other people making unhealthy choices

[mixmaster.mewthree]

I have trouble watching my loved ones make unhealthy choices.

My father is quite overweight, and extremely out of shape since he has a job that doesn't require him to do any physical activity. He eats unhealthy all the time and slathers all his food in butter and salt, and it worries me quite a lot because my grandpa died from having a heart attack, so heart disease probably runs in my family! How can I get him to stop eating like this? It pains me everytime I see him do this, because I couldn't stand to see him die (relatively) young from a heart attack. He also used to smoke, so that doesn't help either. This summer we went hiking in the mountains together and it was really depressing, he had to stop every couple minutes because he couldn't catch his breath, and he eventually had to give up because he almost passed out. If anyone has similar stories with experiences of watching people do bad things to their body and not being able to stop them, do share! Everyone has the choice to do what they want with your body, but it can be your choice to help them make better choices!

 

[deadliestwarrior]

id just be like "daddy your fat and your going to die if you stop!". that should wake him up.

 

[Morm]

You have no control over others. If your father hasn't learned, he never will. Learn from him, don't become a thunderfat!

 

[SMZ]

Problem with overweight dad?
Put him in the matrix
Let his body burn his fat to generate ATP for the matrix
Your dad is now thin
PROFIT!

 

[SMZ]

On a more serious note, my dad, mom and brother are all overweight. Dad and mom are at least trying to cut down with healthier eating, and in my dad's case working out. My brother isn't doing anything though, I've told him some times, but if doesn't want to listen let it be, he's his own man.

 

[Morm]

like family like SMZ

 

[SMZ]

I'm slightly overweight; they're not, and I have another brother and sister who are approximately around my weight.

 

[deadliestwarrior]

On a more serious note, my dad, mom and brother are all overweight. Dad and mom are at least trying to cut down with healthier eating, and in my dad's case working out. My brother isn't doing anything though, I've told him some times, but if doesn't want to listen let it be, he's his own man.

At least you can sleep well knowing that if you ever get stranded with them somewhere you could survive off their fat for months.

 

[Altaria]

I know how it feels.

My dad is fat and overweight, drinks quite a lot of beer (no alcoholic, never drunk, but still quite some beer) and smokes. 8 years ago he quit smoking, but 4 years ago, he started smoking again and now he smokes more than ever before.

My mom is fat and overweight too. However, she doesn't drink alcohol.

I have trouble watching my loved ones make unhealthy choices.

My father is quite overweight, and extremely out of shape since he has a job that doesn't require him to do any physical activity. He eats unhealthy all the time and slathers all his food in butter and salt, and it worries me quite a lot because my grandpa died from having a heart attack, so heart disease probably runs in my family! How can I get him to stop eating like this? It pains me everytime I see him do this, because I couldn't stand to see him die (relatively) young from a heart attack. He also used to smoke, so that doesn't help either. This summer we went hiking in the mountains together and it was really depressing, he had to stop every couple minutes because he couldn't catch his breath, and he eventually had to give up because he almost passed out. If anyone has similar stories with experiences of watching people do bad things to their body and not being able to stop them, do share! Everyone has the choice to do what they want with your body, but it can be your choice to help them make better choices!

 

[SMZ]

No I wouldn't they'd decay, unless I had something to preserve their flesh/fat in. Am I seriously discussing this?

 

[Veedrock]

I have no sympathy for fat people. Same goes for smokers. I'm not looking forward to paying for their health care.

 

[deadliestwarrior]

No I wouldn't they'd decay, unless I had something to preserve their flesh/fat in. Am I seriously discussing this?

Youre a smart guy youd find a way.

 

[Morm]

I have no sympathy for fat people. Same goes for smokers. I'm not looking forward to paying for their health care.

It will be amazing when/if you succumb to a disorder or disease and someone else gets to look forward to paying for YOUR health care.

selfish fuck

 

[ivar]

It will be amazing when/if you succumb to a disorder or disease and someone else gets to look forward to paying for YOUR health care.

selfish fuck

dude there's a difference between preventable health conditions and losing a limb in a freak accident

it pisses me off that, as a canadian, i will have to pay obscene taxes so fat lards can have heart surgeries all because they gorged themselves

 

[Veedrock]

It will be amazing when/if you succumb to a disorder or disease and someone else gets to look forward to paying for YOUR health care.

selfish fuck

There's a history of cancer and diabetes in my family, lord knows I'll end up getting something eventually. And when I do, it certainly won't be something I brought upon myself, ala "unhealthy choices," the point of the topic.

It's selfish at its core but it's justified. If you smoke and get lung cancer, tough shit you had it coming. If you can/want to deal with it yourself, go for it. But I do not want my taxes paying for your mistake. I have a nice little newspaper snippet on my door at home, I'll post the statistics later on just how much this mess costs.

Canada's always been about hospitality for all so it this might be over your head. I, however, am not keen on embracing it.

 

[CaptKirby]

You really cannot control how people feel about something like getting fat or not, it is all about perception and what they want to do. I just spent about a year and a month eating whatever I want, weightlifted a little to compensate for it, and now that I am actually too fight I stopped and am making healthy choices. It is not like food controls you, that is a definite copout, it is more like you give in to every mild craving and eventually you end up fat, or for some people very fat and eventually dead. Personally I can just throw the switch on and off, this is the most I ever gained but I have gained and lost 20 pounds a lot, this is like the 5th time since 6th grade (first time it ended up being 40 pounds and not 20 though), I could see acting like that eventually killing me so I probably need to stop.

Also I want to say that unfortunately even adding in stuff that is "filling" does not really stop people from overeating; if they are going to overeat they are going to overeat. Eating is fun! Even if you convince your family to eat yogurt or chicken or fish or eggs or whatever healthy variety of foods, they will definitely pig out if they are inclined to pig out and it will not really help at all - hell they may pig out on those things instead (kind of hard with yogurt :@). The best thing you can probably do is try to get them into some honest conversation about how life feels better skinny, but I cannot imagine any delicate way to get there.

(also I want to note that skinny people also die of heart problems, life is unpredictable)

 

[Morm]

Veedrock: many truly obese people (= eating addiction, usually) and other addictions can't really "help" the fact that they are using maladaptive survival techniques. An addict can't just "put down the fork", it's more involved than that. They can't quit til they are ready and even then they need help. Still others do have the enigmatic metabolism issues or even have to take meds for other conditions that can cause massive weight gain.

You can view your contributions to health care like contributions to insurance. You may never get in a car accident or have your house burn down, but you pay it anyways. The bonus of universal health care is that you don't have to pay a deductible...so effectively you are contributing and 'banking' health care for yourself in the future- you are buying in to the right to access it when you need it.

I'm sure in 40 years people will say "Oh I don't wanna pay for veedrocks cancer and diabetes" but guess what? You'll lean on them the same as others lean on you now.

I guess being from Alaska, with that attitude, you must be a big Palin supporter. Someone in that situation shouldn't cast "over your head" stones in their wintery glass house. You clearly don't understand how universal health care works and APPEAR (don't wanna put words in your mouth so correct me if wrong) to believe that you should be entitled without helping others.

 

[Surgo]

I have trouble watching my loved ones make unhealthy choices.

My father is quite overweight, and extremely out of shape since he has a job that doesn't require him to do any physical activity. He eats unhealthy all the time and slathers all his food in butter and salt, and it worries me quite a lot because my grandpa died from having a heart attack, so heart disease probably runs in my family! How can I get him to stop eating like this? It pains me everytime I see him do this, because I couldn't stand to see him die (relatively) young from a heart attack. He also used to smoke, so that doesn't help either. This summer we went hiking in the mountains together and it was really depressing, he had to stop every couple minutes because he couldn't catch his breath, and he eventually had to give up because he almost passed out. If anyone has similar stories with experiences of watching people do bad things to their body and not being able to stop them, do share! Everyone has the choice to do what they want with your body, but it can be your choice to help them make better choices!

How much are you willing to sacrifice for your dad? Are you willing to sacrifice some of your time?

A lot of dads are really happy to do things (activities) with their kids. You can try to make one of those activities going to the gym / working out. Get a regular schedule going -- but make sure you're doing it together. You might be pleasantly surprised how happy he is to go along with it as long as he's doing it with you.

stuff

Oh look, it's the just world fallacy again. When will people finally give this up?

 

[Tsunami]

teach him and yourself how to cook

 

[Morm]

surgo I love you, that's awesome.

 

[CaptKirby]

While I can see how the just world fallacy is pretty compelling, and I would not say fat people deserve heart attacks (they are already miserable enough), how does a smoker not deserve to develop some sort of a problem? At the very least they may as well earn a nice eternal hacking, not like I need them to die or anything.

 

[Morm]

a smoker does not deserve to develop a problem because they are addicted. They likely chose to start smoking under peer pressure or during the eternal wisdom of being a teen.

 

[Jackal]

when i clicked surgo's link i expected some great article shooting down what veedrock has been talking about, but i didnt get that at all. all i got was a bunch of stuff that pretty much wasn't well written at all about how the world isnt fair.

what does that have to do with fat people and making bad choice? There are things you can control and things you cannot. Your weight is sure as fuck one of the controllable ones. There is no argument that obese people are as healthy as normal weighted people, just as there is no argument that smokers have healthier lungs than non smokers.

So sure the world isn't just, but that has nothing to do with making bad PERSONAL choices. And in Veedrock's case, not wanting to pay a price for other people making stupid decisions.

 

[(makeup)]

I had no idea other people knew about Osmosis Jones, but the dude almost died because of a virus not fat >_<

 

[Morm]

what does that have to do with fat people and making bad choice? There are things you can control and things you cannot. Your weight is sure as fuck one of the controllable ones. There is no argument that obese people are as healthy as normal weighted people, just as there is no argument that smokers have healthier lungs than non smokers.

One personal choice that isn't the best can lead to addiction of food. Honestly it's like self medicating with cheesecake. Nobody is saying that fatties and smokies are more healthy. What I am saying here is that it's not necessarily their fault. Everyone makes poor decisions, it just so happens that one or two of theirs lead to addiction and thusly to poor health. Either that or metabolic blah blah those things can exist, so can meds that are needed but turn you into a thunderfat.