Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I finally got to watch Oprah's "coming out" episode on Monday where she started talking about her weight.

She said, at some point (don't quote me on this), that everyone who is overweight has emotional issues and uses food to make themselves feel better in some way.

I totally don't believe that at all. I've always carried a few too many pounds (I could stand to lose about 30 more, I lost about 40 6-7 years ago) I truly, truly just LOVE food. I have, what I consider, a pretty perfect life and have no "pain" that I am self-medicating with food.

Without going on and on about myself I wanted to hear what others thought.

Message edited 1/9/2009 3:08:37 PM.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I think Oprah is talking about the obese and morbidly obese. You say that you have a few extra pounds, as I'm sure most of us do. As for what Oprah says, I agree with her totally. I also think food can be an addiction, much like alcohol and drugs. Take for example my dad's family. He has five siblings and all of them were raised by a verbally abusive mother and alcoholic father. All but one of them smokes and the one that doesn't recently had gastric bypass surgery. Basically, instead of smoking my uncle eats.

Message edited 1/8/2009 3:04:46 PM.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I agree with Oprah.

As most of you know, I was well over 200 lbs. When I was 9 months preggo, I was nearing 300 lbs. But my 'normal' weight for quite a few years was 210. Even at my thinnest I was 180 lbs.

I too always had a great life! Life is definately not difficult for me in the grand scheme of things by any means. But only recently, as I have reassesed my life physically and emotionally did I realize that I did have emotional problems. I would eat when I was happy, eat when I was sad, eat when I was mad, eat when I was stressed, etc. I, of course, didn't realize I did this. I had no control. When I felt even just an inkling of emotion, I went to what was comfortable for me...food.

So, yes, I do believe that MOST overwheight people have emotional and/or psychological issues. Very few people eat for the reason we should be eating...as an energy source. that's not to say that people who are not overweight don't have these issues, but that's a whole other topic.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

Posted by melbalalala

I totally don't believe that at all. I've always carried a few too many pounds and have always had a pretty "perfect" life. I truly, truly just LOVE food. I have, what I consider, a pretty perfect life and have no "pain" that I am self-medicating with food.

Without going on and on about myself I wanted to hear what others thought.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

maybe a lot, but I don't think all.

DH was in the obese BMI range, but he has always been the happiest, go-luckiest guy I know (before the weight gain, during the weight gain and after the weight loss)


although he definitely feels better and happier NOT at that weight...but I don't think that is an emotional issue

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I think there is a major difference between carrying a few extra pounds and being OK with it versus having a serious weight problem. I absolutely think that when people are eating when they are not hungry or past the point of fullness it is no longer about the food but something deeper.

I still can't understand what my issues is/was. I really have no idea and I really wish I could understand.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

Azoodie, that makes a lot of sense. Having never been obese, I didn't understand, but I like that "autopilot" analogy.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I dont think so. Although I am not obese , I am overweight but its bc I like the taste of food! I love McDonalds and potato chips and fried foods. mmmmm.

I also have some family memebers who are obese and I am pretty sure its the same reason I am - bc food is yummy!

On a side note - I just joined WW

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I have been thinking about about this question.

Since I have always had a great life, very low stress, I always said I think I just really enjoy the taste of food.

But this year has left me the biggest in my life.

And I would completely attribute that to the year I had. So, yes, I do think its emotional.

My kid had a seizure in March.
Weaned him in June leaving me very depressed for weeks.
Hospitalized 5 days with asthma in June
4 ER visits in Sept for asthma.

Food became my late night friend. It gave me such a good feeling. I guess I should have been crying instead of eating, but eating gave me satisfaction.

All the miles and miles I would walk/jog went null because I was eating.

Then we start TTC. I went into shock that it was going to take longer then a month to get pregnant.

New year, new attitude. I have to deal with life's stresses a new way. Now every night, I turn off everything....lights, music, sit in a hot tub with washcloth on my face and just sit. Get up and right to bed.

Going back further, I never took off all my baby weight. My stomach is mutulated and felt very defeated...as a why even try? I had to get my head right with that as well.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

This statement is true FOR ME. I have been heavy for as long as I can remember. There are two things this stems from...Some of it has to do with how you are raised..my parents were not and are not balanced eaters...that's step one..since this is true and I must never have had the body for it, I gained weight and was heavy...

This did not benefit me growing up as I was always the outcast and picked on until I got to HS...and even then, still...the stress of being alone and picked on forced me into comfort and my parents, although they love me, fed me for comfort. That's what they knew.

When I finished college, I was invited to be in a friend's wedding party. It hit me when I couldn't fit into the highest size David's Bridal had. When we left, I cried and my friend said we could do what we needed to make it work. I didn't want to do that. I started on Medifast, developed gall stones and went straight to Weight Watchers. I lost over 100 lbs., met my DH (who'd lost 75 lbs. on his own before I met him) and we got married...since then, I've gained and lost some of the weight and am always in WW but not always losing...but..not the over 300 lbs. I started...so...yes, I think for me, emotions are a huge part of why I eat...

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

For me, eating was an emotional thing. I had a very difficult childhood and turned to food for comfort... I was about 200 lbs at one time - and it was all from binge eating.

Now, I can't even imagine eating like that, but when I was younger, I was in so much pain.

It didn't help that my mother and my stepmother took PLEASURE in telling me how fat I was.

I don't talk to my mother. My stepmother, who I still talk to, still tries to make me feel badly about my body, at a size 4-6 after having a child. It doesn't work anymore!!!

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I was thinking the exact same thing. I don't think that I have emotional issues....I mean...I guess I could be wrong. I really thought about it after I watched that episode though. I thought about when I want chocolate what do I really want? I thought and thought and I decided that I really just wanted glorious, sensuous, sweet, chocolate.

ETA: I am a few pounds overweight but not obese. I am just thinking that EVERYONE may not be stifling something else. A lot of people may have an addiction to food, I agree with that, just not EVERYONE.

Message edited 1/12/2009 3:16:50 PM.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

For me... I think food has ALOT to do with emotional issues. I was overweight growing up and about 10 years ago I had enough(I was 205 lbs) I examined WHY I stayed overweight when part of me really wanted to be thin. I realized that my weight was a barrier to be hurt by the outside world. Food was always there to comfort me and the weight shielded me from people. Once I examined WHY I ate I was able to lose 68lbs and keep it off. I never lost the last 12 that I always have wanted to lose maybe I need to dig a bit deeper to see why? I haven't allowed myself to lose them?

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I don't love generalizations to be honest. There are exceptions to almost every rule and I can't speak for everyone - but I can say that I definitely have some psychological issues relevant to my overeating/lack of fitness.

It's great to be able to identify those issues - "I eat out of boredom, I eat out of frustration, I eat out of anger, etc.." - but I don't think it actually 'cures' anything to just identify and talk about the issues you think you have.

I have long realized that a good part of my eating is related to my emotions. I too am extremely pleased with my life. I have 2 healthy kids, a wonderful husband, a nice house and a good job - but that doesn't exempt me from experiencing every day human emotions like irritation or jealousy or whatnot. The challenge for me is that even though i could recognize my emotional eating - I didn't do a darn thing about it except say shite like "I always eat when I am frustrated.." as I was stuffing my face with sponge cake or cookies or a 2nd serving of ice cream. I used those 'challenges' as an excuse to continue my bad habits and to reason out why it wasn't MY FAULT.

Anyway - yeah - I think MOST people (overweight or not) have some emotional issue that has the potential to trigger behavior patterns or thought patterns that they may not love in themselves. And I think most people also have the capacity to work past those triggers.

Message edited 1/14/2009 9:12:17 AM.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

I think it definitely varies. I know people who are clearly emotional eaters and there's a very direct corrleation between stress/lonliness/anxiety and binge eating.

For myself, I don't really think it's emotional. If it is, it's a small component, like I'm home and bored and have PMS, so I break out the M&Ms when I shouldn't. I also know that when I'm stressed I'm more likely to say "who cares!" and munch on the pizza everyone else at the office is eating, but I think those things are normal even in average weight people. I also think you can be "obese" without an emotional issue. I'm well above what is considered "obese" but I don't think of myself that way or judge myself based on someone else's chart

I think SO much factors into weight. For me I think it's a combination of genetics, habits, and my injuries. I was a VERY petite and skinny child. I was probably on the low end of the normal weight spectrum, but my parents, and my Italian grandma thought I was too thin, so even though the doctor said I was fine they'd do anything to get me to eat. So I started getting whatever I wanted as long as I would eat. To a small child that was hot dogs, pizza, and McDonalds. I went VERY quickly from being a skinny kid to an overweight kid. The fact is, and I realized it now with my doctors, my body just needs fewer calories than most people. I eat less than most people I know, but I can still gain weight. My body just burns it more slowly and is quicker to turn it into fat. I also found out that my body turns sugar into fat too quickly (yay genetics!). So the genetics of not burning calories quickly, coupled with the bad eating habits I learned early in life (both in terms of type of food and amount) led to me being overweight for the past 20 years. In HS I needed to lose probably 30lbs. After my car accidents severaly impaired my ability to exercise (i used to be a dancer), I have gained 70 lbs on top of that.

Could I be more disciplined and lose that weight? ABSOLUTELY. But it's just not easy for anyone to lsoe weight, to change 20 and 30 year habits. Right now I eat very healthy food for the most part. I rarely eat junk and I'm a vegetarian..not a french fry and pizza vegetarian, a tofu and vegetables vegetarian. It's VERY hard to get used to eating less. You really have to condition your body and your mind. It's also hard becuase eating is such a social activity. You want to eat out with family, join the group for pizza, etc.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

For some, but def not for all. I think I'm an emotional eater. When my father died all I wanted to do was eat something. But when I thought a boyfriend cheated on me, I couldn't touch food for weeks. Both very emotional events but different treatments of food. So i don't think there's one way or another.

But I do find alot of comfort in food, always have, eating good food is one of my favorites things to do. I stay active to offset my love of food.

Re: Do you believe that all overweight people have emotional/psychological issues? (Oprah-related)

Yes, I do not know many overweight (i mean more then 30 lbs over weight) that say "I AM HAPPY" - yes there are some out there but it is not the norm.

For me I eat because I am addicted to food. I am addicted to highs and lows because it gives me a sense that I am not bored. So for a few weeks I will eat "good" and work out and be good then the next week one or two days I binge eat. I am in a never ended cycle and get angry now since i am turning 30 and my body refuses to drop any weight. Normally if i behaved for two weeks I would drop 8 lbs with working out as well now its 1lbs which makes me angry so I eat or drink "because life owes it to me." So now i am at a stand still. So do I have emotional problems - hell yea because food has a high impact on your hormones. Most fatties like me binge making your bodies chemistry and hormones flux that triggers negative impact on your emotions. So depression follows and guilt since I over eat. One day I hope to beat it otherwise I will be like my mom and honestly I do not want that.