Fat Acceptance?!

Deckershann
Deckershann Posts: 272 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so I was recently told to google "Fat Acceptance" and after reading a little bit, I have very mixed feelings...I do agree that people are far more than just their bodies...but I feel like this is almost the same as Pro Anorexic/Bulimic stuff. Neither are healthy. For some reason though, "Fat Acceptance" seems to be more socially acceptable than Pro Ana/Mia.

National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance: http://www.naafaonline.com/dev2/
Wikipedia Fat Acceptance Movement: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_acceptance_movement

Thoughts?
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Replies

  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    My initial thought is that I totally don't care.
  • CoachNYLA
    CoachNYLA Posts: 129
    I think it's just another way to not make your health a priority but I do get that some heavy folks are just fine with who they are and what their body looks like. It's there business really. You know the saying, what you think of me is none of my business.

    I used to be obese and I did not feel comfortable at all with it, but that is just me. My life and health were hindered big time.
  • heybrit
    heybrit Posts: 140
    Yeah, I totally agree with you. It's out of control. Everybody should love their body BUT you should understand what being healthy is and that being extremely overweight is not that. People can't accept that there needs to be a healthy, happy middle between anorexic and "fat accepting." A read an article about a lady who preached a lot about fat acceptance but when he doctors told her how unhealthy she was, she lost some weight and her fans became very nasty towards her and called her a hypocrite. She was getting fking healthy! People drive me insane.
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member
    I had never heard of this until I saw your post...but I do agree that it is way more socially acceptable to be "fat" vs "thin". For example, "One is those who feel discrimination towards thin people hinders their cause. The other side views thin people as the enemy, or the partial cause of their social stigma; some cater to this group with mockery of thin people" taken directly from the Wikipedia page.
    Thin people, especially women, are seen as superficial, b itchy, vain, shallow and self centered. Its all bulls hit to me. Note that just today there was a post where a lot of people chimed in about skinny being unhealthy. LOL.
    That way of thinking is just as horrid as the ana sites....two sides of the same coin.
  • jcn1109
    jcn1109 Posts: 49
    I think loving your body should mean wanting it to be the best it can be. The fat acceptance thing popped up mostly as a reaction to people who are unkind to fat people, who discriminate. However, it's gone a bit far when people say you should always and in every case embrace yourself as is, especially when that "as is" is an unhealthy state that will likely lead to an early death. Just my two cents as a fat girl.
  • Ayla20103005
    Ayla20103005 Posts: 104 Member
    why accept it, its not healthy.
    But in saying that you have to want to do it for you, not for someone else.
  • shrekk218
    shrekk218 Posts: 39
    It is an attempt to make being fat a disease and not a choice.
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    Yeah, i noticed something like this a few days ago. Clothes in the kids section have gotten a lot bigger-and i noticed i can't find ANYTHING that fits me in the young adults/womens sections anymore. It's like "well, everybody's fat now, might as well make things bigger for them"
  • Deckershann
    Deckershann Posts: 272 Member
    My initial thought is that I totally don't care.

    Bahaha meee too. This all started because I uploaded a pic of a morbidly obese person eating at McDonald's. I merely said, "This is why you you don't eat at McDonald's" then went on to say that I was a hypocrite because I myself was eating at McDonald's. How else would I have gotten the pic lol.

    I ended up googling it though...just because these two people kept arguing on my facebook about it back and forth. I'm bored...they entertain me for free.

    "I am embarassed to see this in my news feed. The chances are high that this person has been ridiculed or picked on for their weight before. We don't know anything about this person; you're all making judgemental assumptions based soley off of a person's appearance and their presence at a freaking fast-food restuarant. Embrace diversity. You should Google "fat acceptance" and think before casting the first stone. Shame on all of you."--Someone Judging Others For Judging
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    In my opinion, and I'm sure this will make a few people mad, it's a quitters term. It's basically a fat person living in denial saying "I'm happy with my weight" when they're overweight/obese and over and putting their health at risk yet not wanting people to make comments about their weight or stare. The thing is, just like with anorexic or seriously underweight people, others are going to comment and do actions that may be seen as unfavourable because to a normal weight person, it's abnormal and lets face it. Human nature means we're naturally curious about things that are abnormal. I'm not going to dislike a fat person because they're fat, but I will not like their attitude if they think it's OK and don't even try to sort it out. At the end of the day, our taxes in the UK are ever increasingly being spent on the NHS and diseases and health problems that could have been avoided by being a healthy weight. On top of this, they become a burden to the employment/benefits sector because they can't work and have to claim incapacity benefits. And they spend that money on crap food if not booze and alcohol too.

    It annoys me because when I see my weight going up, I do something about it so I have NEVER been overweight. Yes, on the higher end of healthy - but I have rigorously maintained my fitness and have never had health problems related to my weight.

    I won't accept fatness as OK just as I won't unhealthy eating habits that result in underweight or mal-nutrioned persons. Bodies are there to be looked after and used-NOT abused.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    It is an attempt to make being fat a disease and not a choice.

    True. There are some people with conditions or diseases that make them overweight, but the majority of overweight people do not suffer from such issues. Being healthy is a choice.
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Yeah, i noticed something like this a few days ago. Clothes in the kids section have gotten a lot bigger-and i noticed i can't find ANYTHING that fits me in the young adults/womens sections anymore. It's like "well, everybody's fat now, might as well make things bigger for them"

    When I was a kid, I remember husky being hard to find, now its all there is. I have a hard time finding my son pants, as he inherited my bone structure, poor little guy.
  • Bakins929
    Bakins929 Posts: 895 Member
    It is an attempt to make being fat a disease and not a choice.
    More of the "victim" philosophy...
  • Deckershann
    Deckershann Posts: 272 Member
    Yeah, i noticed something like this a few days ago. Clothes in the kids section have gotten a lot bigger-and i noticed i can't find ANYTHING that fits me in the young adults/womens sections anymore. It's like "well, everybody's fat now, might as well make things bigger for them"

    Little kid clothes are the best!! I got my 4th of July tank top from the girl's section in Walmart because it was glittery and $3.00 haha totally off topic but I had to say it xD
  • KarmaxKitty
    KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
    I read the wiki article and thought to myself: "Those poor books..."

    I have a problem with this. I'm all for "being healthy at any size" but seriously, think about how many obese people are being HEALTHY??? I was obese. I thought I was being healthy. Now I'm healthiERRRR and losing weight. And happier with myself even by a margin than I was before. It should never be about skinny (HATE that word) versus fat. I don't care what size you are, don't shove yourself full of crap and then complain about how huge you are or rub it in my face that you're thin as a nail. It's not healthy. Period.

    I may sound like a hypocrite because I'm NOT totally healthy. But when I think of people I know who eat fast food every meal of the day, then talk about how awful they feel inside, THEN complain about how they can't fit in this or that...THAT'S what bugs me.

    A disease is one thing. I have a friend with Hashimoto's. That girl eats nothing but fruit and veggies and can't stuand the taste of meat. She swims like a champ. Ridiculously strong. But her body WON'T lose the weight. But body acceptance versus behavior acceptance is totally different.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I understand the need to stop the self loathing many persons live with, someone is not unworthy to exist just because it is not a size 2 but to me this is like the idea went too far.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    I can understand Fat Tolerance. I think shame and guilt are horrible motivators, and I don't think we should be intolerant of others because of their weight.

    I'm not sure what Fat Acceptance really means, though.
  • jcn1109
    jcn1109 Posts: 49
    I can understand Fat Tolerance. I think shame and guilt are horrible motivators, and I don't think we should be intolerant of others because of their weight.

    I'm not sure what Fat Acceptance really means, though.

    What he ^^^ said!
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
    Wonderful. :grumble: Not that I would expect less than "fat isn't healthy" type messages on a dieting forum. Google "HAES". You can't tell how healthy someone is or isn't based on their size.
  • KarmaxKitty
    KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
    Wonderful. :grumble: Not that I would expect less than "fat isn't healthy" type messages on a dieting forum. Google "HAES". You can't tell how healthy someone is or isn't based on their size.

    THANK YOU!!!! Seriously, people.
  • rosied915
    rosied915 Posts: 799 Member
    Wonderful. :grumble: Not that I would expect less than "fat isn't healthy" type messages on a dieting forum. Google "HAES". You can't tell how healthy someone is or isn't based on their size.

    This person has a very good point~ I've been overweight since the age of 10 (I'm 51 now). I have physicals and bloodwork done routinely and ALL of my "numbers" are perfect!!

    HOWEVER~
    DO I THINK I CAN JUST GO ON FOREVER LIKE THIS??? HELL NO!!

    I'm basically a 'ticking timebomb" for any number of obesity related illnesses. The fact that nothing has surfaced yet is pure luck.

    I was told by a well-respected Cardiologist that I am what is referred to as "Fit Fat". Does that mean I should just go on overeating since I am so "healthy"? Even she told me not to rest on my laurels just because I wasn't in a "dire' situation.

    The fact of the matter is that no matter how you feel about your body size, eventually an unhealthy weight (high or low) is going to have effects on your health.
  • Bakins929
    Bakins929 Posts: 895 Member
    Wonderful. :grumble: Not that I would expect less than "fat isn't healthy" type messages on a dieting forum. Google "HAES". You can't tell how healthy someone is or isn't based on their size.
    No way in the world someone 600 lbs is healthy, in any fashion. Some things ARE obvious from looking.
  • rosied915
    rosied915 Posts: 799 Member
    Wonderful. :grumble: Not that I would expect less than "fat isn't healthy" type messages on a dieting forum. Google "HAES". You can't tell how healthy someone is or isn't based on their size.
    No way in the world someone 600 lbs is healthy, in any fashion. Some things ARE obvious from looking.

    EXACTLY!!
  • bear_nakey
    bear_nakey Posts: 340 Member
    Fat Acceptance = giving up.

    To me that statement basically says, " I am not going to try to get healthy, and myself (as well as others) should accept and deal with the fact that I'm fat, and embrace it."

    Sounds like a copout to me.


    Just my thoughts on the matter. . .
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    It should never be about skinny (HATE that word) versus fat. I don't care what size you are, don't shove yourself full of crap and then complain about how huge you are or rub it in my face that you're thin as a nail. It's not healthy. Period.

    I may sound like a hypocrite because I'm NOT totally healthy. But when I think of people I know who eat fast food every meal of the day, then talk about how awful they feel inside, THEN complain about how they can't fit in this or that...THAT'S what bugs me.

    A disease is one thing. I have a friend with Hashimoto's. That girl eats nothing but fruit and veggies and can't stuand the taste of meat. She swims like a champ. Ridiculously strong. But her body WON'T lose the weight. But body acceptance versus behavior acceptance is totally different.

    I agree with this -- behavior matters.

    And there are people who are classified as 'obese' who are healthier than people who are classified as 'healthy' weight although I agree there is an upper limit there - a 600 pound person is beyond obeseity. But my friend who was 5'10" and 240 was in better cardiovascular health than I was at 145 and 5'6" - we'd walk somewhere and he'd be marching along and I'd be wheezing even though he was about 60 lbs 'overweight' and I was 'healthy'.

    Not that I think its wrong to have junk food sometimes or that you can't be healthy and eat junkfood sometimes, but someone who is thin but never exercises and lives on junk is probably less healthy than someone who walks regularly and eats fairly healthy (But too many calories for their height and thus, weight gain happens).
  • Deckershann
    Deckershann Posts: 272 Member
    ^^I'm like 105 and am the most unhealthiest person I know lol. My eating habits are the worst ever...

    It's been interesting reading responses. I think I've made up my mind: People should be accepted for who they are, healthy choices are important, aaand Jesus loves us. Yeah.
  • zorbaru
    zorbaru Posts: 1,077 Member
    personally i think more people should just stop giving a rats a ss about what other people think of them.

    im losing weight because i didnt like what i looked like, not from what anyone else has said. and yes people have been telling me i needed to lose weight for a long time (even tho i was only 20kg/40lb overweight)
  • kyylieeeeee
    kyylieeeeee Posts: 197 Member
    I happedn to come across this on stumbleupon while I was in the middle of reading this thread, so I thought this would be an appropriate place to post it:

    http://www.likecool.com/Body_Scans_of_two_Women_250lb_vs_120lb--Pic--Gear.html

    The photos themselves are shockingly interesting. And the comments that follow, even more so. I just spent 20 minutes reading through the comments.
  • calibri
    calibri Posts: 439 Member
    My initial thought is that I totally don't care.
    When in doubt, don't care! :laugh:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,048 Member
    Accept the person and personality. I don't accept that people like to be overweight or obese.
This discussion has been closed.

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