Fat!So? by Marilyn Wann

Having to deal with my fat-phobic father lately was getting me down. I needed a little help from an old friend. Whenever the fat haters' voices get too loud, I turn to one of my favorite books, Fat!So? by Marilyn Wann. This amaze-balls book started out in the 90's as a zine, way before Health at Every Size® was a movement and body acceptance became a cause. Wann is a leader in the fat rights community. She's funny as hell. Super smart, vocal, and inspirational. You. You reading this right now. You must read this book.

Fat?So! has evolved into a website, which is fun to peruse. I still recommend reading the book, full of "the best of" the zine and website. It's especially fun to read the book in public, since the cover is so in-your-face with fat spunk attitude. It's a great way to show the world you're not going to put up with their anti-fat bullshit.

Fat-haters: Hey, fatty, get back in the closet! 

Me: Nope, I'm such a rad fatty I like to show off that I read Fat!So?

Most Americans I know feel shitty about their bodies enough all by themselves. When our loved ones heap on the insults, it's just too much. Please, the next time someone tries to make you feel like less of a person for being a person of substantial size, read this book. I got this copy at my local library. If your library doesn't own it, ask them to purchase it, or to get it for you through Interlibrary Loan. Or, if you can afford it, buy a copy for yourself. 

Here's an excerpt from page 62:

Here are some of the ways that a desire for weight loss can destroy the benefits of eating right and exercising:

• You only eat right and exercise when you're trying to lose weight.

• You eat right and exercise for a while, but when you don't lose any weight, you give it up.

• If you do lose some weight, you stop eating right and exercising.

• You lose a few pounds by eating right and exercising but not as much as you'd hoped, so you eat less and exercise more. You keep this up until you're in a real pickle.

• You think that eating right and exercising is only something that thin people get to do.

• You figure it's hopeless, you're always going to be fat, so why bother eating right, etc.

In all of these cases, worrying about weight comes first and healthy habits come last. The real hope lies in breaking the connection between these two powerful forces. Focus instead on the habit that's guaranteed to be good for you, no matter what the number on the scale. Eating your veggies is always going to be good for  you. Getting some joyful movement on a regular basis will always be good for you, too, whether you're fat or thin, whether you lose weight or not. Do these things because you love who you are, not because you want to make less of yourself.