Obesity humor is not just a joke.

A positive attitude and confidence can empower successful weight loss, but how is it possible if we continue to pile on with derogatory and sarcastic humor from all angles that make fun of and diminishes the problem and ridicules the individual.  A negative attitude can make losing weight difficult or impossible.  Attitude will determine success and failure. Perpetual negative thoughts can lead to self-defeating behaviors such as going off your diet, overeating, and skipping your exercise routine.  Some dieters are less successful at managing their weight, and this can often be traced to attitude and follow-through.  Depreciating humor can result in a negative thought results in a lack of focus.  Berating oneself every time you overeat or eat the wrong foods, constantly focusing on what you cannot eat, and approaching your exercise regimen with dread is always that negative thought patterns can sabotage your weight loss efforts.

[pullquote]”To say that obesity is caused by merely consuming too many calories is like saying that the only cause of the American Revolution was the Boston Tea Party.” ~ Adelle Davis[/pullquote]Keep in mind that it might be hurtful.  Weight loss is not an easy endeavor and anyone who thinks that weight loss is as simple as just making poor decisions and overeating are oversimplifying the cause of the obesity epidemics.  Obese people need compassion and empathy as we support their attempts at losing weight and imparting a new focus on healthy lifestyles.  

I am not saying that poor decisions do not play into becoming obese.  The overweight and obese experience social effects of prejudice and stigma that should embarrass us all.  Instead of being supportive and helping them maximize their chance of success, we belittle and make fun of them as being weak and undisciplined.  We bully them with negative comments in news stories, TV shows, and on social media.  Rarely do you see a character on TV that is overweight and those that are, are often ridiculed?  We think this sort of pressure is going to help them lose weight or does this just make others feel good about themselves?  

Attitude is critical, but often under-appreciated in fitness and weight loss. Positive thoughts, on the other hand, can increase your motivation and energy level. Look forward to each meal and exercise program and have a plan.  Avoid drudgery and negative thoughts.  You can do this.  Focus on the positive aspects of undertaking lifestyle changes that can lead to better weight management. 

When you hold a negative image of yourself, this negative energy steals much need energy from you and ends in failure. You need to keep a positive attitude to continue feeling motivated, powerful, and successful.  Obesity humor can be humorous, but when it is derogatory, it makes this worse and adds to the negative energy.  Be a part of the solution instead of the cause of the negative energy and loss of confidence.  Don’t be a bully, help others lose weight.  

Start with Positive Thinking and Realistic Goals

1. Realistic Goals.  Unrealistic goals with too low of a calorie count will hurt more than it can help.  Trying to exist on an extremely low-calorie diet or setting your weekly weight loss goal at an unattainable number often will set you up for failure.
2. Add exercise to your daily routine.  Exercise training will burn extra calories.  I recommend 30 minutes 5 days a week.  
3. Shrug off humor.  Obesity humor is in bad taste.  Shrug it off and move on.  Don’t let it get you down.  
4. Constructive credit.  Productive energy will go further at helping a loved one losing weight.   

The bottom line: Positive energy and comments promote weight loss.  Negative and sarcastic humor do not.  Help your friends, colleagues, and family and avoid fat humor.