Spill Your Brain

BIG isn’t beautiful!

Posted on 09. Nov, 2009 by Rah Truth in Misc.

Alright, everyone! Put down the muffins and pay attention. This just may save your life! As of late, much effort has been put into a new self-esteem movement for women. The message is “Love yourself. Love your curves!”  News flash: Your stomach is NOT a curve! I’m not saying that anyone should have low self-esteem. Everyone should feel good about themselves. But, we should also be real with ourselves, too. It is true that everyone is not meant to be skinny. It is also true that NO ONE is meant to be obese. No one.

Self-confidence and high self-esteem start within. And, they are both controlled by factors far beyond weight, such as childhood experience/teaching, cultural beliefs, etc… In other words, if a fat woman feels bad about herself, she probably still will (deep down) even after losing the excess weight. So, let’s get to the real problem with being BIG. It’s not healthy.

Obesity has been proven to substantially increase our risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure…. Shall I continue?  Excess weight also puts extra stress on the joints. Is the extra cheese really worth it? Obesity in women leads to far more than low self-esteem, which is why I have such an issue with women’s magazines, groups, talk shows, etc., encouraging it. And, whenever they send the message that excess weight is beautiful, that’s exactly what they are doing – encouraging health problems, and even death. There is nothing beautiful about being completely out of breath after climbing one flight of stairs. Taking the space of one and a half seats on a flight is not pretty. So, why lie and act like it is?

No one expects all women to be a size 4, especially since “skinny” doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy” either. However, it is time we stop sprinkling sugar on the issue and call it what it is. Ideal weight varies by person. And, it’s not about how you look or even what the scale says. You know you have reached your ideal weight and size when you have reached your ideal health. Of course, not all health problems are caused by excess weight. But, many are. And, if an issue is within your control, control it!

Put down the potato chips, quarter pound burgers, and supersized sodas. Take the stairs (at least a flight or two) rather than the elevator. Park a little farther back in the parking lot, forcing yourself to walk a bit more. These are all efforts to be proud of. Don’t embrace your fat. Lose it! Big isn’t beautiful. Healthy is. And, the next time someone calls you fat, don’t get mad. You probably are. Get moving!

Tags: fat, health, obesity, overweight, weight loss