Being overweight in general is hard on the body. Even if it’s all muscle.
Go on a hike with a heavy backpack. How does it feel? Tiring? Hard? Now imagine keeping that backpack 24/7.
I used to lift in high school and college. Got pretty strong and heavy for my size but damn if a 20min walk didn’t leave me dead and drenched in sweat.
These days I’m 10kg lighter, not a huge difference, but wow is life a lot easier. I’m also in better cardio shape (more running and hiit, less lifting) and that turns out to be way more useful day to day.
This isn't new at all. Most people who live long and healthy lives don't exercise much. A lot of people who compete on peloton bikes would be so much healthier by reducing portion sizes and taking an easy walk.
I've wondered at times about people that seem to be exactly this. There's an MMA fighter named Daniel Cormier that obviously works out religiously, but has a body that carries a fair amount of fat: https://i1.wp.com/www.sportsmanor.com/wp-content/uploads/202...
He's held titles in two different weight classes, and was never criticized for his cardio.
Another uncomfortable truth for overwhelmingly overweight Americans: fat-shaming seems to work.
Anecdotally, the girls I know whose parents/family criticized them when they started to get fat never became truly fat and the ones whose parents were completely laissez-faire about it are now whales.
