Is the # on the scale what REALLY matters?

I recently found an article that paid hommage to my recent posts that being HEALTHY vs. THIN is what matters when it comes to our bodies.  I weight a lot more than most of my friends, but I am much more physically fit than them too.  I am (per government guidelines) in the top section of OBESE, yet my muscle to fat ratio is surprisingly comparable to those in the "AVERAGE" section.  I don't have a single ailment to complain of with regard to my health...no high blood pressure, cholesterol or dieabetes, which I am forever thankful for.  Now, I'm not saying that I couldn't stand to lose quite a bit of weight, I'm simply saying that the numbers on the scale aren't ALL that matter...nor are they (in my opinion) what the focus should be when a person is labeled "healthy".

The article, written by Professor Linda Bacon, stated just that.

With a PhD in physiology (specializing in weight regulation) and graduate degrees in psychology (specializing in eating disorders and body image) and kinesiology (specializing in exercise metabolism), Bacon knows more than a little about the impact obesity can have on health. Bacon's message -- that health is more important than weight -- goes against the grain of our country's current obsession with the "obesity epidemic." Yet her work is extremely popular, and the second edition of her book, Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight, was recently released.


According to Bacon (whose last name is perfect for this topic), being overweight or obese does not put people at significant health risk. Rather, factors like fitness, activity, nutrient intake, weight cycling, or socioeconomic status are far more important in determining disease risk.

Bacon encourages acceptance of people of all sizes, though she's not giving us a free pass to spend our lives in front of the TV eating junk food. A healthy lifestyle is important, even if it's okay that most of us don't have figures resembling the cast of "Bay Watch."  In fact, she urges Americans to join what she calls "the new peace movement" by refusing to fight the "unjust war" against body sizes that are larger than what our culture deems acceptable. Bacon points out that humans have internal systems designed to keep us healthy, and to maintain a healthy weight. These systems include signals of hunger, fullness and appetite. If you can follow your body's signals, your body will in turn find the healthy weight for you.

Healthy diets are important, and healthy diets consist of fresh, wholesome food, preferably cooked from scratch. Exercise is just as important.

Bacon says that "assuming fat people are eating worse than thin people is wrong." For this reason, focusing efforts on obesity sends the message to thin people that they do not need to make any changes in their lifestyles when in fact they may also engage in unhealthy behaviors that put them at risk for disease.  She states that focusing on obesity stigmatizes larger people and imbues everyone with a fear of fat, which can encourage the development of eating disorders and the adoption of dangerous, restrictive eating habits. In fact, dieters readily admit they are willing to engage in unhealthy eating patterns in order to lose weight. Bacon encourages focusing on health instead of weight and promoting acceptance of people of all body shapes and sizes. While ending discrimination against fat people is one of her goals, she also notes that people who love their bodies will be more encouraged to take better care of them. "You take good care of things you like," she says. "Self-hatred is not good motivation to make change."

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥