Comments on: Fat Acceptance

By: DJ

DJ — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:39:20 +0000

I’ve started my own movement. It’s called “I’m FAT and I’m PROUD of it.” Don’t get me wrong, I understand being as large as I am isn’t healthy. I work out and eat better to try and lose weight. I do that for HEALTH reasons, not because I hate myself. I am more comfortable with myself at 350 pounds than I ever was at 250 pounds. It’s because I’ve come to accept that I AM worth something no matter how I look or what I weigh. If anyone can’t accept that I say eff you. It’s my life and I was givin the right to live it as I see fit. You don’t like it, too damn bad. Thank you for being on our side.

By: Ruth

Ruth — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:20:39 +0000

I've been reading this really great book lately, Embracing Your Big Fat Ass by Laura Banks and Janette Barber, and between that book and thoughtful posts like yours, I've come to the conclusion that fat acceptance, and thin acceptance, and tall acceptance, and short acceptance and any other kind of size/image issue we all have are pretty much ALL issues of self acceptance and self esteem. The biggest thing we have to learn is to love ourselves as we are, and from there we can make changes if we choose to. But it all starts with at least liking ourselves enough to want what is best for us as individuals.

By: Katie

Katie — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:10:57 +0000

Marste,
I definitely think that’s an interesting case, and not representative of the vast majority of fat people. I’m glad you posted because it’s an interesting conundrum. Like Marste said, she would have to maintain highly unhealthy habits to get over 200 pounds. I would venture a guess that is true of most people.
Let me put it this way. I am 5′1″. If you saw me on the street, you would see that I am short. You would assume that I am unable to reach very high shelves, can’t slam dunk a basketball, and possibly other thinks that are sometimes assumed of short people. And that is OK, because 99% of people my height are unable to slam dunk a basketball unless they’re really really good at jumping.
So to answer your question, I would make the judgement about you that: you probably won’t win any sprinting contests. and you can’t fit in small spaces. It is human nature to make generalizations and assumptions about what we see. I would be happy if you proved me wrong and won a marathon.

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Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:48:29 +0000

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By: Zandria

Zandria — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:30:31 +0000

Great, great, post, Kelly. Truly terrific. :)

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:19:57 +0000

Thank you, Marste, for an excellent, well-written comment. You expressed my thoughts much better than I could.

By: mary

mary — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:41:51 +0000

Not twice as much, but 140 pounds more than right now. I have posted several times above and on Every Gym’s Nightmare. I don’t think it enlightened anyone. And, why do you think my story is “simply not possible?” My trainers would definitely say I am a special case. Although each of them has been in the business of working with health and bodies for many years, they both were shocked to learn the things I had to teach them about size and weight loss and health. However, they were open to learning. I have been very disappointed to find such lack of acceptance from many of the commentators on this blog. I would be happy to put you in contact with either of my trainers if you would like further information about my “special case.”

By: Mandy

Mandy — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:27:15 +0000

Mary,

Unless you weighed twice as much as you do now three years ago, that is simply not possible.

Even if 300 pounds is a weight you maintain under the habits you explained, you are clearly a special case, and not representative of the norm.

But besides that, why are you acting as if Katie’s comment is such blasphemy? It’s someone’s perspective. Why not try and enlighten her with yours, rather than asking antagonizing questions?

By: Marste

Marste — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:44:12 +0000

Well, a lot of things have been said, and said well, but since this is a subject near and dear to my heart, I just wanted to chime in.

First, a lot of people seem to feel that if you are fat and healthy, that’s ok, but that if you are fat and UNhealthy, then that’s NOT ok. But what if someone is fat and unhealthy by CHOICE? What if they’d really rather live on Big Macs and fries (which most don’t, btw) than salad and chicken? Last I checked, we were grown-ups who are allowed to make our own choices.

The argument that fat people cost more in healthcare (and therefore should be shamed) doesn’t hold water, either. According to recent research, someone who is fat and unhealthy will cost LESS in the long run, because they’re more likely to die earlier. Someone who is healthy is more likely to live long enough to require long-term care (think Alzheimer’s and dementia). For the study itself, go to the Public Library of Science, a peer-reviewed medical journal: http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050029&ct=1

So. If the healthcare argument is a red herring, what else is there? Honestly, I don’t see any good reason for shaming or discriminating against fat people. The only reason I see is, “it makes me uncomfortable that they’re fat,” and THAT is not a good reason.

Finally, any argument that extrapolates to fat people in general based on “the fat people I know” is faulty by definition. Unless you know for a fact that the fat people you know constitute a representative sample of ALL the fat people in the nation (including income and education levels, family history, genetics, etc.), it doesn’t fly. It’s a skewed sample, and as an extrapolation tool, it’s useless.

Having said all that, I would like to point out that Health at Every Size is NOT the same as Health at Any Size. What is a healthy size for you might not be for me, and vice versa. I know from my own personal history that the only way my weight gets over 200 is by bingeing (normally it hovers between 165 and 175). But I have no doubt that Mary (above), is healthy as a horse. She might not be as healthy at my size, and I might not be as healthy at hers, but that doesn’t mean that either of our sizes is by DEFINITION unhealthy. It just means that what is healthy for one person might not be for someone else.

Ok, I’m done now. Sorry for the long comment! :)

By: mary

mary — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:34:59 +0000

Katie,

I am 5 feet 3 and weigh over 300 pounds. I work out with a trainer and on my own 12 hours a week and have done so for three years. I walk/run at 4.2 mph for 60 minutes a day and weight train the other 60. I leg press 620 (orm). I typically eat between 1,500 and 1,700 calories a day. I sleep a solid 8 hours a night and I work full-time. In my spare time, I am preparing for NSCA certification. I’m just curious. When you see me on the street, what category do you put me in? What judgments do you make about me?