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We are constantly redefining our own perspectives, and therefore tend to write a lot about our personal experiences. Many followers and contributors are living with anorexia, bulimia, body dysmorphic disorder, depression, and a variety of other body image disorders or mental illnesses, so please be respectful and remember that health applies differently to everyone. Any and all potentially triggering content will be prefaced with a trigger warning.
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As an influx of reblogs have been clogging my notifications once more, I’m really intrigued to know why or how fitspo blogs find my “weight does not dictate your health or your worth” message inspiring enough to spread and feature in their online spaces.
I know that the message leaves a lot up to the viewer in that they can project their own views and thoughts onto it, but at nearly 10,000 notes I never thought it would be so widely shared and accepted across so many communities.
It was practically created as an alternative to fitspo (anti-fitspo in fact) but now it’s being appropriated in those spaces.
Most fitspo blogs hold a certain weight or body type as a “fit” and “healthy” ideal. Nearly every fitspo blogger has a “goal weight” designated for themselves in their content and feature idealized images of thin, toned bodies as an aesthetic goal. This would suggest to me that most fitspo bloggers believe weight and health are directly correlated and that this belief is being integrated into their own health and wellness narratives.
That approach clearly doesn’t jive with me. I mean, I have a “fuck fitspo” tag on my blog and have maintained a critical eye on the fitspo community in terms of its inability to recognize that people with disabilities (both mental and physical) find fitspo and weight loss messaging detrimental to their health and wellness goals.
I recognize that some able-bodied people find it to be helpful, but it is not and should not be toted as the end-all-be-all way of defining and inspiring good health and fitness for EVERYONE.
And so I come back to my original question - If most fitspo bloggers focus on weight loss as a “healthy” ideal, what is so attractive to them about this statement that suggests an alternative to thinking about how weight and health are not correlated? Was my intent lost or misinterpreted? I’m honestly intrigued.
“If someone is overweight because of diet, not simply a lack of exercise, you’re excusing them from eating properly.”
Since when is someone else’s health any of your business? What are you, the health police? A person’s lifestyle choices and health are their own goddamn business and no one should be shamed for choices they are making with their own goddamn lives. Even if someone is making unhealthy choices, it’s none of your fucking business.
Pretty much, yeah!!! <3
You know what’s really a laugh? When I was 92lbs and everyone was telling me how good I looked and I looked so thin and wonderful! I was a fucking anorexic and that really added fuel to the fire. When I gained the weight back everyone was like oh wow you’ve filled out, oh you’re bigger now. Nevermind that I felt a billion times better. Whatever, you really can’t tell someone’s health from the outside. I mean, as a relevant example, I work at a bike shop and bigger customers come in all the time after getting a bike and tell me how much they love biking (they exercise and are still larger like omfg!) Some go like 20-30 miles on their days off and I’m smaller and barely can go 15! If that isn’t a good enough example then whatever. I’m in a ranting mood today.
Thank you for sharing! Rant away, my dear…What you’re saying is super relevant and important and needs to be shared if we want to get people understanding where we’re coming from. You’re awesome.
“If someone is overweight because of diet, not simply a lack of exercise, you’re excusing them from eating properly.”
Since when is someone else’s health any of your business? What are you, the health police? A person’s lifestyle choices and health are their own goddamn business and no one should be shamed for choices they are making with their own goddamn lives. Even if someone is making unhealthy choices, it’s none of your fucking business.
Pretty much, yeah!!! <3
Major love for RBI <3
Also, people need to realize how privileged it is to talk about having a healthy diet and eating one and OMFG BEANS AND LENTILS! If you have a limited income, there’s a really good chance you won’t have access to a kitchen filled with organic fruits and vegetables and the ability to cook them and keep them from rotting. Sure, there have been studies showing that eating ‘unhealthy’ food can be bad for somebody, but there have been just as many discussions about how unreasonable it is to expect every single person to have access to ~healthy~ foods.
Thank you love, a very valid point indeed.
“Weight does not dictate your health or your worth.”
… what? Really? Seriously? I’m pretty fucking sure it DEFINITELY dictates your health. In fact it plays a vital role in dictating your health. Who the fuck wrote this? This is fucking ludicrous.
I…
Sure it is possible to be healthy at every size. There are people who would be considered morbidly obese who are as healthy as someone at their ideal weight. Though it isn’t common.
Moreover what you’re recommending is dangerous. If someone is overweight because of diet, not simply a lack of exercise, you’re excusing them from eating properly. There are no ifs ands or buts regarding a healthy diet. Eating foods high in saturated fats, cholesterol, calories, and sodium (though a study recently published found those with higher sodium intakes lived longer, but you can’t ignore years of evidence based on one study) is dangerous.
If people gained weight like sumo wrestlers i.e. non-visceral fat this wouldn’t be an issue and I’d agree with you completely. The issue is visceral fat is quite dangerous. Now if you advocated “exercise and eat healthier” I’d say you were spot on.
You may not be here to argue, but you’re making dangerous statements when you say stop dieting and that is COMPLETELY irresponsible. There is mounds of proof thanks to research regarding diet and health. Being fat isn’t necessarily a death knoll for obese people but the way in which one tends to become fat (sans genetics or some factor beyond an individuals control such as disease), that is poor diet, is irrefutable for health risks.
Oh yes, by suggesting people find health, wellness and happiness within themselves by accepting their bodies exactly how they are, I am obviously putting the entire fucking world at risk.
God forbid I promote body acceptance and improved mental health in the face of a world filled with people suffering from eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and other countless mental illnesses that prevent people from truly accepting themselves as they are, because the visual media at large promotes a body image ideal that doesn’t even exist to sell dangerous diet products that fucking kill.
How dare I propose that dieting often doesn’t work, and instead promote intuitive eating and exercise based on positive feelings and movement rather than exercising with weight loss goals in mind, which can often lead to guilt and disappointment when the weight doesn’t come off.
I’m done with you. Read my fucking blog and learn something.
“Weight does not dictate your health or your worth.”
… what? Really? Seriously? I’m pretty fucking sure it DEFINITELY dictates your health. In fact it plays a vital role in dictating your health. Who the fuck wrote this? This is fucking ludicrous.
I wrote that. It actually isn’t fucking ludicrous, it’s a fact. I’m not here to argue, I am here to present facts. Do with them what you will, I can’t change your mind but you could at least try to open your mind up to new perspectives before completely dismissing them.
If you watch this TED talk by Julie Rochefort, she talks about and displays a lot of really important data based around the fact that health is possible at EVERY size.
This extensive article by Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D. called Obesity, Health, and Metabolic Fitness debunks a number of myths regarding fat health.
If that wasn’t enough to get you thinking, there’s a massive list of resources discussing the truth behind fat health right here.