tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post1164475593305414719..comments2007-08-01T19:23:34.811-04:00jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02700614225224691712noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-71188575455430480792007-08-01T19:23:00.000-04:002007-08-01T19:23:00.000-04:00I can't thank you enough for putting in to words what I attempt to say on a daily basis. Yes, I was one of those WWers who lost a bunch of weight, developed an eating disorder, spiraled in to depression, gained all the weight back, got professional help, learned to respect and love my body, practice positive self-talk, and returned to weight watchers.<BR/><BR/>How in the hell do I balance respecting my body as it is and the desire to lose weight? I don't love the SIZE I am today but I do love WHO I am today. Just because I am on a weight-loss journey does not mean that I am not allowed to cheer for body-positivity. I only want to feel comfortable in my size, I don't want to be a super model. What is so wrong with that?<BR/><BR/>I've added your blog to my google reader and look forward to reading!Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05544196430319547207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-87086097101732005312007-08-01T10:52:00.000-04:002007-08-01T10:52:00.000-04:00Wendy rocks-I love her books. I didn't attend that session, and I would have gotten riled up if I did, that said the whole joint was filled with strong personalities, I guess some of this was bound to happen.<BR/><BR/>I have been in and out of weight watchers for years, my mother was a lifetime member. I gave up on it personally because the meetings get on my nerves, but for those it works for I admire you!<BR/><BR/>I wish I had known there were other diet bloggers there. I was there working for another company, not promoting my weight loss blog<BR/>http://crazydiets.blogger.comDieterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12655892732630518495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-72788974693029204902007-07-17T14:10:00.000-04:002007-07-17T14:10:00.000-04:00I am really looking forward to this discussion -- I won't miss it. I think that there are more points on which Debbie, Laurie, and I probably agree than disagree. And I agree with Erin that there's no reason to start creating factions. I think we're all interested in a wider range of acceptable choices for women, not a narrower one.jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02700614225224691712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-24448728963062681272007-07-17T13:58:00.000-04:002007-07-17T13:58:00.000-04:00<I>I'm interested in your position that "eating disorders have nothing to do with hating oneself," which is not the analysis I'm most familiar with.</I><BR/><BR/>Debbie, I can't answer for Danielle, but I know there's growing evidence to suggest the causes for anorexia are biological. <A HREF="http://harrietbrown.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">Harriet Brown</A> has written a lot of about this on her blog and has spoken out about the tendency to view anorexia as a "control" issue or a metaphor for something else.<BR/><BR/>I don't know if there's any similar evidence in regard to other eating disorders, but it's interesting to consider. And I know it's made me think a little more about the way we construct certain narratives about eating disorders (or just eating or dieting or bodies) that support whatever we happen to believe. Some people think that fat hides a "true self," others think that dieting is an expression of self-hate, and so on; we've all found stories to suit our own agendas...Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14613700579232081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-70587626898795270762007-07-17T12:41:00.000-04:002007-07-17T12:41:00.000-04:00Jen,<BR/><BR/>Thank you! <BR/><BR/>I read the same thread and Laurie's entries and something just got under my skin in the wrong way. Is it really necessary to "divide the camps" and delineate between fat acceptance and weight loss supporters? Improved mental health relating to positive body image seems every bit as relevant as decreased blood pressure, etc.<BR/><BR/>I'm excited to read your review on Elastic Waist...congratulations!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04126016879635761099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-53187437333056495562007-07-17T12:00:00.000-04:002007-07-17T12:00:00.000-04:00Jen and pastaqueen, I do believe it's possible to be fat-positive and a dieter; I just think it's a difficult position. Humans are contradictory beings: there are certainly lots of areas where I hold contradictory beliefs. <BR/><BR/>Samantha, like Laurie I want the panel (which I <I>wish</I> I could be at) to be a broad and inclusive body image conversation, not a narrow diet argument. I'm interested in your position that "eating disorders have nothing to do with hating oneself," which is not the analysis I'm most familiar with. The one point I do want to make is that the automatic connection of "thin = healthy" (and its converse, "fat = unhealthy") is a dangerous one for many reasons, including the ways thin people sometimes don't get the treatment they need for diseases associated with fat.Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02522230556161048822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-27843308341127008452007-07-17T11:55:00.000-04:002007-07-17T11:55:00.000-04:00Laurie can't sign in here from her computer, for completely incomprehensible reasons, so here's her response, followed by mine:<BR/><BR/>I'm hoping that "Our Bodies and Our Blogs" will be a really inclusive body image conversation. There is so much we can talk about - fat/size, aging,ability/disability, color, ³right² facial features, class, children. <BR/><BR/>And of course we'll talk about how all of this affects us as bloggers and what kind of vehicle blogging is for the conversation.<BR/><BR/>As the mother of 2 daughters, I'm particularly appalled by the super photoshopped images of women in the magazines and on the web that teenagers believe are real.<BR/><BR/>It's a big conversation and I'm hoping that lots of folks will participate in it.Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02522230556161048822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-10289474655388137972007-07-16T23:02:00.000-04:002007-07-16T23:02:00.000-04:00When I responded to that commenter on Laurie's blog I think I wound up sounding like I was trying to dismiss the whole matter just by saying I wasn't doing Weight Watchers any more. For me, the issue was more that the person hadn't bothered to check my blog to see what I'd been up to lately. I don't mind talking about Weight Watchers at all or even being associated with it from my book, but I resented the presumption that doing WW means I completely endorse and represent Weight Watchers and have no critical distance from it whatsoever.<BR/><BR/>It's true that I feel a lot differently about WW now, but the philsophy of my blog has always been to just focus on my own choices and to never make assumptions about the intelligence or self-esteem of others based on the things they choose for their own bodies.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14613700579232081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-38670744427831108772007-07-16T04:33:00.000-04:002007-07-16T04:33:00.000-04:00You make some great points... has given me something to think about.Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06233906129791972120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-60182000073081415882007-07-14T19:11:00.000-04:002007-07-14T19:11:00.000-04:00As a member of Weight Watchers I must stand up and say that I do not hate myself...I dislike how I feel at certain weights. Who came up with 'fat-negative'? It's a bunch of hoopla if you ask me. As a professor I lecture from here and beyond about eating disorders...and they have nothing to do with hating oneself..they are a biological disease much like any addiction. I don't believe that Weight Watchers is anything more than an instructive method for those nutritionally challenged individuals (such as myself) to get and stay healthy. I really love this post and have bookmarked it for future reference!! You made some fantastic points. Is it okay if I reference it on my Weight Loss Wednesday post?Danielle B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05774723112272321668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-43540532338985792132007-07-14T18:47:00.000-04:002007-07-14T18:47:00.000-04:00I guess that was the point of my post, Jeanette, whether we can be considered both. I'm not intending to ask the question cynically, and if my post came across that way, Debbie, I didn't mean it to.jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02700614225224691712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-48393375555830472612007-07-14T18:28:00.000-04:002007-07-14T18:28:00.000-04:00Debbie, what if you are fat positive and a dieter? Do you break even?PastaQueenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16472979135701418121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-38254454959912125182007-07-14T17:18:00.000-04:002007-07-14T17:18:00.000-04:00I co-blog with Laurie at <A HREF="http://www.laurietobyedison.com/discuss" REL="nofollow">Body Impolitic</A>.<BR/><BR/>I can assure you that a) every member of BlogHer is welcome at all panels at BlogHer; b) all voices and opinions will be heard and respected; and c) the fat positive voices will be outnumbered by the dieters.Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02522230556161048822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31450272.post-45398231563647817012007-07-14T16:17:00.000-04:002007-07-14T16:17:00.000-04:00I was also quite baffled by that comment about Wendy too! I'm a WW refugee too, hope I'm not refused entry at the panel ;)<BR/><BR/>will look forward to your column!<BR/><BR/>shauna/dietgirlShaunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972771695771196585noreply@blogger.com