“You just made me realise body positivity isn’t just about bikinis. It’s about what the bikini symbolises”
Someone said this to me last week. So thought I’d just emphasise this point and equip you with tools in a doctors office by laying down some facts courtesy of Healthy At Every Size by Linda Bacon (which is the book we are reading in the body positive book club this month).
? On average, “overweight” people live longer than “normal” weight people
? No study has ever shown that weight loss prolongs life
? Biology dictates that most people regain the weight they lose, even if they continue their diet/exercise programme
? People who regularly exercise are only 5-10 lbs lighter than those who are sedentary
?Women actually gain weight and body fat with exercise
? Active people are much healthier than sedentary ones, REGARDLESS OF WEIGHT
? The same bowl of pasta trikes a different number of calories for each eater due to difference in microbes in your gut
? Large people eat no more than lean people, despite a popular misconception that large people consistently overeat
?Exercising and eating more is a better defence against heart disease deaths than exercising and eating less
? In a study of 10,000 people, eating less did not necessarily make people thinner and eating more did not necessarily translate to heavier weight
So next time a doctor body shames you, shove these facts down their throat and the next time, I hear someone accuse a body positive person of glorifying obesity, I’m going to chuck this book at their head