The 'Fat Acceptance' Movement

[Maleficent]

I work in the fitness world and particularly around women's activewear.

 

I get a TON of requests for larger size clothing in activewear. While we don't discriminate against body shape, we generally only offer options within a certain size and a certain shape. The reason we don't offer larger size activewear and one that's not opening discussed is because my company does not want larger size women associated with their clothing. They don't think it sends the right message. We market ourselves as a health company and past a certain size, the lines become blurred between curvy and overweight.

 

As harsh as that is, my company is in business to make money. I don't think its okay to fat shame or humiliate anyone. But I do think in terms of business, my company has the right idea in terms of profitability.

 

lol and I think I know which company that is.

 

Personally, I've boycotted that company for that reason.

 

Besides, if the company is marketing itself as a health company, they sure are limiting those women in options for clothing they would wear in an effort to get healthy.

 

Feels like a gym saying 'go to this other gym and when you've lost X amount of weight, come train with us because we are a health facility'

[whirl3daway]

lol and I think I know which company that is.

 

Personally, I've boycotted that company for that reason.

 

and the fact that their leggings are like $130 a pop... sheesh.

[autumnnight]

I work in the fitness world and particularly around women's activewear.

 

I get a TON of requests for larger size clothing in activewear. While we don't discriminate against body shape, we generally only offer options within a certain size and a certain shape. The reason we don't offer larger size activewear and one that's not opening discussed is because my company does not want larger size women associated with their clothing. They don't think it sends the right message. We market ourselves as a health company and past a certain size, the lines become blurred between curvy and overweight.

 

As harsh as that is, my company is in business to make money. I don't think its okay to fat shame or humiliate anyone. But I do think in terms of business, my company has the right idea in terms of profitability.

 

OK, I write this as someone who might not be able to buy your clothing because I am over a size 10 (hopefully not much longer)....

 

While the above may seem harsh, I actually get it. If you are a dermatologist, you don't want your receptionist to have rabid acne. If you are a dentist, you don't want your dental hygienist or the person on your billboard to have rotten teeth.

 

IF you are a health-oriented company that sells fitness-wear, then you don't want someone who hasn't walked past the mailbox in a decade being a walking advertisement for your product. I'm not trying to be mean. Right now I wouldn't be a fitness company's choice or an advertisement, and if you've seen me with a ball you can understand why the WNBA won't be calling me anytime soon either.

 

Expecting a fitness company to sell gym clothing in a size 28 is like expecting a gourmet restaurant to put a Big Mac on the menu. I like Big Mac, but it isn't gourmet food. I have no trouble with people choosing to be overweight, but they aren't the ideal advertisement for fitness.

[Maleficent]

 

Expecting a fitness company to sell gym clothing in a size 28 is like expecting a gourmet restaurant to put a Big Mac on the menu. I like Big Mac, but it isn't gourmet food. I have no trouble with people choosing to be overweight, but they aren't the ideal advertisement for fitness.

 

So in a world where all 'health and fitness' companies prevent people over size 10 to use their product, how can these people make the positive change in their lives to work out and get healthy if they can't even find good and comfortable work out clothes?

[autumnnight]

So in a world where all 'health and fitness' companies prevent people over size 10 to use their product, how can these people make the positive change in their lives to work out and get healthy if they can't even find good and comfortable work out clothes?

 

I have lots of shorts, leggings, tanks, etc. I got them at target and wal mart.

 

Even when I am a smaller size, I won't be paying 100 bucks for leggins though. That isn't my thing. Heck, I don't own under armor because I think 25 bucks for a dang t-shirt is ridiculous

 

A nice pair of high heeled mary janes though....that's another story

[whirl3daway]

I have lots of shorts, leggings, tanks, etc. I got them at target and wal mart.

 

Even when I am a smaller size, I won't be paying 100 bucks for leggins though. That isn't my thing. Heck, I don't own under armor because I think 25 bucks for a dang t-shirt is ridiculous

 

A nice pair of high heeled mary janes though....that's another story

 

old navy workout clothes <3

[Phoe]

I've been a size 2 at my smallest and a size 10 at my biggest, and quite honestly never experienced any difference in how others treated me. No matter what size, I still had some who would call me too skinny, and others who would suggest I could stand to lose a few pounds. Some who would tell me to stop working out, some who would tell me to work out more.

 

I'm a size 4 now and certainly get a comment every now and then. Whatever. I'll do what I want when it comes to my eating and activity level and whatever comes of that is fine.

 

I'll never have "acceptance" no matter what I look like. Always gonna be someone with something to say about it. I just mind my own business and remove myself from whatever sort of movement about bodies society seems to think is relevant.

[fitnessfan365]

I have cut my calorie intake to 1,200 calories/day, and I 'fast' 2 days a week by intaking no more than 500-odd calories on those two days.

 

It takes a minimum of 1200 calories per day for a sedentary woman's body to function properly on a long term basis. Since you're a very active woman, you should be taking in well over that to account for your daily calorie burn.When you fast 2x a week, and only take in 600-800 on average for the days you are eating (post calorie burn), you're actually doing more harm than good. Especially to your metabolic rate. The secret to fat loss and changing body composition is metabolism. So when you don't consume enough calories to match how active you are, your body actually holds onto food you consume longer than it should, which converts to fat.

 

As counter intuitive as it seems, you need to eat to lose properly. This is actually a problem a lot of people have. They focus way too much on the scale. So they cut their calories WAY too much, and they add tons of exercise on top of that. Now the scale may drop because they're starving themselves. However, they're dropping muscle which is the the wrong type of weight. This is why so many of my clients that start training with me ask "Why do I still have all this extra fat, when I've dropped so much weight?" So my advice, would be to consume at least 1700 calories a day, and start strength training as well (you won't get bulkier). When you strength train, you hold onto the muscle that you do have, raise your metabolic rate, and help to prevent osteoperosis later in life.

Edited August 7, 2015 by fitnessfan365

[darkbloom]

I know everyone is thinking I work for lulu. I don't.

 

 

I do work for a company that would NEVER go on record, ever ever ever, saying that they do not want larger women in our clothes.

 

Moreover, the pieces we sell are performance pieces. We are selling pieces that are meant to be worked out in. They are meant to be sweated in. They are meant to be taken on marathon runs, cross-fit, etc. Past a certain size, the performance aspect of the pieces is lost. The reason our clothing is expensive is because of the quality aspect of the product. You are going to get thousands or workouts from each piece. The type of consumer who would be paying the prices for our pieces is not generally above a size 16 (our largest size).

 

The inventory we would sit on if we carried plus sizes would not be worth the cost. As it is, we can barely keep our product in stores that carry it because of how popular it is.

 

I'm all about living your healthiest life. What motivates a lot of people to workout is being able to buy the stuff we sell. My company is contacted daily by people who lost the weight and got in shape in the hopes of purchasing our product.

[TaraMaiden2]

It takes a minimum of 1200 calories per day for a sedentary woman's body to function properly on a long term basis. Since you're a very active woman, you should be taking in well over that to account for your daily calorie burn.When you fast 2x a week, and only take in 600-800 on average for the days you are eating (post calorie burn), you're actually doing more harm than good. Especially to your metabolic rate. The secret to fat loss and changing body composition is metabolism. So when you don't consume enough calories to match how active you are, your body actually holds onto food you consume longer than it should, which converts to fat.

 

As counter intuitive as it seems, you need to eat to lose properly. This is actually a problem a lot of people have. They focus way too much on the scale. So they cut their calories WAY too much, and they add tons of exercise on top of that. Now the scale may drop because they're starving themselves. However, they're dropping muscle which is the the wrong type of weight. This is why so many of my clients that start training with me ask "Why do I still have all this extra fat, when I've dropped so much weight?" So my advice, would be to consume at least 1700 calories a day, and start strength training as well (you won't get bulkier). When you strength train, you hold onto the muscle that you do have, raise your metabolic rate, and help to prevent osteoperosis later in life.

 

Thank you for your concern.

It's obviously based on sincere sentiments and a good degree of knowledge.

 

May I reassure you though that the calories I am taking in are wholesome and beneficial.

I haven't simply cut food portion sizes; I have modified my intake to include what one might trendily refer to as 'power foods': Quinoa, almonds, olives, fish, pulses and grains, vegetables (the green leafy kind, in spades!) and fruit.

 

I also have a blood condition called thalassemia minor, which means I can't process pharmaceutical iron - it stores in my liver. (I'm half Italian. That's what did it!)

I take 5mg Folic acid daily, and get plenty of iron through diet.

Because of this condition, I am under a doctor, and have 6-monthly full-system checks and regular visits to keep things in balance.

I take extra calcium/magnesium, and according to the dietician at my local Doctor's clinic (whom I also consult), am in my late 50's with the system of someone 15 years younger.

 

My bones are good, my teeth still all mine (!) and I'm very fit.

 

I fully take on board everything you've said, because those concerns arose in me, but so far, so good....

 

(I've lost a stone. I have absolutely no intention of putting it all on again. And I ate a pizza last night! )