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[jumpinglegacy]

Today someone on my f-list posted about how she wants to lose her love handles so that she'll look good for the beach season. I responded with the following, and I wanted to share this with you gals as well

Comments

[bigeyedphish]

Um...I disagree with you where you say "if you have 'love handles', it 's probably because that's the way your body is meant to be". Yeah you should love your body no matter what it's size and shape but just because you have love handles or are severely overweight doesn't mean that is the way you are supposed to be. Eating habits, exercising habits, etc are all factors that you can have control over. It's not good to just let your body do what it wants while you sit on your ass and eat whatever you want.

[belenen]

actually, 'love handles' ARE meant to be on some bodies. Not every body, but different bodies are different shapes, naturally, and love handles are not unhealthy, in and of themselves. 'Healthy' does not have one certain body shape. There are people who eat well and exercise and have love handles, just like there are people who eat well and exercise and are 'overweight' according to the charts. Healthy is in how you feel and what you can do, not in how you look.

[bigeyedphish]

Never said they did have to be all one specific shape. I just said not ALL body shapes are "how the body is supposed to be" or that all body shapes are healthy. While it is great to love your body how ever it looks, it doesn't necessarily mean you are healthy or shouldn't try to get in better shape (that doesn't necessarily mean lose weight).

[belenen]

I was referring specifically to the love handles. Some healthy body shapes include love handles.

[bigeyedphish]

...and some don't. The person above said "If you have love handles, that's probably the way you are meant to be". All I said was that isn't necessarily true.

What I don't get about this community is why it is so focused on the idea that it is apparently better to be overweight than to be slim. If this is all about body love, why is it NOT okay to lose some weight and/or get in better shape as a way to fall in love with your body.

[belenen]

it is wonderful to get in shape, and perfectly fine to experience body changes, but not so great to be getting in shape for the purpose of changing your body.

and we never say it is better to be overweight than slim. it is best to be how you are! and to allow your body to change if it wants, but not to change it before you love it. Because if you are waiting to love your body until it looks a certain way, you are wasting time that could be spent being happy.

[belenen]

here's a link to more on how health cannot be measured by things like body shape/size and/or weight:

http://community.livejournal.com/curvygirls/518635.html

[bigeyedphish]

I don't think you understand what I'm saying. I didn't say ANYTHING about BMI.