BEAUTY: "Shhhhut Down Fat Talk"
Cereal brand, Special K, released this ad "Shhhhut Down Fat Talk", earlier this month. I thought it would be a good video to share with you all. The product isn't important in this particular ad. The message is. Special K, gathered "Fat Talk" statements via social media, and created a faux store that showed these messages. It forces the women to rethink what they have said about their own bodies, in the way of how they would feel if someone said it to them. I understand the media and peer influence of these negative messages. It makes a majority of women (and other genders too) rethink EVERYTHING about their bodies. I love my body, but it took a long time for me to reach this place. I've always been thin and made to think this is a bad thing, despite seeing numerous weightloss ads with women joyful to be a size 0-4. I don't recall ever being that size past puberty. Not to say that those women can't enjoy being that size and be healthy, but it shouldn't be their goal size. Somewhere in their weight loss, they will achieve a healthy size (and they might have already be there at the start) that they SHOULD be happy with. However, Fat Talk makes these women rethink if they should be happy with their bodies or if they should pick them apart and be part of the weight loss fanatical group.
I see messages of "I do (X diet), and that's the only one anyone should do." Here's the thing about that. If it's not a LIFE LONG way of eating and sustaining a healthy life, then you shouldn't be doing it!!! It's not a good diet if you are STARVING, MOODY, BINDGING, HEAVY RESTRICTING, OVER WORKING OUT, AND WORN OUT!!!! This is terrible for you! DON'T DO IT!!! I don't care what ads you've seen, what "pretty" woman said to do it, what "weight loss guide" you read, what magazine you looked through...DON'T DO ANY CRAZY DIET! If you are hungry, EAT! They ONLY person you need to please is YOURSELF. Get out of your head for a moment and realize that you are beautiful. ENJOY FOOD, but don't abuse it.
Last week, I had a physical. My doctor, who I've been seeing since I was 20, said that based on my BMI (Body Mass Index... height and weight) that I was on the low side of normal. I'm about 5'7" and 130 lbs. To me, that is healthy. Here is the humorous and confusing part...4 years ago, I was 120 lbs and she said I was a healthy weight. She was HAPPY that she didn't need to discuss how to eat properly. I was happy to hear that. I've spent years of doctors appointments with nurses and doctors complaining that I was underweight and BLAMING me for this. As a teenager, I could eat more than a normal adult, if I wanted to, and still stayed a steady 110...for YEARS. Honestly, I was that size until I got pregnant with my daughter. I went up to 150-160 while pregnant. I was happy with my weight. While I was about 8-9 months pregnant, I went to see old co-workers at a department store I worked at part of the time when pregnant. They hadn't seen me in months. It will always stick with me the one co-worker who said I was fat and suggested cutting back on food. I was PREGNANT. The concept of me restricting my food intake while pregnant...starving my baby...is ridiculous. This is something many pregnant women hear. I'm not the only one. NO ONE SHOULD TELL A PREGNANT WOMAN ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT HOW BIG SHE GETS!!! SHE'S PREGNANT!!!! SHE NEEDS POSITIVE ENCOURAGEMENT!!!
After giving birth to Alex, I eventually went down to 120, where I stayed for about 10 years. I went up to 130 this year. I'm still happy with my size. I always will be. The ONLY downside to gaining weight is that my corsets don't fit as well. However, that's such a rare need, that the rest of the time I enjoy my body. There are definite moments of breakdown, but seeing this ad puts it into perspective. I never make negative comments about anyone else. I think everyone is beautiful. Seeing myself as always beautiful is a challenge. We are our own worst critics, and this needs to stop.
I see messages of "I do (X diet), and that's the only one anyone should do." Here's the thing about that. If it's not a LIFE LONG way of eating and sustaining a healthy life, then you shouldn't be doing it!!! It's not a good diet if you are STARVING, MOODY, BINDGING, HEAVY RESTRICTING, OVER WORKING OUT, AND WORN OUT!!!! This is terrible for you! DON'T DO IT!!! I don't care what ads you've seen, what "pretty" woman said to do it, what "weight loss guide" you read, what magazine you looked through...DON'T DO ANY CRAZY DIET! If you are hungry, EAT! They ONLY person you need to please is YOURSELF. Get out of your head for a moment and realize that you are beautiful. ENJOY FOOD, but don't abuse it.
Last week, I had a physical. My doctor, who I've been seeing since I was 20, said that based on my BMI (Body Mass Index... height and weight) that I was on the low side of normal. I'm about 5'7" and 130 lbs. To me, that is healthy. Here is the humorous and confusing part...4 years ago, I was 120 lbs and she said I was a healthy weight. She was HAPPY that she didn't need to discuss how to eat properly. I was happy to hear that. I've spent years of doctors appointments with nurses and doctors complaining that I was underweight and BLAMING me for this. As a teenager, I could eat more than a normal adult, if I wanted to, and still stayed a steady 110...for YEARS. Honestly, I was that size until I got pregnant with my daughter. I went up to 150-160 while pregnant. I was happy with my weight. While I was about 8-9 months pregnant, I went to see old co-workers at a department store I worked at part of the time when pregnant. They hadn't seen me in months. It will always stick with me the one co-worker who said I was fat and suggested cutting back on food. I was PREGNANT. The concept of me restricting my food intake while pregnant...starving my baby...is ridiculous. This is something many pregnant women hear. I'm not the only one. NO ONE SHOULD TELL A PREGNANT WOMAN ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT HOW BIG SHE GETS!!! SHE'S PREGNANT!!!! SHE NEEDS POSITIVE ENCOURAGEMENT!!!
After giving birth to Alex, I eventually went down to 120, where I stayed for about 10 years. I went up to 130 this year. I'm still happy with my size. I always will be. The ONLY downside to gaining weight is that my corsets don't fit as well. However, that's such a rare need, that the rest of the time I enjoy my body. There are definite moments of breakdown, but seeing this ad puts it into perspective. I never make negative comments about anyone else. I think everyone is beautiful. Seeing myself as always beautiful is a challenge. We are our own worst critics, and this needs to stop.
Special K's "Shhhhut Down Fat Talk" video
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