{"id":297,"date":"2007-11-14T17:14:00","date_gmt":"2007-11-14T17:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2007\/11\/is-fat-contagious.html"},"modified":"2007-11-14T17:14:00","modified_gmt":"2007-11-14T17:14:00","slug":"is-fat-contagious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2007\/11\/is-fat-contagious.html","title":{"rendered":"Is Fat Contagious??"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Last night on Boston Legal<\/span> (one of my favorite shows!), Denny Crane got sued by a lawyer who he fired for being fat. Every time he nonchalantly referred to her as FAT, I cringed. This sweet but pudgy character didn\u2019t flinch at hurling insult after insult as facts that gave him license to be verbally abusive. <\/p>\n

The fat insulting the fatter! Many people have no conscience about attacking the dignity of those who are overweight!<\/span> <\/p>\n

Boston Legal is a TV show\u2014fiction\u2014but it illustrates the attitudes that some people can have. Denny chucked fat statements at the overweight lawyer<\/span>, as she said, \u201cka-ching, ka-ching.\u201d She and her lawyer sued him, expecting a big settlement. After all, firing someone for being fat is discrimination, right? Wrong! <\/span>The Denny Crane character got off the hook by using the excuse that he didn\u2019t want to catch her fat. <\/p>\n

Outrageous!?!? YES! He argued that fat is contagious and he felt it harmful to let her be in his law firm.<\/span> You might think that the writers took license with writing a fictitious story. But, a study in the July 26, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine<\/a><\/span>, substantiates, at least somewhat, that this can be true!<\/p>\n

A study at Harvard Medical School, the Department of Medicine, reported that person-to-person spread of obesity is a possible factor that contributes to its epidemic<\/span>. <\/p>\n

Do your friends make you fat? Hmmm\u2026 It got me thinking. I often avoid making plans with some people in the evening because I know if we go out, it will be a decadent dinner that I know has too many calories for me. Trying to talk to them doesn\u2019t work. I counter that by inviting them to do things that don\u2019t involve food. <\/p>\n

Can friends, family and co-workers really make you fat? NO! Only YOU can make YOU fat!<\/span><\/p>\n

* Friends can tempt you but it\u2019s YOUR choice to get carried away eating<\/span>.<\/p>\n

* Colleagues can bring in donuts but it\u2019s YOUR choice to put them in your mouth and swallow.<\/span> No one forces you!<\/p>\n

* Your kids don\u2019t want you to pick at their snacks! YOU use it as an excuse to eat junk.<\/span><\/p>\n

* Chicken parmigiana may make your mouth water when you see it on a menu, or on the next table, but it\u2019s YOUR decision to order it instead of something broiled.
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I know it\u2019s hard. I\u2019m not trying to make you feel bad for being weak.<\/span> Just this morning I went to a meeting with good intentions and my own peanut butter on whole wheat to munch on. Until someone walked in with a box of donuts! My hand grabbed one so fast I wanted to smack it! But I ate it slowly and forced myself not to reach for another one. You don\u2019t want to deprive yourself but you also don\u2019t want to let food make you feel out of control.<\/span> <\/p>\n

You can\u2019t control other people\u2019s eating habits but you can do things to curb temptation.<\/span> <\/p>\n

* Plan for splurges.<\/span> Tonight I\u2019m going to an event that serves pizza. And I\u2019m going to have some as my dinner. So, for lunch I ate very healthy veggies with no fat to balance my eating. And I always blot as much oil from the slice as I can.<\/p>\n

* Bring healthier snacks that you enjoy to work<\/span> so you have something to eat when the calorie snack cart comes around or co-workers bring in junk. <\/p>\n

* Find activities to do with friends that don\u2019t involve eating.<\/span> I\u2019ve cut way back on dinner plans because I know too many make me gain weight.<\/p>\n

* Kids can be taught to eat healthier<\/span> so you\u2019re not feeding them things that are poison for your diet. You\u2019re doing them a BIG favor by starting them out right.<\/p>\n

* Don\u2019t let a splurge become a marathon pig-out.<\/span> I know someone who lost a ton of weight and then went away for a weekend to a wedding. She used it as an excuse to gorge herself. Completely lost control all weekend. She\u2019s still trying to get back on track from it. <\/p>\n

* Learn to force yourself to walk away from goodies that you know can trigger weight gain.<\/span> Ask yourself\u2014out loud\u2014\u201cIs this moment of eating pleasure worth gaining weight and feeling lousy after?\u201d <\/p>\n

I NEVER diet. The idea of it is too unpleasant. Instead, I seek to eat healthy and control myself by having willpower over food.<\/span> When I\u2019m offered something fattening and know I shouldn\u2019t eat it, I think, \u201cI can control my desire for that.\u201d<\/span> When I do, I feel very empowered. When I don\u2019t, I forgive myself and try again next time. <\/p>\n

Sometimes when people ask if I’d like something yummy, I say, “yes, I’d love to eat it but I’m not going to.”<\/span><\/p>\n

While people can add to your temptations for fattening goodies, they don\u2019t make you fat. It\u2019s your response to the temptation that packs on pounds. Don\u2019t use others as an excuse! <\/span>I\u2019ve had to lay down the law with people who I\u2019d visit and get bombarded with foods I normally wouldn\u2019t eat. I\u2019ve even refused to go to someone\u2019s house for dinner because I knew I\u2019d be served decadent meals, despite my protests. <\/p>\n

Take control of your willpower over foods that will make you gain weight.<\/span> <\/p>\n

Do more exercise when you give in to pigging out. One time won\u2019t hurt you. When you make it a lifestyle to eat and blame it on others\u2014you have a problem. Love yourself enough not to damage your body with too many unhealthy treats.<\/span> Then you have a double blessing\u2014healthier eating and an act of self-love!

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