Fine and Fair: Body Image on the Playground: The Subtle Messages All Around →

When our children start hearing messages about body image starting in preschool or earlier, how do we instill a positive outlook?

So what do we do? What can we do? In a world where a Victoria’s Secret commercial asks, “What is Sexy?” and proceeds to answer its question with images of women who are all tall and thin with long legs and breasts that are somehow both large and perky, how do we teach our children that sexy is different things to different people, and that more importantly, sexy isn’t the only thing matters? Is it even possible to raise children, girls especially, who grow into adults who feel good about their bodies, even if they don’t fit the “ideal” image that is thrust in their face at every turn?

I’m loving the musings in this article titled “How to Lose The Baby Weight in Just Three Lightning-Fast Years” at Jezebel about the postpartum body and how our culture doesn’t know how to deal with it.

It is a strange state, indeed: neither pregnant, nor out of shape, but showing a visible history of pregnancy. In spite of weighing more and looking different, I was never healthier than when I was pregnant and just after, in large part to the dynamic shift in lifestyle toward eating well and moving more. But we don’t connect health to physical appeal per se, as any healthy person who isn’t thin can tell you. And when a body shows signs of use beyond the sexual or athletic, we don’t seem to know how to respond to it.

In fairness, it’s worth noting that all this is just as shocking to the woman it’s happening to. Pregnancy is an intense transformation, childbirth an even more intense act. The recovery time is complicated and multi-layered. And what we are left with is a body that has created a child and often nourished it for a period of time afterward too. It’s easy to be proud of the act, but we follow that nod with an intense effort toward eradicating all signs of it.

(via Shannon/NatParNet on Pinterest)

21 Things to Stop Saying Unless You Hate Fat People | LoveLiveGrow →

You might still be in the habit of saying things that contribute to the very real abuse of and discrimination against fat people. In case you’re a good person who wants to stop doing those things, I’ve tried to put together an inventory of ideas that contribute to the oppression of fat people. Some of these are big, some are small, but they all add up to a serious web of stigma that affects the quality of life for fat people.

The Fat Trap - NYTimes.com →

Helpful look at the science behind why maintaing a weight loss is nearly always impossible.

Interesting note: I found a link to this article through a weight maintaining blog, where all the comments were of the variety “What a negative article! I’m going to disregard it so I can think positively.” Because ignoring facts makes them go away.

These are the Fat FAQs | LoveLiveGrow →

So much good information here. So many linked resources. I can’t even pick out what I like the best. Please read and absorb it all. Thank you.

Weight Loss — Science@home →

Wise take on the point that correlation does not equal causation.

Healthy, balanced diet and activity = important for everyone, lean or fat.

Losing weight = almost purely social goal that may or may not be important to you, gets even more complicated and guilt inducing when you have children and may actually make you less healthy.

Yay for Home!: New Years Revolution →

via Good Googs, so I’ll be extra lazy and quote her recommendation:

the best post about new years I’ve read