothold in a country and McDonald's, et all, start opening restaurants, that the health of the people of that nation goes down while the weight goes up?

We are sacrificing our children at the alter of marketing and profits.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I believe that just because someone has a teaching degree, this does not

make one a teacher!!! Case in point.....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, I think school was probably hell for most everybody. The fat kids, the short skinny kids (me), the slow learners, the over achievers, the cheerleaders and the athletes. All of these have their own ingrained strife. Get skinny, get bigger, learn faster, don't fail....and on and on and on. All we can do is try to help our own kids to get through it. Hold them while they cry and kick butt when we have to. Our kids are 24 and 25....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

These are the kind of things that stick with you a life time. They don't help with a persons self image, the don't make that person run home and tell their parents they want to diet and eat right, it justs makes things worse. I am 53 yrs old and I can still remember how i felt when we were doing a room decoration for a parents day when i was in 3rd grade. It was a mural going around the room of the circus. I can still hear the teacher announcing my name as being responsible for making the fat lady and all the kids laughing. You do not forget these things and I was hoping that with a new awareness of being "politically correct" this would not be a problem with the people in charge of our children. I guess I was wrong.....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the heartfelt and honest opinions and thoughts. It's nice to know I am not the only person in this cruel world who has compassion for her/his fellow man.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Schools offer tutors in math and reading, why not PE? It is truly a life skill I wish I woudl have learned. More health classes should be focused on nutrition, or make nutrition a part of the curriculm. They coudl even scare kids and show them some of the stuff that Dr. OZ showed Oprah.

Do you remember the Presidential Fitness testing - ugh!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×