Over the past few months, I’ve been having this nagging feeling in the back of my head, whenever I’m at parties where chips and candy and sodas reign supreme. I’d look around and *gasp* everyone would be eating the Same Damn Things. Thin people, fat people, tall people, short people. And I’ve been wondering if I really do eat more of that stuff than other people, or if I’ve just been conditioned to *think* I do.

One of my roommates, for instance, eats nothing but crap and exercises a few times a decade. She is, of course, naturally so skinny you can see her ribs. Even I eat better than she does.

And I occassionally drag myself outdoors for a walk (Something I actually *want* to do more, unlike not eating cheesecake. Because I *love* cheesecake.)

So thank you for saying exactly what I needed to hear.

(I came over via your post at Shakesville, and I’m very interested in what you have to say, not only about this, but about the War on Obeisity, which never struck me as particularly evil until you made me think about it. Looking forward to more good posts!)

I’m a first-time reader of your blog, and can I just say that I want to hug you and cry? I’ve been struggling with my weight since I was about 12. This post is amazing, as is your post on food and guilt. It makes me feel like I just might be able to eat whatever the hell I want, when I want it… and not feel like a failure as a human being. Such a strange thought; I can eat what I want. Thanks for the hope. :o)

/mushy

“(And all that’s without even getting into the fact that some fat people do have unhealthy lifestyles, but they are still human beings who deserve respect and dignity every bit as much as anyone else. Judging people based on your impression of their health is absolute horseshit any way you slice it.)”

I love food. I’m on Weight Watchers but if I’m at a really nice restaurant, heck yeah I’m going to order the steak and gorgonzola fettucine with walnuts and cheesecake with seasonal fruit like I did last weekend. I’m also going to enjoy my Thanksgiving dinner and I’m going to have whatever I want to eat on my birthday. Food is a big source of pleasure in my life.

“I Am That Girl Now” had a recent post about the issue of perception vs. reality, and the concept in our society that hard work must necessarily lead you to a goal and the fact that you are thin or rich or whatever is evidence that you have worked hard and therefore deserve what you have. I feel like this post and that one complement each other well. To me it’s all about other people feeling like they have the god-given right to decide when I have worked hard enough, when I am eating “properly,” or when I am good enough in general. There is way too much of that in our society.