another fat shaming post

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  • SherryR1971
    SherryR1971 Posts: 1,170 Member
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    I find it motivating. Not only do I like to see others' progress, but I enjoy taking my own progress pics and seeing the difference in my changing shape.
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
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    (my computer crashed the first time I typed this out, so hopefully it wont this time)

    Do you consider progress pics and before and after shots a form of fat shaming? I read a blog post about it on tumblr where the author was a heavy woman who hates the idea that the fat version of someone is not good enough for everybody. Most of the comments that agreed were from heavier people who say we should love ourselves no matter what size we are and that getting thin is a way to keep women weak and helpless (lol at weak and helpless). Another comment stated that she stopped posting progress pics because the best progress is what you cannot see. Do you agree?

    Do you think it's a form of fat shaming or do you think it's motivating?
    Why do you post or dont post progress pictures?

    I am a person who abhors fat shaming. I don't think shame motivates anyone to make healthy changes. But I find the pictures extremely motivating.

    I do agree, though, that we need to love ourselves no matter what. Of coure, love doesn't mean unconditional acceptance; it doesn't mean we can't be a little better.Shunryu Suzuki Roshi says "All of you are perfect just as you are and you could use a little improvement." If we don't love ourselves fat, it's pretty unlikely we're going to love ourselves thin.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
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    You can like who you are and aspire to be better/more than what you are, however you personally define that, at the same time. People do this all the time. People can have a job they enjoy but want a promotion. People go to school to get more education.
  • travlinjess
    travlinjess Posts: 243 Member
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    I think it's fat shaming only when the OP themselves voices how 'fat' they thought their previous size was. It's very likely that their old size is one that those larger aspire or wish to be.

    I found one example where the person was a US size 12 in her before pic, and she was calling herself fat and disgusting. Sure, she's entitled to feel however she wants about her body, and her transformation itself was impressive, but to put it out there like that without any consideration for others' sizes and weight issues is just rude. There are better ways to present your success story without offending or (indirectly) putting anyone down.

    Just my opinion. Otherwise, I find them extremely motivating!!
  • jboss1989
    jboss1989 Posts: 25
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    Especially on this particular website, it is meant to be motivating, and people post these before and after pictures because they are proud of their accomplishment. If you did not feel good about your fat self, and feel better about your slimmer self, that is not shameful.
    Honestly, though shaming anyone for any reason is really not the nicest nor most effective thing, being fat is not a good thing. It is unhealthy-I don't care that you can find certain obese people that are healthier than certain skinny people. Extra fat is unhealthy, and often goes with many other unhealthy conditions. I gained 40 pounds from alcohol, fast food, depression, and self-neglect. That was not healthy, nor was it attractive. Seeing other people's weight loss motivates me to work hard, helps me to see what a difference 5,10,50 lbs makes, and is an ego boost to the person who is demonstrating their loss.
    While some can be cruel in their fat shaming, these people are trash anyway. However, there is nothing good about being too fat. Why should people have to hide it and say that there is nothing wrong with being 300lbs? A fat person may certainly be a beautiful, wonderful person, but their fat is nothing to be proud of.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
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    I love before and after pics! I don't see it as fat shaming at all. If someone is fat and DOES NOT WANT TO BE and sets a goal and achieves that goal, they have something to be proud of! It's like posing with a picture of your college diploma or whatever. You had a goal and you met it. That's awesome! If someone is fat and proud of it, that's them, that has nothing to do with the next person who is fat and wants to change it. Just as I can be happy for someone who went out and got their master's degree when I didn't - well, I don't want to pursue a master's. It's no judgement on me or towards me that they did it and I didn't.

    Plus, I, like most people, tend to project certain things onto before/after pics. When I think about how I felt (physically) when I was at my highest weight - maybe they didn't have the same physical discomfort I experienced, but it's easy to imagine that they did, stuff that goes away as the weight goes away (shortness of breath climbing stairs, things like that). And then I see the after pic and they say how now they run 10k races and hike up mountains on the weekend and the weight loss and increased fitness is why they can do that now and couldn't before. I find it inspiring!
  • Eshades
    Eshades Posts: 30 Member
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    I think it would be very motivating to me to see before and afters and I WANT to see other peoples before and afters to help keep me motivated and realize this can be done!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    1. I don't think it's fat shaming at all that a person has worked hard at their fitness and feels proud and wants to share it and remind themselves of what they have done as motivation to keep at it.

    2. Slender fit women are not weak and helpless. That is also pretty absurd considering some women are slim and fit always. I'm not going to force feed myself so that I can not be "weak and helpless". I'm actually very strong in many ways. To think that being slender makes someone weak and helpless is such a huge underestimation of the actual strength of a woman. And if being heavy makes someone stronger, why I am I 3 sizes smaller after I started lifting weights and got stronger.

    3. Sure when a person is already slim and fit, they may not feel a need to show progress pics because it's more of a personal accomplishment and other people may not be able to appreciate it as much. A lot of the progress at that point is about ability.
  • nicarey19
    nicarey19 Posts: 126 Member
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    For me it is def. motivating. I love to look at progress pictures. I started to lose weight not to look better, but to feel better. I hated the way I felt just walking up a flight of stairs or when I got on a horse. I just want people to be healthy at a healthy size. You can reverse it also, just because someone is skinny does not make them healthy. I also don't think we should judge people on their appearances. I post pictures to see how far I have come and maybe to motivate one person to keep going. I am not looking for "Oh you are so hott" compliments. I know other people's pictures have motivated me and I just want to motivate others.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    No, it's not fat shaming unless you go "Wow, you were such a huge pig, congrats on being thin and acceptable now." It's a congratulations on the person becoming healthier, happier, and looking how they want due to their own hard work.

    People are way too sensitive.
  • Tannedtiffers
    Tannedtiffers Posts: 558 Member
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    I don't believe I am "fat shaming" myself when I post comparison pics. It's a huge motivator for me to keep pushing to be a better me. I couldn't care less what others think about my side by side pics. If people want to look at the before pics and think I was "gross or ugly" that is their opinion. Not what I think of myself.
  • K_Serz
    K_Serz Posts: 1,299 Member
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    The real shame is that people do not understand the correlation between the sizes and shapes of their bodies and being healthy.

    If you dont know this, sorry to break the news to you. Look what you want to look like, its fine, but you arent just choosing a physical appearance you are also choosing an opportunity to have health related factors that go with your appearance.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    oh good grief. No.
  • aprilkats
    aprilkats Posts: 34 Member
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    I don't see it as fat shaming at all!

    I don't see it any different than showing two pictures side by side with 2 different hair styles, or a clothes makeover or whatever pictures that show something one way, then another way.

    The progress pictures here have been hugely motivating. Sometimes I feel like I can never get to goal...and I see a progress photo and it reminds me that it IS possible, that the people doing it are people just like me. No superheros, no people on tv, just other people like me.
    No fat shaming.
  • mattschwartz01
    mattschwartz01 Posts: 566 Member
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    No doubt that it is extremely motivating! It shows just how much transformation is possible.
  • aaronlawrenc
    aaronlawrenc Posts: 666 Member
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    oh good grief. No.

    this
    and whats wrong with fat shaming? Its my fat, i can shame it if i want
  • hojo94
    hojo94 Posts: 140 Member
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    "Loving yourself the way you are" is one thing, "loving yourself enough to change and get healthier" is another. I am not at the weight I want to be, I am smaller than I was, so I am happy... but I do need to lose more weight so that I am healthy. The scale just shows numbers, your health, shows if you are at a good size or not. I think if these people had a health screening, they would find that maybe, just maybe they need to start actually loving themselves enough to change.
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
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    ^^^ This
    Most of the comments that agreed were from heavier people who say we should love ourselves no matter what size we are

    I think progress pictures or before and after pictures are great. It's not saying that you didn't love yourself before- it's just showing the transformation you've made.

    I loved myself when I was out of shape, I love myself now that I'm getting in better shape, and I'll love myself when I'm at my "goal".
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    Why does everything count as "fat-shaming" now?

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