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| Fat is Not a Four-Letter Word
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There are people in this world who use the word “Fat” in a derogatory fashion; hell there are whole companies that belittle fat people for the sake of selling their products. Take Subway the sandwich company. Have any of you seen their newer advertisements? Talking about thunder thighs, blubber, seatbelt extenders, elastic waistbands, etc. Its offensive!
See the thing people don’t seem to understand is that everyone is built a different way, everyone’s necessary body weight and their ideal body weight don’t always line up the way we want them to but that doesn’t mean that we’re “Fat”. Take me for example; I’m 318 pounds of love, beauty, compassion, and a whole host of other things. I’m proud of the way I am, I accept my size because I’m healthy.
How can I weigh 318 pounds and be healthy?
Well I work for FedEx; I’m a courier, which is a very physical, demanding job. My day starts at the station where I get my paperwork, get into my truck and drive out to the city my route is in. That takes somewhere around a half an hour but that’s the easiest part of my day. For the rest of my shift I’m climbing in and out of my truck, running up and down stairs, in and out of buildings; I carry boxes, letters, trunks, and coolers ranging from a few ounces up to 75 pounds. Not to mention the different types of weather that I have to work in, it gives a new meaning to the word sweat. Once I return to the station my day isn’t over, as I park my truck I fill out the paperwork that I got when I started my shift and then I help with the Sort. Now that could mean unloading trucks, loading containers that are being brought to the airport, sorting documents, working with hazardous goods; basically anything that they want me to do.
I guess then that would leave the eating part of this discussion. A lot of people look at me and assume that I overeat because of my size and that’s just not the case. Sure there are times when I indulge myself with a sweet food or go to a buffet with my family but most of the time I eat just enough to satisfy and then stop. I also try to drink a lot of water, especially when I’m at work. If this information isn’t enough to convince you that I’m beautiful, sexy, whatever adjective that you want to fill in the blank with then that’s fine but I feel that by writing this and posting this in my blog that maybe, just maybe it’ll help one person feel better about themselves, help one person realize that no matter what size you are that you’re beautiful.
Here are some common myths about fat people and the facts that dispel those myths as taken directly from www.naafa.org/documents/brochures/myths.html
Stereotypes, and the resulting prejudice, develop from a belief that a group of people shares common characteristics. This belief is almost always grounded in myth. The following widely held beliefs about fat people are often used to justify treating fat people as second-class citizens, and create a "blame the victim" mentality. The information, which follows, may help to explore our biases against fat people and increase our understanding of people of size, which is the first step in ending size discrimination.
MYTH: "If fat people really wanted to, they could lose weight..."
FACTS: Permanent weight loss is elusive for most fat people; 95-98% of all diets fail over three years. Contrary to what the $33 billion per year dieting industry would have us believe, the failure of diets is not the fault of the dieter; rather, the body's response to a very low calorie diet (VLCD) dictates that the diet will fail.
A person's body weight is determined by a number of factors, including genetics, metabolism, and dieting history. The body will naturally stabilize at a certain weight; dieting serves to raise this natural "set point". This is because the body interprets a VLCD as a period of starvation; in response, the body slows down its metabolism, in order to conserve energy (calories), and sends messages to the dieter that it needs more food. When the dieter goes off her diet, her body converts extra calories consumed as fat, in anticipation of the next period of "starvation," resulting in weight gain greater than the amount lost. This "ratchet effect" is evident in yo-yo dieters, who may lose 20 pounds, gain 30, lose 30 pounds, gain 40, etc.
MYTH: "It's not healthy to be fat."
FACTS: The issue of fat and health is a complex one, with many factors to consider. Medical research has raised more questions than it has answered. It seems that, while there are health risks associated with being fat, there are also some health benefits. It may be healthier to remain at a stable high weight than to yo-yo diet.
Added to questions raised by medical research, we also must consider that, in our society, it is very difficult for fat people to stay healthy and become fit. Due to prejudicial medical treatment and harassment by health care professionals, many fat people do not receive adequate preventative health care, and put off seeking treatment when there is a medical problem. In addition, many fat people do not feel comfortable participating in activities that would lead to a greater level of fitness. Due to the harassment they face, fat people rarely feel comfortable using public pools or health clubs, or participating in recreational exercise.
Given that permanent weight loss is elusive for most fat people, the issue of fat and health is irrelevant. The only true option available is to be as healthy as you can, regardless of your weight. (Often times the health issue serves as a smoke screen to justify denying fat people their civil rights. The assumption that fat people are unhealthy is often used to defend discrimination in employment, educational opportunities, housing, and adoption privileges. Health issues should never supersede one's civil rights.)
MYTH: "All fat people are compulsive overeaters. "
FACTS: The compulsive eater, whether fat or thin, is a person with an eating disorder. Simply being fat does not indicate the presence of an eating disorder. Studies which set out to prove that fat people eat more than thin people concluded that there is no measurable difference in the food consumption of fat and thin people. Compulsive dieters, who ignore their body's hunger messages, tend to become obsessed with food, and usually overeat after a round of dieting.
MYTH: "Fat people are ugly."
FACTS: Beauty is a learned concept, and the cultural norm of beauty changes over time. At the turn of the century, the leading sex symbol, Lillian Russell, weighed over 200 pounds. Marilyn Monroe would be considered "overweight" today. The media, advertisers, and the diet industry tend to set the standard of beauty in today's society. We must remember that they are selling us dissatisfaction with our bodies in order to make a profit.
MYTH: "Fat people can't find romantic partners."
FACTS: It's estimated that at least 5-10% of the population has a preference for a large-size partner. Because our society does not view this as a legitimate preference, many people who prefer fat partners face harassment from their families and peers. As the preference for the large-size partner is legitimized, the 5-10% figure may rise.
If these myths coupled with these facts are not enough to convince you that fat people deserve a closer look, that maybe they are beautiful, sexy, smart people then I’m sorry I wasted your time but if these facts made you stop and think, then I applaud you for taking a step in the right direction. A step towards making the world a more accepting place for everyone.
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Posted by StllrChick on 2008-06-10 02:03:13 | Rating: | Views: 61
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I applaud you for speaking out about this. I have two aunts who are each about 300 pounds, and they, too, have had to go up against the stereotype of "fat" people. It's nice to see someone standing up for those who are oftentimes overlooked and ignored in society.
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Posted by Celticlass11
on 2008-06-10 10:23:30
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