I want to like Gwyneth Paltrow -- especially because I LOVE her Glee character Holly Holliday -- but she makes it so damn hard. Her recent completely uncouth comments made to a former Tonight Show intern about his weight have me reeling. Apparently she pointed to his stomach and said, "What's going on here? I love you. Get it together." Nothing this woman had done up to this point made me roll my eyes as much as this. Being that she has a propensity to irritate, that's sayin' something!
But it really made me think ... her behavior actually offers us all the opportunity to take a look at ourselves. Despite being forehead-smackingly rude and out-to-lunch WRONG, what Gwynnie was doing isn't exactly uncommon. The saying-it-out loud part is, but the judginess? That's everyday behavior -- consciously or not -- for most of us.
We all think we know what's going on in the life of any overweight person.
We tune in to shows like The Biggest Loser and see the chick who plays Lauren Zizes on Glee, an actor like Jonah Hill, or even just a person on the street and assume these people must be overweight because they're slovenly/really lazy/compulsive over-eaters/not interested in taking care of themselves/clueless about healthy food/disinterested in exercise, etc. We're all Gwyneth for a moment, thinking, "That person needs to get it together."
The truth, though, is that while over-eating and lack of exercise is the cause of a weight problem for some people, it's definitely not the case for all. More and more, I think, people are suffering from conditions or taking medications that create or exacerbate a struggle to maintain a healthy weight.
Take depression -- many of the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) meds cause weight gain. Granted not everyone on SSRIs needs to be on them to stay mentally healthy, but those who need them may have no choice but to contend with the weight dilemma in order to keep their moods balanced.
Or how about hypothyroidism? An overweight person's "excuse" of having a "glandular problem" has been a joke dating back to caveman times, but it is completely legitimate. If your thyroid is sluggish, your body's metabolism isn't working properly, and weight gain is inevitable, while weight loss is practically impossible.
Hormone imbalances (like PCOS, NCAH, estrogen dominance) are becoming more and more prevalent, given environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors in our food and products like sunscreen. Menopause or andropause. Just having had a baby!
Given the plethora of circumstances that contribute to an unintentional battle with weight, it's obvious we need to exhibit more sensitivity -- basically the opposite of Gwynnie's in-your-face, accusatory, judgmental attitude.
After all, who is anyone to judge a stranger on their shape?
Do you agree -- are most people too quick to judge and assume they know why someone is overweight?
Image via FOX
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Comments 8
I know that people are too quick to judge....There are many valid reasons people become overweight & don't think that us "fat-asses" are using them as excuses! Do they honestly think that we want the ridicule, low self-esteem or the many health issues that go along with it? NOT! As far as people like Ms. Paltrow go- I guess if I could afford a nutritionist & a personal trainer I'd be looking just as fit as her!
I used to be fat yes FAT FAT FAT and I was LAZY LAZY LAZY. Bottom line is we ALL make excuses for why we don't eat healthier or exercise and it only takes 20 mins a day and better eating habits to change your life around for the better...Gwyneth knows the guy, they are friends, he may have even mentioned the story himself on Chelsea Lately if I remember correctly and what she said wasn't nice but being fat and dying from health complications due to being fat is not nice either....
OMG She and Ross are very very good friends. According to Ross the first time he saw her he walked up to her and told her she was going to be his best friend and she said ok. They've been super close ever since. She didn't just run up to a fat person on the street and say that, she was talking to her FRIEND.
I don't understand why you guys keep writing about it and keep omitting that fact.
Another Gwen post? There was one just like this the other day! Why are you all so obessed with what she's saying.
If ROSS is okay with what she said.. WHY DO YOU CARE?
There are people that are fat because they have illnesses that make them fat, but 90% of the obese people from this country are fat because they don`t make exercises and eat at fast-foods. If Ross don`t want to make exercises then he should Buy Phentermine, my wife used them and they really help. Stop trash-talking Gwyneth, she can tell whatever she wants to her friend and we must not judge their relationship.