I Hate My Fat Body - Dilemma

“I hate my fat body”

Weight stigma is the social blame put on people who are fat, and people who have larger bodies. In healthcare, medical practitioners will utilise BMI and weight to determine people’s health, in a public setting, larger bodies are not accounted for, leaving those folks feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome in those spaces, seats are too small, and bathrooms are not spacious enough.

The fitness industry is obsessed with 'transformations' from people sharing photos of their 'larger bodies' to their slightly smaller bodies, with big grins on their faces. All of this is weight stigma, it places blame on fat folks.

I first discovered the term 'weight stigma' a couple of years ago, I was probably 4 or 5 years into my nutrition degree and we were constantly talking about contributing factors towards differing conditions. Weight gain, obesity, and overweight people were constantly being brought up and I sat in those classes feeling like an elephant in the room because for years doctors told me that I was overweight.

Over the years, practitioners look at me and say "you should lose some weight, but you're healthy!" It is so unfair, as a larger-bodied person to be told that I need to lose weight, most of the time I wasn't seeing a doctor for that reason! It would be brought into the conversation and I'd leave with my medical certificate for the cold I had, and a handful of guilt and shame for having a larger body. If I hadn't been studying nutrition, I would have followed what the GP said, taken the meds, and continued to see no change in my body and feeling like I failed.

The media and wellness worlds are always talking about our bodies, they're too big, or too small and companies are constantly pushing weight loss products onto people who are vulnerable. Bodies are NOT trends, you deserve to buy clothes and be comfortable like anyone else is, and you should not have to be excluded from the narrative because you don't fit this cookie-cutter idea of 'the perfect body'.

So what is the solution? We take up space, we wear whatever we want, and we push back on people who say our bodies are 'wrong' or 'unhealthy'. We share the content of folks who are doing the work and we love and support each other. Supporting brands and products that are size-inclusive and body neutral, and when it feels safe, talking about these topics with folks who may not be aware or experience life in a bigger body. Education is everything and sharing the load is essential.

Much love,

Matilda x