Side note to my own post..... told I was FAT today

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2/5/13 3:05 P

I'll weigh-in (ha ha) on the touching the floor thing and say I've always been fat, and always been able to put knuckles, and sometimes as far as my wrists, on the floor. Yes, straight legged.

Flexibility is NOT about fatness.

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2/5/13 2:36 P

As someone else posted, being able to touch your toes has nothing to with your weight but your flexibility. My 110lb, 14 yr old niece can't touch her toes. I am 300lb and can touch the floor with my knuckles with my gym shoes on!

I was in Walmart several years ago and a kid about 5 turned to me and said "You are fat". The mother and aunt? were nearby and turned away embarrassed. I said to the kid "Yes, I am fat. But you, know, that might hurt someone's feelings if you said that". The kid just said "Oh" and went on his way.

I am fat. When I worked at a plus size clothing store our sales team decided to take back the word so to speak. It is a word. Yes, it can be hurtful sometimes but is is only a word. I am also funny, intelligent, thoughtful and beautiful. Basically, I am a wonderful person lol. Right now I am also fat, but that doesn't mean that I am not also those other great things as well.

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2/4/13 3:54 P

sigh, I read "too much junk food" Berenstain Bears book to my 3 year old, and it uses the term 'fat' in it... to which he immediately replied, mommy you are fat too, right? (oh the innocence of kids)... I immediately lectured him on using the term "chubby" around me instead, so hopefully he can lessen the impact if he does it in public! lol... I don't want to try and cloud his vision of fat and thin, because I think it is important to recognize fat, chubby, overweight, whatever you want to call it, but geez... that one hurt lol!

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2/4/13 3:45 P

I have to agree that touching your toes has very little to do with being fat. I weigh more than you, but can easily touch my toes. I teach preschool at church on Sunday's and last year a little boy called me fat. I have to admit I thought at the time he was a rude little snot, but he was right. However I was still happy when he moved up and out of my class. :)

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2/4/13 3:13 P

If it helps, your ability to touch your toes has NOTHING to do with fat. ;) I'm fat too! Being fat is not something to be ashamed of. It is what it is; you don't want to stay that way, so that's what matters. Fat is not who you are, it's something you have on your body.

But as I said, the reason you can't touch your toes is because you're not flexible. I weigh less than you, but I can't touch my toes. In fact, I have *never* been able to touch my toes, not even as a slim teenager of 145! I'm just not flexible.

Stick with that yoga, though; it doesn't matter that you can't do the poses perfectly. The more you do them, the better you will get. I have reached the point where when doing certain stretches or poses, I CAN reach m y toes, or at least lower on my shins than I used to! It has really improved my flexibility. You will get better, and the benefits of relaxation and improved flexibility will continue to accumulate!

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2/4/13 3:06 P

It's funny... I also have been called that... not any more, mind you.. and it hurt in almost all cases. Except that my Hispanic students have used the term "gordita" (little fatty) but it was always affectionate.... so it's kind of odd when it stings and when it does not.

Hang in there... we define ourselves!

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2/4/13 2:37 P

Try not to get your feelings hurt by "fat", especially from little kids.

Not to be indelicate, but aren't you? You're not disgusting, you're not a worthless human being, you are lovely, but ... aren't you fat? Isn't that why you're here?

Try not attach value to "fat". "Fat" is a descriptive word of your size only, not your worth as a human being.

When I was fat I used to get really sick of it when I'd casually mention something about being so fat and someone would say "Oh you're not fat". You blind, woman? I was 250lbs. I was FAT. It was a simple reflection of my actual size, and it was accurate.

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2/4/13 2:23 P

Kids do tell it like it is but they have to learn those words somewhere. I have an almost 4 year old and I have never said the word fat in reference to anything around her. We also don't use the word ugly. I am sure she'll get those words somewhere else, but I consider both of them to be quite perjorative and it could be really hurtful to hear. I'd just rather she not use those words at all. I wish people would think more carefully about how they talk around their kids. Sorry you got your feelings hurt.

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2/4/13 2:01 P

I work Special Ed in local school district, in elementary. One of our sensory breaks with kids was doing some yoga poses that OT taught us. I had trouble doing a 'simple' one of forward bend and touch toes. I can't get anywhere near my toes, to which a 'typical' student says to me... "Ms. Kim you no touch your toes, your fat, REAL fat." I just took in consideration he is barely 4 years old and kids will say it EXACTLY as they see it!

sigh...............

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