A Personal Thought – Body Image

I watched a programme the other day called “Who Are You Calling Fat?” I was fascinated. There were people who had been overweight and had taken steps to slim down (diet and exercise and surgery) and people who are overweight, there was a lady who was utterly miserable with her body shape and another lady who was militant in her love of her body shape.

I tend to believe in my own view, regardless of how rounded or not it is, and I will always be a work-in-progress with taking a step back and actually listening and thinking on other peoples’ points of view. Much better at this now than I used to be – my opinion will actually change nowadays if I find I am wrong or uneducated 😀

After the programme, I began to wonder what I actually think of myself? Am I positive? Do I secretly hate me?

Well, here’s what I’ve concluded from my internal dialogue, for me, I don’t find myself in love with my body. I like bits of me (my nose, the size of my boobs, my lips, my feet – yep I know – strange :))

But what do I actually think of the fat?

To be honest I’ve discovered I don’t really think that much of it at all. I’m not bothered with the aesthetics of the fat. I’m prepared for the lose skin I’ll get – there’s underwear that’ll help! I’ve already realised the boobs are always going to be dangly sacks now – no pertness :D.

Do I want to parade around in swimwear asking people to appreciate my fatness? No, but then I have no worry or care about going to a swimming pool in my swimming gear either, and if anyone did stare at me, I probably wouldn’t even notice – to be honest they can think what the hell they like, has no bearing on me whatsoever. But if someone was stupid enough to speak with the smallness of their minds, they’d be in for a pretty rough ride from me!

BUT – I do think about the dangers my fat puts me in, and for anyone on a weight loss journey, you’ll probably know of those dangers. I really do want to walk fast, run after kids, walk up stairs without getting knackered, I don’t want the joint pains that I have, I want to see a hill and not feel like crying, I don’t want type 2 diabetes which has always been in our family. I want to wear nice clothes and sexy clothes again. I want to live a long and healthy life. There’s no getting away with it, the more overweight I am, the slimmer my chances of either long or healthy.

So am I body positive? No, I don’t think so, I think I body image neutral – I neither hate nor love my body, the fat actually doesn’t mean anything to me, if I was fat and knew I would never become ill or immobile because of it, I would be fine other than when I see nice clothes I can’t wear.

What do I think of the Body Positivity movement? Well actually I fully agree with it. I think it is fantastic to have people out there appreciating their bodies and going on platforms for others to realise there is nothing wrong with loving who they themselves are. Especially as this movement is probably in response to all the narrow-minded cruelty out there!

Let’s face it, there have been major movements for women’s rights, racial rights, gay rights. Movements start to generate a kinder society, surely that is important?

It should be obvious to every single human being, that we as individuals do not have the right to shame another person because of their differences, whether that be sex, sexuality, race, religion, weight. And yet I read/see/hear of just how narrow minded people still are, so much for educated/civilised people eh?

So…. GO GIRLS!!! If you are truly happy within yourselves, then I am utterly impressed with you, and think you are amazing! And for anyone following these people, I hope you also find your own positivity, and can learn to rise above the nastiness of others.