Things I am actually against
I was recently privy to a discussion of dieting over on Google Plus that ranged all over the Fat Hate Bingo Card 1 and Fat Hate Bingo Card 2. There was enough there for a dozen ranty blog posts, but I particularly wanted to respond to a question posed to those of us being negative about weight-loss dieting: "Why are you against exercise and healthy eating?"
Now, I am very far from being against exercise and healthy eating. So are most people, I expect. You might be able to find someone who is against exercise and healthy eating, but they're probably hanging out in the corner with the Man-Hating Feminist, the America-Despising Liberal, and the Unicorn.
So, having cleared that up, here are a few things that I am against:
I am against assuming that "weight-loss dieting"="exercise and healthy eating", when examples of people doing manifestly unhealthy things in the name of weight loss abound.
I am against assuming that exercise and healthy eating will produce weight loss. They might, or they might not. Or they might produce weight loss, but not "enough", leaving you like yours truly: a carrot-chompin', iron-pumpin', 5K runnin' exemplar of America's obesity epidemic.
I am against assuming that the health benefits of exercise and healthy eating are due to whatever weight loss they produce.
I am against people obsessing over having bodies that are "too fat", and devoting huge amounts of mental, emotional, and physical energy to restricting their calorie intake when they could be doing much more productive things with that energy. Including making real changes to their health.
I am against living in a world where the decision to eat or not eat a cookie can be framed as a moral choice.
I am against people assuming that they can tell anything about the health or activity levels of a total stranger because they are fat or thin or are eating a cheeseburger or ordering a salad.
So, are we clear now?
Now, I am very far from being against exercise and healthy eating. So are most people, I expect. You might be able to find someone who is against exercise and healthy eating, but they're probably hanging out in the corner with the Man-Hating Feminist, the America-Despising Liberal, and the Unicorn.
So, having cleared that up, here are a few things that I am against:
I am against assuming that "weight-loss dieting"="exercise and healthy eating", when examples of people doing manifestly unhealthy things in the name of weight loss abound.
I am against assuming that exercise and healthy eating will produce weight loss. They might, or they might not. Or they might produce weight loss, but not "enough", leaving you like yours truly: a carrot-chompin', iron-pumpin', 5K runnin' exemplar of America's obesity epidemic.
I am against assuming that the health benefits of exercise and healthy eating are due to whatever weight loss they produce.
I am against people obsessing over having bodies that are "too fat", and devoting huge amounts of mental, emotional, and physical energy to restricting their calorie intake when they could be doing much more productive things with that energy. Including making real changes to their health.
I am against living in a world where the decision to eat or not eat a cookie can be framed as a moral choice.
I am against people assuming that they can tell anything about the health or activity levels of a total stranger because they are fat or thin or are eating a cheeseburger or ordering a salad.
So, are we clear now?