Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Fat Acceptance Movement: Overdue Reform, or Total Denial?

genuinegirly · 05-09-2008, 11:50 AM

I'm a petite, thin person. [edit: not without willpower and struggle. I walk a solid 2 miles daily and eat only what I know how to work off] My mother is unhealthily overweight and has been struggling with it for years. She suffers from a couple of medical conditions that are associated with her weight, but nothing life-threatening. The real problems come with her quality of life. She has difficulty walking because of a broken foot she had years ago that never quite healed properly, the pain is only intensified with her weight. Her confidence is shot. She studied fashion design in her 20s and loved her thin, lithe form. But she gave up on fashion along with her waistline sometime after my older brother was born.

Seeing her struggle with weight loss programs and crushed self-confidence has affected me. It has motivated me to never get to that point myself [edit: because with how much I love to eat, I easily could weigh significantly more. I have learned to provide myself metered, balanced meals at regular intervals]. I love exercise and outdoor activities. The thought of being limited by any less-than-top physical shape is nothing I want to entertain until arthritis kicks in. I've worked with my body to understand my dietary needs through metabolism changes [edit: yes, at around age 21 I hit a metabolism change. At that point, I decided to shift toward a light vegetarian menu to partially compensate], and have always been well within a healthy range [edit: thankfully, I caught myself before I gained more than 15 pounds above what I've always weighed]. Since I matured early, I'm the same now (age 25) as I was in junior high. [edit: this is not a bragging point. This is to point out that a woman at age 25 can weigh the same as she was when she was 12, assuming she was healthy then] Ok, plus some curves. [edit: thank goodness I'm no longer half of an A cup]

I feel that a negative social stigma against obesity is crucial to correcting the epidemic.

Obesity is a form of malnutrition, and should be treated as such. Dietary counseling should be available, inexpensively, to families that see the trend. Elementary education curriculum should include piecing together appropriate diets, with homework for the parents to complete with their children, including preparing balanced menus and meals. School cafeterias should only offer balanced, sugar-free meals that encourage healthy eating.

This said - obesity and "fat" are different. One can be "fat" and still be healthy. Many people view themselves as "fat" because they simply hold themselves to an unrealistic standard.

It's all about balance. Teaching one another this balance should be a priority.

05-09-2008, 11:50 AM	#83 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	I'm a petite, thin person. [edit: not without willpower and struggle. I walk a solid 2 miles daily and eat only what I know how to work off] My mother is unhealthily overweight and has been struggling with it for years. She suffers from a couple of medical conditions that are associated with her weight, but nothing life-threatening. The real problems come with her quality of life. She has difficulty walking because of a broken foot she had years ago that never quite healed properly, the pain is only intensified with her weight. Her confidence is shot. She studied fashion design in her 20s and loved her thin, lithe form. But she gave up on fashion along with her waistline sometime after my older brother was born. Seeing her struggle with weight loss programs and crushed self-confidence has affected me. It has motivated me to never get to that point myself [edit: because with how much I love to eat, I easily could weigh significantly more. I have learned to provide myself metered, balanced meals at regular intervals]. I love exercise and outdoor activities. The thought of being limited by any less-than-top physical shape is nothing I want to entertain until arthritis kicks in. I've worked with my body to understand my dietary needs through metabolism changes [edit: yes, at around age 21 I hit a metabolism change. At that point, I decided to shift toward a light vegetarian menu to partially compensate], and have always been well within a healthy range [edit: thankfully, I caught myself before I gained more than 15 pounds above what I've always weighed]. Since I matured early, I'm the same now (age 25) as I was in junior high. [edit: this is not a bragging point. This is to point out that a woman at age 25 can weigh the same as she was when she was 12, assuming she was healthy then] Ok, plus some curves. [edit: thank goodness I'm no longer half of an A cup] I feel that a negative social stigma against obesity is crucial to correcting the epidemic. Obesity is a form of malnutrition, and should be treated as such. Dietary counseling should be available, inexpensively, to families that see the trend. Elementary education curriculum should include piecing together appropriate diets, with homework for the parents to complete with their children, including preparing balanced menus and meals. School cafeterias should only offer balanced, sugar-free meals that encourage healthy eating. This said - obesity and "fat" are different. One can be "fat" and still be healthy. Many people view themselves as "fat" because they simply hold themselves to an unrealistic standard. It's all about balance. Teaching one another this balance should be a priority. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy Last edited by genuinegirly; 05-09-2008 at 04:53 PM.. Reason: in light of the post after mine...