The Fat Acceptance Movement… Thoughts??

There's a difference IMO between making public, general posts or something, or ... as happened to an overweight friend of mine ... having a stranger take food out of her grocery cart because it wasn't healthy enough.

Yeah. Seriously.

Oooo.. i would have ripped that assh*t a new one..

People are people regardless of the amount of fat they have on their bodies, and people should be accepted for who they are in terms of thoughts, feelings, personality, etc.

However, I am not about to be accepting of unhealthy lifestyles. The U.S. needs to set new food standards to push for healthier, cleaner options in stores and restaurants, for healthier portion sizes at restaurants, and for healthier food advertising.

To be accepting of fat is to say that I was okay with gaining weight and to be okay with the health problems that went along with it. This is my life and I refuse to accept that being fat and unhealthy is a standard I should be living with. I refuse to accept that my lifespan can be shortened by eating in an unhealthy and fattening manner. I want my lifespan to have longevity.

That's why every weekend now, I stock up on vegetables and fruits at the food store instead of cookies and ice-cream and pastries. That's why I've been trying new raw vegetables and fruits that I've never before given a chance. That's why I cut out soda and juices completely and stick to water, milk, and tea. That's why I've set my body into motion

That's why I joined this site, to stand up for myself in a Healthy Living Acceptance Movement.

None of this is to say that fat people are bad people. I'm overweight myself and I think I'm a good person, but I'm an unhealthy one.

What I'm saying is that I've been working to change that for my own wellbeing, and if our culture was more accepting toward healthier eating and smaller portion sizes, it would make my Healthy Living movement a lot easier on me.

To say I'm okay with the Fat Acceptance Movement is to say that things should remain going in the direction they're going, and I don't think that's fair to the people working so hard to save their own lives by reversing the effects this fat movement has on our health. This is like the fight against smoking. I know plenty of smokers who are great people, but their habits aren't helping anyone, including themselves. Unhealthy lifestyles in general are polluting our people, decreasing their lifespans, making them sick, and settling them into poor conditions of living while their friends and family around them watch in agony. I simply cannot stand for this.

I don't think the fat acceptance movement is about accepting unhealthy lifestyles. (I didn't start the movement, nor do I do much to support it other than say on this message board that I agree with it... so maybe I'm not the best person to reply).

But IMO, it's about accepting that we all come in different shapes and sizes. A fit size 16 woman should be looked at as just as beautiful as a fit size 2. Obviously we shouldn't be glorifying the extremes that are never healthy... If someone is 500 pounds, they shouldn't be content and accept it (and they should receive respect, support, and help to get healthy).

To me, it's all relevant. Just my opinion. To each his/her own.

I think if smoking were still cheap, socially accepted, and as strongly advertised as our junk food is today, the number of smokers would never have decreased and would probably still be increasing. Likewise, if junk foods were heavily taxed, socially unacceptable, and if all of the junk food ads (and weight loss "diet" ads) disappeared from TV and magazines, obesity wouldn't be as much of a problem. I'm not necessarily calling for more taxes or legislation on food, I just find it to be an interesting comparison. In general I don't think the majority of people will change if they are not forced in some way to do so whether it be economically or socially or maybe even a health scare. However, I know a lot of people who have health problems or have family members with health problems relating to obesity and they are still not motivated to change.

That's interesting. I do think it's a little different since food is a necessity and it's a choice about type as opposed to whether or not to purchase it. Since fast food is cheaper, I think one of the major motivating factors is price. If they were to increase prices through taxes, I think it would definitely be interesting to see the effect it has (although I would personally be against any such tax).

But it isn't really all that different. If people were eating real, natural foods that their body needs for the necessary nutrients, people wouldn't be so fat. The foods that are getting people fat are the foods that are modified to increase appetite and keep you eating, the foods that can barely even be considered foods, the foods that lack nutritional value and go against your health - just as smoking is unnecessary and goes against your health.

I guess it depends on what your idea of the FAM is and everyone seems to have a different definition. To me it's simply accepting the fact that a) you're fat and b)it does not define you as a person. If you asked me to describe myself the word fat wouldn't even make the top 10. I'm hardly delusional, I'm well aware that I'm fat, but I'm also a good friend, a wonderful wife and mother, a great cook, I'm funny, I'm smart, I have a moderate amount of musical ability...the list goes on. The fact that I'm (currently) fat has no more to do with my personality than my blue eyes or my freckles.

For me it's about separating a physical issue from someone's worth as a human being. The fact that fat people were generalized as lazy overeaters a few times in this thread makes me sad. Sure some of them probably are but they're also smart and funny and wonderful parents and talented, creative people.

^^ This

I'm for accepting the PEOPLE who are fat and being able to look past it at who they are... it's the FAT that I can't regard as acceptable, not with a national health crisis arising from it.

We do have a dual problem in the US, on the one hand we are becoming too materialistic, shallow, superficial... but on the other hand too many of us are also becoming overweight and obese. Both are severe problems, it's just that one is spiritual in nature and the other is physical. We have every ability to fight both battles at the same time, and we should.

This! ^^^

If people want to be fat, let them be fat. Worry about yourself.

Here's the bottom line, guys. It is not YOU job to police anyone's body or their choices. It doesn't matter what they are doing. IT. IS. NOT. YOUR JOB. You have no business telling anyone how they should be eating.

If you wouldn't accept it for yourself, that's fine. Then don't do it yourself. You're not some great hero who's come in and giving this overweight person brand new information. Chances are, they've heard it before.

But again, and I can't say it enough. IT IS NOT YOUR JOB.

Job? No business? I really don't understand this attitude. Are we not supposed to help anyone these days?

I can't believe it's common for strangers to walk up and start lecturing about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle so I guess we are talking about friends and family here

If you saw your sister sunbathing in a heatwave with no sun lotion, do you think "I'm not some hero who has come in and given her brand new information on the dangers from the sun. Chances are she's heard it before"? I know I wouldn't! I would tell her that's she is likely to burn!

If my grown up daughter was getting bigger and bigger, no exercise and eating at McDs 3 times a day then I would say something, offer to help. I would do for friends too. Or is that 'NOT MY JOB'?

Where do you draw the line? Turn your back on friends and family who have started to take drugs? Let them just get on with it; you can't say anything - IT'S NOT YOUR JOB!

I read a few of those blogs after reading another thread on this subject. They tend to focus on healthy habits like nutrition and exercise without the goal being weight loss. I don't see that as a bad thing. Also, loving yourself now is important because weight loss may take a long time. I have issues with weight so it is kind of liberating to read about self acceptance. I fit comfortably with room to spare in a size 14. My husband likes the way I look and I am starting to as well. Guys glance at me at the gym. I probably would be fine living at this weight. will I stop tracking my calories? No, because I personally was not comfortable with myself at a bigger size and I still have some room to lose. I no longer think I need to be a size 2 though. I always liked a curvier figure anyway.

You all know Homer Simpson is a cartoon character, right? LOL

Not much to say on this subject that hasn't been said, but I do think it's absurd some people are basing their arguments by comparing people to cartoons.

I am against the idea of just accomodating everyone, but the airlines do need bigger seats. I am overweight but have a very small frame and only wear a size 10 in pants but the seats seem very small to me. Most people are bigger than I am and in most public places that I sit in seats (the bank, the dentist office etc) the seats leave quite a bit of wiggle room for a person my size on each side, not on an airplane though where you are going to be sitting for hours and many people want to sleep (even if they are not even overweight - a tall/big person would be very uncomfortable in airplane seats).

I will never accept my fat. It moves too much when I try to run. That said, if anyone ever yells "Hey fatty!" At me out their car window, they risk getting a brick thrown through it.

I believe that everyone needs to accept and love themselves as they are right now, while realizing that there are areas for improvement. Personally, I think I'm great, but I realize that I'm overweight, that it's unhealthy, and it needs to change. I guess I don't really know what the 'fat acceptance' movement was designed to do, or how it's trending, but I think that accepting yourself in a way that makes you want to be the best you possible is how I would approach and ideology like that.

Here's the bottom line, guys. It is not YOU job to police anyone's body or their choices. It doesn't matter what they are doing. IT. IS. NOT. YOUR JOB. You have no business telling anyone how they should be eating.

If you wouldn't accept it for yourself, that's fine. Then don't do it yourself. You're not some great hero who's come in and giving this overweight person brand new information. Chances are, they've heard it before.

But again, and I can't say it enough. IT IS NOT YOUR JOB.

Job? No business? I really don't understand this attitude. Are we not supposed to help anyone these days?

I can't believe it's common for strangers to walk up and start lecturing about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle so I guess we are talking about friends and family here

If you saw your sister sunbathing in a heatwave with no sun lotion, do you think "I'm not some hero who has come in and given her brand new information on the dangers from the sun. Chances are she's heard it before"? I know I wouldn't! I would tell her that's she is likely to burn!

If my grown up daughter was getting bigger and bigger, no exercise and eating at McDs 3 times a day then I would say something, offer to help. I would do for friends too. Or is that 'NOT MY JOB'?

Where do you draw the line? Turn your back on friends and family who have started to take drugs? Let them just get on with it; you can't say anything - IT'S NOT YOUR JOB!

If its a stranger, its never your job. Ever.

If it's non-adult daughter then yeah, it's your job. If it's your adult daughter, then it seems fair enough to say something in a kind and concerned way,..ie..saying that you love her at any size but you are concerned for her health, is there something you can do to help or support her in developing healthier habits, go for walks together or offer to pay for a class or a health club if that is workable for the two of you and she's truly interested..but pushing and criticizing will probably backfire. In the end she's an adult and they are her choices. Badgering or criticizing her (I'm not saying you do this..I don't know you, I'm speaking generally) is very unlikely to fix it and if she's eating for emotional reasons it may make it worse.

I used to get the criticism from my dad when I was younger something awful, and did it make me suddenly realize the error of my ways? No...it made me want to avoid him, it made me feel like shutting down and shutting people out..made me feels shame, which made me want to be invisible, made me feel controlled, and made me feel like utter crap. Never mind my grades were straight 4 points, or that I was first chair clarinet, on the honor roll or whatever..I was heavy so none of it mattered. (I know now he didn't actually think that, but that's how it came off at the time).

Eating was a comfort when in emotional distress, and a bit of a rebellion. You often hear that anorexia can be about control, in some ways it was like that for me in the other direction as I got to be a teen, it was one thing I could control..one thing he couldn't entirely regulate, a rebellion in a sense. The more they tell you not to do something the more you want to. It set up a really bad pattern and relationship with food so to speak.

Years later (and many other changes later) I met a group of people (men and women) that were pretty big on fat acceptance...happy, social, active people of varying sizes, most in happy relationships, from just a little fat, to really really fat. I remember being floored by this...I was amazed at all the things they did and felt confident doing despite the weight. They danced, did martial arts, went camping, long walks,...even wore tank tops in public and went swimming. In that group I finally felt OK to be me.

And ironically THAT was what helped de-program a lot of the bad crap I dealt with growing up....it was the feeling of acceptance and finally feeling okay to be me as I was that gave me the strength and desire to change, eat healthier, exercise more, and finally to try to loose weight......because *I* wanted to, not because anyone one else wanted me to, or any sudden enlightenment that fat wasn't healthy. And now it feels like something *good* I'm doing for me, I'm doing something good for my body by exercising and putting veggies in it instead of crap, not like the punishment it felt like back in my teen years whenever I tried.

So though it may seem on the surface like 'fat acceptance' would encourage people to gain or give up, it often works the other way around.

I'm pretty against it. Of course no one should be judged solely on their weight/appearance, and being overweight doesn't make anyone a bad person, but advocating for staying fat is not even remotely ok. I have a hard time believing anyone who is obese is truly happy with their body (in my experience, happy people don't usually walk around demanding everyone recognize how happy they are).

Excellent point. Furthermore, there is something patronizing about the fat acceptance movement and seems more detrimental in the long run for those who embrace it. Why bother trying to get to a healthy weight and minimize risks of diseases that are associated with obesity? I just need to tell myself that it's ok to be fat, while I eat more than I should. But, it's not ok and I'm sure deep down, this fat acceptance movement is just a defense mechanism against the cruel people out there, society's obsession with thinness, failed diets, good intentions, laziness and maybe even lonliness (I'm considered the chunky kid in my family).In the long run, this movement will hurt more than help.

I think that there shouldn't be a question that we accept people no matter their size, race, gender, sexual preference, marriage status, religious preference, and on and on. Whatever happened to there just being human acceptance? Why are we so hell bent on making ourselves different from others and then exploiting it? I was just raised in the concept that all people deserve respect until they do something heinous.

As far as the movement, I don't have a problem with it, but I will admit I don't understand people who want to be obese and choose to live their life that way and exploit themselves (specifically, I'm thinking of a Dr. Phil episode recently when a 500lb woman wanted to be the biggest person in the world). I think that calling unneccesary attention to yourself gives the impression of low-self-worth and desperation.

This