I may not have the world's highest level's of self esteem, but I have never thought of myself as a fatty. Could I stand to lose a few? Sure. Am I out of shape? Hell yes. However, today the proverbial straw is broken and I am completely disgusted by what is considered fat, overweight, or even obese.
Let me back up. Last Christmas a girlfriend of mine, like so many other doting parents, stood in endless lines for hours to get her kids the much coveted Wii Fit. Writhing in joy they were delighted to hula-hoop and mock-ski to their little hearts content. Well, later that winter, in a wine induced fearlessness, we adults thought for shits and giggles we'd give it a whirl. We too would create our own "Wii Me"s and be young and hip for the night.
You step on and it prompts you height, weight, age etc. Nosy little bugger. Calculating with its supposed precision, it comes back giggling "hehehe you're obese!" Suddenly your Wii Me plumps up like that blueberry gal in Willy Wonka and you are an animated fat little person on the screen.
I have clearly had my weight ups and downs as we all have. I would diligently go to the gym for 2 hours a day when I was laid off, because frankly I had nothing else to do with my time. I would try to eat well, and I looked fabulous. Now back to work and income streaming steady, I have no time for this membership that is laughing at me monthly while it waves goodbye to me as it deducts itself from my bank account each month.
This morning on Ellen, they were featuring plus sized models. All well and good. EXCEPT, they started at size 6. Size 6!! I tend to fluctuate between a size 6 and an 8 and let me tell you, if you can buy clothing in the single digits, you are NOT plus sized. I am short statured. I am 5 feet tall. No more no less. I do not aspire to be a stick. I have curves, I am a woman I am supposed to. I have big boobs and an ass. And if that makes me obese the world has another thing coming!
So then, I calculate my BMI thing on a Facebook Application (because clearly what life tells you according to Facebook quizzes MUST be gospel) and again, I am at least 30lbs over weight. 30lbs? Really? If I lost 30lbs I would look gaunt and disgusting. I can see 10 maybe, 15 if you're picky. But 30? I'd look like a cancer or an AIDS patient. No thanks.
When do we update these ridiculous quotas? When did they originate? Back when everything was drowned in saturated fats and people like that commercial featuring the Buttertons ate things covered in lard. How are children not expected to have body issues when a size 6 is considered plus sized? I am disgusted.
How has it gotten to the point that being so thin you can't tell if you are a boy or a girl with out being able to visibly view genitalia is ok? That showing your clavicle or your ribcage is sexy? I'm sorry but She-ra was way sexier than Skeletor.
Let me back up. Last Christmas a girlfriend of mine, like so many other doting parents, stood in endless lines for hours to get her kids the much coveted Wii Fit. Writhing in joy they were delighted to hula-hoop and mock-ski to their little hearts content. Well, later that winter, in a wine induced fearlessness, we adults thought for shits and giggles we'd give it a whirl. We too would create our own "Wii Me"s and be young and hip for the night.
You step on and it prompts you height, weight, age etc. Nosy little bugger. Calculating with its supposed precision, it comes back giggling "hehehe you're obese!" Suddenly your Wii Me plumps up like that blueberry gal in Willy Wonka and you are an animated fat little person on the screen.
I have clearly had my weight ups and downs as we all have. I would diligently go to the gym for 2 hours a day when I was laid off, because frankly I had nothing else to do with my time. I would try to eat well, and I looked fabulous. Now back to work and income streaming steady, I have no time for this membership that is laughing at me monthly while it waves goodbye to me as it deducts itself from my bank account each month.
This morning on Ellen, they were featuring plus sized models. All well and good. EXCEPT, they started at size 6. Size 6!! I tend to fluctuate between a size 6 and an 8 and let me tell you, if you can buy clothing in the single digits, you are NOT plus sized. I am short statured. I am 5 feet tall. No more no less. I do not aspire to be a stick. I have curves, I am a woman I am supposed to. I have big boobs and an ass. And if that makes me obese the world has another thing coming!
So then, I calculate my BMI thing on a Facebook Application (because clearly what life tells you according to Facebook quizzes MUST be gospel) and again, I am at least 30lbs over weight. 30lbs? Really? If I lost 30lbs I would look gaunt and disgusting. I can see 10 maybe, 15 if you're picky. But 30? I'd look like a cancer or an AIDS patient. No thanks.
When do we update these ridiculous quotas? When did they originate? Back when everything was drowned in saturated fats and people like that commercial featuring the Buttertons ate things covered in lard. How are children not expected to have body issues when a size 6 is considered plus sized? I am disgusted.
How has it gotten to the point that being so thin you can't tell if you are a boy or a girl with out being able to visibly view genitalia is ok? That showing your clavicle or your ribcage is sexy? I'm sorry but She-ra was way sexier than Skeletor.
How do you explain that to a little girl? How to you tell a teenage girl who isn't Abercrombie and Bitch thin that its ok? That THEY aren't the normal ones??
I'm so glad I have a son.
Oh. My. God. I so feel you and now am not buying a Wii Fit b/c it will judge me too and make my cartoon trixie fat.
ReplyDeleteI have gained 25 lbs since I started my job here. I would say, on a good day, I'm a size 10 (5'6). I don't feel like I look obese, but I'm certainly not THIN.
I think overly thin girls look sick, anyway. You know what? Screw you Wii Fit and Ellen and whoever else. I'll go back to Nintendo DES and ice cream, thankyouverymuch.
I don't know what population Wii uses to calibrate the system. I did the same thing. I'm 43, 5'9" and a fit, muscular 175 lbs. I did the fit test, at which point I, too, was informed I was obese and the avatar ballooned.
ReplyDeleteIf I was a Japanese programmer, or a 1950's guy who never exercised maybe I'd be 150 lbs. But I'm neither.
So don't worry what the stupid computer game says. Note they didn't have a body category for "Sexy".
Seriously! I mean, I jiggle. I'm not exactly the pinnacle of fitness, but I am not obese! I think the largest I was was maybe a 10/12 after I had my son (a weight issue in and of itself...fodder for future bloggery perhaps)
ReplyDeleteThat stupid thing pissed me off. Instead of trying to adjust to the times and worry about all this tween angst and preventing bulimia and anorexia and making young girls (and women in their *cough* 30's) feel like crap because they look normal and not like Ethiopians, they say that its overweight and blah blah blah.
Its horse shit.
Hi, new reader here.
ReplyDeleteI so feel ya. I'm 5' 2" but curvy. I go between an 8 and 10 and seriously, I'm fine with it. I had gotten down to a 6 before and looked anorexic. Not my look, let me tell ya. So when I went on my bro in laws Wii Fit and it told me I was obese I was not a happy camper. It really doesn't help with one's self esteem and I stay away from it now. I'm glad I have a son too.
Oh my - that happened to me with Wii Fit too - I was like 0h yah, thats nice... look at my Mii wobble around.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting on my Rachel Zoe post - why is 6 plus size? I wish I was size six!