What are "we" doing to our children in America?

[Kendra17]

For all of these people who are convinced it's not just eating less (but correctly) and exercising more, how long have you actually stuck to a proper diet and fitness plan? Have you stuck to one for even 3 months at a time? I would venture to guess that you really haven't, and by this I mean, actually eating CLEAN. . . eating properly and adding physical activity to your day. Even if you can only do a 5 minute walk the first day, that's 5 minutes. By the 7th day, you should be able to walk quite a bit more. And, add some resistance training.

How many of you who keep on saying, "well, there's other factors. . . it's not just diet and exercise. . . I can't even lose an ounce" have done this?

It's willpower. And, it's hard! Everyone who's either lost weight, quit smoking, quit drinking, etc., KNOW this. It's hard, but it's POSSIBLE.

I recommended that Body for Life book as a starting point, but there are tons of beginning books (although this one is PERFECT as a starting point, because he assumes you are just starting out, it's written simply and with a sense of humor, and gives tons of eating and fitness information. Plus, it has a LOT of before and after stories with pictures of people who were obese and lost weight!).

Here's a novel approach. . . actually do this for about 2 or 3 months and stick to it. When you see you lost a lot of weight, you will also see that you have control of the situation and that it's not because McDonald's sells fattening burgers and fries and it's not because Krispy Kreme sells hot glazed donuts. It's because people eat too much of them!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ok, so lots of people need ECV's. For whatever reason. Why don't they have to wait in line??? My mom actually considered using one this year so that we could all get out of lines. She has some arthritis, and yes is large, but not obese. She thought it might be easier to keep up if she had an ECV, but in all honesty really liked the idea of skipping lines. I don't care who uses and ECV, but they should have to wait like the rest of us. They can sit at the end and have a family member be in line or someth

My mom parks hers and waits in line.

She gets embarassed when they waive her through the special access line.

She is 100% disable but her disabilty requires standing/walk breaks as well as sitting breaks and several years ago the stopping every 10 minutes so she could rest for 20 got really old really quick and the entire family insisted on assistance. She gets the scooter to look cool. But she isn't quite to the point where she is willing to drive through the line just yet.

Newer attractions actually have line space to accomodate wheelchairs/ECV's.

And those that don't--the people aren't necessarily cutting in line. Ever see the wheelchair line at Splash on a busy day--they could wait just as long as those standing in line.

For a ride such as It's a small word--those that must stay confined to the chair...have to wait for the special boat and when it comes, they get first dibs of course.

The access isn't all about cutting in line so much as it is making the ride accessible to all.

Unfortunately there are those able bodied (and maybe even skinny) that do rent a wheelchair for this purpose. Quite sad. If someone actually needs the chair, I could care less about their perceived *special* treatment. It isn't very special to need assistance so that you too can enjoy what everyone else can so easily.

 

[VSL]

She gets the scooter to look cool.

Just imagining some [cool] older American lady driving a moped tickled me!

 

[teacherforhi]

One concern I have with the obesity epidemic is the way people are just accepting it. Schools won't confront kids about their girth because they don't want to offend the little darlings self-esteem. Various chair manufacturer's (from movie theaters to cars) are just increasing the size of the seats. Clothing manufacturer's are increasing the sizes of clothes.

Maybe we as a society shouldn't cater to this? Maybe if it was less easy to be obese, people would make more of an effort to lose the weight.

When did it become the school's job to do this? Personally, I'm tired of opening the paper and finding out every ill in the world is the school's responsibility to correct. So far, I'm supposed to teach academics, financial sense, sex ed, and now, police their weights. Why don't we just take them for 18 years and relieve parents of any responsibility whatsoever?

 

[Planogirl]

When did it become the school's job to do this? Personally, I'm tired of opening the paper and finding out every ill in the world is the school's responsibility to correct. So far, I'm supposed to teach academics, financial sense, sex ed, and now, police their weights. Why don't we just take them for 18 years and relieve parents of any responsibility whatsoever?

ITA. I was disappointed when I found out that our 8th grader won't have any kind of Physical Education this year but I realize that the schools are in a crunch too. It would be nice to all work together on this problem but of course the responsibility ultimately rests with the parents.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ok, so lots of people need ECV's. For whatever reason. Why don't they have to wait in line??? My mom actually considered using one this year so that we could all get out of lines. She has some arthritis, and yes is large, but not obese. She thought it might be easier to keep up if she had an ECV, but in all honesty really liked the idea of skipping lines. I don't care who uses and ECV, but they should have to wait like the rest of us. They can sit at the end and have a family member be in line or someth

That is a common misconception, but it's not true.
People using wheelchairs or ECVs don't get out of waiting in line.
Most of the lines at WDW are wheelchair accessible, so there are very few situations where someone actually goes thru a wheelchair entrance. In most cases, they wait in the same line with everyone else. For a very few attractions, there is an alternate entrace because the regular one isn't accessible and was not able to be made accessible (most in MK or Epcot since they were built before accessibility was thought of). There are some others, where the boarding area is not accessible and wheelchair/ECV users wait in the regular or Fastpass line and then are pulled into a different area for loading (Buzz Lightyear, Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain are examples).

One of the other things that people who don't use wheelchairs don't know is where people with wheelchairs go when they are taken out of the line. They assume those people who 'disappear' from the line are boarding right away, but that is not usually the case.
If they can't board at the regular boarding spot, they are pulled out of the line - usually just before the regular line gets to the boarding area (so they have already waited as long as everyone that got in the line the same time as they did).
For example, at Buzz Lightyear, the 'pull off point' is after you have gone thru the room with the large Buzz Lightyear, near the point where regular line is beginning to enter the actual boarding area. Guests with wheelchairs/ ECVs are pulled out of line at that point and sent to the exit - not to board right away, but to wait. If there are too many people with disabilities already on the attraction, you have to wait for some to get off (for fire safetly and evacuation reasons). Because our DD can't get out of her wheelchair easily, we have to wait extra for a special car that the wheelchair can be loaded on. We usually see the people who were right ahead of us in line getting off after riding while we are still waiting to board. In some rides, boarding at the accessible area means you miss part of the attraction; for example, at Haunted Mansion, you miss the entire 'stretching room' part of the attraction.

The Safari at AK is notorious for extra waits for people with disabilities. Our longest wait there was an EXTRA 40 minutes at a time when the regular line was walk on and Safari Trams were pulling out partially loaded because people were not walking up fast enough to fill them.

Spaceship Earth is a ride with a handicapped entrance, but during times when other passengers are able to walk right on, our wait is usually 20-30 minutes.

AK and the Studio were built with what are called 'Mainstream Lines'. These are lines where the regular line is wheelchair/ECV accessible and a person using a wheelchair or ECV waits in the same line with everyone else.

Here's what it says in the official WDW Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities about Mainstream Lines and the list of attractions with Mainstream Queues:

The Walt Disney World® Resort strives to provide mainstream access whenever possible; that is, all Guests utilize the main entrance to the attraction. However, accessibility varies from attraction to attraction within our Parks. The Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities and Park Guidemaps use symbols to indicate boarding procedures for each attraction. In addition, Guests should contact a host or hostess at each attraction before entering.
Attractions providing mainstream queue access include the following.

As you can see, most of the lines are Mainstream Queues:

Magic Kingdom® Park
Ariel's Grotto
Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Donald's Boat
Judge's Tent
Mickey's Country House
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Mike Fink Keelboats (seasonal)
Minnie's Country House
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain®
Splash Mountain®
Stitch's Great Escape!™
The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacres Farm
"The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management"
The Hall of Presidents
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Timekeeper (seasonal)
Tomorrowland® Indy Speedway
Toontown Hall of Fame
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress (seasonal)

Epcot®
FUTURE WORLD
Imagination!: All Attractions
Innoventions East
Innoventions West
Mission: SPACE
Test Track
The Living Seas: All Attractions
The Land: All Attractions
Universe of Energy: "Ellen's Energy Adventure"
Wonders of Life: All Attractions (seasonal)

WORLD SHOWCASE
China: "Reflections of China"
France: "Impressions de France"
FriendShip Boats
Norway: Maelstrom
The American Adventure: "The American Adventure"

Disney-MGM Studios
Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour
Fantasmic!
Lights, Motors, Action!™ Extreme Stunt Show
Muppet*Vision 3D
Playhouse Disney - Live On Stage!
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith
Sounds Dangerous - Starring Drew Carey
Star Tours
The Great Movie Ride
The Magic of Disney Animation
"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™"
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It!

Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Caravan Stage: "Flights of Wonder"
DINOSAUR
Grandmother Willow's Grove: "Pocahontas and Her forest friends"
It's Tough To Be A Bug
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Lion King Theater: "Festival of the Lion King"
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Primeval Whirl
Theater in the Wild: "Tarzan Rocks!"
The Boneyard
TriceraTop Spin

I wanted to add that Soarin' and EE are missing from the list. They are both Mainstream Access.
And, some attractions have limited number of spots for wheelchairs. We have already shown up for shows where there was still room for ambulatory people, but the wheelchair spots were already filled for that show and we had to wait for the next one (Voyage of the Little Mermaid, where we had Fastpasses; and ITTBAB, where the CMs were practically begging people to come into the queue because there was no wait in the standby line.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Thanks, Sue. I get so sick of the "they should wait in line like everyone else" song and dance.

 

[SueM in MN]

And those that don't--the people aren't necessarily cutting in line. Ever see the wheelchair line at Splash on a busy day--they could wait just as long as those standing in line.

Those using wheelchairs and ECVs wait in the regular line until it gets to the stairway. Then, since wheelchairs don't do stairs, they have to wait at the wheelchair access gate until a CM comes to bring them back toward the exit.
Notice, I said toward the exit. There is usually a group of people with disabilities waiting in the area near the picture shop for a CM to take them further into the exit area to actually get to the point where they are waiting in the exit area to board. That whole process can take enough time that the people who were in line in front of us when we reached the stairway are either boarding at the normal boarding area at the same time as we are boarding from the exit - or if there were a large number of guests with disabilities wating to board, we might see those people who were just ahead of us in the regular line when they get off - while we are still waiting at the exit to board.

 

[paigevz]

When did it become the school's job to do this? Personally, I'm tired of opening the paper and finding out every ill in the world is the school's responsibility to correct. So far, I'm supposed to teach academics, financial sense, sex ed, and now, police their weights. Why don't we just take them for 18 years and relieve parents of any responsibility whatsoever?

I have sounded off on this before on the forum................

 

[TDC Nala]

I'm interested in why a poster who declares how completely in love she is in every post she makes keeps bringing up some poor single overweight gal who can't find romance.

Unless the obesity epidemic is going to result in lots of pathetic singles.

 

[sha_lyn]

For all of these people who are convinced it's not just eating less (but correctly) and exercising more, how long have you actually stuck to a proper diet and fitness plan? Have you stuck to one for even 3 months at a time? I would venture to guess that you really haven't, and by this I mean, actually eating CLEAN. . . eating properly and adding physical activity to your day. Even if you can only do a 5 minute walk the first day, that's 5 minutes. By the 7th day, you should be able to walk quite a bit more. And, add some resistance training.

Your guess would be dead wrong. I've tried a variety of calorie restrictive diets, exercise plans etc over the years. Nothing worked until I tried Atkins. Then as I added allowed foods back in the weight loss stopped again. Turns out part of my problem is food allergies (night shades. tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant etc). I have a friend who couldn't drop the belly weight until she was tested for allergies and gave up wheat.

Yes portion control was/is a part of my problem as is physical injury. In the last 4 months I've gone from 2miles 2X a week to 5miles 3x a week on the stationary bike. I've gone from testing as extremely poor to now scoring average on the cardio test. I've doubled the reps and increase the weights by 50% on most exercises (still working on wrist strength so curls are a problem)

I wonder why so many want to refuse that genes, allergies etc are a factor. There are known genetic markers that contribute to obesity. there are several known medical conditions that are also factors (the cases of hypothiroidism have skyrocketed with the low salt craze and the fear of eating fish because of mercury).
However you just want to point the finger and say "that person is lazy and stuffs their face. It's that simple"
I'll believe the medical experts over the finger pointing naysayers.

 

[Planogirl]

True that people's sensitivities to certain foods can cause weight gain or at the very least, an inability to lose weight. It IS possible to figure out these things though and then deal with them, at least most of the time.

I just don't deal. I have a good idea of what I need to do but I just don't follow through. I suspect that I'm far from the only one who is like that and my big question is WHY? Why do so many of us not do what we need to do?

 

[Cindyluwho]

I wonder why so many want to refuse that genes, allergies etc are a factor. There are known genetic markers that contribute to obesity. there are several known medical conditions that are also factors (the cases of hypothiroidism have skyrocketed with the low salt craze and the fear of eating fish because of mercury).
However you just want to point the finger and say "that person is lazy and stuffs their face. It's that simple"
I'll believe the medical experts over the finger pointing naysayers.

You are so right about genetics. My half sister and I have very different body types. She does eat a bit more than me but is more active than me. I've always been thin and she is obese. Let me be the first to say, "it's just not fair". She works harder trying to be thin without succeeding, I don't have to work at it at all. I sympathize with those in her shoes.
NOW-I'd like to add:
For all of those that feed their children a steady diet of soda, potato chips, McDonald's hamburgers, etc. SHAME ON YOU!! Yes, we all allow our children to have crummy treats once in a while, but if that's what you're feeding your child as a staple, that's downright abusive! You're going to tell me it's none of my business?? If I saw you slap your child across the face, is that my business? There is no excuse for treating your child poorly. "They don't know any better, that's the way they were raised, etc" are all poor excuses. You could say the same about physically abusing a child. Setting them up for a lifetime of health issues is just plain wrong.

 

[chobie]

When did it become the school's job to do this? Personally, I'm tired of opening the paper and finding out every ill in the world is the school's responsibility to correct. So far, I'm supposed to teach academics, financial sense, sex ed, and now, police their weights. Why don't we just take them for 18 years and relieve parents of any responsibility whatsoever?

Exactly! And schools don't confront kids about their girth, because it is none of the school's damn business!

I also think though, that schools can and should offer more healthy foods (and some districts are doing this) not sell junk food at the elementary levels and bring back PE and recess (but this would take some backing off the pressure on schools for standarized test results and I don't see that happening anytime soon).

 

[chobie]

You are so right about genetics. My half sister and I have very different body types. She does eat a bit more than me but is more active than me. I've always been thin and she is obese. Let me be the first to say, "it's just not fair". She works harder trying to be thin without succeeding, I don't have to work at it at all. I sympathize with those in her shoes.
NOW-I'd like to add:
For all of those that feed their children a steady diet of soda, potato chips, McDonald's hamburgers, etc. SHAME ON YOU!! Yes, we all allow our children to have crummy treats once in a while, but if that's what you're feeding your child as a staple, that's downright abusive! You're going to tell me it's none of my business?? If I saw you slap your child across the face, is that my business? There is no excuse for treating your child poorly. "They don't know any better, that's the way they were raised, etc" are all poor excuses. You could say the same about physically abusing a child. Setting them up for a lifetime of health issues is just plain wrong.

So, what are you going to do, camp out at your local McD's to see which parents are the regulars? If you see a parent slap a kid in the face, you don't need anymore evidence of abuse. If you see a parent feeding an overweight kid an unhealthy treat, you don't know if they do that all the time. You don't know what is going on. You can be self-righteous and assume what you think they feed their kid day-to-day, but you can't know for sure.

 

[AllyandJack]

A lot of people who have Type II diabetes or things like PCOS that result from Type II don't know they have it and that can cause a person to have big problems losing weight. The only way to know is to have a GTT done and, generally, unless someone is presenting with other symptoms, inability to lose weight doesn't prompt most doctors to do a GTT.

There are medications to help with weight loss and other symptoms that appear as a result of Type II and PCOS. Unfortunately, a lot of people are walking around who would fail the GTT dieting and exercising their fannies off and it's not doing any good because they either have or will soon develop Type II.

 

[Planogirl]

Exactly! And schools don't confront kids about their girth, because it is none of the school's damn business!

I also think though, that schools can and should offer more healthy foods (and some districts are doing this) not sell junk food at the elementary levels and bring back PE and recess (but this would take some backing off the pressure on schools for standarized test results and I don't see that happening anytime soon).

I have mixed feelings about completely not offering junk food. I suppose that it makes sense since these kids are so young and love sweets way too much but what about at the higher levels? Eating "right" is all about making choices and how do kids learn to make wise choices if the bad foods are nowhere in sight? Don't they become even more appealing if they're treated like forbidden fruit?

I wish that the schools could address all of this in a classroom setting and do so from early ages. I know that it does come up but more education might help I suppose. I don't know what the answer is ....

 

[paigevz]

True that people's sensitivities to certain foods can cause weight gain or at the very least, an inability to lose weight. It IS possible to figure out these things though and then deal with them, at least most of the time.

I just don't deal. I have a good idea of what I need to do but I just don't follow through. I suspect that I'm far from the only one who is like that and my big question is WHY? Why do so many of us not do what we need to do?

I don't either. It's too hard. I try for a while, but then I get stressed or ill or busy, and slip right back into the same behavior pattern I've always had. I think it's just very, very difficult to change lifetime behavior patterns.

However, because some people do have EXTREME difficulty if not impossibility with being of average weight, it is not fair to think every fat person seen is that way because of their lifestyle. In fact, it's not even fair to think less of a person if they are overweight because of their lifestyle. If one is of average weight, instead of being prideful about it, just be thankful your "comfort zone" is different from others. I'm quite sure all people have SOMETHING that they need to change about themselves that is extremely difficult to do. Be thankful yours isn't impacting your health as mine will do if I can't get it under control soon.

As for the ECV issue. I doubt most folks would ever rent one that don't need it. That should be a non-issue. All should assume, indeed if they think about it at all, that those folks need that conveyance.

 

[sha_lyn]

It IS possible to figure out these things though and then deal with them, at least most of the time.

Yes it is possible but I doubt it is likely. Until talking to friend with the wheat allergy, I would never have considered a food sensitivity/allergy to contribute to weight. To me allergy meant hives, respiratory reaction etc. sensitivity meant gastric distress.

I actually had one Dr tell me I was probably forgetting that I ate a meal and ate again without "knowing" it. I think she was projecting her problem onto me. She was about as big around as she was tall. At the time I was on a pretty strict diet, which included several servings of night shades a day. No wonder I couldn't drop the weight.

15 yrs ago I was in a car accident and injurred my neck and shoulder. For a long time my neck muscles were so damaged/weak that the weight of my own head was too much for my neck. It is very hard to go from being very active to bedrest. My calorie output probably dropped by at least 60% if not 75%. For those of you who keep saying just reduce your intake, can you imagine suddenly having to reduce your intake by 75%?

 

[Planogirl]

I don't either. It's too hard. I try for a while, but then I get stressed or ill or busy, and slip right back into the same behavior pattern I've always had. I think it's just very, very difficult to change lifetime behavior patterns.

However, because some people do have EXTREME difficulty if not impossibility with being of average weight, it is not fair to think every fat person seen is that way because of their lifestyle. In fact, it's not even fair to think less of a person if they are overweight because of their lifestyle. If one is of average weight, instead of being prideful about it, just be thankful your "comfort zone" is different from others. I'm quite sure all people have SOMETHING that they need to change about themselves that is extremely difficult to do. Be thankful yours isn't impacting your health as mine will do if I can't get it under control soon.

As for the ECV issue. I doubt most folks would never rent one that don't need it. That should be a non-issue. All should assume, indeed if they think about it at all, that those folks need that conveyance.

I couldn't agree more. I don't judge anyone who is overweight because I don't know why they are or if it bothers them. Also, most importantly it's simply not my business and it has no impact on my feelings about them as people.

I can only go by my own situation and those of friends and family. I have observed how difficult this whole subject is for many people including myself and how hard it is to even contemplate an overall solution.