Embarrassment As A Motivator

[JoeBob]

Adult instructors at a prestigious council event.  I count one that might meet the BMI standard.

 

What a fine example we are for the boys.

[packsaddle]

LOL, I was expecting something else. I still meet the standard myself but I can understand how middle-age delivers a 'smack-down' for any adult male who thinks he's still a 'twenty-bopper'.

At least I didn't see any 'generals' in there.

[Gone]

Adult instructors at a prestigious council event.  I count one that might meet the BMI standard.

Fatsos.jpg

 

What a fine example we are for the boys.

 

@@JoeBob, was at summer camp back in 2011. A troop from my council was in the camp site behind us. Unruly troop, lazy adults, smoking in their tents...you get the picture. Of the 6 adults there (all in uniform) not one was below 230 lbs, and not one over 5' 9" tall.

 

One night I was sitting in my tent -- their campsite and adult tents backed up to ours...5 feet away -- and I could hear the adults talking. Their topic? Going to Philmont the following year!!! How in God's name were they going to make it to ANYTHING at Philmont.

 

The year we were at Philmont last there were two adults who died...both from heart attacks.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[Stosh]

Mental note to self: 

 

@

 

where were you that adults from another troop were 5' away at a summer camp?  

 

The camp were we are at, I could have 4 patrols and one adult area 300' apart in our site and still not be able to see another troop.  

 

That's a week from hell in my book.

 

Oh, for the record, 6' even 167.2 lbs. this morning.  A bit up from my Philmont (2000) weight of 164.3 lbs.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Stosh

[Scouter99]

My unit's SM is bigger than any of them.  I often wonder why BSA even offers uniforms in anything over XL. 

[eagle77]

 Guess all the slim and trim leaders were home on their Nordictrac or at the gym, good thing these leaders had nothing better to do then help out our youth. You know maybe some of these people could not do High Adventure, but that is not all scouts is about. I like to measure a person by the size of their heart not how tall and wide they are. Just to add I am in shape for my size and weight. I do however have an ASM who isn't and I wouldn't trade him off for anything.

[perdidochas]

I resemble the picture above, albeit with less bling (I have the minimum patches necessary).  I am a volunteer, because the troop needs me.  If we had more fit younger males willing to lead, I would gladly step down.  The younger fit males are too busy worrying about working out, instead of volunteering.....

[perdidochas]

My unit's SM is bigger than any of them.  I often wonder why BSA even offers uniforms in anything over XL. 

Well, because of people like my brother who are 6'4 and 240.  He needs an XXL and meets BMI standards. 

[Eagledad]

It's an interesting visual of Scouting, I counted a full third of the participants at the last WB course I staffed to be grossly over weight. I think grossly is being fair. Obesity seems to stick out at multi-unit scouting events (at least in Oklahoma) and I worry about the image it leaves on the public.

 

Fitness is one of the three Aims; does scouting have some unique attraction with out-of-shape adults in a program that is supposed to set the example of taking care of ones self both mentally and physically? 

 

I don't know, but we lost a Council leader at Philmont a few years ago as a result of his health and I know some very good scouters who can't sleep overnight in tents because of issues associated with their weight problem. It is a difficult subject to even discuss.

 

Barry

[JoeBob]

Full disclosure: I'm 6'2" and 220.  It's a constant battle.  

 

At 61, my cooking has gotten better, but my metabolism has gotten worse.

[Gone]

 Guess all the slim and trim leaders were home on their Nordictrac or at the gym, good thing these leaders had nothing better to do then help out our youth. You know maybe some of these people could not do High Adventure, but that is not all scouts is about. I like to measure a person by the size of their heart not how tall and wide they are. Just to add I am in shape for my size and weight. I do however have an ASM who isn't and I wouldn't trade him off for anything.

 

Would you want a sub-par rifle instructor demonstrating poor firearms protocol teaching your scout? Would you want a climbing instructor who had no clue on how to climb or tie knots belaying your scout?

 

I get that physical fitness can be influenced by many things (age, health conditions, etc.). No one is saying these folks need to be fit and trim either. But let's face it, we all know adults in the program who are VERY over-weight. Even if you have a health condition that has you putting on weight (I have such a condition), you CAN still maintain a reasonable height/weight/BMI ratio and set an example for the boys. It may mean giving up Sonic or Micky-D's but you CAN do it. 

 

Setting an example should be in everything we do, not just what comes easy.

 

 

It's an interesting visual of Scouting, I counted a full third of the participants at the last WB course I staffed to be grossly over weight. I think grossly is being fair. Obesity seems to stick out at multi-unit scouting events (at least in Oklahoma) and I worry about the image it leaves on the public.

 

Fitness is one of the three Aims; does scouting have some unique attraction with out-of-shape adults in a program that is supposed to set the example of taking care of ones self both mentally and physically? 

 

I don't know, but we lost a Council leader at Philmont a few years ago as a result of his health and I know some very good scouters who can't sleep overnight in tents because of issues associated with their weight problem. It is a difficult subject to even discuss.

 

Barry

 

I agree and have had similar experiences.

 

Was your council leader there in 2013? The week we were there two adults passed away. One from a heart attack, the other had a heart issue and, during his decent he tripped and hit is head on a rock. Both died at the scene. Was a tough week for Scouting.

[pargolf44067]

 

 

Was your council leader there in 2013? The week we were there two adults passed away. One from a heart attack, the other had a heart issue and, during his decent he tripped and hit is head on a rock. Both died at the scene. Was a tough week for Scouting.

 

I was there with a crew from my troop in 2013.  We were there mid-June.  Full disclosure, I am fairly overweight but have normal blood pressure.  I lost weight to go to Philmont, but when I got out there, due to the altitude, my blood pressure got higher.  I had to come off trail for a couple of days due to this (and spend most of one night at the ER in Raton), but they cleared me to go back out.  When I was coming back to base camp, they said that they had already had 3 or 4 leaders that had heart issues on the trail and had to go home.  I think the heat that year was especially bad.  I heard later in the summer that they lost a couple of leaders due to heart issues while out there.

[Gone]

I was there with a crew from my troop in 2013.  We were there mid-June.  Full disclosure, I am fairly overweight but have normal blood pressure.  I lost weight to go to Philmont, but when I got out there, due to the altitude, my blood pressure got higher.  I had to come off trail for a couple of days due to this (and spend most of one night at the ER in Raton), but they cleared me to go back out.  When I was coming back to base camp, they said that they had already had 3 or 4 leaders that had heart issues on the trail and had to go home.  I think the heat that year was especially bad.  I heard later in the summer that they lost a couple of leaders due to heart issues while out there.

 

Yup that was late July. We had a few folks who did not follow directions (lay off booze caffeine prior to the trip, get full stress test done, etc.) and they got taken off the trail too. We take the high adventure seriously, so we ask adults to get fully checked out. 80 miles in back country is not a place to find out someone is not up to snuff. Our training ahead of time culled out some guys from the more intense trek and re-routed them to the lesser trek.

[pargolf44067]

Yup that was late July. We had a few folks who did not follow directions (lay off booze caffeine prior to the trip, get full stress test done, etc.) and they got taken off the trail too. We take the high adventure seriously, so we ask adults to get fully checked out. 80 miles in back country is not a place to find out someone is not up to snuff. Our training ahead of time culled out some guys from the more intense trek and re-routed them to the lesser trek.

 

I did all that as well, we did almost a full year of training, but being a flatlander, you can't really test how the altitude is going to affect you.  Thankfully, I was able to get back out there and finish my trek after a couple of days.  Blood pressure spiked a couple of times climbing up some of the trails, like Black Mtn.  Unfortunately the forest fire that was just off the property caused us to have a re-route, so we didn't do Mt. Phillips like we were supposed to, but proud to say I did make it to the top of the Tooth of Time!  From a physical standpoint, I don't think my son was ever as proud as when I joined him at the top!

[eagle77]

Would you want a sub-par rifle instructor demonstrating poor firearms protocol teaching your scout? Would you want a climbing instructor who had no clue on how to climb or tie knots belaying your scout?

 

  Bad Wolf,

   None of these things have anything to do with there physical appearence. What only slim and trim leaders know or have any skill in anything? Being overweight means they have less knowledge? All I ask is that they have the required training or certification needed to teach a certain skill. I understand the physically fit idea, I just don't like the idea of pointing the finger and making fun of others. I know there are those out there like you that would like that height and weight chart used for high adventure put on the adult application. All I would expect is for these people to know the limitations that they physically have when it comes to doing certain aspects of the program. I know of people who fit the guidelines in weight and size and have also been pulled off of treks. So unless you can complete a Philmont Trek or maybe hike 20 miles on the AP or canoe 50 miles down the Mississippi are you fit to be a leader? Why stop there maybe their hair style or color is not of my liking, or maybe they have (God forbid) a tattoo. Some people feel these things may set the wrong example too.  Where do we draw the line?

 

   I was always told this was a virtual campfire and simply giving a hint that I felt what was going on was out of line for a scout. Same thing I would do if I was siting around a campfire with the scouts and they began to make fun of the people in the next site or even in our own site.  But I guess fat people are exempt from that respect too. I hate to say this because some people throw it out there real quick, but I felt what was going on was a form of bullying.Had a friend when I was in high school who was overweight and was insulted and teased merciless at times for his appearence well one day he decided to do something about it, got access to his father's gun and put a bullet in his brain. Oh and I was a good friend trying to get him to get in better shape and eat more sensibly, but in the end he chose his solution over mine. Maybe if he wasn't made fun of and teased so much he wouldn't have had to make the decision that he did.