Originally Posted by
The Historian
I'll add that to the list of excuses....
"American culture made me fat!"
"My parents made me fat!"
"My race/ethic background made me fat!" (Thank you, Starr Jones.)
And now:
"My friends are fat, and so....."
Sorry, I don't buy it. I can see a friendship breaking up because obesity was all you had in common with someone, but in that case it doesn't strike me as a strong friendship anyway. If you change your lifestyle it might mean you spend less time with someone because you do different things, but there's no need to end a friendship because you lose weight and they don't. You are the only one who picks up the fork. No one makes you fat but you.
BTW, while on the subject, I've learned an awful lot about who my friends are over the past six months while I recover from my running injury. You would be surprised at just how many people, and who, tossed me aside when I ceased to be "awesome."
Although I see your point, Historian, in that we need to accept responsiblity for our own actions, I also know how bad company can influence (bad) decisions. For example, I have friends that made a social event out of going to local eateries--pastramis, BBQ, etc... Difficult to avoid over eating if I hung out with them, and so, I no longer do. And the fact that I don't want to became a point of contention and further drove us apart.
Same with, unfortunately, significant others--it becomes a divisive point when one is striving to self-improve and the other wants to wallow in "complacency." Maybe not insurmountable, but undeniably tough...