With all of that said, I HATE the current "fat pride" movement. In this era of equality and social progressiveness, we are taught that however a person chooses to live is totally OK, and that we should celebrate their life choices. Now, I am in no way racist or sexist. I am really glad that women have achieved equal rights, and that people of non-white ethnicities have made huge strides in social, economic, and academic circles. I am also very glad that gay marriage has become acceptable. Regardless of your beliefs about the sinfulness or lack thereof of homosexuality, I think most people can agree that gay marriage is a political, not a religious issue. I truly believe that everyone deserves equal protection under the law, regardless of what the dominant religion has to say about it. (I am Christian, but in America, religion and law are two separate issues).
The fat pride movement is quite different. There are plusses and minuses to it. I'll start with the positive. It is a good thing that people are happy with who they are, and don't have to suffer major self-esteem issues because they don't fit society's standard of beauty. Here in America, beauty seems to be the most important objective. Most people want to lose weight because they need to fit into a bikini, or look good in their little black dress.
Which leads us to the big minus: beauty is a secondary concern. As a doctor, I am primarily concerned about people's health. Unlike being a woman, being African American, or being gay, obesity leads to scads of health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, chronic pain, and most likely early death. This is my big problem with fat pride. People use it as an excuse to forgive themselves for what is usually a deep emotional issue, or a major addiction. It would be similar to having a movement for alcoholic pride, or meth abuser pride. Just because someone chooses a certain lifestyle doesn't mean that it needs to be celebrated.
I am pissed off at myself because I gave up and got fat again. I don't want to accept my body. I am not depressed or unhappy, but I am not satisfied with how I currently am. My goal is to reach 175 lbs (about 100 from where I am now). After reflecting for a long time about the fat pride movement, I have decided to selectively accept a few things, and reject others. I accept that overweight people should not be ridiculed or disrespected just because they don't fit our narrow view of beauty. I reject that we should stay how we are out of some misguided sense of pride or arrogance. Thankfully, no one need ever be obese. All it takes to find health and a normal weight is a few lifestyle changes.
The DevolveHealth eating plan is simple, easy to understand, and works every single time. All you have to do is follow 3 guidelines:
1. Eat foods like they grow in nature. (No processed sugars, oils, or "food products."
2. Eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and grain, and very little if any meat, dairy, or eggs.
3. Choose food for nutrition, not flavor.
Easy to implement, sometimes hard to follow. As I always tell myself in a weak moment, nothing worth having is easy. So refuse to be insulted because you are overweight, but also refuse to accept that obesity is the only possible outcome for you. Join me in reclaiming your health and fitness, and post your comments on here, or on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/devolvehealth). Or go to my web page, and send me an email (www.devolvehealth.com). I would be thrilled to share in your journey, or hear about your successes and hardships.
M. Jacob Ott, MD
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