Here’s a video about dealing with stress of a whole different kind: knee stress. Here’s some basic information about protecting these amazing and wonderful joints.
Love,
The Fat Chick
Thursday Theater: Knee Stress
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The Stress of Stigma and Body Dissatisfaction
Loving your body can really help reduce stress in your life!
Over the past few weeks we’ve been talking about satisfaction and stress. Today I’m going to stand at the intersection of these two ideas and talk about how feeling bad about your body is bad for your health. There’s no question that many of us are dissatisfied with our bodies. The cult of media and celebrity focuses our minds on a body ideal that is not even achieved by the most beautiful of the “beautiful people”. The vast majority of images in magazines are digitally altered to even more impossible beauty standards. And it’s a not so carefully guarded “insider secret” that a number of film and television stars demand that the image be “vertically stretched” to make themselves appear even taller and thinner on TV and the silver screen. It’s no wonder that so many of us have negative thoughts about our bodies. We’re not talking about a few minor thoughts now and again. A recent survey suggests that young women have an average of 13 seriously negative thoughts about their bodies per day–nearly one for every waking hour. And a surprising number of us have a lot more negative thoughts than that with 35, 50 or even 100 brutal thoughts about our bodies every day.
Unfortunately, all this body hatred is very bad for our health. Aside from the well known ties to depression, anxiety, and even suicide, body dissatisfaction leads to increased stress and ultimately to poorer physical health. Research at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver links women with poor body image with increases in the stress hormone cortisol. And increases in cortisol can lead to higher blood pressure, sleep disturbances, digestive problems and can negatively impact virtually all body processes.
So one important element in dealing with stress in our lives, is learning to love our bodies as they are, rather than constantly comparing them with impossible ideals. One way to do this is to put yourself on a media diet, and minimize exposure to fashion magazines and prime-time television. Another is (not surprisingly) to get regular exercise, as women who exercise tend to feel better about their bodies. And finally, don’t hesitate to seek advice from amazing healers like Golda Poretsky who help you make peace with your size and shape.
So whenever you’re stressed my little chicklettes, consider the notion that body dissatisfaction might be a central cause. And resolve to love the skin you’re in.
Love,
The Fat Chick
4-Legged Stress Relievers
There is a lot of evidence out there that pets are a great way to relieve stress in our lives. That’s not to say they are stress-free. As anyone who has ever blotted desperately at Grandma’s hand tied-wool rug or stared despondently at the back of their once pristine leather sofa knows, pets can certainly be the cause of stress as well. But there is more and more research linking pet ownership to lower incidence of heart disease, better stress management, lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure. One study indicates that people who owned cats were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack.
So my little chicklettes, here’s my prescription for stress relief: spend some time with some four legged critters. If you already own them, spend a little more time loving on them. And if you can’t own a pet, why not spend a little time volunteering at your local animal shelter? There are lots and lots of wonderful dogs waiting for walkies. And you get a 3-fer the price of one: exercise, stress relief and making the world a better place, all in one go!
Love,
The Fat Chick
Dealing with Stress
It’s so interesting to me that so many discussions about health begin and end with losing weight. As I mentioned, the need for a decent night’s sleep is rarely discussed. And the need for managing stress rarely gets even a passing mention.
This is astonishing to me because there is so much research indicating that how we manage stress can have a profound effect on our health. There are many kinds of stress. Some kinds of stress seem to be positive, giving us an immediate boost of adrenalin to deal with something dangerous or just exciting. But some kinds of stress, especially chronic stress, seem to cause a lot of problems in the body.
Chronic stress has been linked to changes in t-cells and a weakened immune system. Other studies link chronic stress and anger to higher incidence of cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac arrest. Chronic stress is also linked to higher incidence and poorer management of a host of other diseases including diabetes, cancer and hypertension. I’ve heard statistics suggesting that over 90 percent of doctor visits can be linked to stress. Yet how often has your doctor asked you about stress? So many of my doctors have repeatedly asked me about how much I exercise and recommended a diet. I have had doctors repeatedly recommend pills and radical, invasive surgery. But I’ve only had one, truly amazing doctor, who regularly inquired about the stress levels in my life.
I’m not entirely sure why this is. Maybe discussions about stress take too long for our overscheduled and overworked medical professionals to manage. Maybe being “stressed out” is still something of a badge of honor for our amped up, caffeinated, type-A culture. In any case my little chicklettes, we’re gonna talk about stress here this week. Because getting your heart thumping because you’re shaking your tail feathers or looking at a particularly hot and sexy bird can be a good thing. Getting your heart thumping hard all the time because you’re anxious, worried or stressed out–not so much. So this week we’ll take a deep breath, search for our Zen and cultivate peace.
Love,
The Fat Chick
The right to bare arms
In my previous post declaring body independence I asserted “I have the right to expose my fleshy arms as I embrace my freedom”. And I firmly believe this. Yet I sometimes still have trouble doing it. I am now coming to love my upper arms after a long time of disenchantment. I have what my dear friend calls “hello-goodbye arms” (because they just keep on waving). But you know what? It’s HOT out there! I don’t like hot and I certainly don’t like wearing extra clothes when it’s hot. I’m coming to terms with my arms. Instead of “hello-goodbye arms”, I’ve got “guns” (pew, pew). I’ve got biceps. They are powerful and strong. I can lift babies. I can lift groceries. In fact my arms are almost strong enough to hoist my insecurities.
So my little chicklettes, ask yourself in these sweltering days? What gorgeous part of you are you hiding from the world? What are you keeping under wraps? Why not use this summer heat to shed a little insecurity, and just a little more clothing?
Love,
The Fat Chick
Thursday Theater: Choosing what Kind of Exercise is Right for You
There are a number of different forms of exercise to choose from. All three forms are good for you, but it’s a good idea to pick just one to start. Which one is right for you? Depends on what you need in your life right now. Check out this short video to learn more.
Love,
The Fat Chick
Too Pooped 2-pl(a)y? Get some shut-eye!
It’s hard to run around and have fun if you’re too sleepy!
Whenever I talk about the many dimensions of health (aside from and beyond body weight) I always mention getting enough sleep. As a nation, we in America suck at getting enough sleep and there’s no doubt in my mind that it has affected our health.
There are more and more studies showing an association between getting less than seven hours sleep with various conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancers. More work needs to be done to determine if the link is causal, or if there are other mitigating factors. However there is some concern that chronic deprivation affects hormones in the body which in turn affect how our bodies cope with appetite, threats to the immune system and managing disease.
Aside from the studies, I know this. If I go without sleep for too long I’m not as creative as I could be. And I’m very, very crabby. (Just ask my hubby.) So this morning you’re getting your blog post a little late. Not as late as yesterday’s post pizza afterglow, but late nonetheless. Because I slept in. I enjoyed it. And I feel great!
So my little chicklettes, if you’re not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, you may want to focus some attention on this area of your life. Find ways to find time to sleep. Manage coffee and soda intake. Meditate. Whatever it takes to get enough ZZZZzzzzs and wake up fresh as a daisy. You deserve it.
Love,
The Fat Chick
Exercise Animals: I Cannot Tell a Lie…
A kitteh haz to do what a kitteh haz to do…
Sure, I did some exercise today. I taught my class, and it was super fun and awesome. But sometimes you just need some pizza. I did that too. Went to Zelo, pretty much the best pizza place EVAR and had a slice. It was heaven. So my little chicklettes, I highly recommend that you get regular exercise. I ALSO recommend that you get a piece of pizza pie every now and again too. Cuz’ when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that’s amore. And amore means love. Which is what I feel for you, and, er, pizza.
Love,
The Fat Chick
Basta! When you’ve heard ENOUGH about your weight.
Sometimes being fierce is pretty tough my dear chicklettes…
So we’re going to extend our series on having enough to talk about when you’ve really HAD ENOUGH of hearing criticism about your body. No matter how well adjusted we are, no matter how wonderful our friends and family are, there comes a time when you just have to say, “That’s it. No more!”
There are many ways to handle this in many different situations. And I can’t hope to cover them all here. But I did want to share one strategy that I use with well meaning people who love me, who feel they need to “save me from my weight problem”.
Let me start by recognizing, this is very tough. While complete strangers can be ignored, treated with disdain, shouted at, made fun of or even covered with jelly, buried in sand up to their necks with fire ants dumped on their heads, sometimes you actually want to retain relationships with those you love. So even if you’re really, really mad at friends and family for bringing up the weight issue again, the fire ants and jelly solution may be somewhat inappropriate in that situation.
It would be great to be, in all situations, fierce. But truthfully, I don’t always feel that way–especially when I’m dealing with friends and family. Sometimes I feel up to a three hour argument about size acceptance. Sometimes, frankly, I don’t. And in some situations, the timing just doesn’t seem right for a long educational lecture.
So one tool that I use with those I love is what I call the “border patrol” solution. First, I thank the well meaning person for their concern. Next, I tell them that I am aware of my size and am comfortable with the path I’ve chosen for myself. And finally I tell them that I really don’t care to discuss it with them and ask that they please respect my wishes. Sometimes I say that my councilor or therapist has “suggested” that I not discuss my weight with my family right now. (For some folks, invoking a ‘doctor’ real or imaginary can help put them at ease, or at least shut them up.) If they bring up the weight issue again or are unwilling to stop talking about it, I give them one warning. I say, “I’ve asked that we drop (not bring up) this subject. I love you, but if you can’t respect my wishes in this regard, I will be forced to leave.” Then if they still keep it up, I quietly pick up my keys and my purse, and I leave.
So you set the boundary, let them know what will happen when they cross the boundary, give them one shot to hop the hell back over the boundary the first time they blow it, and then take you and your boundaries out of the situation if they don’t get your very clear message. Now I don’t stay away forever. But I let them know that this is my boundary and I’ve got sentries and guards on that boundary 24-7. And I let them know that the next time we get together, the boundary will be the same.
Does this always work? No. Is it appropriate for every situation? Of course not. But this tool has served me well over the years and has allowed me to reenforce my dominion over my own body and has allowed many relatives and friends and I to agree to disagree on this topic and maintain wonderful relationships.
So my little chicklettes, the next time somebody you really care about is driving you nuts about telling you how to live inyourbody, try setting up a little border patrol. Be consistent. Be firm. Try being, in your own time and in your own way, just a little bit fierce.
Love,
The Fat Chick
Stuff that Weighs More than Me: Oregon’s Giant Mushroom
I’m going to tell you right off the bat, that I don’t know how much this thing weighs. However, this giant mushroom, which has been described by The Independent as the “world’s biggest living thing” probably weighs enough more than me to offer a pretty hefty margin of safety.
Beginning with just a single spore, too small to be seen with the naked eye. This monster fungus has been growing for over 2400 years. And when I say growing, I mean and how.
Here’s the stats:
Diameter: 3.5 Miles
Area: Over 2200 Acres
Depth: About 3 Feet.
Conclusion: It’s safe to assume, this super shroom weighs more than me!
fatchicksings.com 