A question for anyone that's ever been seriously overweight
 

This isn't a dig at anyone who's ever had serious weight issues but is something i would geniunely like to know the answer to. I don't have a weight problem being 6ft and 160lbs but what i would like to know is for people of that kind of height who end up weighing in excess of 300lbs, did there never become a point at about 250lbs that you were getting considerably out of shape? Then nearer 300 when you were getting really really bad where you thought it must be time to do something about this?

Well, I've never been in shape, so that's not really an issue. And yes, I have gotten to a point where I want to be fit and healthy, not necessarily thin.

The catalyst for me making these changes was my father dying of pancreatic cancer at 69. It was pretty sobering. So I've made changes.

Most of the weight gains came in spurts, two big spurts after quitting smoking two separate times. I've been going up about a size a year or so since college, and there were a few years where it stabalized and I didn't gain any weight for a year or two.

Most of the weight gain, honestly, was eating out. Convenience foods. I didn't eat an excessive amount of junky snack food, it was more like when I was very busy for 3-4 months in a row and I'd eat at McDonald's and Taco Bell 2-3 times a week, plus eating out for lunch and having muffins and snack machine stuff for breakfast. Then it'd creep up, one pound at a time, until 6 months later I'd have gained 10 pounds.

I've tried diets, tons of diets. Some have lasted a week, others a month or two, but none that I felt was making a difference. It's frustrating feeling like a failure time after time. With so many diets, I'd lose 10-15 pounds, but be exhausted from all the special shopping and starving from the lack of food. Recently, though, I've lost quite a few pounds by simply going vegan. I cut out meat, dairy and eggs. I feel much healthier when I do what everyone says to do - Eat more veggies and fruit and whole grains and cut out processed foods. It's as simple as that. The more I eat, the less I weigh. As soon as I get lazy and eat Taco Bell or eat out just about anywhere, actually, I gain back weight.

I've also come to the realization that I have to move or I'll never get healthy. That is why I am cycling with my husband. I have to find a way to move where I feel happy.

I'm a little over 5'11'' but not quite 6' and weigh 325lbs. (I'm a guy, by the way). I never felt out of shape until I hit 285 or so. I was always aware of the fact that I didn't look too hot ;) and knew it wasn't healthy, but I didn't "feel" out of shape. I was always fat and have been gaining weight at a steady pace since I was a kid (I'm 31 now). At 300 it got bad where I would run out of breath going up the stairs and my feet and knees would hurt from walking.

The funny thing about being in shape is that I can go to the gym and do a 45 min non-stop spinning class and feel like I can do it all over again at the end, but I'm out of breath walking up the stairs at work (3 floors)... Go figure...

As to when I thought it was time to do something about it, I suppose I always thought it was time to do something about it and I did. I did most diets and tried tons of ways to exercise but never (as I mentioned in another post) stayed with anything long enough to maintain the results.

First of all your question makes me angry. I think everyone who is overweight would like to be slimmer and healthy, if they could eat whatever they want and not exercise, but it is hard work and you have to care about yourself. YOU may care about your body, but do you care about dusting everything in your house, growing your own vegetables, making all your own furniture. Get the point. My body is not my priority. Until a health issue arises, it is much easier to do nothing. For me, I eat when I am tired and have to keep going. I also eat for emotional reasons. Physical appearance has never been important to me. As a female, when I am thin, I have to put up with all the a$$holes looking at me like their pet. I prefer to be fat and invisible. I think if all guys that were trim had to walk around naked, they would prefer to be fat. If you always had to be worried that everyone was checking out your "equipment" and whether you are in a state of readiness, you would see what it is like to be a woman. I am sure there are areas or concerns in your life where you don't take action. For instance, do you always check the oil in your car, change the batteries in the smoke alarms, clean out the trash can with soap and water or do you let some things slide until it is easier to replace the item. Most people gain weight slowly, maybe 1-2 pounds a month. You put off going on a diet until next week after the office party, or the birthday party, etc. Next thing you know, you have a major problem. Ever have a leak in your roof, and want to buy something for your bike, or take a vacation, well the roof continues to leak, and then you plaster damage, roof board damage, etc. Now you need major bucks. If the winning times of athletics are getting faster each year in races and things like the Olympics, because people push their limits to their competitors speed, the reverse is true. If most of America is overweight, you don't really have a "problem" until you are bigger than most of your friends or neighbors. So most people today are 20-50 pounds overweight.

Ive been big all my life but ive always been active. I played baseball, football, raced bikes, etc...

When I graduated Highschool and went to college I lost my lifting partner and started just running on the treadmill with a little bit of weights nsted of lifting weights for 3 hours. The running led to a 5k then a 10k then a half marathon etc...I am very competitive so I enjoyed this. I started working for the gym I was training at as a personal trainer etc...I was between 195-205 and ripped as well as cardivascular in shape. I started swimming a lot and then started doing triathlons which I could do well at since I was a clydesdale...

Then I gotta girlfreind...she didnt like that I had dated just about every hot chick in the gym and wanted me to spend less and less time in the gym. After about 4 months of no more running, swimming, riding lifting, etc... I started packing fat on fast...I quit the job as a trainer at the gym since I always hated when fat people would tell people how to work out...to this day I hate it and I know a lot about training but I dont give recommendations to anyone since im a fat guy and if I know so much why am I fat?

So after I quit the gym I basically just stopped working out altogehter...lost my whole core of freinds I had trained with, burned bridges etc...

So a year later I was up to 260 then a year later 280 and it kept packing on about 20 lbs per year and I didnt really care, I still had a hot ass girlfreind and as long as I was getting laid...who really gives a ****, know what I mean.

Well I got sick of the girlfreind and her family and kicked her to the curb about 2 years ago...when I did this I said...well I guess I gotta lose some weight if I want to get some trim again....well I was still able to get trim easily so the weight didnt bother me and I didnt lose any.

Then I met the girl ive been with now for over a year now and she doesnt care that im fat but she cares that its not healthy and seeing as she is a soccer player and works out a lot...she motivates me sometimes to work out but wont pull my arm to do it.

Now we are here today...336 lbs. Girlfreind doesnt care other then its unhealthy, but now im determined to drop the pounds...why? Well I race dirtbikes and I screwed up my knee about 3 months ago bad and it is diagnosed with a torn MCL and ACL. well I dont want to do surgery so my options are...work out and build up the legs and lose weight or have surgery...so that is my motivation to drop weight.

So the barrier of "wow im grossly fat how did this happen" never came...the day I stopped getting laid, would have been that barrier...so now I have a not so vain reason to lose weight and I am going to do everything I can to drop it so I dont have to have knee surgery. I just put a deposit on a Kona hoss that is being upgraded nicely and I pick it up sunday or tuesday...

Heres a picture from 2001 or 2 im by the basketball net
http://animalhousedesigns.net/old/pool.jpg

Another one working on a quad for the owner of the gym I worked at
http://animalhousedesigns.net/old/quadwrenchin.jpg

and this is me now (red shirt)...

http://animalhousedesigns.net/05SF25...s/IMG_7326.jpg

The one thing that sucks about being fat is clothes and gear when it comes to sports. If I would have had asterisks(knee braces) my knee would have never hyper extended and my ACL and MCL would not be torn but their XL braces dont fit me. Now im getting into cycling again and I cant even find an MTB chamois baggy short to fit...The stock fork on the bike I am purchasing was at half travel just cruising so I need to upgrade to an air fork...the suspension on my dirtbikes when I buy them is never adequate since its made for 160lb guy...leathers, chest protectors, elbow pads, boots...you name it.

The thing I always told myselfy when I lost all my weight a few years back is "nothing tastes as good as being thin" and its true but its hard to live that way...its a unrealistic lifestyle. I was in a gym hours a day, in a pool, on a bike, etc...eating like a horse, 150 a month on supplements and special foods...how can you not lose weight that way? I dont want to do that again because I dont want my life to be dictated by the gym. I want a regular life and all my hobbies but I want to drop weight and it will come, but not near as rapid as it did back then.

So in conclusion...the barrier is "when you can no longer get laid by good looking girls" or when you are injured and losing weight is the only way to fix it without surgery...and if the latter didnt happen, who knows how big I would have got until I stopped getting some and hit the "barrier".

Nothing tastes as good as being thin? Ribs. Snickers after a hard ride. Those skinnies don't know how good food can be, damn them.

I've always been big and a few years ago took up powerlifting (basically 'cos the gym wasn't getting me thin but I was putting up some pleasing numbers). I got big, wheezy and slow - on the bike, my commute times got longer, and my knees started to pack in.

That was the trigger for me, getting wheezy climbing a flight of stairs. Reluctantly (very, very reluctantly) I quit the heavy lifting and got into more bike miles, started running, researched thermogenics, bribed myself heavily with toys, and all that good stuff.

I've always been a big guy. I was the fat kid in school. When I graduated high school I was about 6'2" and 265lbs. In college, I lost a little weight doing slim fast, but quit because I couldn't afford the slim fast shakes. A few years ago, I lost a little weight playing racquetball, but my r-ball partner stopped playing so I quit that too.

About a year ago, my grandfather had open heart surgery. My other grandfather died a few years earlier from heart problems. I had been diagnosed as a diabetic about 3 years prior. On a family vacation in DC, we were walking from the Lincoln memorial to the train stop in Arlington Cemetary. My daughter noticed that I was having a hard time with the walk over the bridge. I was 310lbs that day.

I realized at that point, that all the previous successes I'd acheived in losing weight were tied to an expensive product or an activity that involved someone else. That night I went to a book store and started looking for an exercise program that didn't require a specific time, place, equipment or another person. I bought a book on Yoga and have been doing it every single day without exception.

I also started a way of eating (aka diet) called SugarBusters. It's basically concerned with whole foods, lower carbs (but includes fruits and veggies) and eating things that have values lower on the glycemic index.

Early this spring someone at work noticed that I was drinking 2 or 3 44oz diet cokes a day at work and mentioned that the caffeine might not be so good for me. Since that comment, I've only had water or milk to drink...mostly water.

About 8 weeks ago, I decided that one of my favorite things to do as a kid was to ride my bike. I could do it with friends or alone and have a lot of fun. So, I bought a hybrid. 3 weeks ago I rode it for 50 miles on my first organized ride and realized that although it's a great bike, it's not made for distance. 2 weeks ago, I bought a road bike (Giant OCR2) and yesterday I rode my first solo metric (66.5mi) and feel pretty good. I tipped the scales at 240 this morning.

My points are:
1. I was always heavy, so I never had any moments of true disgust or elation. I just always felt like I wanted to be more healthy.
2. I've learned that you can't rely on gimmicks, products or other people to make you more healthy.
3. I've slowly added (or rather taken away) things in my lifestyle that make more sense and I try to stick with them, biking is just the latest thing I've added.

Like most folks who've lost weight and made healthy improvements in their life, I have a nagging fear in the back of my mind that I'll return to my previous state. Each morning when I get on the scale and I'm a pound or so heavier (often due to water) I sort of freak out and think I'm back-sliding. Then I say to myself...."Listen, Idiot: a year ago you were a mess, yesterday you rode 66.5 miles on a bike! You're doing the right things. Just keep it up."

The most surprising thing has been to me that I've made some serious improvements without beating myself up. There have been precious few times in the past year that I've felt like I was suffering or really punishing my body. Most of the time, I've made calm, quiet choices and done gentle, enjoyable physical activities that have created positive results. No starvation diets, no crying and grunting in the gym....just small increases in activity and sensible eating. Someone recently asked: "When will you be finished with this diet and exercise program?" I sort of looked at them a little confused. Why would I want to stop? It's better than what I was doing before and it's a healthy lifestyle. My goal used to be to lose weight by eating a certain way and exercising. Now my goal is to continue to eat this way and enjoy the exercise.

The means has become the end.

Your question seems genuine, and it doesn't anger me. I see weight as a bit like a really bad smell. If it comes on suddenly, you notice and react to it more promptly, but if it grows slowly, you accomodate and never really react to it till something or someone points out that it's really smelly. That something is often a medical issue, and that someone is often a partner or friend (or both!).

I was a top-notch athlete in high school, but I began to put on weight in college. In graduate school in the late 70s I took up cycling (someone - girlfriend, and now wife) and got into shape. Over the 20 years since my doctoral work, I put the weight on again. Three years ago (something - type II diabetes) I did the same thing: eating better, gym for strength, cycling. I still have a ways to go.

Weight and fitness is a complex issue (my doctorate is in animal physiology from Cornell University - what a beautiful place to bike!), and simplifying it as simply a matter of will power is, well, simply not on. Will power is certainly a component, but it is a tough gig.

If you want a look at some of the complex interactions among mental health, physical health, and cycling, read Mike Magnuson's book Heft on Wheels. Not pretty, but pretty honest, I think.

Good luck and good health to all.

- Jim

I'm sorry if you've been hurt before but it sounds like you have some emotional issues that lead you to believe it's better to be overweight. The truth is our bodies are one of, if not, the only things we have a requirement to take care of. If you want to die early, that's fine, but don't play the guilt game on people who are healthy and who genuinly want to help. I used to be overweight. One day I saw a picture of myself on a carousel and I couldn't believe how far I had let myself go. My goal was to look better yes, but then it became to live a healthy life. Nothing should "put that off". Our bodies are our priority. We only get one and if we **** it up we're screwed. I think it is sad that you really feel that you like being overweight because of the reactions of the opposite sex. I really do.

I just finished this book yesterday. Very enlightening.

Thanks for the replies everyone I feel it really quite genuinely interesting to hear peoples view points on exercise and eating. It seems to me that a lot of people feel in order to be in decent shape you have to commit yourself to many hours down the gym and be depriving yourself of all the foods you like. I think what it comes down to is rather than dieting, making exercise and eating a lifestyle choice. You can still have that bit of cake, just eat in moderation, I think the same goes for any “bad” foods really. Dewbert I think you hit the nail on the head about finding a form of exercise that doesn’t rely on others and that basically you enjoy.

I’m sorry if my question upset anyone, I just like to get other peoples perspectives on the matter.

You have some issues to deal with, your excessive unhealthy weight gain is just a syptom of those issues. I used to sound a lot like you, but one day through circumstances partly beyond my control I woke up to myself and pulled myself out of denial and when I looked in the mirror I finally saw the truth - a lazy fat a$$ slob with a one way express ticket to an early death. So I accepted the $h!tty things in my life that I realised I couldn't change, dealt with my issues, and now I'm on the road to better health. Now I'm actually happy, not just in a state of perpetual denial shounting to the world "I am happy, leave me the f**k alone" in an angry voice like I used to.

I hope you find peace too some day.

I'm not horribly overweight. I don't own a scale, but when I go to a department store, I usually check and see. I figure I'm about 225lbs at 6'2".

For ever, I weighed 185-190lbs, which was a perfect weight for me (I'm a big frame), and I would brag (and it was true) that I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain weight.

Then something happened - I hit 30. All of a sudden, I looked in the mirror and I had a gut. My jeans were too tight around the waist and I had to buy new clothes. I found myself sucking in my gut in the mirror.

Anyway, I think what happened was a combination of age, with it's decrease in metabolism, as well as less exercise. I was working rather than working out. I used to play sports all the time, but now I was generally lazy.

So now, I've bought a bike and intend on getting back down to my 185lbs where my body belongs. I'm cutting back on some of the fattier foods I love and laughing at those 16 year olds who are bragging now like I used to when I was their age.

Beware, those 3000 calorie days WILL catch up to you.

Well, I've lost 190 lbs in a little over two years. I was oer 400 lbs when I started. My doctor was recommending gastric bypass surgery, but I asked her to let me try losing on my own. And that's how it started. Here are some pictures to show you where I was and where I have come to. I weigh about 20 lbs less than in the latest photo. Need to take new pix...

cheers,

Karl (who exercises 60-90 minutes cardio 6x a week and also 30 mins strength conditioning 5x a week and eats as little processed food as possible, mostly whole foods)

"Each morning when I get on the scale and I'm a pound or so heavier (often due to water) I sort of freak out and think I'm back-sliding. Then I say to myself...."

This is so true! If I eat one meal where I eat 1/2 bowl too much, I panic. Did I blow it? I'm going to be out of shape again! The weight will come back!!

I'm only 5'1", and was up to 130 last summer. I'm 120 now, and have 5 pounds more I'd like to lose. I'm no stick, and I think 115 would be a good weight for my height and age. Fitness is a huge reason too. It was climbing onto a chair, and feeling shaky and jittery about it...like an old lady afraid to fall and I was 45! Good grief.

Life is better with a bike.

I have never been super overweight but at 6'6", 255 is a little much (I should be about 200 pounds). When I was younger (i.e. 16) I would eat anything I wanted too, and the weight got packed on. I never knew at that point that I had a problem that along with not being able to smell, messed with my metabolism (amoung with other things related to being a guy). In 1 year working in a fast food resturant I gained 60 pounds.

Over the next years (until about 21 years old) I just said that was my weight, but I would be embarassed to go swimming at a friends house, etc. In 2000 I first found out I had a problem but before that I had been better about diet, but their weight would not come off, no physical activity. My lack of strength detoured me from playing sports, etc so I never did, I just hid in the library.

When I started cycling the weight started comming off, now I am 222 and I need to lose another 20 pounds. I never felt out of shape then but now I really relize how bad I was at the time. What bothers me is that people say, wow you are 225, you are huge, lose weight. I already have lost 35 approx pounds in a little over 6 months and the weight keeps on coming off... even between my first and last race, 4 months ago I look amazingly different.

You can not control genetics but you can control yourself. No one chooses to be fat, but you can take ignititive to get less fat...

There are as many reasons for being over weight as there are people who are overwieght. Stress played a major factor in my climb through the poundage. I started out at eighteen, 6-0 and 105 pounds. My metabolism was such that I had to work out intensely in the gym to stay that skinny, otherwise I was cadaverous. I could drop below a hundred pounds just by thinking about it. Health-wise, though quite strong and even "chisled" I think is the phrase today, I was sick a lot. Caught every bug that came around, suffered from montezuma's revenge frequently. Could not describe myself as healthy. Well, years passed, marriage and children came along. Didn't have time to work out as much, but since I was now master of my own destiny (aren't all 22 year olds?) I ate what I wanted and did pretty much as I pleased. Paid no attention to the changes going on other than the fact that I occasionally had to buy some new clothes. Not because they were worn out, but because they didn't fit any more. My weight climbed steadily to about 160, and leveled off there for several years. My folks said that I had finally "filled out". Wasn't sick anymore, and as I had a very physical job, I stayed quite strong, though not as chisled. Had a few love handles. Life was good.

Then came an important promotion. Less physical, lots more stress and little knowledge of ways to relieve it. I went from 160 to 190, then 215, all the way to 265. My blood pressure was up, I suffered from heartburn 24-7. Marriage was having difficulty, had some money troubles, That was 5 years ago. I was trying to figure out what to do. Food was the only thing that provided comfort. Booze caused too much pain and fueled the heartburn. Then it happened....I tried to do something that I had done most of my life and found it nearly impossible. I had ridden bikes since I was a child. At 15, I thought nothing of a 20 mile ride. That was my only means of transportation before I got my own car. Well, during one of the difficult times at home, I decided to go to the mailbox. My old bike was sitting there, so I hopped on it, and headed off. My mailbox is nearly a mile from my house. Well, 2/3's of the way there, I thought I was going to die. Had no breath, heart pounding in my ears, I was exhausted. It was at that point that I decided that this was not going to work. Things had to change.

Well, the job that was killing me got replaced, I cut out the comfort food. I didn't go on any particular diet, but I had gotten into the frame of mind that if 1 donut was good, 6 was better. If a glass of milk and 3 or 4 cookies was good, a half gallon and a whole package was better. I still eat donuts and cookies, but reasonable amounts. The marriage, well, that's still a work in progress. We've been together a long time, and we intend to make it. Anyway, I started riding again, this time with the ride as the point instead of merely to get somewhere. I also hike and backpack, and now, I can handle a 12-15 mile ride, or a 20 mile hike and really feel good at the end of the day. As for the weight, I'm back down to 215, and my goal is 190. Some of the muscles are coming back too!

I can't speak for anyone else of course, but stress and emotional distress are the greatest risks to health I've ever faced.

I was always thin in high school and college, and thought I was one of those people who didn't have to worry about her weight. Wrong! When I lost one of my parents when I was 23, I started doing some serious grief eating. I honestly didn't know I had gained weight until I got a roll of film back and saw myself, and realized -- whoa, I'm overweight! That was the moment I realized I had to do something about it.

It was very difficult because I had gotten in bad eating habits -- having a soda for breakfast, for example. (Now I wonder how I could stomach that!) But I changed my habits gradually -- really gradually until they didn't feel like a penance for being overweight, but the way I wanted to eat because it made me feel good physically -- and got back to a healthy weight. I'm still not as light as I was in high school/college, but who it? ;)

Hm. I can understand most of what you're saying, and it makes a certain amount of sense, but as for this statement, I can't speak for all guys, but for my part, I can tell you that this is completely wrong. As far as I'm concerned, I don't mind that type of attention.
At all.

If anything, it would motivate me to be even more fit. Where do I sign up for that kind of attention? I'm not getting it now and I'm relatively in shape, 6'0" and 170", down 15lbs from last year, including more muscle, so I've done a little getting in shape myself. It took initiative, and still does. I'm not the type who's just naturally had a good body all my life.

I'm not saying your perspective is wrong, just that not everyone looks at it the same way as you. It is true that a growing percentage of Americans is overweight/obese, but that doesn't diminish the negative effects it has. It is also true that getting and staying in shape can at times be inconvenient, but in my mind, one has to weigh the negatives versus the negatives of being unhealthy. To me, the choice is clear. I make time. Almost anyone can find 2 hours somewhere in a week of 168 to devote to maintaining a modicum of health. If someone doesn't mind being overweight, then I have no problem with that, but someone claiming they do want to be healthy, but are unable makes me somewhat skeptical. Unwilling perhaps, but everyone has the ability.

I will admit that I do have the advantage of not making emotional associations to unhealthy food. I guess I'm the rare type who doesn't understand the concept of comfort food, or eating due to depression. I pretty much eat when I'm hungry, or otherwise know I need more energy or calories. I don't know how hard it is to break out of that cycle. Perhaps that's the most challenging part. I don't know. Which is not to say I only always eat the healthiest food. I have my share of burgers and ice cream too, but in moderation.

Anyway, I hope you don't take this negatively. That is not my intention by any stretch. But I also think you are being overly defensive by being angered by the OP. He asked a serious straight forward question, yet you seemed to take it as a personal insult. I think it was as straight forward and objective as possible.

Best regards,
Recursive

Well I guess I will chime in as I have been / am there.
I was always a little big in all years of school I was the kid that was picked on till high school when I hit 6'4 and people were scared to pick on me anymore but trust me I wasn't thinner. I steadily gained weight all my life. I would always use the scale at my grandma's house and say if I get this heavy will diet, then I would pass it and it would be the next big whole number. Well that went on till after 300 lbs then I had no idea what I weighed till one day I got something in my eye real bad and went to the doctor, and I tipped the scale at 404, well I just shrugged it off till February 2005 when I started my current job and they had a big shipping scale that went to 1000lbs. Well when no one was around that morning I hopped on waiting / hoping for the same 404-425 area but it was 452!!! That's when I said omg what am I thinking!!! My dad died last year from heart problems, grandpa died of heart problems I need to get my $**** together!! Well that moment I made a decision I would start a diet right then. Not tomorrow, not next week now. I have been on that diet since and this morning I weighed in at 338 surpassing my goal of 340lbs by my birthday. That's 114lbs since February 1st 2005 I never meant to loose it that fast or be in the shape I am in now I just wanted to be healthier, well now that I have done this and inspired so many of my friends and family I feel almost obligated to succeed to my real goal I will be fit and trim one day, I will get to my dream weight of 225 in great shape I love the feeling of helping people make good decisions and love the way I feel now. Weather when I get to my weight I have to get skin reduction surgery or not I don't care I will be in great shape for my self and my health, and also to let everyone I possibly can know that you can be horribly.morbidly over weight and turn it around!! Anyone can do it. You would be amazed at the things that have changed in my life and I am still way over weight. If I can ever help anyone or give anyone inspiration let me know. my website is in my sig www.thelug.com and you can email me or pm me I will always be glad to help!

J.W.

I think that you have some issues within your self that need to be worked out. I said for a long time that i didnt mind being over weight but it wasnt true now that i am losing weight. If you honestly believe what you are saying then i feel no shame for you, but i believe that you dont want to be that way and you are just making excuses for not wanting to make the time. You need to help yourself before anyone else will help you!

J.W.

That's not my experience at all. I have never once felt like an object or like eye candy. The fitter I get, the stronger and more self-sufficient I feel. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

In looking up the exact wording of that quote, I find that she also said, "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility." I think that about sums up my feelings on the subject.

I have never been overweight, but my body was not always a top priority. I cared a little about eating a good diet, but otherwise I didn't really exercise and wasn't THAT careful about what I ate. But last spring, before my 25th birthday, I realized that these are my 20s. This is my physical peak, and what I do now will determine how my health progresses into middle age and beyond. I am laying the foundation for a vibrantly healthy maturity by treating my body as well as humanly possible now. The strong connective tissues, the healthful diet full of antioxidants, the heart healthy exercise and the bone building resistance training: I'm putting money in the bank that my middle aged self can cash in on in spades.

Very nicely put. I hadn't heard that 2nd quote before, but it's very appropriate. Thx.

On the surface, it would be easy to agree with you on this part. But from my own experience, I would like to urge you not to wait till "a health issue arises" If that issue is a heart attack, it will be very difficult to recover either physically or financially. And I'm not talking about dying. If your frame is designed to carry a 150 pound person, and you make it carry twice or 3 times that, it will wear out faster. Your joints will fail, your heart will be in danger. And have you checked the price of prescription medication lately? A lot of extremely large folks find themselves suffering from obesity induced diabetes, gout, and an assortment of other problems that are directly related to being too heavy. It would be very possible that you would find yourself bedfast, possibly for years. I don't know about you, but I could not live that way.

As for walking around naked, I do that anyway, and feel less self concious than in riding shorts.