Can You Really be Fat and Happy?

Some people are more confident than others and are happy and outgoing whether they are rail-thin or slightly chunky. Size shouldn't be a determinant of happiness, but for many people, especially women, it does have a role to play. Whilst there are women who are content with their curves and who don't mind being heavier than is considered healthy, there are also women who obsess about every pound and spend their whole lives on a diet in an attempt to achieve the perfect body. These women are not necessarily fat, but are convinced they need to be slimmer.

Clearly, it is going to be difficult for these individuals to ever be happy, because obsessing about your weight all the time is only going to bring you down. Sometimes, being fat is no bad thing. Just because you're fat doesn't mean that you're not attractive. Indeed, some people find the fuller figure more attractive and if you have a pleasant personality and an outgoing persona your weight may not even be an issue. It would be great to have high self-esteem, confidence and be happy regardless of whether you're fat or thin.

However, if you are what society deems to be 'fat' it becomes harder to be happy with yourself the way you are. In a weight-obsessed world, you are supposed to want to be thin. The whole marketing industry is tailored around the notion that you are going to see the picture of a slim, successful woman and want to be exactly like her, so that you go out and buy whatever perfume she has in her hand or make-up she is wearing. You are not expected to be satisfied with the way you look and to be happy about being fat.

This negativity around being fat is compounded by the constant barrage of information you receive
about the implications of obesity for your health. Is it even possible to be fat and happy when everyone expects you to be miserable and constantly worried about your health because of your size? Well, society certainly makes it difficult. There will always be someone willing to point out that you're fat and to make fun of you, which can undermine your self-esteem and make you increasingly conscious of your weight.

Unfortunately, being overweight generally means you have to get used to being bullied, as you belong to the one group in society that it seems acceptable to target. You need to possess an extremely thick skin to ignore the nasty comments you receive and to feel confident within yourself. There are some high-profile women who confidently proclaim that they are proud to be curvy and that they have no intention of losing weight, which is why it can be disappointing to see them a few years down the line looking as svelte as any other celebrity.

When this happens, you begin to wonder whether you really can be fat and happy. Some people probably are, but you cannot ignore the potential health problems of carrying too much weight, so that even if you're comfortable in your own skin you may decide to lose a few pounds. You don't have to be skinny to be happy, but it does help to have your health. If your health starts to suffer because you're significantly overweight, then something obviously needs to change because it is difficult to be happy when you're sick.