Fat Acceptance: The Pros and Cons

"The opposite of fat acceptance is fat fear, fat disgust, fat discrimination. I’ve been on the receiving end of that spectrum and, quite frankly, it didn’t feel so good. Now that I’m thinner, people are nicer to me. I had less problems in the business world. Everything just got easier. Is that fair?"

Not fair, but SO TRUE. I went from 5'11, 240 in August 2005 to 184 today (BMI went from 33.5 to 25.9). I have since not only gotten a promotion, but I have come to find that women are not only more attracted to me and laugh more at my jokes, etc., but guys are actually nicer and more easy going with me now too. It's a bit strange actually to see people changing how they act whilst you stay the same.

"The day I decided that I was going to accept my body (fat and all), was the day that I let go of the fear. After a few months of truly accepting and loving my body for what it was, I started eating healthier to take better care of myself. I started exercising to make my heart healthier. I did all of these things to take better care of my body."

Again, the same thing happened to me. It was only after I had gone through some very tough times, and things couldn't be more at their worst, that I finally said "You know what, I have more important things to worry about in my life. My weight isn't a priority". Once things settled down a bit and I had accepted myself and my big body, I made a committment to get healthier for me. I initially didn't do it for all the other benefits (better clothes, higher-paying job, more friends, more dates), but those were just a bonus.

I think overall, though, that you can't compare overweight/obesity with sexual orientation and racism. Your sexual orientation and race is not determined by your choices. Anyone can choose to be thin. Like the linked article says, if you work off more than you consume, you'll lose weight. To be honest, after the first couple weeks it's not even hard. You'll get so used to eating right and exercising that you won't be able to do without it. The weight loss will be a bonus. If someone genuinely has a health problem whereas they can not lose weight, or it's some sort of glandular problem, that's a bit different. But a study I read a year ago, said that of nearly all the overweight people, only in 1-2% is it an actual glandular disorder.

I think fat should be accepted in part, but not fully. Just like smoking, drugs, and drinking, being too fat is simply unhealthy and can be deadly. People need to get the message to eat healthy and exercise (THE EXERCISE PART NEVER SINKS IN!). Under it all, a healthy person can come in all shapes and sizes, but if you have a calculated BMI of 30 or more, I take it that it's more than loads of muscle and bone making up for the extra weight.

What it ultimately comes down to is that much of the population does need to shape up. A lot of it does come down to lack of willpower and laziness. That is what I hate... people who complain about being fat, but won't do anything about it. If you're fat and you accept your appearance and poor health, I'm fine with you, in the fact that I won't ever make mention of it. But if you're fat, continue to snack on high-fat chips on breaks, and refuse to exercise on a regular basis, even if it's getting up and taking a walk on break rather than being sedentary, you do not have my sympathy or my attention.

It's a tough call, a very tough call to make, even being in the fat position myself for most of my life up until late summer. Being thin now makes me realize how detrimental being fat really was, which really changes my entire mindset on the issue. I'll have to get back to you.

Adam

I used to be fat - now I am not - I made changes to accomplish this - I did not sit and whine that I was not accepted as a fat person - instead I got slender, muscular and healthy - now I am much more accepted and successful.

Social judgments aside, being overweight is unhealthy, and it is a choice. That is not to say some people do not have an easier time of it than others in maintaining an ideal body weight - they do. That is life - unfair maybe - but life just the same.

Being fat is similar to choosing to smoke (I used to smoke too) – choosing immediate gratification over a longer term health benefit.

People understand this at a basic level, and will discriminate against those who make these unhealthy choices particularly as it becomes more evident that there are financial burdens associated with their choices that society has to bear. After all if you do not respect yourself why should anyone else?

This bias can not be demonstrated or legislated away.

It has to be dealt with by those affected by being overweight becoming more responsible and taking better care of themselves and not being a deliberate burdon on others.

I did it - you can do it.

http://www.antiagingatlanta.com

I tried to join a Fat Acceptance blog two times, received conformation of registration, but was told it was up to their discression for acceptance. Talk about discrimination? I never heard back from them. I really wanted to jump on the band wagon and complain about the things I'm "tired of" as an obese person, that I have to deal with everyday. I guess I should have said I love fat! It all works out for the better, this is really where I should be. Three cheers for diet-blog!!!

Quote: "When you eat a healthy diet and consume less calories than you burn, you lose weight. It’s physics. There is no way around it."

Well that's the problem with most diet gurus, it's not physics! it's biology! and chemistry! Stop treating us as combustion engines with legs!
If the low carb movement has taught us anything, there is more going on that pure physics!

Anyways, in relation to Fat Acceptance, I totally agree! It has a positive side (anti-discrimination) and a negative side (Anti- weight loss).

The trouble with the discrimination is that humans are very hateful, but they don't like to think that! Openly they are very Politically correct, but behind doors they will let you know who they dislike.

Quote: "When you eat a healthy diet and consume less calories than you burn, you lose weight. It’s physics. There is no way around it."

Agreed.

When I weighed 225 I ate enough to fuel a 225 lb. body. Now I eat healthfully, adequately, exercise regularly, and I weigh 135. It isn't rocket science. I have a friend who hovers around 230 and *just swears* she hardly ever eats. What about clearing the plate at breakfast, eating a candy bar an hour later, oodles of melted cheese at the Mexican place, the supersize me coke at the movies, etc? All things in moderation, don't drink your calories, eat plenty of fruits and veggies, and exercise regularly. That's what I tell everyone and I'm living proof that it works. I think people should weigh whatever they want, but to delude oneself about true calorie consumption something else entirely.

I personally am pro fat acceptance. I'm not saying that being obese is healthy, but neither is smoking or drinking, and in our society it is not acceptable to yell out to a smoker "Hey ashtray! Get your black lungs out of my way!", but it is "acceptable" to yell "Move it, fat pig" to a fat person. Smokers actually polute the air, and drinkers often jeopardize other people's health by driving. The fat person doesn't hurt anyone. Sure, there are health care costs, but what about those generated by smokers, drinkers, and suntanners?

Laurie, I have no patience for people who whine about being fat but do nothing about it. However, if a person wants to stay fat and is happy that way, it is his/her body. I take more issue with people who choose to have cotton-candy bleached blonde hair or mullets, they are much more visually offensive to me, but it is not acceptable to call them names. So if I can refrain from hurting their feelings (and yes, they are "choosing to do this to themselves" much more than a fat person is - there is no genetics or disorder that makes you more prone to having a mullet haircut), the people who are offended by looking at fat people should be able to refrain from saying hurtful things as well.

Bravo! I completely agree. Losing weight is simple but not easy. As long as you consume less calories than you burn you will lose weight.

I think dieting gurus have geiven people a crutch. They tell them they are not suppose to ever be hungry or have cravings. This is absolute nonsense. To lose weight you have to resist the craving and sometimes you have to walk around feeling hungry.

In the end it all comes down to dicipline and will power.

Thanks for a great blog!

I think part of the problem is with the word "Diet" itself. Diets don't work if you don't make lifestyle changes. It does not matter if you follow low carb, low fat, GI, or anything else, if after your 4, 8, or 12 weeks you go back to your old habbits, then you will put the weight back on. The changes you make have to be something that you can live with, nobody wants to go through life thinking they can't ever have a Pizza. Exercise is important in that lifestyle change, combined with a sensible eating plan, you can get and then stay in shape. I don't think we should look at a diet as a short term objective to reach a goal, and the " come off the diet" in those terms it diets don't work.

A lot of people overestimate how much they exercise and underestimate how much they eat. I know I did when I was fat. I used to think that "walking to class every day must burn at LEAST 500 calories" when in reality it probably only burned maybe 200. And I figured I'd eat a "light" breakfast of 2 poptarts and an energy drink that supplied altogether about half of my daily caloric requirements. And of course, left me starving by 10 am. I agree that getting thin is not fun, but yes, it's pretty basic. Get an accurate picture of what you put in your mouth and an accurate picture of your caloric expenditures, and as long as you "spend" more than you eat, you'll lose weight. People who say they do these things and are still very overweight either have an underlying hormonal disorder or are not being honest with themselves about their lifestyles.

Food has become too industrialed. The nutritional value reduced and the pesticides increased and the price slashed. Fast food is only the most obvious decline in over all food quality. Food has exists in a competetive market where prices drive quality down. Food has been given increased appearence at the expense of nutrition. The school system is to blame for spending too much time on the education of the obvious, drugs prevention, and no time on nutrition which effects 100% of the population.
Don't blame fat people for falling victim for this cover up.

So now we're blaming the school system? Whatever.

magmem - I know the blog you mention. They want to make sure that you are not going to talk about dieting at all, which I think is ridiculous. It's like you have to audition for the privilege to join. I also submitted a few of my images to another site that was calling for entries. Even though I focus on the societal pressure to be thin, they wouldn't take them because they mentioned dieting.

Just a quick comment... I really find this website useful, but want to say after reading this "if you eat less calories than you expend you will lose weight" yes, very true... it's only logical, I am proof. No special diets, just lowered calories per day to 1200-1300... works like a charm. I love the "weight loss is simple, it's just not easy"... so true. I've lost 20lbs, but still have about 40 to go. I've plateaued, and have been stuck here for about 5 weeks. I'm still consuming no more than 1300 calories daily and searching for an answer of how to get past this (which brings me to this website). Any help would be appreciated.

i Am 17 and when i was 15 i had to lose weight to play football so i did i was at 210 mabey 5,7 (i think) i am now 6'2 255 and tired of it i have made so many excuses looked for the easy way out BUT THERE IS NONE. i am fed up with it and as of TONIGHT not TOMMORROW not in the MORNING NOW, i am going to make it to 210 i will be the skinniest lil bastered u ever seen. not only is it better for my health i'm 17 i will not ruin the best years of my life cuz i am self-conscious. plzs pray for me cuz its hard as hell to lose weight when they have such fatting food at school but i will pack my own lunch keep it in the football lockers and EAT a shitty low fat lunch. Amen

I am 21 years old and as of this moment trying to write an argumentative paper on whether or not fat people should be accepted in society. this is a hard subject for me because all my life i have been fat. in high school i got serious and started watching what i ate and was working out regularly. as a result i lost weight. i went from 5'7" 215lbs to 155. everyone was so amazed that i had lost that much weight and i found that losing the weight changed how people treated me. people that never talked to me before wanted to be my friend and even some of my own family treated me kinder and with more respect. i dont think that it is fair that fat people are ostracized in society and treated with little to no respect. since high school i have gained some of the weight back and it is simply because i got comfortable with my new body and didnt keep up the lifestyle. now i am back into the swing of things and am watching what im eating and exercising. im doing this not because im unhappy with myself, but i feel the affects the weight has on me. i feel sluggish and tired. as far as my paper goes, im going to try to get my fellow classmates to understand what a fat person goes through and how they just want to be accepted and treated like any other person, regaurdless of size.

-Andrew, good luck with losing the weight. high school is very fun years, but dont think that you still cant have fun. keep track of how many calories you are consuming. a guy your size could consume 1500-2000 calories a day and be alright, also remember it takes 2500 calories to gain or lose a pound. keep that in mind when you work out. to see how many calories you burn by doing different activites you can easily pull that up on the net. Good Luck :)

"and in our society it is not acceptable to yell out to a smoker 'Hey ashtray! Get your black lungs out of my way!'"
What do you mean? I do that all of the time. Except I usually yell "Thanks for trying to give me emphysema, jerkass!"
But than again, I'm a tiny 21 year old girl that looks to be about 15 or 16, so nobody takes me seriously. See? There is discrimination there, too.

We are designed by nature to eat a large amount of food whenever it is abundant. It is as natural to us as breathing. Exercise is also an unnatural act. We are not designed to get hot and sweaty with no immediate purpose.

To me the answer came from doing things that require me to exercise. Riding on a stationary bicycle is an unnatural act but rif=ding to work every day is not. Jogging merely to get exercise is an unnatural act however running while you are trying to beat the pants off of somebody in racquette ball is not.

So my success with losing weight has been to stay out of the house as much as possible and get active in many hobbies. I ride my bike to work. I play raquette ball 2-3 times a week. I now grow a large garden every year. I sold my snow blower and now use a shovel. I use the steps instead of the elevator. Even something as leisurely as fishing burns some calories and keeps me away from food.

Don't diet. Don't exercise. Just get busy doing things.

Ann, you are one of the few then. I'm not saying by any means "let's be rude to everyone", I'm saying "let's use the same self-restraint we apply to other 'offenders' when dealing with people who are 'too fat'". I personally think all people who smoke and tan are jackasses...

wow you people are gay why do you sit here and frickin complain about fast foods how they are good or bad who f'n cares if you dont like them then dont go to them and eat there!!duh simple as that!!

im not fat but im overwieght statistically im a perfectb10 to me i got a coke bottle shape holla at cha gurl

I think that fat people should be left alone. it is thier life and people shouldn't interfere just because society deems it necassary to look a certain way. If I was fat I would be proud.

I am fat.I know how to lose weight.It isn't that difficult for me.But I won't lose it until the right time comes.As long as people insult me,I won't lose weight.I can move so it isn't a problem for me.I don't belive in fat acceptance thing.I don't need to be accepted by anyone.Who are they?something like god?I don't need anyone's sympathy.It is my body,it is my choice.I have every right to be what and how I wanna be.It is my body.I think I am lucky to be fat cos I can see people's real faces.I will lose my weight for myself,not to make men like my new slim body.Because I am not a property.Don't be afraid of people because they will die.So one day when we die,we will all be the same physically.We will be skeletons,just bones.Watch out your weight only for one thing,just to be able to move,the rest is unimportant.

There is so much to say about the simple "Eat fewer calories and lose weight" approach. First is the fact that although my roommate and I both eat approximately the same things in approximately the same quantities, she is scarily thin and I am fat. We have completely different metabolisms, and she won the cultural lottery with hers.

She's no healthier than I am, and probably less so--I actually exercise and try to eat vegetables in addition to candy and pasta.

Second is the fact that all diets eventually fail. There is a reason people give up dieting and move back to old habits--dieting is a crappy way to live, even if you call it a "lifestyle change."

Also, when people manage to lose weight, and then gain it back, they usually gain a little extra weight.

Who diets more than anyone? Fat people. Who tries harder than anyone to be acceptably thin? Fat people. How many people you know were fat, lost the weight, and then kept it off (for more than five years)? Practically no one, I'll bet. It's miserable counting calories, watching every bite, turning down every piece of cake, just for the sake of being thin. Even when I'm active, I can't *look* at sugar or I'll gain weight, and I feel deprived the whole time.

Since I discovered fat acceptance, I've learned that it's possible to love myself, take care of myself by eating right, exercising, and still remain fat.

I don't treat people like crap because they smoke, and I don't deserve to have people treat me like crap, no matter what I look like.

Jessica said:
Who diets more than anyone? Fat people. Who tries harder than anyone to be acceptably thin? Fat people. How many people you know were fat, lost the weight, and then kept it off (for more than five years)? Practically no one, I'll bet. It's miserable counting calories, watching every bite, turning down every piece of cake, just for the sake of being thin. Even when I'm active, I can't *look* at sugar or I'll gain weight, and I feel deprived the whole time.[...]

Uh, well, I know ONE person who's been fat, lost 80 lbs and kept it off for 6 years and counting...ME. So I know it can be done and you don't have to be miserable, either. I do however, know a lot of fat people that diet and try to lose weight only to regain it back and then some. It's because they don't change anything permanently...they go from eating pasta and candy and ice cream to eating dry fish and steamed broccoli and say "Wow, this sucks" and then once they've lost 10 lbs, or 20 lbs or whatever, they go back to the pizza and the Oreos and BAM! The weight comes back. It's definitely not okay to make fun of people that are overweight though...I had a hard enough time when I was overweight without people being rude. What REALLY bugged me was when I was still overweight but I was in the process of losing weight. People would say really hurtful things like "Good, you SHOULD be eating salad, fatass!" or "Are you sure you should be eating that if you're on a diet?" People just need to be respectful and then we wouldn't have so many issues.

My problem with Fat Acceptance isn't really what they're saying in general. I agree, that we tend to completely associate fat with health and that isn't true. We also tend to say that all fat people must be lazy and that absolutely isn't true. Diets don't work and in fact just make things worse. Fat does not directly relate to health and correlation does not prove causation.

However, some tend to have tunnel vision and won't concede that some fat people are fat because they're lazy. I was one of those people. The hypocrisy of them calling me a freak of nature when they want to be accepted is what bugs me. To belittle my achievements or to call me a freak is just as bad as calling fat people freaks or lazy because they are fat. There is some middle ground. This is not a black and white issue. You have to accept the good with the bad. Some heavy people are just that way. If they are healthy there is no problem and of course they should be loved just like anyone else.

Other people want to be thinner and some can by changing their lifestyle, or dealing with their psychological issues. Please don't hate us. We don't hate you for accepting yourselves.

However, there are plenty of people out there who are not healthy and who are not active and do eat crap and because of this they are heavier than they should be. There are people out there who should take some personal responsibility for their circumstances. Not everyone is heavy because they were meant to be... just like not all heavy people are inactive and eat badly.

I do agree though, that media should have more beautiful heavy people. It's just more honest. I totally concede that part of the problem is that we see skinny as what everyone must be, and then when we diet to become that way we gain more weight. I am against the diet industry and against WLS for the most part.

No one should be picked on or hurt because they are fat, though and it hurts me when people tell me that I can't be one of the non haters because I believe that sometimes our actions cause our predicaments.

I'm dying to know if the people who posted comments about weight loss have been effectly able to keep off all the weight the loss? I'm guess they probably haven't. Guess they're lazy, huh?

By Roberta Temes, PhD

Did you know that the idea of a fat person having low self esteem is a myth? Humans come in various shapes and sizes. Every psychological test given to overweight people indicates that if you are fat you are as mentally healthy, or unhealthy, as anyone in the general population. There is nothing about overeating that is associated with poor emotional health. In fact, it is possible that obese people are emotionally stronger than slim people because many slim folks who were interviewed said they'd stay at home if they were obese.. they would not have the psychological fortitude to be seen in public if they were heavy.

There was a time, right here in the USA, when only the most successful folks were heavy and everyone else tried to emulate them. Large bodies were proof of robust health and substantial wealth. But, in America in the 21st century fat is out, thin is in.

Obesity is not a psychological disorder. Obesity is not an eating disorder. Fat people have a genetic predisposition to gain weight and if they wish to conform to today's ideal of slimness and if they want to maintain good health, they must counteract their inborn biological impulses. This is possible. Difficult, but possible. Particularly possible if you have a diet buddy or buddies.