another fat shaming post

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Replies

  • Carolyn_79
    Carolyn_79 Posts: 935 Member
    I see it as sharing your accomplishment, not fat-shaming. If you get a promotion at work, some companies will post an announcement congratulating you. If you graduated college or university you may hang your diploma or degree. The intent is not to shame those who haven't accomplished such things. People get offended too easily.
  • herdthinner
    herdthinner Posts: 21 Member
    I sometimes look at progress pics and think, "Ah, good for them," but am neither motivated nor offended by them. I know a woman who sees conspiracies against women *everywhere,* which is ultimately what led me to sever ties with her. It just got too bloody tedious.

    I have a personal mandate not to post before and after pics. I just... don't want to.
  • I love the pics everyone posts!

    I don't currently have any progress to show, but the people who have worked so hard, some for years, to attain a body that they are proud of and a story that will hopefully motivate others. I DO NOT think this is fat shaming. I think it is encouraging people to eat healthy and a chance to show off a little. When you have worked so hard at something and achieved so much you want to shout it from the rooftops!
  • jbutterflye
    jbutterflye Posts: 1,914 Member
    Uhm maybe someone already said this.

    If so I apologise.

    Being fat ISN'T good.

    It's bad.

    Nobody aspires to be fat.

    I agree. I really don't get this modern trend of celebrating, justifying, and validating obesity. It's unhealthy and unattractive.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    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 think they're motivating for the people who post them, possibly body shaming for people who don't have them, possibly triggering for people with eating disorders. So if they bother someone, the best thing to do is don't look, because it's your own progress, in a myriad of ways that a picture can't show, that really matters.

    I don't post them, because I've never taken them. All of my pictures are meant to celebrate where I am at the moment that I take them. (Most of my pictures are actually for art projects, and I don't post those at all.)
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    It's not fat shaming. Someone posted those progress pics because they decided they didn't like something about themselves and made efforts to change it. I'm the same person now that I was 40lbs heavier, but that doesn't mean I'm not proud of the accomplishment I had. It's the same as someone posted before and after pics or anything (new dental work, a new dress, etc). People should aim to be healthier and better every day. It's the ones that stay staggnant that you have to worry about.
  • gailwbh
    gailwbh Posts: 12 Member
    What I look at most when I look at before and after photos is the look on the persons face. THAT's where the inspiration shines!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member
    Like yourself unconditionally. Hate the habits that got you fat. There's a difference.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Amy106Days
    Amy106Days Posts: 172 Member
    I like it when you all get angry/aggressive. :wink:
    Anyways, if anyone sees this one, how do you feel about the fake before and after pics on tv?

    I love those! I love how some people are clearly the same size one pic poking out their stomach and frowning and the next sucking it in arms akimbo and big grin, I could have this amazing transformation right now! The best are when it is clearly a different person in the before/ after.
  • I think pics should be posted. My insecurities about about my own fatness do not prevent me from celebrating with someone when they work so very hard and want to share their successes. . .very motivating. Even more motivating when it is someone I know, and I know how long they have struggled with weight and what the weight loss means to them!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Like yourself unconditionally. Hate the habits that got you fat. There's a difference.

    Amen....and it applies to more than just your weight or how you look.
  • LokiOfAsgard
    LokiOfAsgard Posts: 378 Member
    I love before and afters of large women that get themselves down to like a size 4

    I'm large, not like a size 12, that maybe large for someone, but not for me. I want to be size twelve.

    So seeing someone go from 18, 20, 30, even 40 down to single digit sizes is VERY motivating! They can do it, why can't I?
  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member
    (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 completely disagree. Who do these fat people think they are? They can't define what is acceptable for someone to do with their own bodies. If a person chooses to lose weight they can and if they choose to take pictures of themselves they can do that too. If this makes these fat people feel self conscience about their own bodies than that is just tough. They need to get over it. Being obese is unhealthy and a person who managed to accomplish losing lots of weight has every right to be proud of it and post pictures. The after picture is better and the before picture is worse. I know I am much happier now that I am 25 pounds lighter. I have no intention of stopping and when I am done I will post pictures.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    Why do you post or dont post progress pictures?
    I don't post them, because nobody really cares.
    [/quote]
    I do.

    I don;t comment on those threads because it feels a bit creepy to me to do so.

    But I read them all. And find them VERY motivational.

    For each person who has personal success - I am further reassured that success is possible. And pictures make their successes more real to me.
  • LokiOfAsgard
    LokiOfAsgard Posts: 378 Member
    I like it when you all get angry/aggressive. :wink:
    Anyways, if anyone sees this one, how do you feel about the fake before and after pics on tv?

    Those, I dislike very much.
    Not cool
    Not realistic.

    I want to see real results that I can actually get. :|
  • I don't see how it makes them weak and helpless when they were the ones that did that work for themselves. Pictures like that show that they are strong and able. I have NEVER seen any posts on a progress picture that has any comments about how big they were before. It always congratulates the person on their achievements and it helps motivate others. I don't see how it is fat shaming when this is a website to lose weight and get healthy. That is the main thing we are all here for, and unless people start to talk about the before picture more than the after picture, I see no problem with the progress pictures.
  • RandyD2012
    RandyD2012 Posts: 43 Member
    I love looking at the pics, it is really motivating. As soon as I figure out how to do it I'll put mine on :-(
    One thing I won't do though is have my picture in my underwear. Those pics I could do with out hahahahaha!
  • mlcantwell
    mlcantwell Posts: 243 Member
    For me it's inspiring and motivation to keep going. Any progress pics are great, as soon as I have a good amount of progress I'll post mine!
  • hammys_wifey
    hammys_wifey Posts: 16 Member
    Posting Progress pics for me is a form of motivation. When I was heavier over 290 pounds, I always knew I was incredibly heavy and I did not love myself, now that I am 128 pounds lighter, I am starting to feel good about myself, I do not think of myself as weak, the only problem now, is that I am becoming incredibly self conscious more, because of all the extra skin I have because of how I lost the weight, but for me seeing the before and after is incredibly encouraging!! : )
  • I don't think it is fat shaming at all.

    If a person truly loves themselves, then they won't feel any shame to see pictures of others who have lost weight.

    For those of us who are UNhappy with the way we are and are working to change, it is a huge motivation.

    Coming from a person who used to weigh 350lbs, I was always unhappy and simply couldn't love myself at that size.

    What I am saying is that if that blogger is truly happy with the way she is, her weight, her looks, her career then that is wonderful! I wish her all the best.. That shouldn't be she can dictate what should make the rest of us happy, by calling us "fat shamers".
  • SherryR1971
    SherryR1971 Posts: 1,170 Member
    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
    (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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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!
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  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    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
    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.