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Feedback on this issue seems to fall into two camps...The Media Made Me Do It, and Put the Fork Down and Shut Up. I don't think it's that simple. I speak as a fat person. Not a two-airline-seats fat person, but a glad-my-ass-isn't-that-big fat person. Do I like being fat? Not particularly. Do I complain about it? Somtimes. Do I blame the media? In a roundabout way. Do I know it's my own stupid fault? Absolutely. Am I going to do anything about it? That remains to be seen.
My point is, food and weight and health and self-image issues are seldom a result of lack of knowledge or lack of reflection. There's something far more complicated at play. It's not a question of knowing what you want or knowing how to get there. It's a question of being able to actually follow through. And that's not easy for some of us.
I have overcome adversity in my life. I have acheived great things and accomplished some near-impossible feats. I am smart and have good relationships. I am responsible and accountable and self-supporting. But I'm fat despite my desire and ability to be otherwise. I wish I could explain it, and I wish I could get over it. Maybe someday I will, but it's not going to be because I tuned out the media or put down the fork. I may have to do both of those things, but I've done them before. That's not all there is to it.
There's something else there. I'll let you know if I find it.
