Have we gone too far with the whole body conscious thing?

I would never, ever, agree that making critical personal comments about appearance is OK, whether it’s fat shaming, promoting the skeletal figures that used to be essential for a career as a fashion model, or the latest example of this kind of thinking, the promotion of the “fat pride” idea.

The human race has, it seems to me, always had a regrettable tendency to judge primarily by appearance – and of course this concern has developed into a £multi million industry encouraging people to aspire to perfection, however that is defined at the time, by whatever means.

You could even argue that I am part of that industry with Stabilis.

But while of course I need to eat and to keep a roof over my head, there’s a difference. My absolute prime concern is about helping people to be as fit and healthy as possible both by using the right kind of exercise and the right diet. This is crucial at any age, but more so as we get older as I mentioned in my recent blog.

So, I confess that while I commend the fashion industry for steering away from the use of stick thin models and featuring young women of a variety of shapes and sizes, I am becoming increasingly concerned with the growth of the “fat pride” movement.

While there are so many factors that influence our body size, there is, in my view, no way you can get away from the fact that there is an obesity epidemic in the UK.

It’s a result of eating too much, eating the wrong things (such as fast food, processed food and few if any fruits or veg) and of our increasingly inactive lifestyles, stuck in front of a computer at work, or the TV at home, or playing for hours on a games console.

There’s plenty of scientific research that shows that obesity gives rise to a whole variety of serious illnesses. According to Cancer Research it is the second biggest cause of lifestyle-related cancers. It can increase the risk of heart disease, is a major contributor to diabetes and to high blood pressure.

So, while I accept that human beings come in a variety of shapes and sizes, that big can be beautiful and that nobody should ever be the subject of abuse because of their size, I make no apologies for promoting a healthy diet and weight and for questioning whether the concept of “fat pride” may have gone too far.

If you are wanting to reduce fat, become healthier and be more conscious about the health aspects of being overweight then contact me today for a consultation to discuss your goals.

Andy C

Health & Fitness Coach