Fat = Low Self Esteem?!?!?!

[whiterabbit 2]

Okay I have to rant a little bit here. I am so sick and tired of people assuming that because I am fat that I have a low self esteem. :tt1:

It really rubs me the wrong way for others to simply assume what my body image is.

I guess its more of a question that a rant. Why do YOU think that people believe that way? Do you believe that way and if so why?

[Humming Bird 275]

yes, I guess being fat has taken a toll on my self esteem, but not a real big toll. In general it makes me feel bad about the way I look. It does not make me feel bad about the person I am.

[btrieger 21]

I believe that way because I live it and it is usually true.

From the time we are kids and can't keep up with the other, our esteem takes a hit.

[Jachut 487]

I agree, its a distinction between liking your appearance and liking yourself as a person.

I never had a problem with self esteem in terms of my value as a person, and what I had to offer.

But I was very down on how I looked. At a BMI of 35, I felt blobby, slobby, lazy and disgusting. I use those words on purpose becuase I truly DID feel that way about myself. And comparing the way I live now, there's no way around it, I really WAS a lazy slob. We all have it within us to do what we need to do and when we're living in a way that means inactivity, bad eating etc, we KNOW we're not doing our very best. So how can we feel really good about that?

I'm not one to make excuses for that sort of behaviour - I believe it is a choice and it can be changed. The only thing I find offensive about thin people assuming fat people are lazy is that many thin people are lazy too! But I dont think living in that way can be good for your self esteem. Unless you're one of the rare ones who got fat whilst eating well and exercising regularly.

But I always felt I was a good person who just needed to change certain behaviours.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Jachut

[maryrose 2]

This is a really great post!

You make a really good point! I don't think I had low self- esteem, but may have been more self-conscious about the way I looked.

Something interesting though, and I hate to admit this, but since the weight loss I do notice some, not all, people are actually nicer to me. That REALLLY bothers me to no end.

I have seen this in my own family and that really hurts.