Every woman should read this! VERY inspirational...I'd rather be a whale

Ladies I think you all need to take a step back and realize that although all your points are valid and most of us understand where you are coming from, Glen is who he is and he isn't going to change ANY of his opinions. Just like he won't sway yours and getting upset over what he is saying isn't doing anyone any good.

I'm a "whale." Do I have health issues that make it hard for me to lose the weight? Yep. Do I care what men (or women) think of me when they look at me? I used to. As I have gotten older I have been able to accept myself much more. People judge on first appearances. It's sad but it's true. So it won't matter how intelligent I am, what a great sense of humor I may have or what my medical condition is. It won't matter that my "lazy" ass worked a full-time and a part-time job to save up money to buy the house of my dreams all by myself or to own a nice car and you know what. It's ok. Girls like me don't need others in our lives to bring us down...

Surround yourselves with those people who love you and accept you for you and just try to be the healthiest YOU for YOU. Not some person you will never meet or get to know.

Katebonnykate, your point is extremely valid and you are absolutely right there is a difference between being overweight and obese. It's not healthy to be that obese, however what i think is causing the problem is the way it's being stated. The comment that really struck a chord with me personally is when it was stated that it is offensive to some that bigger people fly, or go to sporting events, like because they are overweight that it's somehow wrong for them to enjoy traveling and social events. There is no reason a woman whether she's a size 0 or a size 22 or whatever can't love herself and embrace herself. If you have health problems you should try to fix them, exercise and eat right but there is no reason to be so brass about loving yourself the way you are. There are body image problems and bully problems becoming more prominent because of ignorance. No woman or man skinny or fat, is going to look the same and have the same circumstances. Nobody deserves to be judged like that.

What is obese anymore? It seems like the BMI goes down every year. I think there is a difference from being obese and unhealthy and being overweight and healthy. I'm 5'11 and overweight. Some charts say I'm obese. But my blood pressure is better than my younger sister who has not fat on her body whatsoever. I can run a mile without taking a break. My heart is healthy. My cholest. is perfect.

I'm losing weight and have lost 37 pounds so far. Before I started, I learned to love myself at the weight I was at. I embraced myself at my heaviest and I'm embracing myself now.

Do I look disgusting and unhealthy? I may need to lose another 80 pounds, but I love myself. My FI loves me and wouldn't care if I didn't lose another pound. He would only be concerned if I were unhealthy.

I just wanna say that Glenns reference to how obesity had increased insurance is also the same site that issued a way to deal with a zombie apocalypse.

Now...as someone who comes from a family, on both sides, where skinny women don't exist...my great grandmother survived to almost 90. My grandmother is 80. Both considered "obese". So...how exactly is being what standards say is overweight entirely wrong? I 100% think this countries standards of what is obese is quite frankly jacked up. It has instilled in the minds of women, and teenage girls, that body fat of any sort is just unacceptable. I am considered overweight. I am healthy. So...if my obesity has increased your insurance, I invite you to move the hell out of this country...by all means, pack your s&!t up and leave cause I guarantee I see a doctor less than you.

Miss Tattoo, you look Grrrrreat! Nice boobs :-D I agree about the BMI thing, it's ridiculous. I think it's completely out of line.

Thanks Jamie! They are the one thing pregnancy and breastfeeding didn't destroy. ha ha ha. What is obese now? BMI 30? I work in insurance and just viewed a letter of medical nec for a woman to use her FSA for a gym pass. Her BMI was 28 and her doctor said she was obese and needed a gym pass to lose weight! BMI 28!? I really had to google it because I thought obese meant BMI 40 and higher! I was seriously about to laugh in this doctors face. Apparently BMI 25-29.9 is overweight.

Try 25! Yea 25!!!!!! 5'5" 150lbs is OBESE!!! Ridiculous.........it's such bullhonky.

25 is obese now!? They all want us to have no boobs or butts anymore? Just 8th grade science room skeletons!

Briana, I'm not saying it's not uncomfortable or irritation sometimes, and yes not wanting to sit next to them is perfectly fine, but making it your business when they fly or attend sporting evens or concerts is not right. Now I'm not saying that maybe this hasn't been taken completely out of context either, because this entire post has been taken out of context, but it's a couple of hours or one day or so worth of an inconvenience, it's something that can be gotten over. We all have problems, there is always going to be something about somebody that not everybody likes, it's just sad that there is so much negative judgement in the world. I wasn't trying to offend.

Yup, stupid. I will NEVER go by what some STUPID BMI calculator says. Eff that, every single person's body is different and carries weight differently.

Changed my name for search purposes, not to duck out of the conversation

*Danielle*

I dont wanna b a whale nor a mermaid....ill be whatever is in between. THX..lol.. =)

Future Mrs. Miz I never said I make it my business, but it becomes so if I'm made uncomfortable with it, and I don't mean my business as i can tell them "go lose some weight you fat a$$" but to ask them to please move over a little bit or just get up and move myself.

And thats fine.....but it wasn't your comment i was even talking about. It's fine to ask them to please move over a little bit or to be annoyed that your in a tight situation, or even to ask to be moved is fine. Again I'm not trying to be smart or sassy, the major point here is that no matter who you are fat or thin, black or white, straight or gay, etc, you should be judged based on appearances. Thats all. I'll step up to the plate and say I'm sorry if it came out wrong or if it didn't, I honestly don't feel like people deserve to be judged like that.

Okay, I'm pretty sure everyone can agree that the term "whale" isn't the best term to refer to average sized people. Maybe the article should have used the terms... "seals", "walruses"... heck, maybe even "manatees."

Thank you Cydney for this post. I myself have struggled with weight issues my whole life and finally was able to find the "right way" to lose it with a personal trainer and learning to change my eating habits. I've gone from a size 24 to a size 14 and FH tells me in little ways everyday how gorgeous he thinks I am. I am definately reposting this on my Facebook.

I was underweight and struggled with an eating disorder when I was younger. (For the record, it is so f*cking rude to make "eat a sandwich" or "I can see her ribs" jokes. BTW, anorexia nervosa has a 10% fatality rate, which is among the highest for mental disorders.)

Recently, my weight started creeping up (thanks to that early-30s metabolism crash plus living with my husband, Captain Carb). But I'm not blubbering about whales, I'm doing something about it. I eat healthier. I spend an hour, five times a week, on the Wii Fit doing crunches and Hula Hooping. It's just plain uncomfortable to carry extra weight - the fat rolls get in the way when I'm sitting, my clothes don't fit, and I get hot easier.

I love myself at any weight. But, I love myself enough to bust my butt and get to a healthy weight. All the "girl power" in the world won't prevent a heart attack, high blood pressure or diabetes. Hard work, however, will make a HUGE difference.

Love it! And I so stole this for my FB page! LOL

Just to add a note. There have been several studies that show that overweight people who eat healthy and are active, have the same longevity as those who are not overweight. In fact, some "skinny" people who are not active and don't eat well, have a lower longevity rate than the overweight folks that are the opposite! So, it's not always just about the weight, or BMI. If you are eating veggies and cutting out the fats and moving your a$$ frequently, health-wise you can be just as healthy as the skinny folks =)