<i><font color=#555555>"You can't wait to live your life; you have to do it now."</font></i>

But you don't need to wait for a travel vacation (with lots of walking) to exercise control over your weight issues now. Displaced priority? I don't know anyone who successfully used a vacation to lose wait and kept the weight off after they returned.

With the staggering increases in diabetes, the health care industry feels forced to take an aggressive stand. Someone has to try to help those who seem powerless to help themselves.

Fat = bad is the kind of negative press that's here to stay. God forbid you still smoke these days and cluster outside your office with the other puffers. We've reached a point where it's unrealistic to expect stares of compassion.

If you're fat, it's extremely difficult to fade into the crowd anymore. The larger the health concern, the more fingers you may find pointing in your direction. There is now a perception in the marketplace that obesity is causing everyone's insurance premiums to rise. The only way to protect yourself from that dreaded finger of blame is to get your weight under control.

Do it now so that you'll have a life of quality worth living.

you just couldn't resist it, could you, NYCFoodSnob?

you have NO idea about the lives of the OP's relatives, or anyone else here for that matter.

try thinking of something that YOU do that is bad for you? nothing? I don't believe it.

the problem with losing weight, [as opposed to stopping smoking or drinking, or taking illegal drugs] is that we HAVE to eat. and our sins are visible to the world, as you so sensitively point out. do you think that making people feel bad about themselves is a good way to encourage them in healthy eating?

no wonder the OP's relatives are worried.

"But you don't need to wait for a travel vacation (with lots of walking) to exercise control over your weight issues now. Displaced priority?"

Did somebody suggest this? The question is whether the op's mother and sister should wait until they lose weight to go to Europe. I say no. I say having a vibrant and active life is good for a person and makes it more likely that their efforts to lose weight will be successful. And that a trip to Europe can be fun at any weight.

There is a point, when you life is in imminent danger. It comes sooner than you'd expect. It's very simple to set your body weight to anything you desire. Get off junk food, only eat food you prepare yourself made from unprocessed ingredients. Keep blood sugar as constant as possible. Count calories. Depending where you start from, up to 150 lbs in a year is doable without problems.

logos - i repeat - you have no idea about the lives of anyone here.

if your statement "Depending where you start from, up to 150 lbs in a year is doable without problems." were correct, we would not have the nunbers of obese people that we have, would we?

it is clearly far more complicated, as anyone who gave the issue more than a moment's thought would realise.

I think this thread has got off topic, the original question was not about loosing weight but would the OPs relatives be subject to comment because of their size, not how or when or if they should loose weight before they travel. I still say that no one in Europe will make audible comments so tell your relations Doppio to come and enjoy and do as much walking as they feel comfortable with, then take public transport, buses, trains, boats etc.

>it is clearly far more complicated, as anyone who gave the issue more than a moment's thought would realise.

annhig, it's peoples CHOICE to be fat. They are obese, because they chose to be, whatever else they claim. It's not up to me, to judge anybody for their choice, but it's surely not someones fate to be fat. Losing weight is easy to do, IF you want to.

As someone who flys with the public everyweek,I really don't think that a size 18 is obese.There are so many people who are overweight that travel that I don't think there will be a problem. On my airline,we usually have 17 seatbelt extensions which nowadays are all used every flight.I would recommend possibly buying economy comfort seats if possible.

Your sister will not need any special seat, though comfort is always nice.

It's not her; it's L.A.

logos999 -

No, there are quite a few people that are overweight due to other medical issues. And even if it is a matter of overeating and underexercising - most of hte many people trying to lose weight would be more successful.

It is NOT easy - especially for people with hip or knee issues that prevent them from doing much walking. And losing 150 pounds in a year is not easy - it's practically impossible.

And this is a completely separate issue from providing advice on travel to europe.

I am always amazed at people who complain about posters giving "off topic" or "snarky" advice when they are simply giving information about someone's proposed trip based on their own experience.

But you feel free to give health and diet advice - completely unasked - and in a tone that shows your contempt for the OPs family. Talk about off topic, judgmental and inappropriate. Never mind being pure nonsense.

They are both overweight but neither of them are at the sort of extreme size that is really going to astonish people/maybe get a reaction.
You get random jerks anywhere, but generally they shouldn't have any problems/funny comments in Europe. Plenty of us around at that sort of size as well.
A lot of it is attitude/confidence as well. My best friend is 6 foot tall and very confident and outgoing. She gets just as many men chasing her now she's put on weight as when she was younger and slim. She's still the same attractive person. I can't imagine any one ever having the nerve to make a snarky comment to her. Whereas someone slinking around practically apologising for their very existence, without confidence, draws out the bullies who will use any excuse to have a pop; weight, height, hair colour, nothing ...
I hope they go and have a fantastic holiday.

In general, I would would worry much more about nasty attitudes from fellow American travelers than from local Europeans. That said, more worrisome to me would be the quality of sightseeing and your Mom & Sister's expectations. Going up some towers and sightseeing monuments (i.e. in Florence) is probably out of the question as there are parts that are narrow. I actually saw people turning around as they could not fit the stairway up. Is that a reason not to go? Absolutely not. I commend your Mom & Sister for their zest for life. If anything, I would encourage them to walk more (increments) carrying weights (4-8 pounds) in preparation for the trip. Also, to do 3 sets of low-impact legs stretching exercises BEFORE going for extended walks. It will strenghten the muscles around their knees and hips and will result in much less discomfort and fatigue.

I have travelled to Europe with an overweight companion and I never saw an instance where she was treated disrespectfully. She has gone back again and again and always enjoys herself. She is a wonderful, kind, and very courteous woman and that is what she gets in return. So simple, really.

BTW, the increased ratio waist to height is no longer an American trait; I travel to Europe frequently and see an increased number of British and Germans having weight issues.

nytraveler, my coment was directed at annhig, not you, yet you have chosen to interfere.

>overweight due to other medical issues.
Psycholigial "issues". Everybody has a right to be obese, but saying "medical issues would lead to obesity" is pure and utter nonsense. Obesity leads to medical issues that's a fact. You're confusing cause and effect.
Many people seem to feel they need to justity themselves for their body weight, they don't!!

A couple of years ago the BBC reported on the dramatic increase in overweight Europeans over the last 20 years:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11935525

France, Italy and the Netherlands are all on the lower end of the chart, but have still seen noticeable increases.

All of which is to say - viajero2 is right; being "large" is no longer a uniquely US problem. There may be some rude individuals in every country, but doppio's sister and mom should not stay home because of that.

I have traveled in Europe, especially France, at a variety of different weights. I don't go clothes-shopping while I'm there anymore, but I have never experienced any overt unpleasantness. The only comment I've ever gotten was from a former professor who hadn't seen me in about ten years and four dress sizes - you've changed, Barbara! - but then she laughed, patted her own hips and said well, I'm not the woman I was either, and we went out for a nice chat at a cafe.

A friend loaned me a book - I am totally blanking about the title - by a woman who spent a year in Paris with her family. It is written like a series of blog or Facebook posts. Amusing but not life-changing. Anyway, towards the end she has a short chapter on dressing, where she observes that there are heavy French women, but the big difference between them and their American counterparts is that French women, regardless of weight, will take their clothes to be tailored before they wear them. We try to fit into a range of standard sizes that don't work for anyone particularly well. As someone who, according to the fashion industry, should have a 36" inseam, I could relate to that. Now if only I could find a good tailor.

Sorry - but there are some medical issues - and specific medications - that do lead to overweight.

There are also injuries of various types - perhaps not even obvious - that limit a person's ability to exercise - making losing weight extremely difficult.

If it were that simple to lose weight, we wouldn't have so many people trying so many methods to do so - and failing.

You have tremendously oversimplified a significantly complex subject - but if you choose to just blame people - be my guest.

As for denigrating "psychological issues" - well, if you refuse to accept that people can have such - I hope you never suffer from one.

And "chosen to interfere"? Are you the king of the world - that someone would dare to "interfere" with your proclamations? Or are we all supposed to just bow down in front of you and accept your opinion on matters about which your knowledge is obviously fairly limited?

Sheesh - get some perspective on yourself.

<i><font color=#555555>"you just couldn't resist it, could you"</font></i>

Resist what? I speak from experience. Take it or leave it. I weighed 300lbs my freshman year of high school. I don't need any wagging-finger lectures on fat sensitivity, thank you.

<i><font color=#555555>"you have NO idea about the lives of the OP's relatives"</font></i>

And nor did my post address them directly.

<i><font color=#555555>"try thinking of something that YOU do that is bad for you? nothing? I don't believe it."</font></i>

This is how you justify bad eating habits?

After years of diets, doctors, nutritional counseling and therapists, I finally learned the secret to good health and an enjoyable life: exercise and moderation. I don't really care whether you believe it or not, I don't over-indulge in any single food item or food group that might prove harmful to my health as I age. I love to eat but I set serious limits. And I've been living with this discipline since my early 20's.

<i><font color=#555555>"the problem with losing weight, is that we HAVE to eat."</font></i>

If you suffer from a food addiction, it is the most difficult addiction to overcome. But millions do overcome it. If you eat as a coping mechanism, then we're talking about a different problem.

<i><font color=#555555>"do you think that making people feel bad about themselves is a good way to encourage them in healthy eating?"</font></i>

When people are willing to sacrifice their body limbs because they refuse to give up sugar, fat, and white flour, please tell me the sensitive therapy you recommend. Sometimes a punch in the gut is the only way to save a life. I say use it if you have no other therapy that works.

<i><font color=#555555>"I think this thread has got off topic"</font></i>

Weight threads never stay on topic. There are too many people who struggle with obesity and feel the need to express their frustration and/or justify the width of their girth.

I think that the only way to lose weight is to put yourself in charge of what you eat. Don't let food control you. You control it. My experience was that it didn't really matter how much I walked or exercised whilst trying to lose weight; what was crucial to my success was that fact that I cut down on food. I tried to eat no more that 1500 calories a day. Sometimes a little more sometimes a little less. That worked. Exercise as much as you like but at the end of the day you need to accept that you have to eat a lot less food than before. Those who feel they are too fat to walk or can't do so cause of joint pain can still shed the pounds by eating less. This should mean that in time they'll be able to walk and exercise like everyone else. Happy New Year!

It's o.k. to be fat, nobody has the right to judge you for your food addiction. It's and addiction, nothing else. No need to feel guilty for it. But discussing it with the addicts, will lead to nothing. Losing weight really IS simple, if they want it.

You get random jerks anywhere,>>

nona - you are absolutely correct.

I don't think you can generalize about what their experience will be. In major cities at least it seems locals really don't pay much attention to tourists one way or the other. It's not like they'll be having a lot of up close and personal encounters with local residents.

I worry more about the rigors of any Europe trip. Being that large/overweight concerning the long plane ride over, the amount of walking you do, taking public transportation, climbing a lot of stairs, etc. More about their own physical limitations, than what some stranger on the street might look or say.