Re: Opera Singer Fat Relocation project and Fat Acceptance

[Guest guest]

Good point jbs. Perhaps those other people have only 'stage II'

acceptance - of the FAT?!? I think the only thing I can do for them is

hope that someday they will be able to move to 'stage I' - body

acceptance AND embrace something like IE which could make them happy

enough to not have to 'pick' on others who are facing their

difficulties in a way that works for them.

Katcha

>

> I am not new to this group, however in my introduction I did not

> talk about the fact that I am an opera singer. I belong to an

> online group of opera singers as well as LJ and through that I have

> come to know who since this past September has lost 105 lbs.

> She has a blog about this www.thenext100pounds.com and was recently

> featured in a NY Times article

> http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/an-opera-singers-fat-

> relocation-project/.

>

> If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times article

> you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am disturbed

> on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people come

> from the Fat Acceptance group.

>

> On one level I feel that it is necessary for us to accept ourselves

> for who we are and to not strive to be a Hollywood ideal if that is

> not how we are made. On the other side of it though I have to

> wonder what is really at the root of people making such snide

> comments and who are quite frankly very ignorant of the lifestyle of

> the opera singer (trust me, for those us who are doing this, most of

> us work a 9-5 job, plus whatever we can get gig-wise).

>

> I truly believe in Intuitive Eating on many levels and feel that my

> friend is in many ways finally honoring her true hunger as well as

> her mind and health. BTW-- she is type II diabetes and has in this

> process begun to completely turn that around for herself.

>

> I feel strangely torn-- of course people should love and accept

> themselves, but when does something like Fat Acceptance become

> something where people have stopped really listening to their bodies

> and their true hunger?

>

[Guest guest]

Good point jbs. Perhaps those other people have only 'stage II'

acceptance - of the FAT?!? I think the only thing I can do for them is

hope that someday they will be able to move to 'stage I' - body

acceptance AND embrace something like IE which could make them happy

enough to not have to 'pick' on others who are facing their

difficulties in a way that works for them.

Katcha

>

> I am not new to this group, however in my introduction I did not

> talk about the fact that I am an opera singer. I belong to an

> online group of opera singers as well as LJ and through that I have

> come to know who since this past September has lost 105 lbs.

> She has a blog about this www.thenext100pounds.com and was recently

> featured in a NY Times article

> http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/an-opera-singers-fat-

> relocation-project/.

>

> If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times article

> you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am disturbed

> on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people come

> from the Fat Acceptance group.

>

> On one level I feel that it is necessary for us to accept ourselves

> for who we are and to not strive to be a Hollywood ideal if that is

> not how we are made. On the other side of it though I have to

> wonder what is really at the root of people making such snide

> comments and who are quite frankly very ignorant of the lifestyle of

> the opera singer (trust me, for those us who are doing this, most of

> us work a 9-5 job, plus whatever we can get gig-wise).

>

> I truly believe in Intuitive Eating on many levels and feel that my

> friend is in many ways finally honoring her true hunger as well as

> her mind and health. BTW-- she is type II diabetes and has in this

> process begun to completely turn that around for herself.

>

> I feel strangely torn-- of course people should love and accept

> themselves, but when does something like Fat Acceptance become

> something where people have stopped really listening to their bodies

> and their true hunger?

>

[Guest guest]

Good point jbs. Perhaps those other people have only 'stage II'

acceptance - of the FAT?!? I think the only thing I can do for them is

hope that someday they will be able to move to 'stage I' - body

acceptance AND embrace something like IE which could make them happy

enough to not have to 'pick' on others who are facing their

difficulties in a way that works for them.

Katcha

>

> I am not new to this group, however in my introduction I did not

> talk about the fact that I am an opera singer. I belong to an

> online group of opera singers as well as LJ and through that I have

> come to know who since this past September has lost 105 lbs.

> She has a blog about this www.thenext100pounds.com and was recently

> featured in a NY Times article

> http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/an-opera-singers-fat-

> relocation-project/.

>

> If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times article

> you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am disturbed

> on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people come

> from the Fat Acceptance group.

>

> On one level I feel that it is necessary for us to accept ourselves

> for who we are and to not strive to be a Hollywood ideal if that is

> not how we are made. On the other side of it though I have to

> wonder what is really at the root of people making such snide

> comments and who are quite frankly very ignorant of the lifestyle of

> the opera singer (trust me, for those us who are doing this, most of

> us work a 9-5 job, plus whatever we can get gig-wise).

>

> I truly believe in Intuitive Eating on many levels and feel that my

> friend is in many ways finally honoring her true hunger as well as

> her mind and health. BTW-- she is type II diabetes and has in this

> process begun to completely turn that around for herself.

>

> I feel strangely torn-- of course people should love and accept

> themselves, but when does something like Fat Acceptance become

> something where people have stopped really listening to their bodies

> and their true hunger?

>

[Guest guest]

JB,

I felt a sense of sadness, frustration, and hope for a better way for

us to relate to each other after hearing about the not so supportive

responses to 's journey in your post. I believe that most people

are stuck/trapped in a warped fat/thin mindset. Our cultural and

societal perceptions about fat/thin has to change. I sort of liked

's concept of the " fat relocation project " , if I get what she

means. I've been sort of working on a " fat transformation project " .

For me, fat is just stored energy...nurturing and cushioning that I

needed to help get me through the emotional storms of my life. With

IE and other personal work, I know that I have the resources to cope

and can now channel some of my stored energy toward causes and

activities that I enjoy. I have ample thighs and a behind...so I know

and " accept " that " fat " storage is a normal phenomenon for my

body.

I've seen explicit and implicit references to " fat " basically being

equated to " ugly " countless times. So, fat acceptance has developed

in direct oppposition to such blatant prejudice and hatred. I was so

caught up in the fat/thin struggle that I refused to lose weight a

few years ago. In fact, I tried to gain as much weight as I could

to " spite " the constant messages and pressures to be thin. I ended up

only hurting myself of course. I believe that the healing perspective

represented by this group and that you indicated is for people to

learn " to listen to their bodies and their true hunger. " That's it!

That transformational concept is so fundamental and yet such an

unknown and radical idea to many people.

I think that fat acceptance can include this transformational

concept...if people can let go of some of their resistance and rage

against thinness propoganda and focus some of their energy on what it

means to honor the body...in all of its many glorious manifestations.

Latoya

>

> I am not new to this group, however in my introduction I did not

> talk about the fact that I am an opera singer. I belong to an

> online group of opera singers as well as LJ and through that I have

> come to know who since this past September has lost 105 lbs.

> She has a blog about this www.thenext100pounds.com and was recently

> featured in a NY Times article

> http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/an-opera-singers-fat-

> relocation-project/.

>

> If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times

article

> you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am disturbed

> on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people come

> from the Fat Acceptance group.

>

> On one level I feel that it is necessary for us to accept ourselves

> for who we are and to not strive to be a Hollywood ideal if that is

> not how we are made. On the other side of it though I have to

> wonder what is really at the root of people making such snide

> comments and who are quite frankly very ignorant of the lifestyle

of

> the opera singer (trust me, for those us who are doing this, most

of

> us work a 9-5 job, plus whatever we can get gig-wise).

>

> I truly believe in Intuitive Eating on many levels and feel that my

> friend is in many ways finally honoring her true hunger as well as

> her mind and health. BTW-- she is type II diabetes and has in this

> process begun to completely turn that around for herself.

>

> I feel strangely torn-- of course people should love and accept

> themselves, but when does something like Fat Acceptance become

> something where people have stopped really listening to their

bodies

> and their true hunger?

>

[Guest guest]

Excellent post Latoya! Love reading your take on things - it always

provides be with food for thought Thanks, Katcha

>

> JB,

>

> I felt a sense of sadness, frustration, and hope for a better way for

> us to relate to each other after hearing about the not so supportive

> responses to 's journey in your post. I believe that most people

> are stuck/trapped in a warped fat/thin mindset. Our cultural and

> societal perceptions about fat/thin has to change. I sort of liked

> 's concept of the " fat relocation project " , if I get what she

> means. I've been sort of working on a " fat transformation project " .

> For me, fat is just stored energy...nurturing and cushioning that I

> needed to help get me through the emotional storms of my life. With

> IE and other personal work, I know that I have the resources to cope

> and can now channel some of my stored energy toward causes and

> activities that I enjoy. I have ample thighs and a behind...so I know

> and " accept " that " fat " storage is a normal phenomenon for my

> body.

>

> I've seen explicit and implicit references to " fat " basically being

> equated to " ugly " countless times. So, fat acceptance has developed

> in direct oppposition to such blatant prejudice and hatred. I was so

> caught up in the fat/thin struggle that I refused to lose weight a

> few years ago. In fact, I tried to gain as much weight as I could

> to " spite " the constant messages and pressures to be thin. I ended up

> only hurting myself of course. I believe that the healing perspective

> represented by this group and that you indicated is for people to

> learn " to listen to their bodies and their true hunger. " That's it!

> That transformational concept is so fundamental and yet such an

> unknown and radical idea to many people.

>

> I think that fat acceptance can include this transformational

> concept...if people can let go of some of their resistance and rage

> against thinness propoganda and focus some of their energy on what it

> means to honor the body...in all of its many glorious manifestations.

>

> Latoya

[Guest guest]

I couldn't agree more on all of your points! For my personal

situation I am neither " fat " nor particularly " thin " and yet I still

struggle for an acceptance of " me " . But part of that acceptance

includes making decisions that feel truly good to " me " and not to

spite some " norm " or " ideal " . And it also includes not looking at

someone else's journey and labelling it " wrong " because it doesn't

match mine. There is room for all of us in this world!

> >

> > I am not new to this group, however in my introduction I did not

> > talk about the fact that I am an opera singer. I belong to an

> > online group of opera singers as well as LJ and through that I

have

> > come to know who since this past September has lost 105

lbs.

> > She has a blog about this www.thenext100pounds.com and was

recently

> > featured in a NY Times article

> > http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/an-opera-singers-fat-

> > relocation-project/.

> >

> > If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times

> article

> > you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> > saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am

disturbed

> > on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people

come

> > from the Fat Acceptance group.

> >

> > On one level I feel that it is necessary for us to accept

ourselves

> > for who we are and to not strive to be a Hollywood ideal if that

is

> > not how we are made. On the other side of it though I have to

> > wonder what is really at the root of people making such snide

> > comments and who are quite frankly very ignorant of the

lifestyle

> of

> > the opera singer (trust me, for those us who are doing this,

most

> of

> > us work a 9-5 job, plus whatever we can get gig-wise).

> >

> > I truly believe in Intuitive Eating on many levels and feel that

my

> > friend is in many ways finally honoring her true hunger as well

as

> > her mind and health. BTW-- she is type II diabetes and has in

this

> > process begun to completely turn that around for herself.

> >

> > I feel strangely torn-- of course people should love and accept

> > themselves, but when does something like Fat Acceptance become

> > something where people have stopped really listening to their

> bodies

> > and their true hunger?

> >

>

[Guest guest]

jbs263 wrote:

> If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times article

> you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am disturbed

> on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people come

> from the Fat Acceptance group.

This sounds like pure jealousy to me. I don't think that Fat Acceptance

= Fat Love.

If you ask me a lot of fat acceptance activists would prefer to be thin.

They " just " have " accepted " the fat. And if someone loses a lot of

weight I can imagine that this triggers a lot of jealousy.

Yes, I may sound like a bitch, but I really think that a lot of fat

acceptance activists would prefer to be thin. There's nothing wrong with

that, don't get me wrong, and I'm not saying that all fat acceptance

activists would prefer to be thin but people should be honest about

their true preferences.

Regards

s.

[Guest guest]

JBS, I don't know that it's fair to state that there were " a lot " of

people poo-pooing what has done - just a few who had a lot to

say, and chose that forum to say it in and continue arguing about

it. And while a couple were bitchy, a couple did (not

inappropriately, I think), generally warn about the effect that such

a " success story " can have on those who have a life history of weight

loss difficulty, such as the comment:

---- " For every ONE person who reads this Well blog entry, Ms.

Sadler's blog, or any of the thousands of other books, columns, blogs

and seminars on weight loss, AND is successful at a) losing weight,

AND keeping it off for the next 5 to 7 years, there are THOUSANDS

of other people who cannot do so, yet continue to torture themselves

with endless dieting, forays into exercise, hypnosis, water fasts,

etc, and simply will not succeed in the LONG RUN. " ----

I don't have a problem with that statement. I think it's a realistic

antidote to the constant barrage of unrealistic " I LOST WEIGHT - YOU

CAN DO IT TOO IF YOU ONLY DO THIS.... " facing heavier people every

day of their lives. It can be kind of depressing if you think you've

failed, when perhaps it's just that your genetic potential will never

match the ideal in your head, no matter how hard you try.

Actually, apart from one or two of the snarkier posters (who by the

sounds of their intolerant comments I would think are NOT exactly

card-carrying members of the Fat Acceptance movement), this was one

of the tamer and less abusive discussions I've seen out in the

blogosphere. It can get waaaay nastier and stupider out there than

this exchange of points of view, believe me!

So don't be too upset about the comments. Weight loss is a really

emotive issue for many people, and you're never going to get

agreement or like-mindedness from everyone. Hell, my own point of

view has ranged wildly, from evangelical dieter to anti-diet radical

(and back and forth and back and forth) over the years! :-)

Cheers

Sigigee

....

> If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times

article

> you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am disturbed

> on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people come

> from the Fat Acceptance group...

[Guest guest]

Good point Sigi and thanks for reminding me that this is MY journey

and how it goes is how I 'do' it, no one else plays near as important

a factor.

ehugs, Katcha

> ...

> > If you take a look even at just the comments on the NY Times

> article

> > you will find a lot of people poo-poo-ing what she has done and

> > saying that she will " gain it all back " , etc... and I am disturbed

> > on many levels. From my understanding a lot of these people come

> > from the Fat Acceptance group...

>

[Guest guest]

Love this topic. I am noticing that as I move more into acceptance of myself and the size I am, while enjoying true physical hunger and the satisfying of that hunger, I am also more accepting of others who struggle with weight. (I am the queen of the run-on sentence!)

I find myself getting angry when I hear others speak of 'being good or being bad' with food and all the nonsense we are fed about our bodies and how we should look.

I think if we all band together and start spreading the new message that it is ok to eat when you are hungry and that size 0 is NOT a normal size for a healthy female maybe we can slowly but surely change society.

Tall order I know but any movement starts slow. I do think fat acceptance has its place but moving into a healthy and fit mind-set can begin there.

Deb in Storm-ridden Omaha

[Guest guest]

Love this topic. I am noticing that as I move more into acceptance of myself and the size I am, while enjoying true physical hunger and the satisfying of that hunger, I am also more accepting of others who struggle with weight. (I am the queen of the run-on sentence!)

I find myself getting angry when I hear others speak of 'being good or being bad' with food and all the nonsense we are fed about our bodies and how we should look.

I think if we all band together and start spreading the new message that it is ok to eat when you are hungry and that size 0 is NOT a normal size for a healthy female maybe we can slowly but surely change society.

Tall order I know but any movement starts slow. I do think fat acceptance has its place but moving into a healthy and fit mind-set can begin there.

Deb in Storm-ridden Omaha

[Guest guest]

Love this topic. I am noticing that as I move more into acceptance of myself and the size I am, while enjoying true physical hunger and the satisfying of that hunger, I am also more accepting of others who struggle with weight. (I am the queen of the run-on sentence!)

I find myself getting angry when I hear others speak of 'being good or being bad' with food and all the nonsense we are fed about our bodies and how we should look.

I think if we all band together and start spreading the new message that it is ok to eat when you are hungry and that size 0 is NOT a normal size for a healthy female maybe we can slowly but surely change society.

Tall order I know but any movement starts slow. I do think fat acceptance has its place but moving into a healthy and fit mind-set can begin there.

Deb in Storm-ridden Omaha