Periodically, (okay–all the time) I run into folks who think I am crazy for my belief.  They cling to the idea that only thin people can be healthy and their life will be so much better once they lose that 20 lbs.  And they think (okay–tell me to my face) that I am wrong or in denial about my ability to be a healthy fat person.

And sometimes, it makes me a little upset (okay–wildly angry).

But when that happens, I try to take a deep breath and remember a few things:

1.  Some people are never going to agree with me, no matter what I do or say.  And that’s okay.
2.  Some people may disagree with me, but still take something useful away from our conversation.  And that’s great.
3.  Some people may agree with me someday, but they just aren’t there yet.  And that’s awesome.

At least in my experience, the journey towards Fat Acceptance and HAES is just that, a journey.  I didn’t get there all in one go and I suspect that many other people find it that way.

In my experience, the attraction of the culture of thinness lies somewhat in it’s simplicity.  Lose weight, feel great, be healthy and then you will find career success, love, adoration, wealth and truly fabulous clothes.  The beauty of this plan is that it allows you to believe that all of those things are coming as soon as you lose weight.  So naturally you don’t have to do any of the other difficult things that are required to get you what you want in your life until you lose weight.  This leads to the whole syndrome of “weighting around” to start your life.

Sure, once you apply research and logic and good common sense to this formula, it’s easy to see that it’s hogwash.  But in giving up this fantasy, you’re giving up a lot.  And the truth, at first blush seems a lot less sexy and much more subtle and nuanced.

Once I gave up the “weight loss fantasy” and started moving on with my life, things clearly got SO much better.  But it’s important for me to remember, as I try to shepherd others along that there was a mourning process involved.  I had to mourn:

1) The idea that I would lose weight and find the man of my dreams and earn a billion dollars and win an Academy award all in the same year.

2)  The EXCESSIVE time and money I wasted involved in body-hating schemes and plans.

3)  The idea that I’m right about everything all the time, because I had to admit a lot of what I believed sincerely with my whole heart was wrong.

It’s helpful to remember that the journey towards Fat Acceptance and HAES is intrinsically destabilizing and uncomfortable for people–both for those experiencing it and those watching it.  And I believe that we have to work extra hard to replace the benefits of our old fantasies with other benefits that are healthy and more sustainable.  Like playing with our kids, or going for a walk.

What loving, kind thing can you do for yourself today?  I took myself out for a healthy lunch.  (It was awesome.)  What’s one simple thing you can today to help replace the fantasy of the perfect life that comes with the perfect body, with the reality of tiny, simple, daily joys?

I’d love to hear from you!  Tell me in the comments or participate in the discussion on Facebook.

Love,
The Fat Chick

Watching the Fat Dinosty (which is awesome by the way) got me thinking about the good old Stegosaurus.  Apparently the translation of this guy’s name is “roof lizard”.  Don’t ask me why.  Anyways, this lovable plant eater was far from petite.  Here’s the estimated stats:

Height: 14 ft.
Length: 28 ft.
Diet: Vegetarian
Weight: About 6,000 pounds.

Which proves two things.  One, being a vegetarian does not guarantee you’ll be thin and two, the mighty stegosaurus weighed more than me.

While looking at some of the huge bamboo groves at the Huntington Gardens today, I started to wonder just how big this stuff gets. Well in August 2003, botanists at Yunnan University found the world’s biggest bamboo plant in an artificially-grown bamboo forest in Menghai county of Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture, in southwestern China Here’s the stats:

Height: 46 meters (151feet)
Culms (stalk) Diameter: 36 cm (14 inches)
Estimated Weight 450 kg. (990 lbs.)

Farmers estimate this plant to be only one year old making this plant a VERY big baby.

Conclusion: The worlds biggest bamboo weighs more than me.

And as always, for more info about my exploits including the bamboo at the Huntington Gardens, check me out at Fat Chick Sings.  oxo

Went to the Huntington Gardens today,  It was yet another of a long list of wonderful places right in our backyard we hadn’t previously found time to explore.  It was so wonderful.  Probably the highlight of the gardens was the Chinese Garden area. 

At the entrance were a group of bonsai where Brian was trying out his “volcano god” imitation.  It was his own light-hearted admission of his stress-induced cranky state.  But as we passed the bonsai area we noted over the gates, several calligraphy plaques in Chinese characters.  The walking tour on my iPod translated these as, “you are now entering another world”.  And we were.  It was amazing.  We stepped over the happy fish bridge and through the jade moon gate and we were in another world–just like that. 

And it wasn’t just a new world for us either.  People around us stopped and breathed more deeply.  Folks talked in whispers rather than shouts.  And as we crossed through this canopied grove of bamboo, and listened to the rustling of the leaves that sounded just like summer rain, there was a hush.  It was like a giant, leafy, deep green cathedral.  It was magical.

Makes me think about how often another world is just a breath away.  That maybe we don’t need to travel to the ends of the earth to find a new perspective.  Maybe a whole new way of looking at things is right in the backyard.

I also think, that as a place to exercise, the Huntington Gardens beats the gym cold.

So look outside and look around.  Maybe you’ll find a new world and a whole new you.

Love,
The Fat Chick

Went to the zoo yesterday and had a nice look at these stately beauties.  That’s me (in the picture) eyeballing a baby giraffe (who was really just interested in the nice green branch that had fallen just out of his reach in the enclosure).  Anyways, these bad boys are big.  We already know they are tall (the male grows to just over 15 feet tall).  They are also tough (Mama gives birth standing up so the first thing a baby giraffe experiences is a 6 foot fall to the ground…).  And they are HEAVY.  Here’s the stats:

Height (male) about 15 feet.
Weight: (male) 3,000 to 4,000 pounds

Conclusion: A giraffe weighs more than me.

Want to hear more about our zoo trip?  Check out Fat Chick Sings!

I think a lot of times as adults we lose one of the most important tools in our get happy, be happy, stay happy arsenal.  That tool is the power to play.  To wonder about stuff.  To pretend.  To imagine.

That’s why I’m so glad on day 2 of our fabulous stay at home vacation we went to the zoo and played like big, goofy, overgrown kids.  That’s a picture of me at the Condor experience, playing “doctor” with a stuffed, trussed, pretend condor.  The coat was not designed for grown-ups (especially a big girl like me) but I managed to don it long enough for the hubby to get the snap.

All I can say is, if you’re feeling sad or stressed or cranky go outside and PLAY!

Love,
The Fat Chick

Meet the Pearson Triton, one of the earliest production fiberglass sailboats.  It looks thin and graceful, but she’s got some poundage in the water folks.   Oh, and if you’re wondering why I’m thinking about sailboats go check out my post on Fat Chick Sings.  Here’s the boat stats:

Length: 28′-6″
Width: 20′-6″
Beam: 8′-3″
Draft: 4′-6″
Ballast: 3019 lb (Lead)
Sail Area (100%): 362 sq ft (33.6 m²)

Displacement: 6900 – 8000 lb. (Approx)

Conclusion:  The Pearson Triton weighs more than me.  (She’s also prettier than me, but oh well…)

My awesome husband surprised me with a sailing trip on our vacation!  This was a huge luxury and not the sort of thing that we normally do.  But we went to the city in LA where he proposed to me and he chartered a sailboat.  WHEEEEE!  I love sailing for many, many reasons.  It’s quiet.  It’s beautiful (and the weather was awesome).  It’s so much fun.

But you KNOW I can’t resist the desire to make SOME sort of allegory out if it, right?  I really can’t help it.  It’s like a disease with me, so here goes.  Sailing reminds us that life isn’t flat.  The waves go up, and the waves go down, but as long as the boat is moving forward, that’s all that matters.  In fitness and in life, you just gotta roll with it.

Keeping this short so I can get back to my awesome VACA.  Hope today is smooth sailing for you. 

Love,
The Fat Chick

Yesterday, I was able to take a dance class that I once loved but don’t often find the time to get to these days.  All my old friends were there and they welcomed me with open arms.  It was interesting.  Our awesome teacher Rachel began the workout asking us to think about how we feel about new things.  We were just to observe as we exercised how we felt about the new routine.

Mostly I felt like “Thank Goodness, something new”.  I think I was getting a little stale in my exercising and needed a change.  Last night, I felt a little sore.  But today, I feel ready to take on the world.  Makes me think I need to make a little more effort to jazz things up a bit with my exercise.  I think if I try something new every now and again, I’ll be renewed and ready for anything.

So my little chickadees.  What can you think of to charge up your exercise?  Why don’t you try a little something radically different or new? Belly Dancing?  Surfing?  Curling?  Just pick something and go for it!   I think you may surprise yourself.

Love,
The Fat Chick

Weighing in at just over 20 oz. each of the individual medals from the Vancouver Olympic Games weighs considerably less than me, but multiply that 20 oz by 185 events, plus an additional 200 for multiple medal events and about 120 just for hockey, we are talking over 500 medals here people.  Here’s the stats:

Vancouver Medal Weight 20.2 oz.
Number of Medals: 505
Weight of the total medal haul: Over 636 pounds

Conclusion: The Vancouver Winter Olympics Medal Haul Weighs more than Me.