Did you know that it’s Fat Talk Free Week?
Did you know that body image is a world-wide problem. 54% of women would rather be hit by a truck than be fat and 81% of 10-year-olds are afraid of becoming fat. How sad is that?
Every time I watch the YouTube video below, it brings tears to my eyes and sends shivers down my spine. This is the video from last year’s campaign, go here to see this years. It’s just as powerful.
Along with millions of girls and women world-wide, I grew up with serious body issues. I was teased for being a chubby kid and started dieting when I was around eight-years-old. That right there, is a form of an eating disorder.
Did you know that 70 million people around the world have eating disorders?
When I discovered the Tri Delta campaign to end fat talk I was amazed. Worrying about body image isn’t an easy thing to prevent and if we’re not careful about the way we think or act, it can make us sick. Yes, eating disorders are a disease.
When I ran my half-marathon a week and a half ago, this is what my T-shirt said on the back of it. This is my Operation Beautiful (another AMAZING cause) note.
I got soo many compliments on that shirt. I hope it made more than one woman smile, and feel happy that day. I know I felt amazing the whole time I had it on. I chose the message, “Running is beautiful” because when I run, I feel strong and beautiful. I encourage you to find something that makes you feel beautiful, and do it often.
Today, and every day, I’m taking the pledge to end Fat Talk. This is a cause that, for personal reasons, I feel very, very strongly about. People don’t realize the devestating effects that body image issues can have on your life.
Don’t say you look fat, and DON’T say another women looks fat. We are our own worst enemies when it comes to body image and it needs to stop.
What do you think of Fat Talk Free week, and the above video? What are YOU doing to end Fat Talk?
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
I try and make the effort every day to end that talk in my house—-this week I pledge to lovingly
nudge my friends and family to join me by calling them on their negative self talk and reminding them how amazing they already are.
i have to constantly remind myself that every woman’s body is different, strong and beautiful. And hitting the gym and being able to bench press about 70 pounds makes me strong and beautiful. I just want to encourage others to focus on making themselves stronger not skinnier!
Your post game me goosebumps, it was beautiful!! I LOVE your t-shirt, had I seen it when I was running it definitely would’ve brightened my day and made me smile (actually, it did that even though I wasn’t running ;).
Btw, I agree about Grey’s. I don’t want to give anything away to those who haven’t seen it but - what they’re doing to Izzy???? GRRR! She’s actually my fave. A lot of ppl find her annoying but I don’t.
Brothers and Sisters on the other hand has been so cute/adorable/funny/sad. I’m sad about Kitty too… but she’ll pull through
That’s really cool! I didn’t know Tri Delta was doing that philanthropy! We had that sorority on my campus when I was in school, so I wonder if it’s something new? Regardless, I love it! That video is very, very powerful!
I agree with it, we NEED to end fat talk. It does start very young too… we get moms that come into our stores talking about trying to “hide a tummy” on an 8-year-old. They do not need to hide their tummy, it looks cute on them! Great post!!!
This is one of those “don’t even get me started” issues. Loved this post and video, and I totally agree people (i.e. women) really need to cut it out with the negative self-talk. It detracts from the things that really matter!
I’m sort of on the “other side” of the spectrum - after getting made fun of all through my teenage years for being so thin and spindly and often being accused of anorexia (which is a horrible perpetuation of the myth that the only way to be thin is to starve yourself), I’ve worked through any body image issues of my own and think of my body as something awesome that can lift heavy things and run long distances.
It always frustrates me when girl friends ask me stuff like “How do you eat stuff like that and still stay so thin?” and don’t understand when I answer “Same way you have brown eyes and effortlessly clear skin and I don’t. Genetics.”
Beautiful comes in many different forms!
And I love love love that shirt
very cool. i love operation beautiful. it’s such a cool concept. and caitlin is cool too.
I admit that me & my body image don’t get along so well more often than not, but I’m working on it! Like you, I feel my most beautiful when I’m running or exercising. It makes me feel strong and invincible. I’ve started focusing, thanks to the help of Little Fish (see here: http://1littlefish.blogspot.com/2009/10/beauty-school-part-ii.html ) focusing on things that I DO love about my body rather than things I don’t. Not easy to do but it’s important to do. Love the Beauty School project & love that women are speaking up/out for ourselves. It’s about time.
I know I’ve had some issues with eating problems/body image disorders and they are troublesome and painful.
Thanks for this post, Amber!
I completely agree with you. Sometimes I wonder though- how often do we say “ugh, I look so fat in this” just so someone will tell us otherwise? We should have enough confidence in ourselves to not need that kind of FAKE compliments (really, what is someone going to say? yes you do!) and we should love each other enough to give compliments all the time so people don’t have to ask.
Great video - thanks!
Thanks for posting the video and links. I still fight the food demons more than I usually care to talk about, and I’ve always been impressed by how open you are about the topic, both as it pertains to you personally and to women on a larger scale.
I refuse to call myself Fat! I had become a bulimic at 12, and by 14, I was full on anorexic!! Now that i’m older, I realize what I did to my body and what many young girls and women do to themselves to make them “perfect”!
I share my story as often as possible. Now that i’m 24, losing weight seems nearly impossible as my body holds on to a lot for fear of starvation! I live a healthier and stronger life now!
I love the quote! I feel at my best when I’m running as well. Minus the little running slump i’m in right now. Trying to push through and succeed!!
I love these types of inspirational videos. I’m all for Fat Talk FREE WEEK…or month, or year or life! I think as a product of the society I can be guilty of fat talk, but I try very hard not to.
It’ s hard to be a perfectionist and yet not see perfection in your own body. But those moments are when I remind myself that these hips and thighs and stomach are built so they can birth a child. And that is pretty damn impressive AND important.
What a fabulous message! I struggled with major body issues in college despite being very in shape. Now that I’ve had a bambino, my bod is not exactly where it used to be yet I’m much more comfortable with myself now. I wish I could go back to that young me and shake her! It’s a shame the way girls are made to feel about themselves. End fat talk sisters!!!
Thanks for this post. I really needed to hear it. Since I hit puberty in middle school, I’ve been steadily gaining weight. I don’t feel comfortable in my own skin. I talk bad about my body all the time. Most days, I think I look disgusting. (And, to be quite honest, I’m not really as bad as I make myself out to be!)
I really need to work on thinking about all the powerful things my body can do! I think it also stems from the way my mom viewed herself. I love her to death but she has extreme self-esteem issues and I think I carried on her trait. But I really think it’s time to stop hating myself so much and start focusing on the good in me.
I love this post and I love the idea of ending fat talk. Im 100% guilty of fat talking daily and I agree it needs to stop. I am going to make a conscious effort, this week and hopefully all the time! Thanks ambular (the great) for making me, and others aware of this fabulous campaign!!!
xoxox
ps… miss you lots
I think I saw something about this on Glamour today and was wondering what it was all about. Thanks for letting me know and getting the word out!
Great post - as usual! I totally agree. I also was the messed up little girl who gave her food away in 3rd grade because I was on a ‘diet’. wtf. What 8 or 9 yr old needs to be on a diet? And I wasn’ t even chubby or anything. I have always struggled w/ body image. really, until i got into running, I didn’t have a healthy body image. So I am thankful that i found runnng.
Luckily as my group of friends gets older, we talk less and less about our bodies and more about the things that matter.
i think your shirt is AWESOME!
I love that video - it brings tears to my eyes as well. I am trying to stamp out fat talk amongst my students. I constantly hear “you’re fat” being slung around as an insult, and I CANNOT stand it!
Amber, what a great post!! Negitive self talk in anyway needs to stop. I would never call another person down, but when it comes to me I am 100% guilty. I am going to make an extra effort this week to cut it OUT. Thanks.
I agree - I love the Operation Beautiful site and this is a great movement. I LOVE YOUR SHIRT!!
That was creative!!
Luckily I work with mostly kids (birth - 5) so in my day-to-day job I don’t have to see as much of this, but I know that my “line of work” is directly involved and it’s a fine line to toe when dealing with eating disorders. There are so many things that may have brought someone to that point and it’s hard to step back and consider what’s going on in their head, in addition to what they’re doing to themselves. This is one way to show empathy, rather than judgment. Your creativity definitely put a smile on someone’s face during that run
LOVE that shirt! It’s too cute. Kudos to you for getting your run on and spreading a beautiful message at the same time!