1. I was never fat, and so I am probably insensitive to the pain that comes with being a fat person in our society. It was not my intention to hurt or to cause pain but rather to discuss an important topic that, especially as a mom, I am trying to resolve. Even though this topic is obviously painful for a lot of people, I do not intend to stop talking about it, and I do not intend to accept that being overweight, as a person or as a society, is OK. However, I truly am sorry about the pain that this topic has obviously caused some of you.

2. The “fat tax” is not a tax that would be levied on fat people, but a tax on soda, sweets and fast food.

3. I think that this article on why “fat pride” is a bad idea is interesting. Thank you Dr. J of Calorie Lab for forwarding it to me.

4. “Lori” and “Living The Questions,” sorry but I had to delete a couple of your comments that were addressed at my regular readers, because I do not allow random readers of this blog to harass my regular readers.

5. Lorierrico, Of course overweight people can look fine. A few years ago, my husband and I were quite surprised to learn from his doctor that he was overweight. He had been gaining slowly and steadily, maybe 2 pounds per year, but after about ten years, at the age of 40, it was becoming a problem. While he looked fine, the doctor had explained that his rising BMI, coupled with the fact that he was gaining most of the weight around his belly, were putting him at an increased risk for heart disease. Unlike the Fat Acceptance folks, he had made the choice to lose the weight. He did so gradually, over the course of a year, and while the first couple of weeks were tough (he felt hungry all the time), he quickly got used to watching his portions, limiting his soda intake and exercising daily. He’s in great shape now and feels wonderful – better than he felt ten years ago, in fact. Having said that, I did remove the photo of the very obese person from this post and have replaced it with a more neutral one, since I agree that it did not represent how most overweight people look.

6. Heidi, B. Adu, LexieDi, Erylin and Knowledge1913 – This post is about portion control and mindful eating. Gorging on large amounts of junk food while not even paying attention to what one is eating are bad choices regardless of a person’s size. Yes, I am working hard on limiting my own junk food intake and on teaching my kids to be satisfied with a small cone of ice cream. It’s a daily struggle, but I’m choosing to fight the temptations. In this regard, I am thankful for Michelle Obama’s important campaign against childhood obesity and her own efforts with her own family that she openly talks about- drinking more water, eating out less and monitoring portion sizes.

7. LexieDi and Knowledge1913 – While I accept that a small percentage of fat people are fat because of illnesses or slow metabolisms, I believe doctors say that in the vast majority of cases, the obesity epidemic is caused by eating too much and exercising too little. So for most of us it’s a choice – no doubt influenced by a ruthless, careless food industry – but still, a choice.

8. Atchka! and BB – I can’t agree with you that fat and health are unrelated. Of course some thin people are sick and some fat people are healthy (my own dad is overweight and very healthy, thank god), but as a general rule, there are numerous studies that show a clear link between excess weight and high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and other serious conditions.

9. Amy, Miriam Heddy and SC – I realize you’re angry and hurting, and as I said before, I am sorry about that. But you seem to believe that when you think someone is wrong and would like them to see your point of view, your best course of action is to attack them personally. I am sorry to tell you that it didn’t work here, and it usually doesn’t.

I am 5″9″ tall and weigh over 200 pounds. I get checked for diabetes every time I walk into my Dr. office( and I pay for the lab work myself) …I do not have it….I exercise regularly, I measure, write down every bite I eat, I eat organically, and carefully….I believe for all the cancer/chemo I have had in my life my body is protecting me….non-stop…..I almost never eat in public or on planes or trains, because I get such nasty comments. I have taught a teen “style” program for years with a dietitian and we can no longer get kids to sign up for it…just like my marriage preparation classes…..it is very hard to be the small folks competing against the MacDonalds etc…..I watched Supersize ME, Food, INC. and keep hoping I can get other’s to understand.

I have done numerous weight loss programs and have been approached about having the weight on my upper arms surgically removed. I don’t think I look much like the person in the picture, but I most of all hate what people feel free to say to me….

I think programs like the BIGGEST LOSER and even Oprah and Dr. Oz help….(though I do not really watch TV)

WE NEED EDUCATION – because Greed is driving us to the brink …..what will we do when there is no clean water left? No CSA farms? No Health Care? I am more embarrassed by being the US citizen in my family than by my heaviness.

Maybe I am with Mother Theresa on this one: “There is enough bread in the world, but not enough love and appreciation.”

I think we have reached the rats in the cage…..eating each other and attacking….

What I feel for the obese is sadness. I think it starts in childhood and is predominately nurtured, rather than a genetic predisposition. I doubt any outside influence from any agency can stop obesity or mandate against it. Support group can certainly help. But change, as all change must come from within. And if all a person has ever known is being fat it will most likely be a harder battle than someone who was always thin, then put on weight.

Then, I found the “truth” all of these anti-fat people want to drill into our heads – it wasn’t just the weight that was bad, it was the fat itself, and I’d have to stop eating and exercise more to make it go away. So I did, and lost my job, my college career, and almost my life. It’s ironic, I was anorexic and admitted to a hospital eating disorder unit, but never looked thin because I still had excess skin from my previous fat. If only I had learned how unacceptable eating and being overweight were earlier in life, before the age of 19. Maybe I could’ve skipped the weight gain and bulimia and went straight to restricting in 5th grade, rather then binging or purging. I could’ve been a skinny role model or another dead teenager, but at least I wouldn’t have been another fatass around to pollute society with my appearance.

Seriously, what do people want? Are they that offended by unperfect bodies that they’d rather encourage starvation or see us all drop dead or locked away than put up with a few extra pounds? Without some form of fat acceptance or positivity, that’s what it will take, because it’s pretty damn hard to take care of yourself and get healthy, at any size, when you are hating yourself and shamed by others. People get healthy by loving themselves and seeing themselves as worthy of taking care of, and that takes acceptance, not judgment.