Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Pumped to the Gorge

I love a good trash magazine. My mother actually gets Star and The Enquirer because someone gave it to her as a present, so I get to read those when she's done. Anyone who has ever read these magazines knows they love to dish about celebrities bodies. Who is winning the war on fat? Who is losing? Their diet secrets. Their diet woes. I loves it. But, what I don't love are most of the celebrity bodies that are plastered all over these rag mags. They're, to put it mildly, sticks. I hate sticks. I hate no hips. I hate no bust. I hate tooth pick legs. Hate it, hate it, hate it.

Which leads me to this: I actually like my body shape. If I dropped a quick 100 lbs, I'd have a really awesome body shape. Right now, I still have an awesome body shape...it's just pumped to the gorge. If I were thin, I'd still have curves, I'd have really nice legs and hopefully, my boobs would stay as plump as they are. And thinking about that led me to be grateful about my body, because as I see everyday, I could have a body I wasn't so thrilled with, with all the extra fat layered on top.

We all know women have different body types: Pear shaped, Apple Bottom, Upside Down Triangle, etc. The possibilities are endless. It's quite interesting if you look closely. Women with stick legs and huge bellies. Women with small tops and large bottoms. Huge thighs and skinny calves. It makes me wonder.

What type of fat are you? Skinny fat? Fat fat? Pear Fat? Perfect fat? Triangle Fat? Would you rather have a huge ass and a small waist? Trade in good legs for arms you could actually wear a tank top with? Do share!

81 comments:

beebop said...

i agree with this. celebs who get thinner mostly get 'skinny', or 'sickly' and any shape they had is lost, which confuses me, cuz where da heck did it go? lookin at Nicole Richie's body is like lookin at a mild car accident from the passenger side of the car; u crane ya neck all whichaway to see every n any angle while u mumble to others in the car about what u saw.
I'd choose to lose my thighs, and keep the other cool stuff, like the twins, the butt, even the plump calves and round belly. the thighs make it hard for pants to fit right, n that suks.

Laura said...

I LOVE my shape. I am an hourglass. I would just like to lose a little of the extra pudge on my tummy and thighs. (Of course the underarm jiggle goes without saying.) But I have awesome "girls", and the rest of me is just right. A few inches less all over, and I would be 100% satisfied!

FatMom said...

Well, you know...I'm 206 pounds (5'4"), and actually, the only thing about my body that I HATE is my stomach! It's flabby, it hangs down over my pubes, it gets in the way during sex...it's got stretch marks and is just generally gross. Other than that, I love my body. I think it's beautiful. I have had eating disorders of all kinds since age 10 (I'm 36 now), and I can FINALLY say I love my body. It only took 26 years! Great post, McGee!

Stephb0b said...

I’m totally proportionate fat, I’m fat everywhere- nothing is fatter than the other fat. I have a friend that is hour glass fat and I’m totally jealous of it. She probably weighs about 210 right now but it’s all in her butt, thighs and boobs. Her stomach stays completely flat no matter how much weight she gains. GRR! If I could I would transfer all the fat from my arms to my ass so I could wear tank tops. I can sometimes talk myself into wearing one because I convince myself that people know my arms are fat under sleeves, they just can’t see the skin. Then I feel gross and take it off 10 minutes after I put it on.

Regina Rodriguez-Martin said...

I'm thin, but I have an apple shape and there's no changing it no matter what. I hate my stomach. Plus apple-shapes have a higher risk of heart problems than pear-shapes. I hate (HATE) being an apple. (HATE)

Anonymous said...

almost any fat type can still be seen as attractive as long as the girl doesn't have a huge stomach. thicker thighs and arms are more accepted than a fat stomach.

Anonymous said...

I, too wish that I was a proportionate fatty. you guys don't know how lucky you are. I hate when i walk that I can feel my oversized ass bumping around

JUST JEN said...

I used to be fat all over, but carried the bulk of it in my stomach. Now I'm skinny all over except my stomach. 6 feets of hanging hot fat. Not pretty, but all mine. Some day it's getting chopped off.

pinklogican said...

How about just tall? I'd say I'm proportionate and normal body-sized (maybe verging on skinny fat? I'm not sure how skinny you have to be for that), but people are often impressed by my tallness. I've always felt weird about it and it's not like I can lose some height through diet, exercise, or surgery (sigh). I'm not even six feet, too. I think I just look like a tall girl. It's totally a body-size thing, even if it isn't weight.

And before anyone goes off on the supermodels are tall thing, please keep some things in mind:

1. I am not even a candidate for supermodel size. I've got way too much skeleton alone for that, even if I did subsist on wheatgrass juice and cigarettes. (Plus, I totally like my boobs; they rock.)

2. Imagine a life where you virtually never get to dance with, kiss, or just walk around holding hands with a guy who is taller than you. (Okay, some of y'all will probably relate to this one.)

3. It's not as fun as it sounds to get things off the top shelves at grocery stores for short people.

Stephanie said...

Great post.

I'm 5'6", 145 now. I am pretty proportionate, but I have more in my hips and thighs. When I was up at 190, my stomach was where a lot of the weight went, so now that I have lost some (hopefully more to come too), I look pretty proportionate. I think that from my hips to the bottom of my thighs look like a square from the front. I have some pics on my blog from a few months ago if you would like to see.

Anyway. I agree about the sticks. Everyone likes what they like, but I wouldn't want to look like an 11 year old boy!!!

Anonymous said...

no offense to anyone who is tall and fat, but i'm so happy i'm not tall fat. I think that's the worst. there's this girl who works in my office and she's tall fat and she looks like a giant. she's not even that fat but the tallness makes her look fatter than she probably is. sucks for her.

emily pound said...

I'm a very large pear in the hip area. It's the only part of my body I really hate. My boobs are awesome and big, my stomach is fairly flat, my waist fairly small, but my hips and hip fat is gigantic, and my ass isn't exactly small either. Finding presentable jeans has always been a nightmare for me. But what the heck.

T. Comfyshoes said...

I'm a cross between an hourglass and a pear. Until the last 10lb I had a smallish waist, but now it's caught up and I'm just a pear.

I would only change: the pannus drives me nuts, and I wish my inner thighs were slimmer so I wouldn't get chub rub. Other than that, I like my body just fine. The only changes I'm interested in are getting stronger and fitter, so I can kick the @ss of anybody who tells me to lose weight.

Anonymous said...

Apple, damn it. I'm short, broad-shouldered, (I swam loads as a kid), short-waisted, ample-chested and long-legged – and I've despaired of my middle for as long as I can remember, even when there was still a ten inch difference between my bust and waist measurements. I'd love to be a couple of inches longer in the torso and would gladly exchange my flat backside for a flat stomach. But I like my boobs and my shoulders and my legs are pretty good for someone of my advancing years.

It upsets me when regular-sized women, brainwashed by those endless images of stick-thin, prepubescent-looking bodies, waste years of their lives berating themselves for their natural curves, equating a full bosom or a lush behind with being "fat". Fat as I genuinely am, I've never hankered after a boyish figure.

Ada said...

I have really fucking awesome shoulders. Like a sleek football player.

Most of my weight sloshes around my butt and thighs, and there's a weird and tiny little slice of skin? pudge? around the very *bottom* of my belly (under the navel - perfect to tuck into pants).

But I love my waist. It's incredibly defined. And skinny calves ankles.

For an Asian woman, I'm chunky, but I'm a size 6 in America.

Donna said...

I'm like a candy-apple: Big round on top with stix for legs.

I'm with you though... I do have nice legs!

Donna

Anonymous said...

Even if you lose weight slowly and "naturally", you body type is probably not going to be the same. Everyone always told me I had a large frame, wide shoulders, etc. I had legs that seemed like they couldn't possibly ever be spindly. Well here I am. I have chicken legs. I have chicken arms. My wrists are tiny. My hands are so small I have to buy a kid's size baseball glove. I've lost 2 shoe sizes. My body is nothing at all like a "skinnier version" of what I was fat. Fat sits on your body weird! You can't count on keeping the same shape. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Anonymous said...

dani:
no one cares what you have to say. I come to this site often and everytime i read one of your comments it's either negative or just makes me want to stop reading this blog.

great that you lost weight. no one cares though

Ada said...

Perhaps that's due to genetics, and the individual makeup of a person.

Anonymous said...

I'm a slightly weird shape. I have big thighs--but that's about it. My butt isn't even big! My hips can be big when I put on weight, but I seriously think it's just my thighs engulfing my hips or something.

For my perfect body I would like slighly bigger boobs (from a B to a C please!) and a bigger (and tighter) butt. And smaller thighs.

I'm basically a skinny hourglass, but with a little more sand on the bottom. I have a little waist until I reach around my high weight (was close to 200) when I start storing everything in the belly.

I'm just weird I guess.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anonymous at 5:00 PM ...

You sound very angry.

Get a life.

I care what she has to say!

This site isn't about negativity!

Anonymous said...

This site isn't about negativity!

Maybe you should try persuading some of Tucker Max's pals to think likewise.

Dani, I find it's a combination of life and genetics that shapes the way fat sits on the body. For instance, as a youngpuff, I had no discernable hips or calves. But 20+ years of hefting heavy portfolios around town in practical footwear has given me calves like a football player. (Eric Cantona, to be precise). Ain't no way those mofos are ever going to be slight again; we're talking solid muscle.

I've never been able to work out what kind of a frame I have. My swimmer's shoulders would be broad no matter what I weighed - but I too have tiny hands, slender wrists and ankles and, (unlike anyone else in my family), long, extremely narrow feet. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

I've never quite understood the modelling industry's obsession with women that look like pre-pubescent boys - i have this theory that it's because the fashion designers that started the trend are gay and a bit paedophilic, but that's probably rubbish. Anyways - personally i'd much prefer to date a girl with a few identifiably feminine curves (having hips is not a bad thing!) - think fertility goddess kind of thing. Plus curvy women almost invariably have better... erm... twins - no need for silicone there :-)
Dave

Anonymous said...

I read an article discussing another article (never bothered to read that one, though) where a fashion industry exec. was interviewed. One of the questions asked rwas why models had to be "prepubescent boy" skinny. They claimed that the reason was that body types like that act like human clothes hangers. They display the clothes and fabrics and all of that better without the interuption of, you know, 'human features.' *eye roll*

I'm a bit like an hourglass/apple shape (thank the PCOS for that), 44-32-41 with fairly large shoulders, and strikingly large and really long thighs in comparison to my tiny litte calves (which are oddly toned, I don't think I do much to tone them specifically). I guess that would all sound fine if I wasn't only 5'1", heh.

If anything, I would just like my ass/boob measurements to be even. It makes me feel like a have a flat ass, especially since my best friend is a complete pear. Also, maybe make my shoulders a little less wide. Other than that, I think I'm happy.

K said...

I'm an hourglass with maybe a bit more sand in the bottom half. I've always been a variation on this shape since puberty hit.

My torso is actually fairly slender, and my waist is small, but I have a big bum and quite a lot of squish in my thighs and upper arms. I recently lost 20 pounds and it all came off my torso as far as I can see, leaving my breasts, legs and arms virtually unchanged. It's evidently true that your worst bits are immovable. It also means I never know what size I am, because whether clothes fit me depends totally on the cut.

I think it is easier in some ways to find flattering clothes if you have a thick torso but slimmer arms and legs - you can wear sleeveless tops and shorter skirts, which I can't - but I don't think I would swap, exactly. So long as I choose clothes that hide my legs and arms and accentuate my waist (wrap dresses!) friends tend to underestimate my dress size and how much I weigh. I wish my breasts were smaller, though. It's hard to find tops that aren't either frumpy or trashy.

Anonymous said...

Well I am definitely one of those un-sexy, un-feminine body types. I'm 5"4, 115 lbs and a size 4, with a very boyish shape not at all delicate - broad shoulders, sinewy arms, skinny chest, modest bust, wide waist, flat toned stomach, straight hips, flat butt. I store all my weight in my lower back and thighs, so in profile I look very thin.

Anonymous said...

At 260 I was a real apple and now at like 190 I'm waaaaay more pear shaped. I've always been a big girl with small boobs (while my sister was the thin girl with big boobs - she had to get both didn't she?) and thankfully my breasts didn't get any smaller with the weight loss. I lost a bunch of belly and upper arm and some of my enormous ass and thighs and hips.

Basically, I carry my weight in my ass, hips and thighs. I'd reckon that in that foot and a half area of my body I carry half my weight. And because of my oddly shaped body I'm a different size in everything. At the gap I'd be a 16 in jeans, 14 in a skirt or pants and a 12 in tops.

I like my big ass though, as do others. And I think (b/c I"ve been told) that my proportions make me appear like 20 pounds less than what I actually weigh. Don't get me wrong though, I would LOVE a nice pair of the girls.

Annette said...

I am getting there. I have started on a weight loss program and slowly my shape is changing (tummy is getting smaller and I get a waist!!). It took some time for my weight to change.

Overall I am more and more happier with my body!!
http://weight-loss-louis.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I am apple shaped. It sucks. I desire an actual waist. Some breasts would be nice too

Anonymous said...

My Dad once told me that the reason fashion types want girls to look like men is because most of the designers are gay men themselves, therefore men are the approved of astetic. I don't know if this is true. But it made me laugh my ass off.

Anonymous said...

I'm the exact opposite of Exangelina. I'm very Angelina Jolie coming towards you, apparently, but more Missy Elliott (in daily jogging mode) in profile and on down the street -- the badonkadonk tends to be on vivid display.

I don't mind the shape, although I seem to be the only woman on either side of the family who got B cups instead of C or above (but that means I can just slap on the sports bra and go work out, as opposed to some of the contortions I've seen my cousins and mom go through).

And now, a small whine.

Didja notice? Even though a lot of these comments are much more celebratory, we're still focused on the body. IMHO, perhaps even overfocused. Don't we talk elsewhere here about what a problem that is in our "Amurrican kulcha"?

Not to be a total buzz-kill, but can we work on crafts/play Frisbee without obsessing over how many calories it will burn/go to the library now, please? In flats?

(And before someone directs me to the principal focus of the blog, I *do* play here lots. I'm just sayin'.)

Anonymous said...

I'm jealous of those of you who don't get stretch marks. Damn genetics. My poor skin! I am a size 16/14 depending on the pant/skirt (ultralow waist can bite me!), and I really don't want to be any smaller because I'll be approaching that sick thin stage. I hate sick thin. Star Jones looks sick thin. Ick. I guess it makes me weird that I want to stay what a lot of places consider "plus size"?

Oh and whoever told me to shut it can bite me. I share my experiences because I know how painful what these girls go through. I was, and probably still am considered fat for 10+ years of my life.

Anonymous said...

No matter how friggin' fat I get, none of the extra weight goes to my little nubbin' of a weiner. How unfair is that!!!

Anonymous said...

In my life I've been fat (255 lbs age 18), I've been thin (127.5 lbs age 19, that lasted 1 day), I've been really fat (280 lbs age 40) and now I'm not so fat (215 lbs, age 45). I'm 5'9''

Through all those changes, I've had the same shape, which is sort of cylindrical - bust, waist, hips, and butt all the same measurement. I find most clothes are made for women with an actual figure, my pants are always baggy in the butt and thighs. If there was anything I'd change it would be my gut - just a couple inches off and it would be a lot easier to get nice fitting clothes. Oh, and the turkey wattle hanging from the upper arms.

Nevertheless, I like my body. I'm strong and healthy. I'm a gym rat because I like to exercize. I can lift more weight than most of the women and a lot of the guys, and I'm usually the only person on the stair machine while those skinny minies are taking it easy on the bike or the eliptical (not that there's anything wrong with that). My body has nurtured a son, and fat or not-so-fat, my husband and I have great sex.

In my experience as a gym rat, thin women are always obsessing about their bodies. We fat women at the gym go because we want to feel good, the skinnies go because they want to look good - but they're never satisfied.

Lemaloon

T. Comfyshoes said...

"In my experience as a gym rat, thin women are always obsessing about their bodies. We fat women at the gym go because we want to feel good, the skinnies go because they want to look good - but they're never satisfied."

Yes!

And the skinny ones are hiding in their towels and showering at home, while us fatties (and grannies of all sizes) are happily wandering around naked in the change room.

Anonymous said...

Beth, where do you see this blogged described as a positive one? Emily and Lindsey have said over and over how it is not all positive.

Also, she's talking about girls in magazines/actresses. NOT YOU.

you sound crazy and defensive

Anonymous said...

... Goodbye ...

Anonymous said...

Well, I`m a teenage guy, and pretty fat. I`m 255 pounds, and at my highest I was 304. I`m shaped more like a girl than a guy. I have C cup boobs, and a double belly, where most of my fat is. It`s that look where you have a crease where your belly button WOULD be, but instead the fat folds over and you get 2 big rolls. I also have thick thighs. When I got smaller, I pretty much stayed the same shape, I lost mainly my back rolls and my face got thinner. My stomach or rolls or whatever you call them, hasn`t changed a whole lot, still the same shape.

Anonymous said...

I like what I like when I see and feel and taste it. Sometimes it's a nuance thing; a little something grown a little large. Sometimes (I confess) a small lady has a feature or two that moves (move) me.

Mostly though, alone and me, I wish for a girl with a plump bottom and belly and (hey, give me this dream) breasts plump and riding high. I hope she's out there and cool and cute and funny and smart and I certainly hope she loves me too.

What can I say? I am me and I am quite discerning. I hope she is, too.

Anonymous said...

Mikey, get your arse on a plane and come be my toy-boy in London, you sweet thang, you!

And Beth, just in case you are still lurking and in response to your question, "it's okay if I describe someone famous and big as fat and gross? That's cool because they're famous? I can say that I hate fat rolls and huge tits and double chins, as long as I'm talking about famous people?". No, of course it isn't okay. It's rude, it's damaging to self-esteem and it makes for a vicious, insecure society. It's also what the media do every single day: "so-and-so's-too-skinny and looks like crap in that dress", "so-and-so's gained half an ounce and is a landwhale" ad lib, ad infinitum, ad frigging nauseam. Abusing the famous, (who are rarely fat in any case), and encouraging others to bitch about them is sold as a way of making women feel better about themselves. ("hey, Cameron Diaz has zits just like me!"); in reality it's proven a very effective way of making every woman feel bad about herself.

But - and here's the rub - it makes fat women feel the worst of all, because we are the thing those self-elected style mavens and pseudo-health experts constantly passing judgement on and finding sorely lacking. We are the thing that every woman is actively encouraged to fear she will become. Beyond fear, we're actually there, on the other side.

And when we're not being criticised by arbiters of style, we're being ostracised by them. You could not name me a single magazine aimed at women under 70 which features plus-sized clothing and models integrated, as a matter of course, in every issue, let alone every fashion feature they run - despite the fact we make up an enormous, (no pun intended), sector of society. I don't hate you or your slender pins, but if you are slender all over, you haven't the faintest notion what it does to a fat woman's subconscious to walk around a mall with money to burn, knowing the vast majority of the shops consider her money to be of less value to them than a thinner person's.

Imagine, if you will, that Lane Bryant actually made covetable clothes out of glorious fabrics that made your mouth water and your body yearn to strut its stuff in them. (Yeah, I know, it's a long haul but work with me here). Now imagine you had to hang out there on a regular basis while your chic fat friend tried on an endless stream of enviable funky attire in the knowledge that, while some of those clothes might be out of her price-range or flatter her body shape less than others, every single garment in that shop will be available in her size. Now multiply that by hundreds. Every shop caters to her size. And why shouldn't they? Doesn't every fashion rag tell her it's her right as a woman to be able to express her individuality through her clothes? Feeling testy are you, that the only thing you can buy in most of the stores she drags you into is a pair of earrings? Feeling a little resentful of that (frankly, arbitrary) entitlement? Want to lash out at...well... somebody for the constant reminder you are worthless, unwelcome and somehow lower the tone of these blinkered establishments, do you? Live in a world where bitching about people on the basis of their appearance is encouraged? Well then, go ahead, slag off those smug skinny bitches whose images are constantly used to put you in your place. After all, you're only human...

I'm not saying it's right. But you have to understand where it comes from, Beth. I haven't even touched on the pure, seething, all-consuming hatred focused on fat people by some of the public at large. If you want to see why some of us are crazy and defensive, check out the craigslist or Tucker Max threads and marvel at the fact any of us have any self-esteem left at all. If you want to see how fucked up society makes us feel about our bodies check out some of Christi Nielsen's art or Flabby Sassy Jen's manifesto, "I wish I could cut off my fat. I'd package it in 10# bags and stand on the street corner shouting, "Hot fat for sale! Hot fat for sale!" " (Sorry, Jen. Your blog's highly entertaining - but when I first read that, it made me shudder and hug my own fat protectively).

But above all, realise that when someone whose arse bumps the back of her knees is expected to believe that JLo's is the last word in enormous, she's going to going to feel a little agrieved. And, if she does, you can't blame her from lifting the lid on all that pressure in the company of her fat peers.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...
well, i've been really fat and really thin, and love to shop, and it's never been THAT bad.

Anonymous said...

Off-topic, BUT...

Emily and/or Lindsay, did either of you watch Monique's Miss F.A.T. pageant? I am DYYYYYYYING to hear what you thought. I thoroughly enjoyed it but secretly wished it had more pageant-y stuff (talent competition, long-form "I support world peace" speeches, etc).

Anonymous said...

...well, i've been really fat and really thin, and love to shop, and it's never been THAT bad.

I suspect that's because you don't shop in the UK, Anon. I too love to shop...in America. Trust me, if you want precisely the experience I describe, try walking the entire length of London's Oxford Street, an alleged world class shopping experience. There are two - count 'em - dedicated plus-size shops and a grudging handful of concessions, (please note, we're talking 2 or 3 racks at best not a bona fide department, never mind an entire floor), in a few of our larger department stores. Liberty's for example, have never sold plus-sizes, while Selfridges shut down their big gals' department when they had a trendy re-fit. (Please see my previous statement about fat shoppers lowering the tone of the establishment). We used to have one solitary Liz Claiborne shop on Regent Street, which had a modest Elisabeth department. Liz Claiborne has ceased trading in the UK altogether. Other American chains, such as Talbots and Orvis, which offer some plus-sizes in the US, don't offer them in the UK.

The ubiquitous chains which fill every shopping mall in the British Isles stop at a US size 16, if you're lucky. Marks & Spencers and Monsoon go up to an 18 or 20, but only in selected items - and you can never get your hands on any of them because some other desperate fat bird pounced on the worm while you were still schlepping your arse across town in the forlorn hope of finding something that might a) fit and b) not make you look repulsive.

The alternative is to lurk in T.K. Maxx, (as T.J.Maxx calls itself over here), praying you might stumble upon some Elisabeth overstock...or to patronise one of our (equally) few upmarket plus-size boutiques, where you can look forward to paying literally three times the amount as your slender counterpart does for something which will still be made of effing polyester.

Not that the woeful lack of plus-sized clothes in my benighted country in any way drives me completely insane.

Anonymous said...

Hourglass here, with an extra long torso and short legs -- and yet, I think I could probably tolerate my present weight (238 at 5'7") if it didn't mess with my face so much. You know how some fat girls get good distribution of fat on their faces, and still look pretty? I'm not one of them, unfortunately. My former thin face, while not super model material or anything, was reasonably, possibly slightly above-average attractive. Reflecting on these 10 years of my slow but steady weight gain however, the photographic evidence demostrates that the fat on my face has only served to distort and bloat my features. My cheekbones, not that prominant to begin with, are now buried, and my jawline has become very indistinct -- with my chin receding into my jowls. My smallish eyes, now look simply teeny. I do not recognize my squashy smile. Yeah. If I could just have my old face back -- I think I could live with my present body, despite all the excess poundage....

Anonymous said...

Never mind a boy, I resemble a man! I'm fairly broad all over, wide feet and just generally pretty chunky. It doesn't help that I'm about 5ft 8 and hang round with hobbit-sized people. I'm a UK size 12 with no chest (try a 34a- its tricky finding bras that are wide enough)and manly calves- this is the clincher in the manliness- my two friends sunbathed topless on holiday, I didn't because I was so sure someone would see me, think (or worse, say) "whats that guy in girly bottoms doing with those two girls... oh wait"... Having said all this, I don't mind my shape as much; ok, I might not be well endowed but I can wear halter necks and stuff without bras, and I'll have to accept its manliness. My Mums body is similar- one upside is that she carried her weight really well when she was overweight (though never got huge boobs, shame). I used to have a thing about my hair- I wanted to change its colour- but now I think its pretty funky and individual. If I put a bit of effort in, I can probably work my way round to thinking the same about my body.

Anonymous said...

how about NOT FAT? I eat moderately, work out for an hour a day, and I'm in "thin shape" w/ boobs, hips, and muscle.

Anonymous said...

I just pass this along as a view from the other side... and as a thanks for the flattery to buffpuff; madam, you are much too sweet. Having said that, I'm still chuckling over "self-opinionated oik" and London, while not in my itinerary, is not out of it:-) Thanks, bp.

I don't know if this will help anyone because I am certainly not a normal person, much less what anyone expects of a straight man, but I really do like fat women. I'm pretty normal looking, I guess; no one ever bothers with the gazes I send toward any cute chubby women who pass by. I'm not a small man, though- 6 foot, 190 pounds- so maybe it's all relative.

All I can tell you is this: I once weighed 240 pounds. Not too big. Especially for a man, I'll grant you. But I hated every minute I spent thinking of it.

Thing is, the people who loved me loved me then, too.

So I guess my message is: accept love when it's real, where you find it, and don't assume that just because it seems unlikely that it is impossible. However big your thighs, somebody probably loves them right now. Failing that, almost certainly somebody will.

That's all... Anybody know the way to Heathrow? :-)

Anonymous said...

"how about NOT FAT? I eat moderately, work out for an hour a day, I am also bigot, blah blah blah…"

Oh god, here we go again.

First off, let me get this out of the way. Are you a Tucker Maxian? If so, please ignore the following text as your tiny brain will be too small to actually comprehend it.

On to the good stuff! Why are you even here? For Christ's sake, the name of the site is FATTY MCBLOG. If you have a hate of fat people (apparent, from the "how about NOT FAT?" thing) why are you on a site about the lives of two overweight women? It just doesn't make sense.

Secondly, the "I work out, eat moderately, have my thumb up my ass, yadda yadda" was really not needed. Everyone here knows that if we were to dedicate half of our personal time to exercising we would lose weight. Fact. Now, try to wrap your itty-bitty brain around this: Some people DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR IT. I can't speak for anyone else on this blog, but I sure as hell don't. I'm an artist, and quite a dedicated one at that. Some of my works can take upwards of twelve hours to complete and I'm ALWAYS drawing. I'm not going to put down my pens and pencils and tablet to go jog a mile when I'd much rather start coloring that line art I was cleaning up for the last three hours. You understand? I don't find enjoyment heavy exercising, so why should I have to give a damn about it? All it would do would make some tight-assed bigot, you included, happy. And sweetie, the people who actually matter to me aren’t tight-assed bigots.

On to the diet thing- yes, I am fully aware of the 'don't eat sweets, don't eat carbs, don't enjoyment eating whatsoever...' dieting spiel. To which I firmly reply, "Not for me." No, I don't eat fast food or take-out every goddamn day, stop assuming that you twit. I am a "happy eater" if you wanted to put a label on it. I come from a big Italian family, with the family get-togethers with plates overflowing with homemade food and all of that jazz. When I'm in a good mood, I enjoy eating. But I don't eat crap food, understand? Nor do I eat until I need my stomach pumped! And for those of you who are about to jump in and say, 'Well, you probably eat way too many snacks!'- Yes, I do snack. On carrots.

And finally, what makes you think your toned body is so much more covetable then my squishy one? Personally, I find abs on women repulsive. Why do you think it's so hard for women to gain muscle mass? They have low testosterone levels in comparison to men. We're women, for Christ’s sake, NOT MEN! God damn it, I am sick and tired of people referring to muscularity on women as sexy. To me, it's anything but.

End rant.

Anonymous said...

Curvy women are sexy. Strong women are sexy. The curvier and stronger, the more sexy.

Why the media pushes the un-curvy (other than breasts; they seem to wish breasts upon us all) and un-strong escapes me; I am out here longing for a woman with everything the media tells me I shouldn't hope for. Which can only mean one thing to someone so self-centered as me: the media are wrong. To hell with the media; be yourself.

And please, if you are a woman, don't go too crazy trying for those six-pack abs; I may be crazy but I find those disturbing; a nice soft belly is much preferable. Not that I could ever explain why...

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure it isn't healthy to be THAT bitter, Oh. I don't think, even at my HIGHEST weight, I was ever that bitter.

I know this has been brought up before, but seriously, why is it that if anyone says, "Wow, I think fat is digusting" everyone is so offended, but "I find abs on women repulsive" is perfectly OK? Hipocracy at its best! I think I'm better off just not reading the comments here.

Anonymous said...

She stated her opinion on how she's so much better then the majority of people because she's not fat, I responded with my opinion on how I'm better than her because I don't have a six-pack.

Opinions, opinions.

Anonymous said...

why is it that if anyone says, "Wow, I think fat is digusting" everyone is so offended, but "I find abs on women repulsive" is perfectly OK?

Um, Dani - did you bother to read what I wrote at all? Personally, I wish I'd had my eyes as wide open as Oh's when I was her age. It would have saved me years of dieting and self-loathing. Frankly, Anonymous who pontificated, "almost any fat type can still be seen as attractive as long as the girl doesn't have a huge stomach. Thicker thighs and arms are more accepted than a fat stomach" pissed me off a great deal more, not least since the question posed was "what kind of fat are you?" not "what kind of fat do you find sexually attractive?"

This response also got me thinking about why it is particular individuals are drawn to this site. Personally, although I like to offer a self-acceptance viewpoint when the tone is overly negative, I can still relate to those who feel ambivalent towards their fat - especially given the current cultural climate. While it would appear the majority of posters empathise with Lindsey and Emily - as well as many others who post here – it seems there's also a sizeable faction who come here for no other reason but to make themselves feel good at our collective expense. NOT FAT is simply another health obsessive, (which is to say she's obsessed with our collective health, as she perceives it), trying to infuse us with her missionary zeal by bragging.

Anonymous said...

buffpuff, read the Poor Princess Jasmine thread, in it oh said: "I'm just here to troll, if you haven't figured that out already."

Oh is just a self professed troll out to stir up shit. Just leave (him? her? it?) alone and hopefully it'll go away.

Anonymous said...

I was just loving my not fat body - what, are you all afraid of normal sizes who love themselves and find time to get to the gym because they like being able to go for a jog or ride bikes? Ya'll are talking about how awesome your fat bodies are... is this site anti-people who find the time and appreciate a slim, fit figure? If nothing else than because it's fun to be able to wear clothing from stores other than the ones that cater to plus sizes? And not be at risk for diabetes and high blood pressure?

Anonymous said...

Me personally, am just glad to be free from the constant obsession about my body. I don't count calories, I don't freak out when the needle on the scale moves a little bit, I don't get up at the crack of dawn to run mindlessly on the treadmill. Yes, I could stand to lose about 20 lbs. However, I am a lot more healthy (emotionally, physically, etc) now than I was when I was constantly fighting to keep my body to what society considers acceptable. They don't consider me normal....well, I don't consider a size 0-4 normal!

And I certainly have no problem finding guys to appreciate the curves!

Anonymous said...

heather, you might want to check out the other thread where she threatened to report someone for child molestation because he sarcastically called her "princess".

And again, he/she/it has basically come out and said that she's "just here to troll", so that would be a very good indication of how sincere she is. Apparently you are one of us who, according to her, has not "figured it out already".

Begone, TR-OH-LL!

Anonymous said...

I was just loving my not fat body - what, are you all afraid of normal sizes who love themselves and find time to get to the gym because they like being able to go for a jog or ride bikes?

Er...no. I'm just wondering why one would consider Fatty McBlogg an appropriate place to love her not fat body.

Ya'll are talking about how awesome your fat bodies are...

Oh really?

6 feets of hanging hot fat. Not pretty, but all mine. Some day it's getting chopped off

I HATE...my stomach! It's flabby, it hangs down over my pubes, it gets in the way during sex...it's got stretch marks and is just generally gross.

I'm a very large pear in the hip area. It's the only part of my body I really hate.

I hate (HATE) being an apple. (HATE)

I wish my breasts were smaller, though. It's hard to find tops that aren't either frumpy or trashy.

I am apple shaped. It sucks. I desire an actual waist. Some breasts would be nice too

Oh, and the turkey wattle hanging from the upper arms

Yep, you can just feel the luuurve some of us have for our awesome bodies.

is this site anti-people who find the time and appreciate a slim, fit figure?

Why? Are you running low on sites which reinforce your own sense of self-worth?

If nothing else than because it's fun to be able to wear clothing from stores other than the ones that cater to plus sizes?

Yes, it must be. Almost as much fun as it is to rub our noses in the fact we can't, I imagine.

And not be at risk for diabetes and high blood pressure?

Both of which can - and do - happen to thin people on a regular ongoing basis.

I know you might find this a little hard to believe, Not Fat, but individually, most of us – particularly those of us who have dieted for any length of time – probably know a great deal more about nutrition than you do. Most of us, having been subject to lectures from our own doctors, certainly know more about the health risks of being fat than you do. What's more some of us even eat healthily and exercise, (please refer to gym rat confessions above). So just save yourself the bother and can the bloody health lecture, okay?

Anonymous said...

I actually have seen a nutritionist due to my participation in weight-class sports. Plus, I took courses in college. So, I doubt that my nutritional knowledge (or lack thereof) is really the reason that the surgeon general has linked obesity to added risk of diabetes and hypertension.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone on this blog site realize that not every anonimous post is by the same person? dumb heffers.

Anonymous said...

I doubt that my nutritional knowledge (or lack thereof) is really the reason that the surgeon general has linked obesity to added risk of diabetes and hypertension

I don't recall saying it was.

What I said is there's no shortage of information regarding fat, nutrution and/or health. Using bogus concern for somebody's health as justification to bully, taunt or patronise them is commonplace. It also fools no one save the fool hurling the insults.

Anonymous said...

"heather, you might want to check out the other thread where she threatened to report someone for child molestation because he sarcastically called her "princess"."

Yes, hon, I know identify and use sarcasm too. Learn to do so as well when you read it.

"And again, he/she/it has basically come out and said that she's "just here to troll", so that would be a very good indication of how sincere she is. Apparently you are one of us who, according to her, has not "figured it out already".

Begone, TR-OH-LL!"

You've never heard of the term "fight fire with fire," have you? Yes, I can be a troll - to the vicious trolls at Tucker Max and elsewhere. Bugger off.

Anonymous said...

Skinny fat; no one believes I weigh as much as I do. I had a weird sense of pride when I hit the 200 pound mark. (I'm lost some since then.) Other than that I'm pear-shaped, with size 16 hips and a medium sized top. Oh, and a tiny head.

Although I'm not particularly happy with the fatness of my body, I would happily stay this way if I could have surgery to correct my lazy eye and afford some dental work. I could deal with being fat if I wasn't also deformed.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, tr-oh-ll, but anyone reading the other thread will realize that you weren't "fighting fire with fire". Let's take another look at your post, I'll put it in bold too.. yay..

oh said: "I'm just here to troll, if you haven't figured that out already."

Now criticize my comprehension skills, but that makes it sound like your SOLE purpose here is to pretend to be some enlightened 13 year old, when in reality you are probably a 50 year old plumber who spends more on Rogaine than deodorant any given week.

Again, begone TR-OH-LL!!

Anonymous said...

Jeez, anon, whay have you got such a bug up your arse about Oh?

Kate217 said...

OY!!!

I'm the Sta-Puft Marshmallow man in a dress, except that I have extremely muscular calves.

ANONYMOUS 9:50: One definition of troll is "to wander about; ramble," so saying that she's here "to troll" doesn't necessarily mean that OH is here to be a troll. If one is trash talking about reading comprehension, it's best to heed one's own advice.

NOT FAT: Yes doctors have linked type II diabetes with obesity, but have not proved a causal relationship. As far as they know, whatever causes the diabetes also causes the obesity. There are dozens of stories that make this point, but to make it easy for you, here's one that I know of: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?SID=mail&articleID=000E5065-2345-128A-9E1583414B7F0000&chanID=sa006 - The Those Confounded Diseases and Obesity's Catch-22 sections are particularly interesting. Not that I believe for a moment you'll give the article any credence, but it's worth a shot. It cites the medical studies that prove it points.

ANONYMOUS WHATEVER-TIME-IT WAS: A size 0 to 4 is perfectly normal, healthy, and beautiful, for a woman born with that bone structure and muscle distribution. Let's not be hypocrites. What is not healthy or, in my admittedly-biased opinion, is for a woman with a size 6 to 8 build to starve and exercise herself into a size 0 to 4 body.

ANONYMOUS 6:56 PM: We're perfectly aware that there are many people who are either too cowardly or too lazy to take the extra few seconds to create an identifier and who all post as "Anonymous." We can also spell both "anonymous" and "heifers."

MIKEY: If Heathrow is too far, how about Reagan National, Dulles, or Baltimore/Washington? I'm not as witty as BuffPuff, but I may be closer. ;-)

BUFF: You're welcome to crash with me and the poopinators any time you want to come shop in the US. I live close to a Lane Bryant and a Kohl's with a plus department. Rumor has it that there's an Elisabeth in Rockville. We could go find it together.

Anonymous said...

Ew, I hope you're kidding about inviting Mike to visit you. How desperate.

Anonymous said...

Since when, Anonymous, does a little flirtatious banter with an appreciative stranger constitute desperation?

Anonymous said...

Is that all we have, Buffpuff? Nothing but flirtatious banter? Do you mean to tell me that our comments were all in appreciative fun? Ew! :-)

Anonymous said...

It constitutes desperation if she actually meets him.

Anonymous said...

ANON 2:57- Buffpuff and I actually met 12 years ago in, of all places, Tennessee... we were pretty much just friends (we had a couple in common) and we "did" Beale Street and hung out for a few days there...Good times.

We hung with Jerry Lee Lewis one night though I have no clue why Buff likes him so much... but who questions these things amidst such beauty?

(YEAH: BUFF'S, not JLL's)

She and I found common ground in music; we swam where Jeff Buckley died and lived to tell; we met Alex F-in Chilton; we somehow, beyond at least MY wildest imagination, met Sam Phillips (the Sun Records boss, not the singer) (Sam could sing, for the record) and said hi. BP complimented his big head of red hair; I kinda dug his sneakers but didn't let on, being, uh, me.

Anyway, I had to come clean. What can I say, anon? It was (and is) good times. Call me an oik if you must, Buffpuff, but call me. :-)

Anonymous said...

Any time, Mikey ;-D

Ah, those hot Southern nights...

And, damn, do you know I'd forgotten all about Alex Chilton!

FunnyBits said...

I have to admit that while I love this site, this particular post and the comments that followed have disturbed me...Part of that is because I am not happy with my body...i wasn't happy with it when i lost 200 lbs, i wasn't happy with it when i gained 200 lbs...i'm not happy with it and never have been...its important to love your body but i imagine that will be a lifelong lesson for me.

to hear you all describe your bodies in such a positive light makes feel jealous of you. i wish i had that much confidence in my body...truth is..when you lose over 100 lbs, the result is lose skin...the twins, as you call them, reduce themselves to empty sacks, and the nice butt or whatever turns into a loose skin factory...that is the truth of the matter...so i have never been released from the body hatred hell..

and to the guy who loves girls with plump asses and all that...that's great..but i think you might be thinking of some anime character that has been drawn, cuz along with the plump ass and big boobs comes cellulite and other things...its important to tell the truth about this...

i still love all you guys, i just wish i could be like you.

cheers,
michele

Anonymous said...

michele- "cellulite and other things" are completely acceptable and often enjoyable.

Life ain't all rain clouds...though I like them, too.

Unknown said...

Just found this blog and I think it's fun. Really like this discussion, too. Even people who do want to lose weight should try to find stuff to like about their bodies now -- it makes it easier to do things that are nurturing and in your best interest.

Maybe I'm just too much of a Pollyanna, but I think that everyone's body has some good features that can be appreciated and celebrated.

Kate217 said...

Desperate, schmesperate...

Do you really think that it's more desperate than meeting someone in a bar, at a football game, or at the theater? You meet, you talk, you like one another, you try face-to-face interaction. If it doesn't work, so be it.

I have met several of my online friends, both men and women. I spent a week in Seattle (my childhood home) with half a dozen people I met on a bulletin board, even sharing a hotel room with two of them. I took one of that group on a cruise with me (neither of us is a lesbian, but we both love music - see www.therockboat.com). I went to the wedding of one and was invited to be in the wedding party of another. We share good news and cry on each other's shoulders. In short, we're friends. What's so "desperate" about spending time with friends?

If I had the cash, I'd fly to meet BuffPuff in a heartbeat, even if I didn't love the UK.

Anonymous said...

What my pal Kate just said!

One of my friends met his best mate on a bulletin board about 15 years ago – they subsequently met in person at a party, only to discover they lived just around the corner from each other; another met her husband on the net, (she's American, he's British and she now lives in the UK). Similarly I have another US-based friend with whom I've been in regular e-correspondence for over 3 years - I love her to bits, (in the non-biblical sense), we've pulled each other out of more sloughs of despond than enough and we definitely know each other better than some of the friends in our immediate social circles do. If it wasn't for the wonders of modern technology we'd never have met and our lives would have been the poorer for it.

Viva the web!

Anonymous said...

Kate: immense apologies for my obvious transgressions and/or stupidity. I'm new to this blog thing and have (had?) yet to realize that you'd best follow the thread back a ways before you assume who said what.

Having said that (and days or weeks late I'm sure) I must say this: it's hard to rely on my good intentions. And so on and so forth...

Not that I'm sure of much:-)

Kate217 said...

Mikey, I'm positive that I'm not blind, but if I had any clue as to what you consider a "transgression," I'm sure that I would forgive you.

Anonymous said...

Kate, I thought I might have answered a post of yours as though Buffpuff had sent it.

Not that it would change anything; I said what I thought. Still, a gentleman tries to get these things right. And, the occasional f-bomb aside, I'm a gentleman. And a warrior. And a worrier sometimes, too. I'm complex:-)

Anyway, Kate: I meant NO insult even if the only one who even perceived the possibility of such was me. What can I say?

I'll crank "Good Intentions" for an hour for penance. Of course I wanted to hear some Toad anyway:-)

Anonymous said...

Don't know how I avoided mentioning this 'til now but I feel the need.

So, without going into the details of the F-bomb (which I hate myself for resorting to and am working on), it contains neither A nor T.

Again: just to clear up what everybody already knew.

Anonymous said...

I'm 100 pounds (and 5''1) but i have huge thighs, but a bony neck and arms and everything else. Sometimes i think it would just be easier to be fat because then my thighs wouldnt look so out of proportion.