plus size…real world…

i was just watching this interview on the today show and constantly talking back to the tv…yes, right, exactly!

this interview along with the piece that prompted it, Jess Weiner’s “Loving My Body Almost Killed Me“ is a great reminder that you can love your plus size body BUT you can not ignore the possible health issues that may go along with having the weight on your body.

as a plus size woman with cholesterol issues and major heart disease in my family (my mother recently had a second heart attack), more and more i am working to take charge of my health.

not just thinking about losing weight for some outer appearance reason but for the more important inner appearance reasons.

and this is what Jess spoke and wrote about.

there are also really eye opening statements about how some doctors treat plus size women that are disturbing. and i implore any woman who feels that she is treated as portrayed in the article, to find a new doctor.

she also wrote/talked about the inevitable truth, that when a public figure that the plus size community has adopted as proof to the world that you can be big and successful loses weight, there could potentially be backlash, ala jennifer hudson, crystal renn, etc.

and it’s kinda sad to me that she actually pondered the thought of that instead of focusing on the urgency of her health issues when her doctor had just told her that her cholesterol was bordering unhealthy levels.

and while some of the comments on the article lament her desire to lose a certain amount of weight and the way she went about it, etc, i think that they are missing the boat.

obviously her experience is her own but the most poignant point still remains. her finally paying attention to her health and making a decision for herself to lose weight has improved her life.

i know that in this anti-fat world, a lot of times plus size folks find themselves on the defensive about so many things but there is no disputing that bearing extra weight, BMI charts and other BS aside can adversely affect our health.

so by all means, we should embrace our bodies, love our bodies but be real, there is nothing hypocritical about making changes to be healthier.

and after seeing my mother almost die because she is overweight and has heart disease and so many other health issues, there is just no room for pretense.