Over the years there have been various diet trends - some really stupid, some very obvious - that really annoy me. I think the biggest one I had a problem with was the Atkins diet. Why? Well because a lot of anorexics/bulimics love Dr Atkins. Why? Well because of all the weight you lose, so rapidly, so obviously and so effortlessly. Anorexics and bulimics are used to starving themselves so the Atkins diet is perfect. Except they modify the diet to extremes average people wouldn't. And yes, it's true that if the Atkins diet wasn't in existence then there'd be something else and that there is always something else for groups of people to latch onto.
On top of this diet being the diet of choice for a large number of people with eating disorders (and no, I have no official numbers/studies to show this. I'm not calling it evidence, I'm calling it my opinion from years of personal eating disorder research on forums and getting to know individuals with these problems) the diet itself is just plain stupid to me. Why? I feel that the diet relies on a lot of quackery/pseudo science. Thank goodness that it has died down since 2002.
Buttt...of course there always has to be more. Instead of eating sensibly and exercising society has decided, you know what, it's actually okay to be over weight. As long as you're happy, right? And without turning this into a lactivist post - where have I heard that before? Yep, people justifying their use of formula rather than being honest about their choices and just owning them. If you want to use formula, please do, I won't stop you and it's your child and your choice but I would ask one thing: please be honest about why you're making those choices, don't just opt for the 'happy mummy, happy baby' line everyone uses. Be honest. Because in your honesty those who choose/want to choose to breastfeed will get the help and education they need. And since we're living in 2012 women should be able to be honest about why they opted for formula, instead of hiding behind a screen of shame about it all.
And with that said, how many times do you read someone saying something along the lines of: 'it doesn't matter what you weigh, as long as you are happy' either online or in your 'real life'? I can't count the times. This 'as long as you're happy' line is one of justification, of not owning the fact that you made some food choices that led you to being overweight, that you don't like exercise...whatever it is that is holding someone back from being a healthy or averagely healthy weight. At the end of the day people shouldn't be hiding behind 'don't worry, be happy' smoke screens about their weight. They should be honest, open and willing to change.
I think you'd be happier if your average/healthy weight gave you a better chance of a healthier life, less joint ache in your old age, didn't tire you out every 5 mins and all the other 'fun' risks that come with being over weight. The above mantra is also a slap in the face to those who are working their buns off NOT to be overweight. After all if it's 'okay' to be overweight, as long as you're happy as a clam, then no one need work out, eat well or say no to sugary foods. No one need have will power or muscles to exercise.
And if you're thinking 'what does this skinny bitch know?' then you obviously don't know me in real life ;). I'm not a skinny bitch, never have been and don't plan on ever being one - I plan on being an average/healthy weight but I won't make any attempts at being 'skinny' - but last year I faced down the barrel of being told I was overweight by my doctor. I was annoyed that he focused on this so much, seemed obsessed with it in fact, but the reality is that being fat/overweight/chunky isn't good, for anyone. When I got home I was so incensed with the doctor that I checked my height/weight (BMI) and realised he was right. I didn't really need a doctor to tell me I was over weight, nor did I need to check my BMI I knew I was overweight, I just didn't realise the effort I'd have to put in to change that. I thought I was okay because, after all, I was happy and I loved my food so I shrugged my shoulders and didn't look for a way out.
I think we should focus on health, rather than looks, but unfortunately it is NOT healthy to be overweight - that's life. I won't turn down a friendship, a chance to connect with someone or judge someone for their weight but I won't buy into the falsehood that being overweight is healthy.
