For once I share my opinons and the reasonings behind them

I'll say this at the outset, this is something I have strong feelings for so my language will be rather blunt and to the point. Although my language is always like that so this shouldn't be anything different. I also don't usually share my opinions with very many people, so when asked I give the smallest possible answer. However I have lots to say on this topic.
Lately I've been seeing all sorts of things about 'fat shaming'. This concept is absolutely ridiculous. Now before I offend the masses of trolls out there waiting to pounce on perceived (in their own minds) attacks on them and their bodies, let me be clear: I do not condone any form of bullying or making fun of others for whatever reason, and I believe that people should feel happy in their own skin. Now that that has been said, maybe I can afford to give some clarity on my position of fat shaming.

1). Self esteem is one thing. Being happy in your own skin is a good thing. However if your own skin is to the point that you are considered morbidly obese, then I think its time to rethink a few lifestyle choices. I'm not saying that you should become depressed, or that its OK for others to make fun of you. I am saying that you should look at your own lifestyle and diet and make some adjustments. I understand that obesity can be caused by all sorts of things (oh believe me, I've heard all the arguments on why its OK for so and so to be overweight because of x y and z). I understand that there are health related issues that happen and obesity is a result. I do have to wonder if the resulting obesity is actually from the health issue, or if the health issue has become a crutch that the individual is using an excuse to not exercise or eat right.

2). Earlier this year the Boy Scouts of America held their annual jamboree. They issued a statement that said if someone was over a certain percent BMI (Body Mass Index) they were recommended to sit out the jamboree since it was going to be a lot of strenuous physical activities. Lets understand something here. The BSA was not trying to bully or make fun of anyone. They were trying to be health conscious of their participants, and lets face it, they were trying to not be liable for any injuries that would occur (not may occur) if someone not in the right shape for those activities were to participate.  Of course the obese community had to rant and rage and shake fists and call names at the BSA and let the whole world know that they felt discriminated against. I think that is what irritates me the most. The BSA was not discriminating or trying to make the obese community feel small (pardon my little pun). If the obese community would spend half as much time working out and eating healthy as they do screaming about perceived injustices towards themselves they wouldn't need to scream and shout because they wouldn't apply to that demographic anymore. Now don't just chalk this section of my rant up to a love for the BSA. I have my own opinions towards them which is a completely different topic.  However I think we need to remember that the BSA is an organization and just as liable for an injury occurring as if you got injured at your place of employment- even if the BSA activity is out in the woods.


3). Fat shaming is a two way street.  I'll admit. I've been skinny my whole life. While to some this may discredit anything I have to say on the subject, that is exactly part of the problem. My whole life I've been thin. I've had countless girls come up to me and tell me that they wish they had my body-so they skipped lunch.  To those girls I always tried to discourage them from that course of action. Skipping a meal is not the way to go. (contrary to popular belief, skipping meals actually slows down your metabolism instead of speeding it up) I would usually then follow that up with how they really didn't want to be as tiny as I am since I could never find clothes that fit. Do you have any idea of how hard it can be to find jeans that are long enough for a teenage girl but small enough in the waste (even with a belt)? Or to find shirts that fit me that didn't have cartoon characters on them? I've had a friend who was dissatisfied with her weight, so her plan of action? Eat one meal a day-however that one meal was usually frozen fried chicken. So here we have the problem of slowing down her metabolism only to stuff her system full of junk food? Exercise was as good as a four letter word to her, so she ate rarely, when she did eat it was junk food, and she didn't exercise. No wonder she was unhappy with her weight!  I've also known people who would say they were trying to eat healthy and to exercise and lose weight, and then they ate a frozen pizza for dinner. Now I have my own opinions of frozen foods (I try to stay away from them), but watching an overweight person eating pre-packaged garbage was too much for me! I almost threw up when I saw that.  Now I'm not telling you this to try and brag about my body.  I may be thin but I'm susceptible to fat just like anybody else. I have had my share of bra fat, cellulite, love handles, and of course the tummy that sticks out over my pants (when I'm standing straight and not even hunched over). Of course when I say this everyone immediately jumps up and all but screams at me that I'm not fat and I look great and I need that extra fat.  Funny thing, I was never saying I was fat, only that I had spots that were fat. This brings me to a point: Just because someone is skinny, doesn't mean they are healthy or in shape.  It drives me absolutely insane when I exercise and work out and people have the ignorance to ask me why I go running, since I'm already skinny and don't need to lose weight. It seems like we've forgotten that exercising isn't just about losing weight. Its for general health and well being. I think we all need to sit down and watch Legally Blonde again. My favorite quote from that movie is "Exercise produces endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't just shoot their husbands. They just don't"  I exercise for a few reasons. It makes me happy, It feels great, I have goals for my body (like I want to be fit and toned), Its a fantastic stress reliever, and it does get rid of excess fat, and the more dangerous fat that is around the organs (that fat shows up way before the visible fat on the outside shows up). What I can't stand is when I post about my exercising, the people who comment and ask me if I can exercise for them since they don't have time since they have a kid and work. Now I used to not think much of that since I don't have a child yet, and I've heard how hard life gets when you have children, but then Maria Kang posted a photo and a little message about how she has three children, owns and runs two business, wasn't naturally skinny, denied cravings, and eats super healthy, and still has time to work out for one hour each day. Now when my friend asked me to work out for her, I though it was silly, I mean I work a 40 hour work week. I have a house to take care of. I'm in and out of school (depending on the semester) and I've been helping to manage my husbands schooling and homework. I'm also a very busy person and I still manage to exercise for an hour each day. I may not be busy with a dependent life, but I have other things that keep me busy, so I'm not sure how a child keeps someone from exercising. That just sounds like they are using their kids as an excuse. Maybe my opinions don't count since I'm not a mother yet, but I don't think you should use your children as an 'excuse'. I'm sure somewhere in the day you can find time to exercise. My cute Mother in Law has 8 children, 5 of which still live at home and she still manages to exercise every day. So I don't understand how people can say they don't have time because they have a child. I know that there are some health problems that come up and some people feel like that gives them an excuse to stop exercising, but I recently read in another persons blog about feeling like you are an exception, and I think he sums it up perfectly:    " If you know that you are the exception to the rule, then so be it. Let me offer two thoughts, though: 1) Even if your weight is totally out of your control, that doesn’t undermine the basic principle that poor diet and lack of exercise lead to obesity, anymore than a tragic accident in shop class undermines the basic principle that humans generally have two hands. 2) Before you declare yourself the exception, consider paraplegics and severely handicapped people who manage, through grit and determination, to be more physically fit than most of us who have full use of our extremities. Are you still an exception? Ok. Fine then."


I will now return back to my point about fat shaming being a two way street. Society tends to label overweight people as undesirable. The obese community complains about this very much. I've heard larger women complain how guys don't like them because they are bigger, and that guys like small girls (then follows the inevitable glance in my direction). What they failed to realize was that I was not getting asked out on dates either. There are plenty of people out there who like larger people, so that excuse falls flat on its butt.
 The obese community complains about being made fun of. With how prevalent bullying is in our society, maybe they should be heard about this issue. However, that does not give them the right to make fun of skinny people. Let me say this again, JUST BECAUSE YOU GET PICKED ON BECAUSE OF YOUR WEIGHT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO PICK ON  ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE OF THEIR WEIGHT.  I have heard countless larger people, and watched documentaries on obesity in my psychology class where the obese person really tears apart skinny people. The larger community really bashed small people and picked on them, while they were in the middle of complaining that people pick on them (the larger people) for their size. This is asinine! I can't tell you how many times I've been accused of being anorexic or bulimic. I wasn't always accused of that by people I know either. I've had complete strangers walk up to me and tell me I was anorexic or bulimic, whichever eating disorder was the flavor of the week. I've patiently explained to these people that I was not in fact anorexic or bulimic and that I have never in fact had any type of eating disorder. The person would at that point disagree with me and tell me I was wrong and there was no way I could be that skinny and not have an eating disorder. Can you imagine the gall of a complete strange to come up to you and insist that you have an eating disorder, even after you explained you didn't? With all the accusations of having an eating disorder when I truly didn't, its amazing that I didn't develop one just because everyone said I had one! In addition to all of that I have also (just like larger people) been teased my whole life about my size. I have constantly heard sayings such as 'Your're so skinny that if you turn sideways and stick out your tongue, you look like a zipper!' and the one EVERYONE seems to know 'You're so small, you have to run around in the shower just to get wet!' While I'm sure these sayings are meant to be funny (judging by the way everyone always collapses on themselves laughing after they utter one of these phrases to me),  I don't really see the humor in them, especially after the 100th time of hearing it. Now, I'm not telling you about these comments so that you can feel bad for me. I'm not trying to throw a pity party. In fact I've learned to just brush off these comments and they don't really bother me too much, but my point is that I have a very hard time being sympathetic to people who are complaining about being made fun of, while in the same breath they make fun of others for a weight issue they can't control either. That was my whole point really. That's why I think it is a two way street. Also, if you are unhappy about something (even your body) its in your power to change it. You also have no right to belittle other peoples success even if you think they 'had it easy' or 'just got lucky' People always  think I'm lucky because I'm so thin. What they don't realize is that I don't give into the cravings for junk food, I work out, and I eat healthy. That isn't just luck. That is hard work and dedication, and nobody has the right to try and tell me that I didn't achieve something just because 'I got lucky'.