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[starlighthh]

"For 60 years, doctors and researchers have known two things that could have improved, or even saved, millions of lives. The first is that diets do not work. Not just paleo or Atkins or Weight Watchers or Goop, but all diets. Since 1959, research has shown that 95 to 98 percent of attempts to lose weight fail and that two-thirds of dieters gain back more than they lost. The reasons are biological and irreversible. As early as 1969, research showed that losing just 3 percent of your body weight resulted in a 17 percent slowdown in your metabolism—a body-wide starvation response that blasts you with hunger hormones and drops your internal temperature until you rise back to your highest weight. Keeping weight off means fighting your body’s energy-regulation system and battling hunger all day, every day, for the rest of your life.

The second big lesson the medical establishment has learned and rejected over and over again is that weight and health are not perfect synonyms. Yes, nearly every population-level study finds that fat people have worse cardiovascular health than thin people. But individuals are not averages: Studies have found that anywhere from one-third to three-quarters of people classified as obese are metabolically healthy. They show no signs of elevated blood pressure, insulin resistance or high cholesterol. Meanwhile, about a quarter of non-overweight people are what epidemiologists call “the lean unhealthy.” A 2016 study that followed participants for an average of 19 years found that unfit skinny people were twice as likely to get diabetes as fit fat people."

A surprising article to find on the Huffington post. I think, especially towards the end, there's still a saturation of healthism and diet talk (just of the "clean eating" variety), but the information about weight discrimination is absolutely on point, especially within the medical field ignoring decades of research.

Not only do we know that weight loss isn't sustainable or possible, we also know that weight discrimination kills, in a myriad of ways. If you actually care about "health" then start unlearning your weight bias NOW and realize that fat people are just people who are a different shape.

And this article doesn't even touch on "the obesity paradox"(the fact that fat people survive heart attacks and injuries BETTER THAN thin people) or the fact that dieting, especially "yo-yo dieting," is a better predictor for heart disease than weight, and that many of the fat people who have cardiovascular diseases have a long history of dieting that (understandably) didn't work.

encouraged to rb but fatphobes will just be blocked.

[starlighthh]

Everyone knows it's that time of year when many people feel compelled to set goals to alter their body and restrict their food. The pressure to be thin is everywhere---it's the water we swim in. If you want to take care of your body, I hope this is the year you learn more about weight-neutral approaches to health! The Health At Every Size movement and books by fat activist Aubrey Gordon are great places to start!

[starlighthh]

(Source)

[starlighthh]

Diversion #05, 1987

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the diet cult is a solution to a nonexistent problem.

which is great, capitalism loves a solution without a problem. Or rather, selling you a solution to a problem they tell you you absolutely have.

so they make everyone believe that losing weight is super desirable for some reason.

it can only really be accomplished by disordered eating and/or exercise habits. (there have been so many studies showing that long term weight loss is not possible for most people, unless they develop disordered eating or exercise habits.)

the problem? people get hungry cus their bodies need food!

the solution? try this pill, that shake, such-and-such supplement. join this group with like minded diet cultists people who want to lose weight! you have to pay a membership fee and it'll try to dictate every bite you put in your mouth and sell you special recipes and ingredients and build an entire economy based on your low self-esteem, cus society tells you anything above stick-thin is too fat.

it's a cult aimed at controlling your entire life, where you shop, what you buy, what you eat. it's super good at it?? to the point where like. the majority of women in western countries seem to be falling for it?? (can't speak for other places but i imagine it's big elsewhere too)

to the point where many fat people believe they don't have worth unless they lose weight,

and many thin people believe that the worst thing that could happen to them is to gain weight,

when in reality, weight is morally neutral. being fat protects you from some diseases, actually. socio-economic status is a better predictor of health than weight. etc. etc.

fat ppl and fat liberation activists have been talking about this for so fucking long. i really don't know what it will take to get people to listen.

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i understand when ur 13 and u just realized u have a mental illness and ur so relieved to know there are other ppl going thru the same thing as u, its easy to slip into the idea that your newly labeled thoughts and behaviors are normal and okay.

they are not. suicidal thoughts arent normal. violent impulses arent normal. delusions and hallucinations arent normal.

now that you have a name for this behavior you need to seek help. dont let tumblr trick you into thinking unhealthy coping mechanisms are the only ways to deal with your mental illness. dont let it fester, dont let it worsen. seek as much help as you can. actively try to better yourself.

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Everyone has rolls when they bend over. Everyone. Lets just get this out of the way right off the bat. In the last few months, I’ve had over 30 women ranging from rail thin to extra large naked in my bed and I would routinely ask them to hug their knees. You won’t believe this… ALL OF THEM HAD TUMMY ROLLS. Not one was exempt. Even my super fabulous professional model 6 foot tall and some amazing Katie had rolls. The stomach pictures turned into some of my favorite images from the project… so quit thinking they’re bad, and try accepting (dare I say embracing?) yours! When people say “you’re gorgeous”, believe them. I tend not to, and it’s a cryin’ shame. When people genuinely compliment you, it’s because they really see it. Try to not dismiss their perspective as wrong and assume that you know better. They see all of you. We see our flaws. Believe them. “Arm flab is embarrassing.” No its not, go fuck yourself. No, not you. The people who tell us that, silly. You’re not stunning despite your body. You’re stunning because of your body. There is a distinct difference. I grew up in a culture that would deem “unattractive” women as “special spirits”. A degrading categorization that implied that the only thing worthwhile was whatever was inside. Well, yeah. We are all much much more than our bodies, but our bodies are a beautiful part of us too. Beauty comes from the inside AND the outside.  I am of the firm belief that every person is beautiful, and so this leaves the inside to be the part that is the most telling when it comes to true “beauty”. A guy can pick you up off your feet, and it won’t break his back.  “Wait, whaaaaaa Jes? You’re full of shit.” Nope. This just happened to me for the first time in… six years? I’m considerably heavier than I was 6 years ago (like… 70 pounds heavier) and so when I ran up to my friend Eric for a hug and he picked me up with my heels in the air… it left me breathless. I had forgotten that it was possible; I had accepted a life void of being lifted. So exhilarating. Eric didn’t suffer any injuries and walked away unscathed. You don’t need to exercise every day in order to feel better about yourself. Many believe that someone who’s fat needs to exercise as much as possible in order to prove that they’re committed to becoming “less fat”. As if accepting one’s body as is would be a sin, and that’s just silly. Yes, exercising has wonderful physical and mental benefits, but you don’t owe it to anyone else to make an effort to change your body unless you wanna. You do not have to alter yourself to be okay. Period. You’re allowed to fall in love with yourself. I promise. This will be the scariest thing you will ever do, and that’s okay. It will also be the most amazing (albeit super gradual) experience you will ever have. It doesn’t make you narcissistic. It doesn’t make you vain. It is liberating in every form of the word.

It’s also okay to have days where you don’t love yourself. Read this. No really. Read it. And then realize that we’ve grown up learning and internalizing that we are not okay our entire life. For me, that’s 26 years of self-hate indoctrination and brainwashing.  It’s going to take a lot longer than you think to reverse this thinking, and it’s definitely not going to happen overnight. Allow yourself to have “weak” days. Cry, mourn, sob, yell, throw things. Whichever. Then get up, brush yourself off, give the media the finger, and move forward because you’re a warrior. Everyone’s boobs are uneven. If you have a lot of boobs, they might be way uneven.  Don’t stress. This is totally normal. There are people who prefer large ladies. And I mean all sizes of large. I thought that my best bet in life was to find a partner who accepted my fat. Pause. Give me a minute to hang my head and shake it at myself. Not only are there people who adore “thick” women, but a LOT of them who prefer it. This eventually ends up in an interesting territory which Marianne talks about here, but the point that I’m trying to make goes back to the “despite vs because of” argument. Here is what you need to know: you do NOT need to settle for a lover who is “okay” with your body. You have the right (and millions of opportunities) to find someone who is infatuated with your body. You deserve to be worshiped, woman! Fat chicks bang hot guys… ALL. THE. TIME.I know that hot is relative and all inclusive depending on who you chat with, but for these purposes, lets talk about the “universally attractive” kind of hot. Y’know, the kind fat chicks don’t deserve? We want to pretend that we don’t know what I’m talking about, but lets be real; we totally do. The fact that “fat chicks bang ‘hot’ guys” was one of the most powerful realizations I’ve had thus far. In line with the above paragraph, I knew that there would be someone that would find me attractive but the pool would be small (because of my body) and potentially full of guys I didn’t personally find sexy. So I would have to settle for anyone that would take me. After all, how could a conventionally gorgeous man (tall and with tattoos of course) like fat chicks?  Weh-he-hell, let me tell you somethin’: through various sites, events, parties, and corner store meetings, I found myself with over a hundred men who were champing at the bit to get with this. I was the one who had to sift through and pick the hottest of the hot. Ladies, over a hundred. “Girls” showed what society thinks about that when Hannah’s character has a weekend romance with an attractive and wealthy doctor. People flipped their shit. “Patrick Wilson is so hot he would never do Lena Dunham” was the most eye catching. Wilson’s wife responded to that rubbish here, but the tweet speaks volumes about what the majority of people think unconventional women deserve. Jesus christ, it’s annoying. I won’t spill the details of my bedroom coming and goings, but lets just say this: the hottest guys in Tucson and I get along just fine. I would recommend reading Emily’s article on xoJane for a better explanation of what I’m struggling to say. Know this: the myth that “atypical” bodies can’t be paired with “typically attractive” bodies is false. Women need to know that all bodies can be paired with all bodies. Riding during sex will NOT collapse his insides. Just trust me on this one, what you fear is totally false. Here’s a great article that changed my life. Wearing whatever you want is a political statement. Join the revolution. Throw style rules out the window. Wear the tutu. Wear the horizontal stripes. Wear the turquoise skinny jeans. Wear the see-through blouse. Wear the bikini. Wear the sweat pants. Wear the shirt that says “Does this shirt make me look fat?”. Wear whatever it is that makes you happy. This is your life. You are fucking beautiful. I’m saying this with a straight face and seriously meaningful look where I maintain eye contact for an uncomfortable amount of time. I know you don’t feel like you fit into the category of gorgeous that our world creates. I know that its hard. I know that its a daily battle. But fuck their fascist beauty standards. The second you stop looking for a skinny model in your mirror and start looking at YOU… is the second you will start to appreciate what you are. Stop looking for flaws. Stop looking for differences. You are perfect. You are more than enough. You are the best thing that has ever happened to you. And you are fucking beautiful. Say it with me.

[starlighthh]

Hey guys— OH FUCK *drops all of my favorite photos of Harvey Guillén all over your timeline*

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fat women don't want men to tell fat women they like stretch marks, fat women want men to start telling their friends who ridicule fat women to shut the fuck up. ✌️

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to all the fat babes out there: youre doing great. dont let idiots get you down <3

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I don’t know who else needs to hear this, but you don’t owe anyone an apology for your body.

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Truth Behind Fat: References

[Original post found here. All content following is authored by the maker of Big Liberty, the source blog.]

DISCLAIMER: This links list is always in the works, and is not comprehensive or complete. If evidence is not listed, it doesn’t mean it does not exist. If you have any links to add, please insert them in relevant comments and they will be reviewed.

For a general resource on debunking the junk science behind obesity, please see:

Linda Bacon’s resources and blog

Sandy Szwarc’s blog, Junkfood Science

Michelle’s blog, The Fat Nutritionist

ASDAH’s article repository

Debunking Fat Hate and Misconceptions

Doesn’t Obesity Kill?

Obesity does not kill 400,000 Americans a year (in fact, it ‘contributes’ to fewer than 30,000).

Fit Over 60s Live Longer Regardless of Body Fat

No tenable link between obesity and breast cancer type

No tenable link between diet and weight control and remission of type II diabetes

The J-curve relationship between BMI and mortality

Mortality risk for overweight and obese is no greater than for ‘normal’ when hypertension and diabetes are controlled for, (Anthony Jerant, Peter Franks. “Body Mass Index, Diabetes, Hypertension, and Short-Term Mortality: A Population-Based Observational Study, 2000–2006″ J Am Board Fam Med July-August 2012 vol. 25 no. 4 422-431)

Low-Calorie Diet Doesn’t Prolong Life (New York Times, August 29, 2012)

Shouldn’t Fat People Should Simply Eat Less and Move More?

In controlled settings people lose 10% of their weight on a diet, but one third to two thirds of the weight is regained within 1 year, and almost all is regained within 5 years. (“Methods for voluntary weight loss and control. NIH Technology Assessment Conference Panel.” Ann Intern Med. 1992 Jun 1;116(11):942-9.)

The preponderance of evidence shows that diets don’t work

No weight loss intervention shown generally effective post 5 years

Fat people as a whole metabolically the same as lean people, except that they’re bigger

Eating and weight gain not necessarily linked, study shows

Evidence for a bodyweight setpoint (energy homeostasis)

Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. (Mann, Traci; Tomiyama, A. Janet; Westling, Erika; Lew, Ann-Marie; Samuels, Barbra; Chatman, Jason. American Psychologist, Vol 62(3), Apr 2007, 220-233. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.62.3.220 ) (PDF)

Isn’t There An Obesity Epidemic?

Americans have only gained an average of 14 lbs (women) and 16 lbs (men) since 1990 (Gallup)

Obesity: An Overblown Epidemic

The 1998 BMI definition changes made 30 million Americans overweight or obese OVERNIGHT

The Myth of the Obesity “Tsunami”

One-third of American Adults are Obese, but Rate Slows

Yeah, But What About the Children? Isn’t Fat Killing Them?

Childhood famine (that includes dieting and starvation) increases risk of type 2 diabetes

Adolescents who engage in unhealthy weight-control behaviors such as dieting and binge eating are three times more likely five years later to be overweight than adolescents who did not engage in those behaviors

Isn’t Weight a Lifestyle Choice?

Obesity largely determined by genetics, says study

Obesity is 77% heritable

Thin parents pass on skinny genes to children (October 4, 2011, The Independent, UK)

Insulin resistance. A multifaceted syndrome responsible for NIDDM, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. DeFronzo RA, Ferrannini E. Diabetes Care. 1991 Mar;14(3):173-94.

But Doesn’t the Idea that People are Different Sizes Though Consuming/Exercising the Same Violate the Second Law of Thermodynamics?

In fact, in principle, the suggestion that a “calorie is a calorie” — all human metabolisms are the same Bunsen Burner — violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

Isn’t there a Study that Disproves the Claim that You Can Be Fit and Fat?

That study is junk science. The preponderance of evidence shows that in fact, one can be fat and fit.

Is there Discrimination Against Fat People?

Brownell Obesity Discrimination Study (2001)

Health Professionals Specializing in Obesity Aren’t Immune from Weight-Bias

The surprising reason why being overweight isn’t healthy

Obesity bias based on disgust, study says (2010)

Isn’t Fat Unhealthy?

Weight Science: Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm Shift (Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor, Nutrition Journal 2011, 10:9, 24 January 2011)

Higher BMI can lower risk for Alzheimer’s

Metabolic syndrome associated with decelerated cognitive decline in the very elderly

The case against the Type II diabetes “epidemic” in kids

You can’t eat your way to diabetes

‘Obese’ BMI does not harm current health of young adults, study says

Obesity not always tied to higher heart risk (Reuters, May 24, 2012)

Shouldn’t Fat People Try to Diet Anyway?

Although long-term follow-up data are meager, the data that do exist suggest almost complete relapse after 3-5 yr. (Miller, W. C. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Aug;31(8):1129-34.)

In fact, size acceptance and health at every size may be a better approach to health than chronic dieting. (Bacon L, Stern JS, Van Loan MD, Keim NL. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 Jun;105(6):929-36.)

Except that dieting can kill you, even when you’re fat and dieting down to a ‘normal’ weight.

And there are suggestions that frequent (intentional) weight loss diets reflect susceptibility to weight gain, rendering dieters prone to future weight gain. (August 9, 2011, K H Pietiläinen, S E Saarni, J Kaprio and A Rissanen. “Does dieting make you fat? A twin study” International Journal of Obesity | doi:10.1038/ijo.2011.160)

Healthy lifestyle habits are associated with a significant decrease in mortality regardless of baseline body mass index.  (Eric M. Matheson, MS, MD, Dana E. King, MS, MD and Charles J. Everett, PhD. J Am Board Fam Med January-February 2012 vol. 25 no. 1 9-15)

And adolescents who engage in unhealthy weight-control behaviors such as dieting and binge eating are three times more likely five years later to be overweight than adolescents who did not engage in those behaviors.

There are even further suggestions suggest that for many adolescents, dieting to control weight is not only ineffective, it may actually promote weight gain. (Alison E. Field, ScD, S. B. Austin, ScD, C. B. Taylor, MD, Susan Malspeis, SM, Bernard Rosner, PhD, Helaine R. Rockett, RD, Matthew W. Gillman, MD, Graham A. Colditz, MD. “Relation Between Dieting and Weight Change Among Preadolescents and Adolescents” PEDIATRICS Vol. 112 No. 4 October 1, 2003 pp. 900 -906)

Weight Regain Following Sustained Weight Reduction is Predicted by Relative Insulin Sensitivity, Trudy J. Yost, Dalan R. Jensen, Dr. Robert H. Eckel*, Obesity Research, Volume 3, Issue 6, pages 583–587, November 1995

But Aren’t Food Deserts/Lack of Access/Poor Choices/Lack of Time Making Poor People Fatter?

Studies question the pairing of food deserts and obesity (Gina Kolata, The New York Times, April 17, 2012)

General Sites Debunking the Junk Science About Obesity

Big Fat Lies

General Science

The Problem With Peer Review

When the population approach to prevention puts the health of individuals at risk

Food Science

Canned foods are as nutritious as fresh foods

Evidence for the Moral Panic

ADOPTION AND FERTILITY

Australian woman told she was too fat to adopt (January 2003, The Age, Australia)

In the UK, fat women can’t adopt (June 2006)

Kylie Lannigan told she was ‘too fat to adopt’ (June 2007, Australia)

Gary Stocklaufer denied adoption request because he was fat (July 2007, United States)

New Zealand bans fat woman from entering the country (November 2007, Big Fat Blog, NZ)

Obese women not allowed to get IVF treatments (December 2008, BBC News, UK)

Charlotte and Damien Hall denied for adoption because of their BMI (January 2009, The Guardian, UK)

CHILD ABUSE

Couple accused of starving baby so she doesn’t get fat (January 28, 2010, Fox News, USA)

Grandad arrested over Grand Canyon hike (September 2, 2011, The Age, Australia)

Parents allegedly starved baby because of obesity concerns (November 8, 2011, ABC News, USA)

Grandmother to face capital charges in granddaughter’s death (March 1, 2012, CBS News, USA)

CHILD REMOVAL

Oz parents to be held responsible for their kid’s obesity (February 2, 2009, The Indian Express, India)

Parents of fat children told they may be put up for adoption (September 5, 2011, Mirror News, UK/Scotland)

Ohio puts 200-lb third grader into foster care (November 27, 2011, MSNBC, USA)

‘Obese’ 5 year old taken from parents (December 5, 2011, iOL News, UK)

DEMONIZATION OF FAT PARENTS, AND PARENTS OF FAT CHILDREN

Is childhood obesity a symptom of neglect? (July 16, 2010, TIME Magazine, USA)

Study: Children are likely to become overweight by mimicking behaviors of obese parents NOTE: The study did not in fact show that children become overweight by mimicking the behaviors of fat parents, despite that scare-headline. It just showed that fat parents are much more likely to have fat children — which makes sense, given body weight is 77% heritable (July 13, 2009, NYDailyNews, USA)

MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE

Doctors’ ultimatum to kidney transplant wife: Lose 42lb in nine months or watch your husband die (March 2009, Daily Mail, UK – h/t richie79)

TAXATION AND PUBLIC POLICY

Fat people should have their food taxed to ‘pay for healthcare’

Don’t operate on smokers and the obese, says NHS Health Secretary (February 2007, Daily Mail, UK)

City government promotes lie to motivate weight loss via fear; anti-obesity agenda is to blame

The 1998 BMI definition changes made 30 million Americans overweight or obese OVERNIGHT

Obesity bias based on disgust, study says (2010)

Global governments must get ‘tough on obesity,’ in which the commentariat helpfully suggests plus-size clothing be ‘prescription-only,’ amongst other astoundingly panicked and bigoted replies (August 25, 2011, BBC Health, UK)

TRANSPORTATION

Southwest, Sizism, and Institutionalized Oppression (Athia, YouTube, August 2011)

On Kevin Smith and Flying Fat (BigLiberty, February 15, 2010)

WORK AND EMPLOYMENT

Obesity can mean less pay

Libertarian/Anarcho-capitalist Arguments Against the Obesity Moral Panic

The freedom to be fat

The new obesity pandemic, as same as the old obesity pandemic

The assault on food

Public health and the tyranny of the common good

Are food trucks really like child molesters?

Is Your Flab Imposing a Burden on Society? (May 1, 2012)

[starlighthh]

friendly reminder that you didn’t waste your year. any moments of happiness or comfort, any small accomplishments, they all matter. this has been a really hard year, and simply surviving is something to be proud of. 

[starlighthh]

it’s that time of year again, and i just wanted to share some things that are constantly on my mind because of the work i do (that many of you may not know of, because i am nothing if not a closed book).

as of 2020, the diet industry—which profits off creating insecurities in people and then selling them the “solution”—is worth 288.25 billion dollars. one of its main strategies is to create plans that are designed to fail to keep people coming back, and paying again, all the while blaming the individual for their “lack of willpower”.

to date, there has been no study that has shown that significant weight loss is sustainable long term (>5 years). there is, however, a plethora of evidence that healthful behaviors increase longevity and quality of life irrespective of weight.

the bmi is racist and eugenicist, created by a man who was a mathematician, astronomer, and sociologist—note the lack of a medical qualification. every few years, insurance companies change the numbers so more people will fit into the “overweight” category and are forced to pay more for their health care.

hating your body doesn’t improve your life, but it does put an exorbitant amount of money in the pockets of people who profit off your misery.

you don’t need to put “losing weight” on your new year’s resolution list. you don’t ever need to lose weight. your value as a human being doesn’t decrease the higher your weight is. there is no weight at which someone is no longer a person, no longer deserving of basic rights, respect, love, care, and a full and happy life.

health is not a moral obligation, nor is it realistically attainable for many people. you are no lesser if physical health is not on your priority list. you are allowed, for the rest of your life, to prioritize other things, whether that’s mental health, a career, or hedonism. none of that makes someone bad, stupid, or unworthy.

2020 has been hard enough, and there is no guarantee the future won’t be just as hard, or even harder. you don’t need to add self-loathing to that.

the kindness we want the world to have more of has got to extend to yourself, too.

happy new year. 🤍

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Just beautiful 😘🥰

[starlighthh]

Just beautiful 😘🥰