In defense of so-called Chubbies

Ever since the day I lost my cool in front of a class regarding the Anti-Gym ads, I have been troubled not only by said loss of cool, but the reasons for it.  I have ranted and raved and complained and whined ever since.  I simply cannot let this go; I was online and found a blog written by someone who defends this man and his message.  Her bottom line is: if you're offended by this, it's because you're fat and lazy.  If you think you're not, you're just in denial and she feels sorry for you.  Any contestation of her claim, such as "what about people who can't help it?" are met with accusations of making excuses for being fat.  Part of what continually steams me about this is that the argument is similar to the uber-religious or brainwashed sales people - their beliefs are incontrovertible because they have calculated responses for every possible angle you might take against them.  In the same way it is impossible to convince a KKK member that his beliefs are composed out of faulty logic, this is a fight not worth fighting.  One cannot battle blind and ignorant followers of false prophets.  

One can, however, tout one's own philosophy and put a positive message out into the world.  Here's mine:

Sometimes I eat whole pints of Ben and Jerry's Karamel Sutra and then proceed to sit on my fat ass in front of the TV, lamenting the number on the scale despite the aforementioned two facts.  My belly fat sometimes scrunches up over the top of my jeans quite uncomfortably - once I was heavy enough that my belly fat touched my breasts when I sat down.  My thighs rub together when I walk and there was a time when I wore holes into the inner legs of my jeans because of it.  I have overeaten enough junk food to make myself sick, and more than once.  I have eaten enough Taco Bell to feed a small country in my lifetime.  I have opted to eat chocolate cake swimming in heavy cream rather than go to the gym.  It took me until the age of 36 to be able to do any number of pushups.  Despite my recent weight loss of more than 45 pounds, people who encounter me for the first time, I assume, still think I'm fat.  I don't own a bathing suit.  I have workout videos that have inches of dust on them.

And clearly I'm not alone.  Even though we supposedly understand more than ever about how our bodies work, more people than ever are overweight, myself included.  Perhaps I do make excuses about all of the things listed above and more, but I'm sick to death of hearing people who have never had to worry about it lecture me on how simple it is to be healthy.  Some folks are genetically predisposed to be tiny and thin and small-breasted and others simply aren't.  I don't think that anyone should defend being fat - if you're fat you should own it and the reasons for it, which I do believe are related to a host of factors - genetics, food choices, emotional health, self-esteem, medications, and exercise levels.  We shouldn't be fat, and some people who eat nothing but fast food and sit on their asses all the time should be ashamed of themselves, but it's not my job to tell them that - I'm sure they know it and feel far worse about it than I could make them feel if I was so inclined.  But I'm sure as shit not going to pretend that just because I've changed some of my ways that I'm perfect, or that I don't engage in such behaviors, and I won't for one second claim that I have any answers for anyone.  I only know what works for me, and it's a complicated picture.  

I'm amazed at how many hours per day I spend thinking about the scale, what I'm eating or not eating, trying to burn calories, etc., and then I have to be confronted with this asshole on TV who would call me fat and throw Twinkies at me.  Weight loss is exhausting, expensive, and time-consuming.  I think it's worth it, but that's me.  Anyone who wants to know my secrets, I'll tell you; if you want support, you've got it.  If you're struggling with your weight, you're not alone; if you hate yourself, DON'T.  If you're happy just the way you are, then amen.