[podcast flashvars=”titles: ‘The Fat Acceptance Movement (Ep. 30)'”]http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/wp-content/uploads/llvlcep30.mp3[/podcast]
Greetings Low-Carbers, and welcome to Episode 30 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore!” In today’s show, Jimmy steps right into the thick of a thorny issue: the “Fat Accceptance” movement.
While these folks may be trying to protect anorexic teens (or perhaps not), what they are doing is promoting the lie that it is possible to be healthy at any weight. If they succeed with this seemingly innocent message, then how many poor souls who have gradually slipped into obesity will be misled into believing that they are going to live a long and healthy life whether they lose the weight or not?
Of course, Jimmy’s message in Episode 30 basically tells overweight and obese people “Do not go gentle into that good night…,” but we want to hear YOUR thoughts, too! Please leave a comment below or by calling (206) 203-4192 and share your feelings about what you think about the “Fat Acceptance” movement.
LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 30:
– Call the podcast hotline number anytime at (206) 203-4192
– The National Association To Advance Fat Acceptance
– Reprint of Kim Barto’s op-ed piece about “fat acceptance” on the Obesity Discussion forum
– Reaction to this topic on “Big Fat Blog”
– Reaction to this topic on “Your Healthiest Life” blog
– Reaction to this topic on “Dr. Joan Bushwell’s Chimpanzee Refuge” blog
Did you miss anything Jimmy said in this episode? We’ve got you covered! Click the next link for a complete transcript!
TRANSCRIPT of Episode 30:
This is Episode 30 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” and I’d like to talk about a rather controversial subject today that I know will get a mixed reaction from my listeners. But, as you may know if you have been listening to my podcast or reading my blog for any length of time, I don’t mind telling you exactly what I think about even the toughest issues and I make no apologies for how I feel about them, especially when they relate to weight loss, diet, and health. We’ll jump feet first into the specifics of today’s topic in just a moment.
Stick around a while and listen to past episodes at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com. And be sure to visit my blog as well for more information about my weight loss success and everything you could ever want to know about the low-carb lifestyle at LivinLaVidaLowCarb.com. You can also e-mail me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.
Special thanks to everyone who voted in our recent podcast poll. It seems you like the podcast and don’t want us to change a thing. In fact, three out of every four listeners who voted said they either like the show the way it is or would enjoy hearing them go even longer than they already do with a special guest from time to time. Two things: First, I’m more than happy to extend the length of the podcast to include even more information, although the most successful ones run about five minutes long. If longer is what you want, though, then we can certainly accommodate that from time to time. Second, the idea of having guests is one that I would absolutely love to do. But one of the limitations of a podcast show is availability of the guests even using a telephone connection as well as the ability to record the conversation and make the sound as clear and professional as it can possibly be. I certainly don’t want to do anything second-rate and am working diligently with my producers to figure out how to best do this. Rest assured I have a long list of guests who I would love to bring on “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show” podcast sometime later this year. Even if we have to put up with some technical glitches and sound issues here and here, we’ll make it happen. THANKS again for all of your wonderful feedback on the show. As always, you can tell us what you think about the podcast anytime by calling our podcast hotline number at area code (206) 203-4192 or by leaving a comment at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com.
Okay, I’m ready to talk a rather touchy subject that nobody really wants to address because they are afraid of offending people with it. I don’t know when this happened, but an unusual phenomenon occurs as it relates to discussing the subject of being fat. On the one hand, fat people are often ridiculed and scorned behind closed doors. If you have made crude jokes or been downright mean towards somebody just because of their weight, then consider yourself a cold hard discriminator. Sadly, fat people are the last publicly accepted group to endure the wrath of discrimination in the United States of America. It’s true and it really must end if we are ever going to progress forward as a society. What’s amazing, though, is how these people who make fun of the overweight and obese tend to mask their disdain when they are in the presence of a fat person. Why is that? If you think they’re trash and garbage behind closed doors, then why not tell ’em that to their face, hmm? It’s a strange, two-faced dance that people try to play with this issue. This leads me to the main message of Episode 30.
Why can’t society just accept fat people for who they are? They’re human beings too and should not be scorned by others just because they carry around a few extra pounds. When are we going to stop begging people to lose weight when it is quite possible to be healthy at any size? Have you heard statements like these from some well-meaning people? In what has been called the “fat acceptance” movement, it has now taken firm root in America with groups like the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance promoting their viewpoint that fat is beautiful and nobody should be forced into losing weight if they don’t want to. This notion of accepting fat people for who they are SOUNDS pretty good on the surface, doesn’t it? The line of thinking goes something like this: If I’m fat, then it’s my choice to be this way so LEAVE ME ALONE! Okay, fine. But as someone who used to weigh over 400 pounds, I not only have a right to speak out about what I think about this idea, but I would also say that it is my responsibility to share with others who may think this way that remaining obese is not a real option when there are viable ways to shed the pounds even when you think you’ve tried everything before. Unfortunately, we have people pushing “fat acceptance” like a woman named Kim Barto from the University of North Carolina-Asheville. She wrote in op-ed piece which I will post a link to in the show notes section at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com that weight loss is too overrated because it is “urealistic” and even “harmful.” She attempted to provide evidence to support her theory about American culture being hung up on dieting by noting that eating disorders have risen sharply in recent years while more and more people express concerns about their weight. She contends that this is leading to even higher rates of mental disorders that sometimes leads to suicide attempts and even death. These are morbid thoughts indeed. But what Barto is conveniently forgetting is the fact that TWO OUT OF EVERY THREE AMERICANS IS OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE and the rates just keep going up and up with no end in sight! So it stands to reason that weight loss is on our minds as a country because we as a nation are FAT! In Barto’s world, though, she doesn’t see anything wrong with people remaining fat if that’s what makes them feel good about themselves. Here’s what she wrote in her column: “A wide variety of body types are normal, depending on one’s bone structure, metabolism and genetics. It is fruitless and misleading to expect everyone to conform to the same weight. Whether you are naturally muscular, chunky, twiggy, curvy or tiny, trying to change your body can be frustrating and even dangerous.” Now wait just a minute, Ms. Barto. What is so “dangerous” about someone trying to lose weight? When I weighed an abysmal 410 pounds at the beginning of 2004, many would say I had put myself in a very bad situation, even a potentially “dangerous” one. My health was on a major decline with breathing, blood pressure and cholesterol problems among other such ailments. I was quite literally a ticking timebomb just waiting to explode and quite possibly die as a result. But then on January 1, 2004, I started the Atkins diet which changed my life forever. Sure, I could have just accepted my fat for what it was and begged people to not judge me for my weight. However, I didn’t do it just to improve my image, but also to bring my health back into line before it was too late. It was better for me to go on the Atkins diet at that time than to simply remain obese. I honestly believe I may not be here today had I not lost 180 pounds in one year back in 2004. Weight loss was not just a desire for me at the time, but a necessity for me to survive and go on to become the healthy and vibrant person that I am today. It kills me how people like Barto like to bring up the point about how 98 percent of dieters gain back their weight and then some within five years. To that I say SO WHAT?! What the heck does that have to do with the person who needs to lose 50, 100, 200 pounds because their health is in disarray as a result of being obese? If diets fail you, then don’t go on a diet. Instead, find that permanent lifestyle change you can do for the rest of your life and then do it. Why do we make this harder than it needs to be?
My weight loss journey is just over three years old now, so I suppose it IS possible I have time to regain the weight I have lost and maintained over that time. But should I just throw my hands up in the air and just assume the weight will come back on my body? Is giving up hope for lasting weight loss success the answer I need? Of course not and anyone who says otherwise is not looking out for your best interest. Weight loss is a journey of choice that YOU and ONLY YOU must make for yourself if it is something you need to do. But I’m gonna tell it to you straight right here, right now–this idea of “fat acceptance” is nothing more than a ruse to avoid necessary weight loss. PERIOD! End of story! The problem is that too many people are in very deep denial about their weight problem to begin with. In other words, people have too easily accepted their size and it is now taking a great toll on their health and overall well-being. Rising obesity rates are creating financial problems for Medicare because of the extra healthcare costs associated with obesity-related diseases. The unintended consequences of this whole “fat acceptance” movement has been declining health among all age groups. Barto counters this argument in her column with a rant about how the weight loss industry rakes in $50 billion a year while the weight and health of tens of millions of Americans continues to get worse and worse. She wrote: “What a paradox, that dieting should be such a lucrative industry in a country with such high obesity rates. Someone is obviously profiting from fat phobia in a big way. Take a nation of insecure people, bombard them with images of impossible beauty standards, and they will greet the latest fad with open wallets. Couldn’t those billions of dollars be better spent? Instead of trying to buy happiness, think of all the good that money could do if diverted to cancer research or stamping out hunger.” Oh please, Ms. Barto. There’s no conspiracy to trick people into thinking they are fat to get them to buy weight loss products. Have you looked around lately? There are a LOT of people who are indeed, dare I say it, FAT! Gasp! It literally breaks my heart to be in a public place like a restaurant these days and see someone whose belly sticks out in front of them at least two feet. I’m not kidding, I’ve actually seen it with my own two eyes! My first thought is, “God, I can’t believe that’s how big I used to be.” Then I remember the hard work I put into losing my weight and wish so desperately these people could get healthier, too. While I agree it seems like everyone is trying to get their own piece of the proverbial pie in the diet industry, it is up to the consumer to be smart about what choices they make regarding their own weight and health. They can’t rely on a company like Nestle, for example, to provide them with quality products for their healthy diet. Misleading marketing ads exist out there in abundance and people need to educate themselves about what is best for them. That’s what I try to do at my blog each and every day to help people cut through all the muckity muck that’s out there. Despite the reality of obesity, Barto contends that people really can be in “good health at any size.” She continued: “Too many dieters harm their bodies and psyches by skipping meals, purging and popping pills in the quest for skinniness. We should eat for nutrition and well-being, not solely to lose weight. Amidst all the deprivation and guilt associated with eating, we often forget that fresh, simple food is a joy in itself.” So answer me something, Ms. Barto? Does carrying around a big ole pot belly cause harm to our bodies? It most definitely does, which is why people need to lose weight in the first place. I don’t advocate starving yourself, throwing up, or taking the latest magic weight loss pill to get there. But a healthy low-carb lifestyle has been proven to be the most nutrient-dense and balanced nutritional approach I have ever come across in my life as I shared during my “Fact-Filled February” series last month. There’s no deprivation, but rather indulgence to the max on this amazing way of eating. At the end of her article, Barto said it is time for a “change in mindset” to happen in this country regarding fat people. She said, “Let’s embrace diversity of size and question the source of our insecurities. Find the weight that’s healthy for you, individually, without comparing yourself to the skeletal models on TV. Life is too short to hate your body.” I agree with the point that the warped image of what “normal” weight looks like that we hear coming from Hollywood is 100 percent wrong. But there are ways to deal with your weight problem and get healthy that fall outside the realm of these unrealistic images. Heck, technically even I’m still obese despite losing 190 pounds! But am I worried about that? HA! Yeah right! My body is much better off now at 220 than it ever was at 410. Wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Barto?
That’s it for Episode 30 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore.” Please feel free to provide your feedback about what I talked about today in the show notes section at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com or by calling our podcast hotline number at area code (206) 203-4192. Do you agree with me that the whole “fat acceptance” movement is just an excuse by overweight and obese people to neglect their responsibility to begin living a healthier lifestyle? Or perhaps you feel there is merit to “fat acceptance” beyond the temporary “feel good” factor it promotes that I might have missed? I know you have an opinion about this, so let’s hear it. Thanks for listening to today’s podcast which can be heard on iTunes. Please download the show from there and leave us feedback about the show as well. Again, I appreciate all the new listeners joining us today, come back next week on Monday and Thursday for more thrilling and entertaining health podcasting to help encourage, educate and inspire you on your low-carb lifestyle. So, until next time, keep on livin’ la vida low-carb!