Fatadelic

Thank you, Kate Harding, you’ve nailed it down and driven it home:

Children’s bodies are not a problem for the government to solve.

It’s such a simple concept, isn’t it? So why is it so hard for the fuckers to grasp?

Let’s say it again, with emphasis:

Children’s bodies are not a problem for the government to solve.

Children’s bodies are not a problem for the government to solve.

Children’s bodies are not a problem for the government to solve.

Children’s bodies are not a fucking problem for the government to solve.

End of story.

By the way, if you haven’t already, go and read Junkfood Science’s take on the NSW Government’s Munch ‘n’ Move program (and as well as pretty much every thing Sandy has ever written.)

Is it really so radical to say that Fat Acceptance spaces need to be free of diet discussions? Actually, I don’t think it is. And I say this even though I believe that there has to be a starting point on the FA journey for everyone (as I have repeatedly stated before). I just don’t think weight loss stories are an appropriate starting point.

I’ve put together this diagram and the points below to help clarify my thoughts - but it’s really a work in progress and is intended as a starting point for discussion. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is have at it, discuss, dispute, whatever. Dive right in. The water’s fine.

Continue reading ‘Dieting and Fat Acceptance’

When even teeny-tiny starlets are ‘dimpled’ - despite their ability and motivation to throw endless cash at endless liposuction, creams, super-dooper marine mud goop treatments, pummelling or detoxing and whatever other arcane hoodoo has been most recently dreamt up by savvy snake-oil sellers - it is time to accept the inevitability of cellulite.

Birth. Death. Taxes. Cellulite.

Cellulite IS.

Continue reading ‘Cellulite IS.’

In lieu of an actual post:

Things my body wants me to eat today:

• Grapes! yummy fresh, crispy, sweet grapes that burst in my mouth like little bubbles of joy.
• Muesli - but wish I had some apple juice and live culture yoghurt to go on top, not milk.
• Watercress but I don’t have any, boo hoo.
• Steamed hong kong style dumplings

Things my body does not want today:

• Eggs. I am so off eggs at the moment. John has been wanting to make me an une coccotte (spelling errors entirely mine) which is an eggy spinachy breakfast thing, but I really can’t stomach the thought of eggs at present.
• Coffee.
• Milk.

As for anything else, the jury is currently out.

A nutritionist and body image researcher with an interest in preventing eating disorders and ‘treating childhood obesity’, has completed research showing that much of the advice given to school kids on diet, weight and health is detrimental. Full article here:

Jenny O’Dea of the University of Sydney has found approaches used in many of the nation’s schools are inappropriate and potentially harmful.

Associate Professor O’Dea interviewed 8950 students in 57 schools for a study of body image and obesity issues in 2006 and published the results and recommendations in her recent book Everybody’s Different.

“Our approach for dealing with these problems in children should always be ‘First, do no harm,”‘ she told a conference of teachers at the university.

Well, that’s a good start.

Continue reading ‘Diet advice in schools is harmful. Oh, d’ya think?’

Was just reading the comments on Kate’s post on Intuitive Eating over at Shapely Prose, and Emerald’s comment struck a chord with me:

One of the things I find refreshing about the intuitive eating concept is that it acknowledges that you can be hungry for a particular food, rather than just generally ‘hungry’. It’s an old parental trick, I’m told by people I’ve known with kids - if you say you want a cookieand you’re not satisfied when Mom offers you an apple, you can’t really be hungry. Implication being, if you were really hungry you’d eat anything regardless of whether you like it or not.

I’ve been able to apply intuitive eating for myself for quite a number of years (although I didn’t call it quite that until recently). I try to listen to what my body wants. Chocolate at 10.30a? Go for it. Salad for lunch? done, But Emerald’s observations on parental tricks brought another aspect of intuitive eating to mind: kids and food.

Continue reading ‘Inuitive Eating and Kids’

Just in time for Australia Day, an Australian Bureau of Statistics study has found that Australians are getting fatter and that we are becoming more likely to see that as acceptable. This is, of course, A BAD THING.

Continue reading ‘Australians are fatter than ever & (oh no!) they think it’s OK!’