Just wondering...do you think fat is contagious?

Holly's post prompted me to think back to a recent article i read about how friends can affect your health habits. The article insinuated that fat friends may adversely affect you. In some amount of fairness, the article went on to say that you might be an inspiration to a fat friend. And I was thinking how unfair that notion is, for a lot of reasons. I mean, i think i get the gist of the article...are your friends lazy and eat too much, therefore influencig you to eat ?  The fact that they may be fat seems to be aside from the point.  So anyway, do you think that there are people in your life who do affect how YOU eat and exercise? Can you, or have you flipped that deal to influence them?

Yes, I think the caption is somewhat true.  My dh is overweight and used to bring home ice cream for me, even when I told him not to.  It would be a kind that only I liked, so I felt I had to eat it.  He would sabbatoge me so much.  He won't exercise with me, so I found girl friends to do that with, so that's not an issue. When I was about to have bypass surgery, he then knew I meant business.  So when I cancelled the surgery and told him that I was going to do it the old fashioned way and to PLEASE not tempt me, he listened...mostly.  He doesn't bring home ice cream any more, but he does want to go out to eat a lot.  Which, I know, I could order a salad, etc., but it's hard to watch someone eat good stuff while I eat what I would prefer not to. My dh dieted with me at first, but went astray.  That didn't stop me this time.  I continued (for the most part).  His weight issue is his problem, and I will not be manipulated into staying fat just cuz he wants to.    So, I wish he would join me in my efforts, but oh well! Bren

I have friends who have both encouraged and sidetracked me with health and weight loss. I think it depends entirely upon how comfortable the friend is with their size. If they are taking the steps to be healthier, work out, and lose weight, they can be an inspiration. But on the other hand, I also have friends who are very large and say that they're perfectly fine with it or even flaunt it. I find that the more I spend time with these friends, the more lax I become in my health habits.

i think that who you have for friends can influence you completely. even family members. i come from a big family (literally). they eat lots of comfort foods so, when i go there, there's not much for me to eat. (they don't know that i am dieting it's better that way for me, so i don't get asked everyday from them how much did you lose what r u doing...blah blah). and you get comfortable with your larger friends if they aren't trying to get healthy themselves, so if temptation is in front of you you may just eat it, and then start to fall back into habits you were trying to quit. but if you have smaller friends who go to the gym and help encourage you it's kind of more of a motivation..espicially if you go shopping with them. that's from personal experience...b/c when i go shopping with my niece who is like a size 8 or 10 i don't feel like i am having that good a time b/c i have to go to the plus size while she gets all the cute little stuff...but when i go shopping with my sister who is just slightly bigger than me it's okay cause we can stay in the same area and have somewhat of a good time. even though we don't always want to admit, who we hang out with us influences alot of our habits and life style in general.       i think that your large friends have to be willing to want to be influenced. for example if they see you losing weight and looking healthier, etc, it may encourage them. it's all about the will for any and everyone to want to do it. but it can happen. your friends just have to want to see you and how your health is changing and as long as they want the same for themselves,  they can be influenced.

Totally.

Friends: 

I have friends who turn the guilt on to me for not agreeing to eat their homebaked goodies.

"But I made it especially because I knew you were coming over"

"Come on, only have a small piece, you've tried so hard you deserve a treat"

"I can't have a piece by myself, share one with me"

 

Family:

Not so much for eating- more the workouts- they would use excuses to try and talk me out of it: too hot, cold, rainy, dark, late.... tired etc.

 

My answer to friends:

It looks sooo yummy, I wish I hadn't eaten at home- can I take it with me for later? (give it to the kids)

To Family:

I just get on my exercise bike and do it myself. Go solo.

 

Em

Oh yes, i know there have been people in my life who trigger me to eat more. (or use drugs and smoke cigs, but that is for another day's discussion). I have avoided or cut off relations with those who are very detrimental to my health. My own DH, who is not super fat, just could stand to lose about 30#, is the most pressing one. He drags home really good food for us, including bags of chips. I wish he would not, but it is my battle here, not his. I have dealt with that. As for most of our friends  the crowd we see the most is about 6-8 couples: All love to hike, bike, camp, dance (my dh and i are the most active, though, far and away) a few are overweight, most are 'normal" weight all love to eat and cook My family: one DD is pretty health conscious (eats okay, exercises regularly), although both DD's smoke! youngest DD is very heavy right now, and no end in sight. She chooses the WORST foods, we tease her about it. hates to exercise at all, i mean never. the boys are getting husky now that they both eat out lots. Both could stand to lose at least 20# one DS likes to get outside and move around in fits and spurts, the other - never, ever. my GS, very little, do make it hard for grandma to stay n the wagon - when they are over, they snack a lot, so it tends to make me do that too. However, they are all active little guys and there is not much sitting around - we are out on bikes, climbing dirt hills, hiking by the river, etc.