Body acceptance is more than just about accepting fat, but of course that's a major theme. There's a concern about fat and its association with unhealthiness, but I plan to be neutral on that topic. First, because I'm not an expert, and second, because there are plenty of other voices out there which can discuss and advocate fat loss for the sake of health.
Instead, I want to look at the idea of seeing fat on our bodies from the viewpoint of how fortunate we are. It's not merely a symbol of our fortune, it's a direct result. Sometimes excess weight is caused by a lack of access to healthy things, or other kinds of misfortune. But in the case where that dynamic is not at play, what did happen is that the fat on our bodies is there because we've been able to eat what we want, when we want it, for most times in our lives. Having at least some fat is a sign of good health; it means that your body can withstand an illness. And fat makes us soft and cuddly - not a bad thing at all :)
One idea is to look in the mirror and not think about whether you're pretty or ugly or sexy or strong, or anything like that. Try instead to think about how thankful you are for the food that you were able to choose to eat that led to the bigger stomach or thighs (or whatever). This might be really hard to do in modern, thin-worshiping culture, to ignore what you're supposed to see as ugly. Anyway, whether or not you're particularly fat, you can also look at your body (in the mirror, or just looking down at yourself) and think about the ways in which the food you've eaten contributed to its form and its ability to move in such a variety of ways.
When I broke my elbow a few years ago, I discovered the many ways in which it can move (mostly because I couldn't do those things for a while). It's really amazing what an elbow can do, or a shoulder, or a wrist. Hard to simulate in a robot. Food is what gives you the energy to dance through this thing called life. And your complex, beautifully-engineered body is what carries you.
Instead, I want to look at the idea of seeing fat on our bodies from the viewpoint of how fortunate we are. It's not merely a symbol of our fortune, it's a direct result. Sometimes excess weight is caused by a lack of access to healthy things, or other kinds of misfortune. But in the case where that dynamic is not at play, what did happen is that the fat on our bodies is there because we've been able to eat what we want, when we want it, for most times in our lives. Having at least some fat is a sign of good health; it means that your body can withstand an illness. And fat makes us soft and cuddly - not a bad thing at all :)
One idea is to look in the mirror and not think about whether you're pretty or ugly or sexy or strong, or anything like that. Try instead to think about how thankful you are for the food that you were able to choose to eat that led to the bigger stomach or thighs (or whatever). This might be really hard to do in modern, thin-worshiping culture, to ignore what you're supposed to see as ugly. Anyway, whether or not you're particularly fat, you can also look at your body (in the mirror, or just looking down at yourself) and think about the ways in which the food you've eaten contributed to its form and its ability to move in such a variety of ways.
When I broke my elbow a few years ago, I discovered the many ways in which it can move (mostly because I couldn't do those things for a while). It's really amazing what an elbow can do, or a shoulder, or a wrist. Hard to simulate in a robot. Food is what gives you the energy to dance through this thing called life. And your complex, beautifully-engineered body is what carries you.
No comments:
Post a Comment