Book 2 Post 2

What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat was an interesting read and it made me think about how much anti-fat bias there is in this world. Throughout the book, there were a number of anecdotes that showed how unfavorable many everyday experiences can be for fat people. For example, going to work is such a daunting task. There are countless judgemental stares. If they're unlucky, they'll meet an angry, unreasonable person that'll harass them relentlessly. Also, I don't understand how some people have the audacity to dictate what others should eat. I was shocked when the elderly woman removed the melon from the author's grocery cart because it was too high in sugar.

This book also made me realize how much our culture can influence the desirability of a certain body shape. In different eras, certain body shapes were desirable based on the meaning we gave to them. For example, there was a period of time where fat bodies were desirable because they meant prosperity. Today, however, obesity is perceived as a crisis, and this view is supported by prominent individuals such as Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. Even in movies, many fat bodies are often assumed to have a comedic role. For example, a fat character having a hard time completing a task, such as chasing a criminal, would often elicit laughter. Fat women are rarely a romantic interest in films. 

However, there are some points that I don't agree with the author. I believe people should pursue health, especially if they are capable of doing so. I think there are some flaws to her argument because she never addresses some of the important solutions. Most of her argument against being healthy is focused on losing weight through dieting and how it is not sustainable. A healthy lifestyle has never been about losing weight. It's about exercise and eating clean. Losing weight is just a byproduct. She says she does swimming, but swimming is mainly a cardio exercise. There also needs to be an adequate amount of strength training to build muscle because doing so will increase your resting metabolism. When she does mention strength training, she treats building muscle mass as something negative because it won't lower the number on the scale. Also, exercise is sustainable. It does not require any money. Calisthenics is an entire category of strength training exercise focused on using your own body weight.