The new ABC Family show “Huge” premiered last night at 9/8central.

I haven’t read any reviews yet, nor have I even talked to anyone about this show because I wanted to watch it and let it soak in before talking/reading about it.

I can honestly say that so far (one episode mind you), I love it!
From the official site: Huge, based on author Sasha Paley’s book of the same name from Alloy Entertainment, is being developed by Winnie Holzman (Wicked, My So-Called Life, Once & Again) and daughter Savannah Dooley.
Promising, no? Look, I’m a death fattie now, but as a kid I was a string bean. I always felt weird around “pretty” girls and when I had to go to summer camp (Catholic/Charitable one at that because I was so poor) I loathed the idea of bunking with strangers, outdoors and away from the few comforts that home provided. “Huge” brought  back those memories and feeling from my own childhood.While this show takes place at a fat camp, I was so overwhelmingly pleased to see the main character “Will” played by Nikki Blonsky, stand up for herself and fight the powers that be. When she said, “I think that inside of me there’s an even fatter girl waiting to get out.” and then annouced her goal of gaining weight while at this weight-loss focused camp? Well, I just about lost it! I mean, I squealed a bit and then laughed and then couldn’t stop smiling. I’m not sure how I feel about the counselor character yet because she just seemed to walk around with a sad face. You want to believe she wants to help these fats, but I get a feeling that’s not her true ambition there. Just sayin’.

I love so many of the characters. But the one that really struck me (and it’s no wonder why) was “Ian Schonfeld” played by Ari Stidham. When he’s in the boat under the dock (?) playing guitar? *sigh* too adorable! And then the talk about the Pixies?! I honestly hope that he and “Will” hook up or become partners in crime or something. They’re just so cool!!!

So, I just checked out the official site (link at the bottom) and there’s actually some pretty cool stuff going on. There’s a bus tour promoting the show that will stop in 8 states at various festivals. Sounds cool, but it ain’t stopping anywhere near me, so I search around a bit. What I find is a link for their “Live Huge Wall” where you can upload your photo and post how you’re living “Huge.” You can also click on the mosaic and see other’s pics and see how they’re living “Huge.” I think this is such a cool thing! I will upload my on pic, tomorrow since I am not on my own laptop today.  Ha!

Overall I think that this show is great! I don’t know that it will change anything in our society, but it means a lot to fatties everywhere to see some semblance of their own image on television. I am glad that they used real fats and not smaller people in fat suits. I just hope the weigh loss thing has some lesson or facts and doesn’t just perpetuate stereotypes and myths.

Official page: http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/huge
Bus Tour page: http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/huge/blogs/null-clone/472087
Live Huge Wall: http://abcfamily.go.com/specials/live-huge/wall

 

I only recently discovered www.BodyLoveWellness.com and Golda Poretsky, but I am glad that I did!

Last night I attended the free “How To Feel Sexy At Any Size Teleclass.” I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I was pleased to be on the listening end of so much positivity and self-love! (For a recording of the teleclass: http://tinyurl.com/sexyatanysizeteleclass) I think that this is perfect for those who are super new to fat acceptance/size acceptance or are simply struggling with low self-esteem or food issues. Since I’ve been a part of the FA movement (and publicly fat) for a few years now a lot of it was a reiteration of the same HAES (Healthy At Every Size) message, but valuable to be reminded none the less. But again, that positivity was a-flowin’!

The hostess of the teleclass was  Goddess Oceana who was very charming and full of love and positive energy. I have to say it though, Golda Poretsky was the star of the show. I really felt that she cared about us (those on the call). I just felt it! Ya know? I especially appreciated her message about pleasing the senses. We’re so overly self-aware sometimes that we aren’t! Does that make sense? I mean, we’re so worried about how we appear or seem to others that we forget to please ourselves at all. She suggests engaging each of the senses. Taking a walk without the phone or iPod and just enjoying the sights/sounds/smells/etc. Love this! I highly recommend it to everyone. Although I would add to this by suggesting bringing a camera. I have done this and look back fondly on those few snapshots of trees and whatnot that I witnessed on that solo stroll.

She also generously offered a free 1 on 1 session for the first 20 committed applicants and I am sure that those spots went fast!  At the end there was a Q&A session that I stuck around for as I am always curious. I appreciated hearing voices from various parts of the nation & London even! Again, so much positivity!

I highly recommend this teleclass as well as the BodyLoveWellness.com blog. The writing there is superb and now that I feel I know Golda a bit better, I’ll be staying up to date on the happenings there, too! (Definitely check out the Biggest Loser posts).

Yeah, sounds weird to me, too. But it gets weirder!
You see, “Karen” started out at 129 lbs and 5’4″. Um, that’s pretty slim on it’s own.
But see, the headline mentions “Healthy” and so I read on…(link to full article at the end of this post)

She had gained a total of 21 lbs. during a difficult and tragic period in her life. You see, she had never been more than 107 lbs. her entire adult life. Realizing that this wasn’t such a dramatic thing, she notes having “a very small frame.”

Look, I’m not calling shenanigans on this lady, I respect the fact that she didn’t feel healthy and decided to make a change in her life to get back to what she was used to. We all go through things in life that leave us feeling the need to change. I get that completely and have been there a few times myself. What I am calling bullshit on is this article.  I just don’t see how this lady losing 21 lbs is such news! I’ve known plenty of people who have lost 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 pounds. No one wrote an article about them!

And what about 3-5 years later on when most people have not only gained back what they lost, but more?! I don’t know that this would happen to “Karen” but for most of the human population, this is what happens, 98% of the time! I like that she mentions not worrying about a “number on a scale” and not focusing on a specific amount to lose. Rather she chose to simply become more active and get back to eating and cooking the things she loved. That is great! I personally think that more people should cook at home if they are able, because doing so absolutely gives you a better perspective on what you’re putting into your body.

Look, I don’t know why an article was written about this lady. I’m happy for her and wish her the best. I just don’t see how this is “news” or any sort of revelation what so ever. But, wev.

http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/06/14/karen-started-taking-care-of-herself-and-now-shes-a-size-2/?icid=main|main|dl5|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thatsfit.com%2F2010%2F06%2F14%2Fkaren-started-taking-care-of-herself-and-now-shes-a-size-2%2F

http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/06/16/obese-woman-lack-sex-partners-more-likely-to-get-pregnant-accidentally/?icid=main|main|dl3|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2F2010%2F06%2F16%2Fobese-woman-lack-sex-partners-more-likely-to-get-pregnant-accidentally%2F

Headline:

News Obese Woman Lack Sex Partners; More Likely to Get Pregnant Accidentally

While I appreciate the article’s use of the word fat more than obese, the rest of this article is pure rubbish! The fact that they say things like this, “Maybe women are more tolerant of tubby husbands than men are of tubby wives” says a lot to me. It’s all bullshit! I am a fat woman, not sure what my BMI# is, let’s say it’s 5,000; and I can assure you that I have never been in want of a sex partner in my life! I’m not entirely sure what the point of the study was. I mean, they site many factors like: researchers found that obese women were less likely to ask for birth control services, and thus, four times more likely to accidentally get pregnant. Pregnant fat women and their babies also faced a higher risk of complications and death than normal-weight women.

WTF?! Look, I cannot speak for the citizen of France, but in the US, well, I don’t have statistics, just my own life experiences. Still, my friends and I have never been shy about getting our birth control! And regardless of this I am appalled about the accidental pregnancy thing. I have worked very hard to be a responsible person and have stuck to my guns about not having kids until I’m ready (mentally &  financially). I suppose condoms aren’t a good enough birth control method or are simply ignored in this study? Why only address this issue for obese women? Ugh! It’s maddening!

While I agree that doctors need to get over their own issues (the article says embarrassment, as if?!) and ask the more difficult questions of their patients, what really needs to happen is for doctors to get over their own prejudices about fat people and treat them equally! Because some doctors see someone of my size and honestly ASSUME that I am not having sex. HA! That is a load of laughs! Trust me  guys, I am and I’m loving it!

“This is not a heart attack or a stroke…but it’s an important quality of life factor and a public health problem,” since when is sex equal in it’s “public health problem” label as a friggin’ heart attack?! Should I alert the FDA/CDC anytime I have a sexual drought? I had no idea they cared!

“It seems like a no-brainer,” he said. “If you lose weight, you will feel more attractive and that could improve your sex life.” Too bad there isn’t a permanent or successful weight loss program in existence that won’t shorten my life span or far far worse. UGH! Seriously? Doctors & scientists are saying this shit, guys! It’s ridiculous! Yet somehow this stuff is in the “news” every damned day. I feel plenty attractive NOW! When I was smaller no one told me I should be a model. Now at 300+lbs? Yes, someone said this to me yesterday! I have never felt better in my life! I have energy, I get shit done and I live a fantastic, while humble in it’s luxuries, life!

Just once I’d really love for some truth to get into the “news!”

Wow! A fantastic online friend (and someone whom I greatly admire) shared this link on their facebook and I immediately went to the print page and grabbed my full sheets of sticker paper and printed out two of ’em! Woot!

From their site:

Rim Notes Recovery is a take-back-the-toilet style project. Messages of hope and healing, and empowering queries are posted on the rims of toilets on campus, at work, and at home. The message is hidden from view until someone lifts the seat. Thus the messages are aimed at a particular moment, usually solitary and isolating, when an individual goes to purge.

Let’s all do something positive and leave messages for people in public restrooms. Certainly the last place I’d look for a positive message, but every bit helps, I’m sure!

Back in the day, a friend of mine and I would carry sharpie pens with us everywhere so that when we were in a public restroom we would write this on the stall wall, “There’s No Diva Like Me!” I don’t know what our overall intentions were at the time, but I can’t help but think that someone, somewhere saw our little sassy message and thought to themselves, “Yeah! There is no diva like me!”

Share the link above and lets help people, together!