Food for thought

Today I am working on a reflective paper for a course I took last spring. The course: Fat Studies. Yes,

... FAT as in obese, overweight or XXXL. In my reflecting, I realized how much I enjoyed this

course.

This course examines body weight, shape and size and an area of human difference subject to privilege and discrimination that intersects with other systems of oppression based on gender, race class, age, sexual orientation and ability’. I took the course as an opportunity to better understand the population I wanted to work with for my dissertation. Little did I know, there was abundant and compelling research on ‘fat’ people. I wanted to share with you all a fantastic journal that promotes a healthy life at any size.... even fat. Here is the link .......
http://www.bulimia.com/client/client_pages/HAESprotected/HAES20-1.pdf

here are more articles from the journal

http://www.bulimia.com/client/client_pages/haespdfs.cfm

Here is my take on the course and part of what I have been working on today - you are forewarned this is a rough draft. 

I have come to learn that fat bias is deeply ingrained in our culture and simply having a conversation about it is challenging.  Several students in the course blatantly stated that fat people were disgusting and bones were sexy. Like most students in the course, I initially believed the traditional health paradigm* that weight equals health. Simply put, the skinnier you are the healthier you are. Most people would agree with this because of the bombardment of ‘weight loss’ promotion and the “War on Obesity” campaign. This class challenged the mainstream mentality about fat people. We looked at cultural and personal biases and questioned them. This class broadened my spectrum and challenged me to view life from another perspective. Several professional and personal aspects of my life were influenced from this course.

            Personally, I regularly weighed myself and based my worth on weight. I had been told my entire life that  ‘if you are not within this BMI range, then you are overweight, that is unhealthy and you are bad’. Looking back, it was emotionally exhausting to get on and off the scale, while holding my breath and thinking, “will I be healthy today?”. Even though I exercised regularly and ate fresh fruits and vegetables, the answer was always no. I finally decided to get off this emotional roller coaster and base my health on the healthy activities I did every day. I have not weighed myself for almost a year while the byproduct of this behavior is my emotional and physical health has never been better.  I feel more encouraged to exercise with the knowledge that I am doing this for my health, not for a number.  This also seeped into my job as a fitness trainer.

            In my professional life, as a personal trainer I work with a variety of body types where the main goal is weight loss. I have now shifted my training style to place the focus to overall health. I now tell my clients that I do not want to weight them. They are always shocked and simultaneously relieved that I don’t want them to get on a scale or even take their measurements.  When they ask why, I say that their worth is not based on the scale and as long as they are being active I can’t ask for more. Needless to say, I have a long waiting list for new clients and have never seen so many physical and emotional improvements.
            Lastly, my professional academic career has been greatly impacted. I never quite understood the emotional stress that fat people are subject to.  As a student studying apparel design, sport and exercise psychology and women’s studies I have come to understand the physical and emotional challenges fat men and women face in our culture.

            The psychological aspects of the course meshed very well with my field of study. I never quite understood the emotional stress that fat people are subject to.  As a student studying apparel design, sport and exercise psychology and women’s studies I have come to understand the physical and emotional challenges fat men and women face in our culture.

            One of the most challenging parts of this course was that I had to look at some of my personal biases. Biases towards myself and others were surprising. I never knew there was such a concept as ‘thin privilege’. Every college student should challenge the mainstream thoughts and broaden their education through this course. 

*paradigm |ˈparəˌdīm| noun1 technical a typical example or pattern of something; a model: there is a newparadigm for public art in this country.• a worldview underlying the theories and methodology of a particular scientific subject: the discovery of universal gravitation became the paradigm ofsuccessful science.