If you are packing some extra weight, I’m sure you have dealt with the pressure society has forced on you. Unfortunately, that’s the mentality of the world we live in. While there are certainly health risks involved with being morbidly obese, what about carrying around a few extra pounds. Are there any pros and cons for being overweight?. Yes of course there are, but the negatives are what is always broadcasted on television, the radio and online. Rarely do we see a healthy happy and proud overweight person due to this.
Whether you feel festively plump and wonder if you should make the effort to shed it or know someone that is overweight, and you are concerned about their health. The fact is that being overweight is not necessarily a bad thing. As with anything else in this world, there are benefits and drawbacks to carrying those extra pounds around.
The Pro’s Of Being Overweight
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Did you ever imagine you would be hearing those words “the pros of being overweight?”. Almost sounds like curse words. But I’m a glass half full kind of guy and need to see the positives in just about everything. So lets take a look at a few of what I consider pros for being above normal weight recommendations.
Cold Weather Enthusiast
One of the benefits associated with being overweight is that you don’t get cold as easily. Have you ever been outside during the winter with a group of people? Did you notice that the thinner folks were more likely to complain about the frigid temperatures?. I rarely get cold and I always say it’s because my internal body core temperature is higher than normal fighting of any potential threats. But the truth is, that it is because I am overweight.
The reason is simple: The added layer of fat on your body works as insulation against the cold. While the skinny counterparts are layering on more clothes, you can kick back and enjoy the fresh air without being constricted by layers of clothing. Unfortunately this works in reverse in the hotter months.
Cupboard Full Of Clothing
Another pro to maintaining your current weight is that you already have your wardrobe packed with clothes that you actually like. How many times have you started to lose weight, only to complain a month or two later that you have nothing to wear? Even if you have the budget to purchase new clothing items, it can be hard to let go of favored garments that you can’t replace. When you decide to accept being overweight, you don’t have to worry about that any longer.
People Accept You For You
If you have been overweight for the majority of your life, it has likely become a an integral part of how you perceive yourself. Others have also developed their relationship with you as you are, not some societal idea of who you should be. Remaining your current size can make your relationships with self and others more fulfilling.
When your friends and family accept you for you, life becomes much simpler. Compare this to living the hectic stressful lifestyle where eating one m&m requires you to workout for the next 2 hours just so you can maintain what is perceived as the perfect or normal body size.
Less Restrictive Diet
Although you probably don’t want to eat enough to put on any additional weight, you can eat more food each day than you would if you were lighter. Depending on the amount of extra pounds you are carrying around, you could be burning enough extra calories each day to enjoy a delicious dessert with your dinner or an extra slice of bacon with breakfast.
That is unless you are actively trying to lose weight, then of course you should stick to your diet. But if you are comfortable in your own skin, treat yourself without guilt. Just don’t go overboard. Try to maintain your current weight so you don’t need to buy bigger clothes and pack out the wardrobe even more.
Health Benefits Of Being Overweight
What wait, you said health benefits of being overweight?. We all know about the health risks of being obese, it’s drilled into us from a young age. But if so many people want to be ‘skinny’, why is there so many overweight people year after year?. Perhaps it has something to do with these 5 health benefits of being overweight mentioned on telegraph.co.uk.
- Less Chance Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Dementia is less frequent
- Being overweight can often increase you immune system resulting in less sick days
- Increased longevity and faster recovery times due to the additional layers of fat which can create the extra boost to recovery.
- Longer Lasting in the bedroom for Men. According to Telegraph UK overweight men can last about 7 minutes longer than skinnier counterparts.
The Cons Of Being Overweight
Of course, not everything is sunshine and roses. There are some drawbacks to being overweight, and these should be taken just as seriously.Your health is by no means the most important consideration when it comes to deciding whether you need to lose weight or whether you can carry on living a healthy but plus size life.
Everything MUST Big Big Person Size
Besides the obvious clothing issues us larger folks encounter on a daily basis, being quite heavy (in particular over 250 pounds) means that ordinary equipment is no longer suitable. The cut off weight capacity for most standard items is between 200 and 220 pounds. When you weigh more than this, you have to reconsider many many products when it comes time to buying.
For example, I went to a friends Birthday party a few months back. The seating arrangements were minimal. So I had to choice of standing or sitting on a 180 pound weight capacity stool. Not a chance in this world was I going to sit on that tiny chair for it to break in front of everyone. Naturally I stood for the two hours. Not fun. So heavy duty camp/portable chairs are just one product that now becomes a must as an overweight person. Pretty much any chair you sit on now must be rated as oversized.
Exercising Can Be Troublesome
The first time I really took notice of becoming overweight was when I was doing up my shoelaces. I could no longer reach down to my feet to do them up. When you become bigger, everything becomes harder. This includes exercising. The arms and legs don’t move like they use to.
But it doesn’t stop at exercising. If you want to use exercise equipment you are faced with yet another lower weight capacity problem. Many pieces of gym equipment are designed for average and fit people. So the weight capacity is only 200 pounds.
Would you risk riding on an exercise bike with a weight capacity of just 200 pounds if you weight 300 lbs?. I hope not. You could do some serious damage to yourself and the bike. So when you are overweight you have to buy special high weight capacity exercise equipment that caters to your weight. Ordinary equipment won’t cut it unfortunately.
Negatives Of Being Plus Size
Carrying around more weight can put stress on your circulatory system. Your heart has to go into overdrive to keep the blood flowing through your body. This can create cardiovascular troubles that require medication and/or surgery. Heart disease of any sort is a serious matter that you should discuss with your doctor. This is just one of the health concerns of being overweight.
Do you enjoy traveling? If so, you might have encountered problems when it comes to boarding your flight. In some cases, you might be required to pay for an additional seat. While it seems unfair to you, the people in the seats next to you have paid for their space. Even if you don’t have to buy the seat, invading their space can lead to an uncomfortable journey for everyone.
You are also likely to have trouble moving quickly. This can interfere with your ability to play with kids or do anything on the floor. In an emergency situation you might not be able to get to the phone as fast as necessary or to escape from an intruder. In fact, you would find it much more difficult to hide from someone than if you were to get down to your target weight.
Many men and women are uncomfortable with others seeing their extra fat. This can cause troubles in the bedroom, even when a couple has been together for a long time. Additionally, it can put a huge damper on certain social situations. For instance, you might skip a pool party with friends or choose to vacation away from the beach, even though you love the sandy shores. I don’t encourage giving into societies perception of what is classified as a normal body, so if you can build up the self confidence, unleash your body onto the ocean/pool and have fun. You deserve it!.
While There Are Pro’s, The Cons Are Concerning
As you can see, there are many different pros and cons associated with maintaining your current weight. You will need to decide for yourself where you are comfortable and then strive to keep yourself at that healthy level. Whatever you do, don’t stress yourself out about it. That can just lead to even more troubles with your eating habits.
While at the end of the day, your number one concern should be your health. If your weight is affecting your health and stopping you from living a fulfilled life then it may be time to take action. If you are carrying a few extra pounds but are not at the point of no return, then speak to your Doctor. Find out what a professional thinks. Of course he/she will say to lose weight, that’s part of their job.
Well researched to the writer of this page!
It’s been scientifically proven multiple times that slightly overweight people live longer than those of average weight. Though, the mental drawbacks of one being overweight can be quite humiliating for many. However, there is nothing wrong with some extra weight, so long as you do not get to close to the border of obesity; then it becomes quite a bit of an health issue.
Loving your body is to love yourself! A little chub isn’t going to kill anyone 😀