Obese Scouters

[cajuncody 10]

Leave it to Beaver!

Well said. I agree 150% so there is nothing more for me to add.

Kristi

[acco40 95]

Again, look at our oath. Physically strong should contain no less and no more emphasis than morally straight, duty to God, etc. However, why all the "cut the obese some slack" comments but very few "cut the morally un-straight some slack" comments?

 

Your chartering organization made the call on who they deemed fit to be leaders. Our job, as fellow volunteers, is to work with those leaders and try our best to deliver the Scouting program to the youth.

 

Now, this reminds me of the joke that everyone may serve a purpose, even if that purpose is to be a bad example.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[SR540Beaver 116]

Acco,

 

Not being morally straight is "usually" a matter of choice. Being skinny or fat is not always a choice. I've known guys who were pencil thin and couldn't for the life of them gain a pound. I've known obese people who no amount of diet or exercise seems to produce any significant weight loss. It has to do with metabolism. Yes, you can spur metabolism, but you have to continue to spur it forever. You don't just lose weight and it magically stays off. 30 years ago while a senior in high school, I lost 80 lbs in 4 months thru a high protien diet. I never exercised a bit. Over the last 30 years, I've gained it back. In an effort to take some of it off, I religiously went to the gym 3 to 4 times a week and worked my tail off and dieted very strictly for a year. I managed to take off 25 lbs at best. When I quit going to the gym, I put 30 lbs on in 3 months. What was the big difference? Having the metabolism of a 17 year old as opposed to the metabolism of a 47 year old. Not everyone is fat by choice, slothfulness and gluttony. Trust me, there isn't a single obese person out there who wants to be. But I find it much easier to say no to drugs, alcohol, stealing and pornography than I do to look fit and trim. It would take a major lifetime commitment to eating like a bird and living in the gym to return to my 17 year old size. I'm a dad, husband, son to an aging mother, employee, scouter, church member, etc. I find fulfilling those roles have a huge effect on my ability to be Jack Lalane.

[acco40 95]

I agree Beave but for some addiction to food, drugs, alcohol, sex, whatever, is just as difficult for others and they struggle with it. My only point is that many of us are quick to judge others on some points of the Scout law (morally straight and duty to God seem to be the hot topic buttons de jour) but heaven forbid if one someone judges another on physically strong.

 

Again, as "run of the mill" Scouters (UC, SM, SA, CC, MC, etc.) our job is not to judge our fellow Scouters. That is the "job" of the CO and national office.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[cubbingcarol 10]

SeattlePioneer, are you happy with anything dealing with Scouts? It seems like almost all of your posts have been on the negative side. I hope you find some happiness during your work within Scouting and project that to those you are around.

 

Carol

[SeattlePioneer 144]

 

 

 

So you went to the gym 3-4 times/week and you LOST 25 pounds. Then you quit and gained back thirty. But you seem to suggest that gaining it back was an Act of God?

 

As I noted earlier, I put 20 pounds back on over the winter, but it wasn't an Act Of God, it as because I gave up the good habits that led to the weight loss in the first place.

 

And my walking regiman is nine miles/day, 5-6 days/week, although I do tend to miss more during the winter months.

 

I think you are correct that metabolism and exercise habits do tend to change with age, or at least they have with me. But that simply means you need to change or cut down on your food intake and make a point of keeping your exercise level up. That CAN be done for most people with sufficient motivation and discipline, but I'm not suggeting it's easy at all.

 

It's a struggle for me every day now. But over the winter I wasn't stuggling with it, which accounted for regaining the weight lost.

 

And I suggest that the basic test should be the question of are we doing our BEST as Scouters. If we can honestly answer yes to that question, then we are off the hook. Absent an affirmative answer to that, we ought to be struggling with the problem as best we can.

 

That's my theory, anyway.

 

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fuzzy Bear 12]

I watched a video of our Council's last Woodbadge session. It was evident that many of the staff were over the weight limit. Since I am new in the Council, I was shocked. I thought to myself, "I have to get to know them better."

 

FB

[cajuncody 10]

I wasn't aware that there was a weight limit to woodbadge. Are we to be checked in as carry on or go under the plane? ;-)

Kristi

[packsaddle 753]

I tend to agree with SR540Beaver. But Bob White caused me to try to remember how I interact with a few persons in BSA leadership. I mostly react at summer camp when I am disappointed by the physical appearance of the camp staff, themselves. Need to do something about that dining hall...

I mostly keep my thoughts to myself except for one of them who is a good friend. I have many times warned him that should he fall out of a boat, the best we can do is throw a rope on him and drag him to shore. Seriously!

 

SeattlePioneer, I hate to tell you fella (actually, I take diabolical pleasure), with a few years on you, I know that that sight is NEVER going to be pretty...at any weight. And it's only going to get worse and worse and there's nothing you can do about it. Have a nice day.

[frankj 10]

Beaver -- you beat me to it!

[SeattlePioneer 144]

Hey Packsaddle!

 

 

Have to disagree with you on the age & appearance issue. I definitely looked a lot better after having lost 50 pounds, even though I was a few months older. Quite a few favorable reviews on that issue, as a matter of fact.

 

And I'd have to say that even now I'm better off at age 55 and thirty pounds lighter than a year ago.

 

After a few months of following that Weight Watchers discipline, all the blood tests in my annual physical came up way in the green, too.

 

In any case, for me it's at least about TRYING to do the best with what you have. Long term, we'll all be dead. Until then, I have choices I can make that may lead to a better life ---pretty much what much of Scouting is all about, don't you think?

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

[Hunt 11]

This is actually something I've been thinking about for a while. There were several occasions in which I noticed just how overweight some Scouters were who were serving in positions in which they were setting examples for the boys in various ways, and urging the boys to achievements of various sorts. There is nothing that I can say directly to them--but it did cause me to take a look in the mirror.

 

There's one other thing I can do, in this fairly anonymous setting. I can urge anybody reading this to take a look in the mirror too and ask yourself if your state of physical fitness is serving as a good example to the scouts who look up to you. If it isn't, chances are you can do something about it. Of course, there are plenty of other motivations for getting fitter, such as your own continued survival, your appearance, and getting your spouse to stop nagging you about it, but thinking about your influence on young people who may model themselves on you might be the motivation that tips the balance and gets you to do what you know you need to do.

 

If you do lose weight, other people will ask you how you did it. That's your opportunity to set a good example for them.

 

Off my soapbox. I can't stay up there too long, since I've only lost 5 pounds and have quite a ways to go.

[Sturgen 10]

Just a few points:

If obese scout leaders were banned the Order of the Arrow would be nonexistent (my lodge might have two or three advisors/active adults left), the council office would be nearly bare, and half of the Scout Masters out there would be gone.

The scout oath says physically strong, in my experience, if you take the average heavy set to mildly obese individual, and you put them up against an average fit person, the heavier of the two will win in nearly every feet of brute physical strength (ie lifting, pulling,etc)

Personally I would consider myself in the pleasantly plump to tubby range. Ill tell you right now, the only way your going to see me doing any serious running, beyond a short sprint, is if there is an angry cub mom after me. However I have worked on a COPE course for 2 summers, and at an outpost for 3 years before that, both very physically demanding job. I work freight in a grocery store carrying and throwing heavy boxes. And the few times I get a chance to go hiking between work and school I am known by my troop as a mule, someone who moves slow and steady, with a double or triple load on their back. As far as Im concerned, I would be considered physically strong. However by the comments made by some individuals here, as well as in other forums, I would be seen unfit to be a Leader due to my weight.

In other news: It has been recently shown that being fifteen to twenty pounds over your ideal weight can add up to five years to life expectancy!!!

 

[Hunt 11]

Actually, life expectancy is reduced if you're unfit OR overweight. People who are physically fit but overweight still need to lose weight for optimal health, and thin people still need to exercise.

 

And what's more, even if you're in shape and thin, you might still need to take steps to lower your cholesterol.

 

But let's face it--many of us are unfit AND overweight. I didn't become a Scouter because I'm an outdoorsy guy. I became a Scouter because of my son. But when I put on that uniform, I have to think about being an example, not just to him but to the other scouts, too. That's all I'm saying.

[SR540Beaver 116]

seattle,

 

9 miles a day, 5 or 6 days a week? After some Googling, I consistently find that the average adult walking speed to be 3 MPH. That means you are walking 45 to 54 miles per week over a 15 to 18 hour time span. 3 hours per day. I commend you on having that much free time to dedicate to walking. Most of us don't have that luxury.