Why are YOU Fat?

[wen 1]

I'm figuring this out as I go. I think I am fat because I used excessive amounts of food to stuff down feelings that I didn't want to deal with. What a wake up call!! There is no stuffing down anything with the few ounces I can hold now. Sometimes I find myself turning to something else (gambling and drinking anyone?). But, most of the time, I just breath deeply and feel the feelings. I am finding out I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was.

[Vikki 2]

I can so relate with your stories!!! I too am in the I am fat because I overeat. That is why I decided to get the band. I also would eat because I was sad, happy, bored, frustrated.....you name it. Everyone in my family is obese. My brothers both had gastric bypass at 400 pounds. I was the thinnest one in the family but since I saw everyone else balloon up I told myself that will never happen to me. Then I hit my 30's and my metabilism completely went on strike and I gained over a hundred pounds in 5 years. Up and down I went with diet pills and every diet under the sun. I finally was fed up of being so obsessed with having to deal with the food I decided to get the band to help me get down and stay down. I am half way to my goal and have hit my third platue and I am just trying to exercise at least 4X a week. I have lost a lot more inches then pounds and finally getting comments from others that I have lost weight. It is a struggle for life. My pleasure right now that I am struggling with is chips. I love them!!!! I can't eat bread anymore but I can seem to get a bag of chips down. It is time for a fill so I am scheduled to get one the end of the month. Just in time for the Holidays of sweets and treats. Thank you everyone for sharing your personal struggles. It is so much support to know that others are going threw the struggle and that we can get to our goal by the support of our band.

[LifeLover03 0]

I have always been a fat kid, i realized it in 3rd grade when i moved to a new school(that was the first time somone called me fat) I am the youngest of 4 kids and the only girl. My brothers eat like mosters and all of them are then..ince i was young i used to eat like them, I've always seemed to eat to finish not when full!! Grwoing up in a west indian home portions are no option big is the only way.

Well when i was 10 i took a fall and slipped my hip. After the surgery hoping around on one leg, i ended up slipping the other one. So two operations then my parents divorced....I always had lots of friends, did good in school, I was even class President in high school.

Im not sure if im hiding something within that makes me turn to food, but the band has helped me to control something...i feel so good when i walk away knowing my plate wasnt the only one empty, instead it looks just like my friends with plenty of food on the plate. I feel good drinking Soup and not needing a grilled cheese or a peice of bread. yes i have cravings but im in control. So I guess its a control thing for me

I dont eat to finish!! but to be satisfied!!!

[bkgrandma 0]

I'm morbidly obese not just FAT. I hate that label that people put on you, morbidly obese, it sounds like a death sentence and it probably is but I still hate it.

I'm a closet eater and a sweet addict, have been as long as I can remember, I don't care if I eat "normal" food or not, but if there is anything around me that is sweet I will eat my fill. I have a terrible habit of not eating during the day, no desire too and at night I'm at my hungryest. If I never ate sweets again, I'm be very thin, at least I think I would so why don't I get them up. I can't and don't want to.

I started sneaking sweets when I was about 9 years old, I was over weight then and my parents knew it and mainly my dad just yelled every time the refrigerator would open, of course my mom made homemade Desserts every night for dinner and just one serving wasn't enough for me, I wanted more and more and here I sit at almost 62 years old and I still sneak sweets. I can imagine your wondering who I'm sneaking them from, beats me. I've been married for 44 years to a man who knows everything I do, I tell him when I sneak most of the time and sometimes I'm too embarrassed to. My dad's been gone for 32 years so it's no longer him, just a bad habit.

I also suffer from a panic disorder, had constant panic attacks for over 20 years, on all kinds of meds, visited many shrinks, psychologists, doctors and they all say I have a chemical disorder. The attacks are under control thank God, I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy but the meds are whats keeping them at bay.

My family history stinks, my dad died at 52 of a massage heart attack, my sister had a heart attack and has a stint, I have 3 stints in my heart but didn't have a heart attack, my brother has a stint in his and my younger sister had a heart transplant. All my first cousins on my dads side have stints in their hearts all before the age of 50. I hit 57 before they caught mine. We're all over weight, but only my brother and I are considered obese. I had a lap band for 2 years now and haven't lost a thing, there were problems but I have to admit I haven't worked the program, sweets go down real good.

Well, that's my story. I eat too many sweets and of course I don't exercisxe either, I usually use the arthritis and knee replacement as a excuse but I think I'm just to fat and lazy to even want to do anything.

[Crash 0]

I've never thought of myself as a fat person.

I've never had fat friends. Never dated fat women.

When I was young, I thought I was fat.

Then I found out I could stop the teasing by shaving my head, getting tattoos, and wearing black. The teasing stopped.

Since then, my "look" - which includes my weight - has pretty much defined who I am.

Sure, I can go look back on being potty trained with bribes of candy bars or second helpings after being forced to clean my plate - but ultimately, I'm fat because I eat a whole lot of food.< /p>

Time to change that - with a little help.

[chocolate_snaps 3]

My name is Sabrina and I love food. Green food, red food, blue food, especially brown food, Chinese food, Indian food, Soul food, Diner food, Dominican food, Middle Eastern food, Japanese food, Caribbean food, Malayasian food, Thai food, Italian food, Breakfast, lunch, diner, supper, 4th meal, and mostly dessert. Those and others are the reasons why I am fat. Oh yeah and I avoid exercise. Those are my friends and I will miss them but its time to move on.

[circa 0]

My fatness started when I was a kid. When my father rescued me from the clutches of my abusive mother. I wasn't allowed to eat at my mothers - save rice and popcorn - and sometimes a small amount of instant mashed potatoes. I ate lunch at school, but only the reduced menu, which wasn't very much. It wasn't that we were poor and didn't have food - my mother took my sister out to dinner nearly every night. I moved in with my dad when he found out about this and oh my god - there was food everywhere! I ate everything in sight every chance I got - not aware that there would be food again there the next day. Even when I did realize that there would always be food, subconciously, it didn't register and I continued. I got very fat - to the point that it was difficult for me to play sports any longer. I slimmed down my senior year of high school and after...then I got married when I was 20 - I got extremely depressed in my failed marriage and gained every pound back and then some. After the divorce, the instant loss of 200 lbs with a signature (haha) and a great feeling about my own potential, I decided I would never let anyone dictate how I feel again. I lost a good 120 lbs+ -I have to estimate because my scale only went to 300 and it took a little while to budge. I was at a great weight for me of 180 lbs. I still wanted to lose another 20 or so, but I wasn't too worried about it. My goal was to be in a single digit clothing size and those size 10's were starting to get baggy....Then my health failed. In the last year and a half, I've put on 70 lbs due to the medications I'm on, the inability to exercise and just general overall fatigue. I feel like I'm failing myself. I put up with this unknown illness for my whole life. I powered through it. I ignored it. I just thought I was feeling lazy and I overcame it. Little did I know, I have a genetic disorder that finally took over. Its treatable and manageable - even to the point that I won't even know I have it - other than taking a couple pills a day and going in for bloodwork every 6 months or so. Right now we're working on getting me to that point - and I'm almost there. But now - what do I do with the extra 70 lbs I wasn't planning on? And the extra 35 on top of that that's away from my ideal weight? I don't know if I can do this all over again. I want my life back. I don't want it just given to me - I know I have to work at it - and I WANT to work at it. I just need a little help this time. And if you knew me, you'd know that I've never in my life asked anyone to help me with anything. I've always done everything on my own. I sit back and look at myself and I'm astonished that I'm even contemplating the band. I feel defeated.

[insubordination 0]

Don't worry about it. If anyone deserves a helping hand/band, it's you. I don't even see it as such a big deal anymore, though countless would disagree with me, I'm sure.

I'm very glad you figured out what's wrong with you. I went though something similar thinking I was lazy etc. when I really had a thyroid problem and chronic infection stemming from wisdom teeth.

I really responded because your mother horrified me. Giving you white, nutrient-free food while spoiling your sister. The kind of thing you only see on Law & Order or something.

Anyway, you have had weight loss success before and you'll have it now only you'll be relieved because it will stay off.

[BANDSTER45 0]

Thank you everyone for sharing! Very interesting. I'd have to say that I am fat because I too LOVE FOOD! I love the taste, tectures, smells, and the way differnt things go together. I love it ALL! I was also born with the tendancy to be over weight. I come from German and Dutch decent which means I'm fairly large boned. I'm the biggest in my family. My older brother just turned 50 and he is 5'10" wears 34" waist jeans, my sister is 10 years older, 56 and has never worn over a size 8 when she was 9 months pg. She is 5'2" and small boned. I am 5'5" and have always been chunky starting around puberty. My dad is 5'11" and has never worn over a 36" waist at his heaviest. My mother was 5'1" and never weighed below 190. She was obsessed with dieting, and had terrible insecurity problems with her weight. Always felt she was less than human because she was fat. Ashamed the whole bit. We had a close loving and model home life. Mom was a stay at home mom, dad worked, we all loved eachother and respected everyone and everything. We all had a blast at the dinner table all together and later we would have snacks/drinks in front of the TV watching old Westerns, War Movies, (Kirk Douglan, err err baby!) We went fishing during the summer with the Dagwood Sandwiches/chips/drinks/home made Cookies etc. All our happyness together as a family involved FOOD! And really super good food. My mom was well known as being a GREAT cook as am I too. We all loved food. My mom and I would watch cooking show, (loved Julia Childs) and then my brother and I would cook and play like we were doing our own cooking show. He is quite the cook also. But I was the one who developed the weight problem.

There were times when I dieted and starved myself, (anerexia in high school and missed several months of school in the hospital) and was always able to keep my weight under control as far as the scales went. Got married and was in a controlling/verbally abusive relationship for 10 years. I got to my highest weight of 250, got divorced and lost down to 172, which on my frame, I was wearing men's 30 inch waist jeans. My hip bones stuck out. I stayed at that size by taking diet pills and exercising and dieting until I hurt my back in 2001. After steroid injections, other steroids, lack of exercise etc. I gained it all back plus some. I'd diet and lose 30 then gain it back. I was so sick and tired of being HUNGRY all the time, and not being able to have a cookie crumb once a week without gaining 5 pounds. When my freind told me about the band I first thought, "Oh, yeah, like it will work for me. LIke every other diet program out there did." But she did great and I sat down and figured that over the previous 5 years, I had spent the same amount of money on fad stuff that didn't work and only made me sick, that I decided what the hell. I AM SO GLAD I DID! I can't remember what a hunger pain feels like, and I know that once the weight is off, IT AIN'T NEVER COMING BACK! No more yo yo. That's the best thing. I still love food, just in smaller amounts. But I can have a bite or two of what ever I want and don't have to feel GUILTY! All of us fat people have dealt with the GUILT with every bite we take. That guilt has been lifted from us along with the deprevation of dieting. Even if I can only have one or two bites of dessert, it's much more wonderful and tasty without the guilt. I can enjoy it completely which leaves me more satisfied.

So to say why I"m fat?? 1) I was born with the tendancy, 2) I LOVE FOOD, 3) food is my emotions, food makes me happy and happy times demand food, sad times demand food too 4) I was a woofer, eating fast and LOTS of food, 5) hunger/guilt/shame/frustration and all the other bull we put our minds to.

Basically, I think what makes us fat is that it's just how we are! That's how we were born and it's who we are. Even after losing tons of weight, in our minds, we will still see ourselves as those fat people. We will always think and feel like a fat person does because that's who we are.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. tee hee

[circa 0]

Don't worry about it. If anyone deserves a helping hand/band, it's you. I don't even see it as such a big deal anymore, though countless would disagree with me, I'm sure.

I'm very glad you figured out what's wrong with you. I went though something similar thinking I was lazy etc. when I really had a thyroid problem and chronic infection stemming from wisdom teeth.

I really responded because your mother horrified me. Giving you white, nutrient-free food while spoiling your sister. The kind of thing you only see on Law & Order or something.

Anyway, you have had weight loss success before and you'll have it now only you'll be relieved because it will stay off.

Thanks - I mean, I forgave her a long time ago, I still haven't forgotten though. It was imperative for me to forgive her in order for me to get over the issues I had with it. But I don't hide it. Its what happened and its part of what made me who I am, both good and bad.

Sometimes I think that if I could just get my medication switched (I'm working on it now), I'll be able to just get the energy to get rid of the weight...but as they said at the clinic, its going to be twice as hard for me to muster the energy because not only am I carrying all the extra weight, but because of the illness and having to be so sedentary, I don't have much for muscle anymore - which is a valid point. But if I can get the medication switched and do this myself, I'd love to. But if not, then I will although begrudgingly haha ask for help

[100lbsforsale 0]

hmm, I'm fat because..I like to eat! I love food, I love cakes, Cookies and pizza. It comforts me, it makes me happy..until the heartburn kicks in. Actually I eat because like alot of people here I was raised in the 'clean your plate' club. My dad grew up in the Depression so food on your plate was a no no. Especially meat! Even so my whole life he constantly talked about my weight. He was overweight in a family of normal sized people, so he got criticized constantly from them so I guess it he was trying to head off what happened to him. My uncle and aunt thought it was their duty to point out my weight everytime they'd see me. My aunt would go on and on about the cute clothes I could wear if only....Like I didn't know! In high school I discovered Dexa-trim. I literally ate one hard-boiled egg a day along with a gallon of diet coke and hot air popcorn if I just couldn't stand the hunger pains. I got down to 126 lbs which is hip bone jutting skinny on my 5'8" frame..but my uncle said I was still too big! My dad said I was too skinny and was afraid I was making myself throw up. Ha! like I ever had anything in my stomach to throw up! Time goes on ..heaven forbid I EAT and I gained weight. I endured the 'aren't you getting a little chubby again?' from my dad. So off to Nutri-system I went. Lots of bucks later hey I was skinny again! I got my first job out of college and whoa..I got hit on by just about every male in the plant. Married, single didn't make a difference. If I talked to/laughed with a man, I had to be sleeping with them. Finally I just got sick of all the innuendos and come-ons and started to purposely put on weight. Nobody cared that I was damn good at my job, they just figured I'd slept my way there. Once the weight started to pile on, the come-ons ceased and I could do my job. Then I got married, had some female troubles that required steroids and the ballooning started again. I had 3 kids, quit my job, found myself in the kitchen all day long.. My dad was still in the background riding me about my weight..so when he died, I just started to EAT. I didn't have to worry about him criticizing me every time he saw me. Hence, here I am today. Whose fault is it? mine. I like to eat and I remember telling myself 'life is too short to starve'. Well life is too short period. I'd rather be here than underground because I couldn't be bothered to take care of myself. Thats why I'm fat.

[dream'n2bthin 0]

I'm fat because of lack of will power. For reasons unknow to me, I can't seem to stick to any diet. Some how I always lose about 20lbs and then I give up. I'm hoping all this will change once I get banded.

[insubordination 0]

I'm fat because of lack of will power.

That's cool you can admit it if that's the case. I wonder though sometimes, why do we need to exercise extreme willpower when others don't and simply put their forks down when they're done? Is there something confused in our brains? I know my grandmother really has to discipline herself to stop eating and stick to small portions to maintain her weight, yet my bandless friend just naturally eats bandster-sized portions and never seems to want more after a certain point. It's a mystery.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

I'm fat because I eat too much. I just love food, and especially at dinner I just can't stop! That's why I'm going to be banded, I need to stop sooner rather than too late. And during woman's day - oh goodness. The Doritos, well, I can go through probably 3 bags in one week!! Absolutely true story.

I'm great when it comes to exercising and working out. I do it almost every day (6 days a week avg.) for 1 hour but no less than 30 mins.

[suzannm 0]

OMG.

Breakfast: Chick Fila - 1 meal, + 2 breakfast sandwiches or Grandy's all you can eat breakfast where I'd put away at least 2lbs of bacon. I'd have 4 large glasses of sweet tea to drink.

Lunch: McDonalds double quarter pounder with cheese, value sized fries and coke. A parfait, a salad with dressing.

Dinner: KFC (4-5 pieces), mashed potatoes, potato wedges, gravy, buscuits with butter and jam or honey, large coke.

THEN....when everyone would go to sleep....I'd get up and eat MORE of the KFC that was left over. I'd never get sick. I could eat until I was just tired of taking bites. There was no 'off' switch in my stomach to say I was full. I could eat and eat until I could no longer chew. I'd eat like this nearly every day. HUGE, HUGE meals. Incredible amounts of calories.

Why did I do this???? I had no sensation of being full. I could literally eat until I couldn't chew anymore and never feel full.

With my band, I can stop because I get a sensation of feeling FULL. I don't go past it. It's got to be something physical related to where the band. Pressure on the vagus nerve perhaps? I don't know.