Why do people obsess about weight? Can weight alone determine if you are fat?

Question

The Body Mass Index is just plain stupid. Ever since highschool it’s been telling me I’m obese. How can anyone with a washboard stomach be obese? I’ve always been proud of my body. I’ve been swimming 10 years, I was on the swim team in middle school, H.S., and college. People ask me if I lift weights, I don’t, it’s boring, so I swim a lot, and play a lot of baseball and football so I don’t have to do something as boring as lifting weights. I have big pecs, big arms, super thick thighs, claves, and a big butt. I take every single shirt I have to the tailor because they have to be custom fitted since I have a 32 inch waist and a 49 inch back. People always tell me I’m skinny; I have a small waist, and I have a thin face.

I hate when people get obsessed about their weight, I always proudly tell them, “I’m 220 pounds, that weight doesn’t matter”. John Cena is just as tall as I am, and he weighs 240, does anyone call him fat?

Why do people obsess about their weight?

Answer 1

I agree, weight is not as important as fitness and health. People can have a low weight and look bigger because they have flab, or have a higher weight and look great because it's all muscle.

Answer 2

I totally agree, they should just scrap BMI and measure body fat percentage instead. You are clearly healthy, probably have a very high muscle mass and good body fat percentage. You may also have a larger frame, which will also add to your weight and BMI doesn't take this into account.

People obsess about weight, because society and the media make such a big deal about being a particular weight, dress size, body shape, etc. People that are insecure or prone to body image issues are all too easily influenced by the media and suffer from low self esteem because of the pressure to be thin.

HTH : )

Answer 3

some people, mainly girls, just people on how fat they are by looking at their weight. weight definately doesn't determine fatness, since muscles are way heavier than fat. people like to be called beautiful, and i guess they use the number on the scale to determine if they are thin enough to brag to everyone about. it's just a psychological effect.

(but on the other hand, if you are short and weigh almost 200 pounds and always complain about not getting three cookies for dessert instead of two, DO NOT convince yourself that you are all muscle because everyone around you are puking because they can see your rolls hang out)

and good for you for being confident about your body :)

Answer 4

Truly the whole Height/weight ratio deal really only seems to work (The way it's supposed to..)for a small fraction of people.

I am in the same boat with you.. I have never fit with that whole scale. IMO My ideal weight is around 205 pounds. at my height The BMI tells me I am moderately overweight. I know it's Bullshit. My girlfriend calls me Gaunt at 200 pounds...

People obsess overweight because it's easier to measure progress with numbers then with.."Hmmm.. I look better..Don't I?"

Answer 5

People obsess about their weight because of the society we live in. Thin is beautiful according to Hollywood, Modeling, and all the magazines. Healthy and happy is better but far too often that gets lost in our society.

Answer 6

Ideal weight is always a personal concern,not general.Various factors affect ideal/perfect weight is: height , overall distribution of fat throughout body,age,sex and underlying medical condition and your lifestyle.Only rely on BMI is really making no sense.
because of today's trends people don't want to maintain their ideal weight,evethough fortypulse women want to look as slim as ramp models.
Secondly, for medical reason. as obesity is the most risk factor in most of the diseases.overweight or obese persons keep to loose weight and people having ideal want to maintain it.
as far as you r healthy, acitve, exercising your self and enjoying what you r it's really appreciable.

Answer 7

i dont know why people freit about weight so much...it is becuz of todays society and the ads out in the paper about skinny models who are either fake or starving themselves. i understand somehwat on what people who starve themselves goes through, because i am one of them, and i still dont understand why i do it! it isnt important, so why???