I'm a former personal trainer (NCSA/CSCS [before they required you to have a degree in Exercise Science or whatever] + ACE); I used to train people for extra cash when I was in school, and right out of school before I got professional work in web production. When I was training people I had the same sort of idea, that it's fatties' lack of willpower and other reprehensible personal inadequacies that manifested in the form of uglyness on their person--until I grew up and grew older, got a desk job and real-life responsibilities, felt my metabolism slow and my energy levels drop, let stress pile-on and have noticable physical effects, etc. Trying to get the energy to have a real workout is nothing when you're young and your body is working with you and you can bounce right back from a night, or two nights, or a whole week, month, semester of getting no sleep and drinking/getting high/dropping acid/lines/fucking/studying/whatever; it's quite another when your body isn't so cooperative and you really do have to fight for every loss or gain. I have nothing but respect for people who have lost substantial amounts of weight, or have done any similar sort of body/physique transformation, and I have nothing but empathy for people who are struggling to do the same. It's hard, period. Count yourself fucking miracle-lucky if you find it easy.
