tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24455918472924625532024-03-12T18:12:21.540-07:00The Fat Chick Sings.....Rants, Giggles, and Generally Stops the Show!The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-26592724329853432932012-04-23T10:19:00.000-07:002012-04-23T10:19:13.712-07:00The Fat Chick Sings Has MOVED!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7wiCvvFZ8Ek/T5WPBBvSPWI/AAAAAAAABJ8/-4PgqlLLORA/s1600/moving2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7wiCvvFZ8Ek/T5WPBBvSPWI/AAAAAAAABJ8/-4PgqlLLORA/s320/moving2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Dear friends. The Fat Chick Sings has MOVED. It is now found at www.fatchicksings.com. Come on over and see what's new!<br />
<br />
oxoxoxo<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-76402317638861386912012-03-20T07:02:00.000-07:002012-03-20T07:02:51.273-07:00The Playground Pecking Order<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-kRoRyIjHs/T2iN9Qjf9aI/AAAAAAAABJY/ImLW_kqFpOQ/s1600/swing.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-kRoRyIjHs/T2iN9Qjf9aI/AAAAAAAABJY/ImLW_kqFpOQ/s320/swing.tiff" width="260" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I've had a recent experience which has really shaken me up and brought back a lot of drama and stuff that I thought I had vanquished in adolescence. Yeah right. We all like to believe that we've exorcised our demons until they come screaming out at us and bite off our heads. And for an extra special grownup bonus, I've been allowed to see this drama from both sides.<br />
<br />
Let me explain. I am involved with various groups and companies in my life. My experience with one of these left me feeling bitter, resentful, deeply hurt and very, very angry. I'm not talking about little feelings here. I'm talking about deep, depressing, stay up all night and can't sleep kind of hurt. I'm talking about the kind of hurt that makes me lash out at those closest to me. Which led me to ask myself, "What is going on here? Why is this hurt this big? Why do these people and this situation matter SO much to me?"<br />
<br />
Eventually, in the middle of the night, it came to me. I was back in the cafeteria being told I couldn't sit at the lunch table with the cool kids. I was back on the playground being excluded from the fun because I wasn't one of the "in crowd". And as a 43-year-old woman, I was pissed off.<br />
<br />
I carefully evaluated the situation to see if I was making it up. And I realized that no, I wasn't. Rules applied differently depending on whether or not you were one of the cool kids. If you were one of the inner circle, you were trusted and complimented and if your feelings were hurt, the cool kids rallied around you. If you weren't one of the cool kids, you were dangerously "other". Sure, you could be used--everybody needs minions--but not trusted. What's more, the leadership of the group at large were no longer the same as the leadership of the clique. The "in-group" began reflexively trying to protect it's supremacy against the outside leadership and the conflict began to tear the group apart.<br />
<br />
I had my first "aha" moment. I was amazed that all these years later, I could get so freaked out because I was picked last for dodge ball. But you know what? There was more to it than that. I realized that in my desire for acceptance from this group, I was willing to work incredibly hard. I gave and gave of myself in the hope that they would accept me and decide I could join the cool kids. But here's the thing. It didn't work when I was a kid, and it didn't work now. And being excluded hurt all the more, because I had tried so hard.<br />
<br />
At nearly the same time, there was a ripple in the size acceptance movement. Many of you know about the amazing and awesome I Stand campaign created by Marilyn Wann. Although the facebook program was totally open and anyone could join, some people objected to the campaign saying it wasn't inclusive enough of groups that are often underrepresented in the size acceptance movement. My first reaction was, "Don't they know how awesome this thing was? Why are they fighting something that makes things better for people of size?"<br />
<br />
And then, last night, I had my second major "aha" moment. I had been following a thread about this issue on facebook and a commenter said it brilliantly. "<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">In a movement where many of us have found acceptance for the first time, it is troubling that some of us still haven't found it." And that's when I realized just how easy it is to slip into the role of one of the "cool kids" myself. My first instinct when being called on privilege was to deny that it referred to me. And I might have stayed in that wonderful little cocoon of denial had I not just recently been the one on the edge of the playground with nobody to play with me. Granted I only got a very small taste of what those disenfranchised by the size acceptance movement were experiencing, but I can tell you, it didn't taste good.</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">So here's what I'm learning here:</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">1. It's not fun to be in the "out" crowd. No matter how old you are, it hurts when you don't feel included.</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">2. Working harder is not likely to make those in the "in crowd" accept you more.</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">3. Those in the inner circle may be blissfully unaware that there is an inner circle and they are in it. They aren't doing it on purpose. They are just quietly enjoying their privilege.</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">4. I need to learn to recognize when I am feeling left out and that it hurts. Then I need go find somewhere to belong or start my own darn group.</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">5. Recognize that I have felt left out in the past, it can be very tempting to create my own special cliques. It feels good to be the top dog for a change, but I we really want to soothe my hurt feelings by hurting someone else?</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">My dear chicklettes, this is a VERY long post. But I've done a lot of learnin' that I mean to share. So I'm headed out to the playground to look around the edges to find somebody to play with. Hope you do too.</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Love,</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">The Fat Chick</span>The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-90932345096325725482012-03-15T14:00:00.000-07:002012-03-15T14:00:39.899-07:00Independence Hall--A Declaration of Body Independence<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp-iVj-kutY/T1_nG_Hw_XI/AAAAAAAABJI/u5EH-GhtAq4/s1600/IMG_2959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp-iVj-kutY/T1_nG_Hw_XI/AAAAAAAABJI/u5EH-GhtAq4/s400/IMG_2959.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fat Chick in front of Independence Hall</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</style> <div class="MsoNormal">So on my recent trip to Philadelphia, I saw Independence Hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides being a gorgeous building, this was a site where some pretty amazingly radical things happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For one, the Constitution was created here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For another, the Declaration of Independence was both written and signed here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This along with an excellent <a href="http://healthateverysizeblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/the-haes-files-what-do-we-mean-by-health/">blog post</a> by ASDAH Secretary, Fall Ferguson, JD, MA. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">All of this together got me thinking about the notion of body independence and how our current national obsession with the size and situation of bodies is so very antithetical to the ideas the founding fathers scribbled down in this building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And being the type of person who will follow an idea to its furthest reaches, beyond all reason, and with a preemptive request for forgiveness from our founding fathers, I've decided to lay out a draft of a </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Declaration of Body Independence:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all bodies are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My body is my own to care for in whatever way I wish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one has the right to tell me what to eat or how to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I want a cookie, I shall have one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I want broccoli, I shall have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shall boogie down with my bad self, or not as I choose.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have the right to compassionate, competent and equitable health care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever any Form of Medicine becomes destructive of these ends, it is my right to alter or abolish it and institute a new form of medical care--seeking a form that will seem most likely to effect my Safety and Happiness.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have the right to look the way I look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may wear tiny prints or vertical stripes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may expose my fleshy arms as I embrace my freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fashion shall dictate no law that keeps me from dressing and expressing myself as I darn well please.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I am endowed with the unalienable Right to walk down the street unmolested by individuals (well-meaning or not) wishing to ply me with "cures" purported to change the size of my body to meet their ideal.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I am allowed to create my own definition of health and seek it (or not) as I see fit.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce me under the absolute Despotism of size oppression, it is my right, it is my duty, to throw off such Forces, and to provide new Guards for my future happiness.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, my little chicklettes, cast off the chains of oppression! Launch a body revolution! Viva la resistance!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Love, </div><div class="MsoNormal">The Fat Chick </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-53867354346659214442012-03-06T06:42:00.000-08:002012-03-06T06:42:29.634-08:00Getting Ready for Swimsuit Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pjjFaWhmyyo/T1VD9Q7L2PI/AAAAAAAABII/vgahexSlRc0/s1600/eggplantsuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pjjFaWhmyyo/T1VD9Q7L2PI/AAAAAAAABII/vgahexSlRc0/s320/eggplantsuit.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Now that we're through the resolution craze of New Years and the thwarted crazy expectations of Valentine's Day (alas no Lexus with a giant red bow on top for ME) we're headed towards the insanity of the media telling us to "get ready for swimsuit season". Seriously. They're talking to us months in advance because "preparing for swimsuit season" is mediaspeak for getting a body that meets societal expectations about how it should look in a swimsuit. Meaning tall, blonde, white, tanned and thin, thin, thin. <br />
<br />
According to many in the media landscape, getting ready for swimsuit season needs to start months in advance, while it's still snowing in many parts of the country. This is because getting ready for swimsuit season requires a lot of preparation. Like <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2225525_ready-bathing-suit-season.html">THIS GUY</a> who suggests putting on your suit from last year and standing in front of a full-length mirror and also stepping on a scale. His regimen includes joining a gym, lifting barbells in front of the TV and walking around in skimpy gym wear so you aren't accidentally, blissfully unaware of just how awful you look.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing, in my book you can get ready for swimsuit season in about 2 minutes. Just follow these simple steps:<br />
1. Put on a swimsuit. <br />
<br />
Well, I guess it's just one step. So for all you procrastinator chicklettes out there, worry not. In my book, you've got quite a while before you need to worry about "getting ready for swimsuit season."<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-38580294781648219292012-03-01T07:02:00.001-08:002012-03-01T07:03:56.896-08:00Heavenly Bodies: The Joy of Being a Rock Star!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-traHeUNRe4o/T06zfknmqoI/AAAAAAAABGM/ErMGMBdRB7o/s1600/IMG_2945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-traHeUNRe4o/T06zfknmqoI/AAAAAAAABGM/ErMGMBdRB7o/s400/IMG_2945.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This past weekend, I did my new "Divaluscious" workout (honoring the academy awards) at the Operation Fitness Expo at the Century City Mall near Beverly Hills, CA. I was so very lucky and honored to have some very, very special women with me from NAAFA-LA including Coral, Julianne, Anita and Terry. We all donned our feather boas, big blingy sparkly rings and strutted on to the stage. We boogied down to some great size-positive tunes and rocked the crowd of several hundred people that were hanging about. Perhaps the best part is for minutes after we finished, brightly colored feathers continued to swirl about in the breeze like a super-awesome technicolor snow. Yup, we were so powerful we changed the WEATHER. That's just the way we roll. The event producer called the next day to say how much he loved watching us. "You guys were ROCK STARS!" he exclaimed.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjqTiQO1JpQ/T061RsA4DsI/AAAAAAAABGU/Zw0oamuB0P0/s1600/IMG_2951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>I have to admit, being referred to as a "Rock Star" feels pretty darn good. I mean compared to all of the other things I've been called in the past few weeks, rock star is one that I'll take. But it struck me what an amazing contrast this posed to the recently released (and subsequently unreleased, soon to be re-released) Habit Heroes exhibit at Disney's Epcot Center in Florida. This exhibit was designed to help kids learn healthy habits by highlighting healthy heroes like "Will Power" and "Callie Stenics". Unfortunately they also highlight some bad guys like, "Sweet Tooth" and "Lead Bottom" and "The Snacker" (pictures below) who look an awful lot like terrible caricatures of fat people in our country. Amidst the epic poo storm of controversy over the potential for this exhibit to shame and harm children of all sizes, Disney has closed the exhibit and the accompanying website for "retooling". (Which is Disney speak for rethinking the exhibit while the studio marketing folks retool their resumes).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtnZrl8kHfI/T0-OysS8a7I/AAAAAAAABGc/ICOs2UoX4XA/s1600/slide_211062_723329_free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtnZrl8kHfI/T0-OysS8a7I/AAAAAAAABGc/ICOs2UoX4XA/s400/slide_211062_723329_free.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UIWF_312Kzw/T0-O2kGyXlI/AAAAAAAABGk/tbWoB6ExPHo/s1600/slide_211062_723354_free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UIWF_312Kzw/T0-O2kGyXlI/AAAAAAAABGk/tbWoB6ExPHo/s400/slide_211062_723354_free.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w4rCFlZfvg/T0-O5dfY4EI/AAAAAAAABGs/0jognyQF7fU/s1600/slide_211062_723426_free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w4rCFlZfvg/T0-O5dfY4EI/AAAAAAAABGs/0jognyQF7fU/s400/slide_211062_723426_free.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Which leads us all back to the rock star thing. Why can't we make healthy role models for kids who don't look like SI Swimsuit Models? Why can't the health role models for kids be as diverse as, you know, the kids? How can we help ALL kids feel like rock stars? I humbly submit that there are some answers in the picture below:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjqTiQO1JpQ/T061RsA4DsI/AAAAAAAABGU/Zw0oamuB0P0/s1600/IMG_2951.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjqTiQO1JpQ/T061RsA4DsI/AAAAAAAABGU/Zw0oamuB0P0/s640/IMG_2951.JPG" width="640" /></a>This picture shows the NAAFA-LA girls strutting their stuff in all their boaed and bejeweled glory right along with some thin people. Up front and center, you've got a little kid dancing along. And what message is this kid learning? That fat people are sad and should stay home and hide until they get skinny? That fat people never exercise? That fat people and thin people are different species from one another? Nope! She's learning that people of all sizes have the right and the ability to get out and shake their stuff!<br />
<br />
This is why we women of ALL sizes need to let our inner rock stars shine through. Not just because it feels awesome. (And it CAN feel awesome!) But because it gives kids of all sizes some REAL healthy heroes to admire and emulate.<br />
<br />
So my dear chicklettes, I implore you. Get yourself some bling, some righteous tunes, and go shake it like the rock star you are!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-59329914843229987502012-02-20T07:23:00.000-08:002012-02-20T07:23:13.181-08:00The supremacy of sweat pants<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtI_Ajh_mVg/T0JjPBkVQrI/AAAAAAAABFs/-1LJG4iWqsQ/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtI_Ajh_mVg/T0JjPBkVQrI/AAAAAAAABFs/-1LJG4iWqsQ/s400/IMG_2859.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing with Sandra Hull (Lolcatburglar) of Lolcat Fame in my super stretchy awesome clothes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
My dear friend Ragen and I were chatting on the phone the other day. She was killing time and talking to me while she was people watching at the airport when she remarked, "that chick's wearing 4-inch heels at an airport. What's up with that?" I assured her that I had no idea. And I further explained why I had decided to work in the fitness industry. "Well I love to dance and I love to help people. And fitness is fun! But mostly I just wanted to work in a job where I can wear tennis shoes and sweat pants every day." Ragen said, "That sounds like a blog post. If you don't write it, I will." So I did and here we are.<br />
<br />
In fact, I've spent most of my adult life moving from the least comfortable clothes to the most. Most of you are probably blissfully unaware that I studied opera in college. Yup, you heard it right--opera. That meant lots of costumes--often with big heavy wigs, lots of makeup, long skirts and corsets. Oh, there were other compensations. I also got to wear glittery jewelry and have a gig where I was often actually <i>required</i> to wear a tiara. And sometimes I got to, you know, sing and stuff. But after a while, those clothes got pretty darn uncomfortable. I couldn't wear it to Starbucks and I certainly couldn't nap in it.<br />
<br />
Next I started working in corporate America. The skirts were shorter, but the heels were higher. 8-10 hour-days in even medium-height pumps was agony. And while you <i>could</i> go order a Triple, Ventissimo, Frapalatte in this get up, you certainly couldn't nap in it. It was still stiff and confining. After I while, I started my own business so I could at least wear jeans most days.<br />
<br />
Then I started working in the fitness industry. Now, I get to wear stretchy exercise pants, and super awesome sports bras and tennis shoes <i>almost every day</i>. This is the career for me! I'll never forget the first time I did a fitness trade show. Not only was it <i>not </i> a fashion crisis to wear the most comfortable stuff in my closet, but also it was what I was <i>supposed</i> to wear. I was invited to wear clothes that passed both the "go get coffee" <i>and </i>the "nap on the sofa" test. Oh happy day! <br />
<br />
Seriously kids, the comfort and sheer awesomeness of exercise clothes is difficult to overstate. You get to wear super comfortable shoes that come in awesome colors and even have sports detailing like race cars. And the pants? Even Margaret Cho waxes rhapsodic about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXcIkCwcTyQ">yoga pants</a>. They are comfy, yes. But they are also flexible. They allow you to occupy and move through space like you <i>own</i> the joint. They allow you to bend and stretch and reach and dance. Exercise clothes allow you to just breathe. So if you're looking for a reason to work out--here's one. Exercising is a wonderful excuse to wear exercise clothes, which in turn allow you to move and stretch and dance and breathe. <br />
<br />
So my little chicklettes, why not don all your super awesome stretchy stuff and dance with me? If you live near LA, you can join me for a <a href="http://eventful.com/losangeles_ca/events/divaluscious-red-carpet-workout-fat-chick-and-/E0-001-046198821-0">Divaluscious Workout</a> this Saturday. Or you can always join me for my free <a href="http://www.thefatchick.com/The_Fat_Chick/Streaming.html">live streaming workouts</a>. Or just listen in tomorrow night (Tuesday, February 21) when I'll be interviewed by Golda Poretsky along with Anna Guest-Jelley at the 2012 <a href="http://www.bodyloverevolution.com/">Body Love Revolutionaries Summit</a>. And whatever else you choose, just breathe.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-9057282499779669502012-02-14T15:05:00.000-08:002012-02-14T15:05:15.322-08:00Getting to the Heart of the Matter<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://imgur.com/N2R4L" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--NMAYdf8Rqg/TzrnI1j95II/AAAAAAAABFc/Z7MC0A6G1XU/s320/kidsvalentine.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Further proof there is someone out there for every body!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
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It’s American Heart Month and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it’s Valentine’s Day so we’re gonna talk about hearts today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that this cardiac cliché may seem a bit much (especially for those of you who HATE this holiday) but I’m going to ask you to just, you know, go with it. <br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">First we’ll turn to an <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-checkup/post/fitness-matters-more-than-fatness-study-suggests/2010/12/20/gIQAbF5PXO_blog.html">article</a> recently released in <i>Circulation</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, The Journal of the American Heart Association that contains very good news for all of us who are fit fatties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The study referenced in the article followed 14,358 middle-aged men (median age 44) over 11.4 years indicates that fitness is much more important than fatness in terms of cardiac death and death overall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may seem a little morbid to talk about death on a day which is at least theoretically supposed to be about love (or maybe not—depending about how you feel about this holiday) but the message from the study is clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There was no association between changes in body-mass index (BMI) and risk of mortality or death from cardiovascular disease.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we know that, regardless of your size, fitness improves the functioning of your heart and improves your chances of being around a long time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As I’ve been saying for years and years, just get out there and shake your groove thing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t worry about winning Olympic medals or winning<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a role on <i>Dancing with the Stars</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just get out there and move, moderately and joyously for a total of about 150 minutes per week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good for your body and your spirit, and your heart will thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Because, you know what else improves when you get out there and shake what God gave ya?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fitness improves your self esteem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yup, getting out and getting a little exercise helps you feel better about yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And improved self esteem is just one of the ways that fitness improves your love relationships and <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676/NSECTIONGROUP=2">sex life</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, forget about magic pills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little exercise outside of the sheets can make your exercise between the sheets EVEN BETTER.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woo Hoo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where do I sign up?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And speaking of signing up, fitness can also provide an awesome opportunity to <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/477451-social-emotional-benefits-of-regular-exercise/?utm_source=popslideshow&utm_medium=a1">meet other people</a> to have love relationships and really great sex<i> with.</i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could try a new dance class or fitness class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could sign up for tennis lessons with a truly yummy looking instructor (and really rev that heart rate!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could join a walking or running club or go lift weights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many forms of fitness that give you opportunities to widen your social circle and find some new friends and/or love interests.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So let’s review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fitness helps you find fabulous new people to hang out with and potentially fall in love with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And once you’re in love, fitness helps you have better love relationships and better sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And fitness improves your cardiovascular health so you can love each other for a long, long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does my heart good just thinking about it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So my little chicklettes, this is my Valentine’s Day wish for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get on your dancing shoes and go out and boogie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go for a walk outside in the fresh air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get yourself on down to the golf course and say hello to some folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And bless your little hearts!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Love,</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Fat Chick</div>The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-88990244473475032382012-02-07T05:51:00.000-08:002012-02-07T05:51:53.855-08:00The Power of Identification<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oGNzekR4bs4/TzEojkNm00I/AAAAAAAABFU/IpCvtMf5Cfk/s1600/la-trip-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oGNzekR4bs4/TzEojkNm00I/AAAAAAAABFU/IpCvtMf5Cfk/s400/la-trip-009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out on the town with friends Ragen, Julianne and Rose</td></tr>
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Stay tuned for a super special new project announcement at the conclusion of this blog post. Thank you! <br />
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I remember when I was very first starting to accept my body. When I was what size acceptance folks lovingly refer to as a "baby fat". Somebody who is new to the notion that beauty and health happen at all sizes. I had read some statistics that indicate that fat is not a death sentence, and that helped. But something was missing. Then I went to my first NAAFA convention and a whole lot of things changed in a hurry. The reason was simple. It's one thing to talk about size acceptance. It's a whole other thing to be in a hotel with several hundred other fat people who are dancing, romancing, swimming, singing, exercising, sharing and generally having a heck of a good time. I honestly never believed that health and happiness were possible at every size until I saw it, on a grand scale with my own eyes. Finally I had found a group with which I could identify.<br />
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This is what is so very dangerous and damaging about fat hatred and fat bigotry. We shame fat people into believing that they are dangerously other. Like Frankenstein's monster, we fat folk are another species, incapable of blending with society. It's bad enough when we do this to adults. But it is <i>especially</i> damaging when we do this to children who may not be mature or sophisticated enough to understand that being shunned is a failing of the hater not the hated. And we do this to children who may be in a somewhat sheltered environment, where they may feel they are the only fat kid in the class or even the whole town.<br />
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That is one of the reasons why groups like <a href="http://naafa/">NAAFA</a> and ASDAH are so very important. I'm proud of my role as Vice President on the <a href="http://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/">ASDAH</a> board and for the work I'm doing with <a href="http://www.naafala.org/">NAAFA-LA</a>. And I am deeply grateful that I have my amazing colleagues with whom I may work, dream and share. And this is why the work that Marilyn Wann is doing with the "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/IStandAgainstWeightBullying">I STAND against weight bullying</a>" project and Ragen Chastain is doing with the <a href="http://www.supportallkids.com/">Support All Kids</a> project is so important. Imagine the impact that hundreds and hundreds of size positive people and messages can have on a child who feels isolated and alone. What would it mean to a child to look up and see a billboard in their town depicting kids who look like them, and are healthy, happy and comfortable in their own skin. You don't have to just imagine it. We are very close to realizing it. We need just over 200 people to donate to the Stand 4 Every Body project in order to unlock an amazing $5000 challenge grant from More of Me to Love. Today is ask a friend day. Ask a friend to donate just $1 to make this dream a reality for kids of size in Georgia.<br />
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And here's the super cool announcement I promised at the opening of this post. Along with my super cool friends <a href="http://www.danceswithfat.com/">Ragen Chastain</a> and <a href="http://theslowfattriathlete.blogspot.com/">Jayne Williams</a>, I will be launching a new social web space called the Fit Fatties Forum on March 3. This will be an amazing space where athletes of all sizes can gather, encourage one another, share photos, triumphs and war stories and learn from one another. The "Ask a Fit Fatty" section will allow you to get answers to all your burning fitness questions. And perhaps most importantly, we're creating a space where you can identify with other fathletes. You may be the only fat aerobics instructor at the club, or fat runner in the 5K or fat scuba diver on the boat. But my dear Chicklette, you are not alone--never alone. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-55666436157818971752012-02-01T06:04:00.000-08:002012-02-01T06:04:28.322-08:00The futility of shame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-btwDBPrGHEg/TylDkFX66qI/AAAAAAAABE8/uN6B7yTCOyM/s1600/IStandTFC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-btwDBPrGHEg/TylDkFX66qI/AAAAAAAABE8/uN6B7yTCOyM/s400/IStandTFC.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><br />
Lately the Strong4Life campaign in Georgia has received a lot of publicity and a LOT of pushback. For those of you who aren't familiar, this is a group of ads that depict fat children in black and white photography and seeks to convey how miserable it is to be a fat child. They claim that this is a "wake up call" for parents who apparently don't know that their kids are fat and have somehow missed the message in our culture that being fat is "bad". They insist their goal is not to make kids feel bad (even though the images look like shots of hardened criminals). No, they claim, these messages are for the lousy parents who have somehow slept through the last 100 years of fat hatred and have negligently allowed their poor kids to get fat.<br />
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When confronted by critics with the ideas that these images could be extremely emotionally damaging and would increase stigma for fat children, Strong4Life supporters have suggested that the billboards are for parents and that the kids probably don't even see them. But let's get real. These billboards are about shame. Shame for parents of fat kids and shame for fat kids. How dare these parents allow these kids to become an unacceptable shape. How dare these kids pollute the world with their visually unacceptable bodies?<br />
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Shame has been used for decades to help people lose weight. But here's the thing about shame as a weight-loss tool, it doesn't work. Just like virtually every other weight-loss tool in the universe (outside of amputation) it doesn't work in the long term. And in the short term, the side effects are devastating. Stigmatization of fat kids is getting <a href="http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v11/n3/abs/oby200361a.html">worse</a>. And since the ads don't offer any helpful suggestions for how these fat kids are supposed to get skinny, it seems likely that many of them will take it on themselves. And when these kids go on diets, starting as early as age 7, do they end up thinner in the long run? <a href="http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/yjada/article/S0002-8223%2806%2900004-6/abstract">Nope. </a> They end up both heavier and at greater risk for disordered eating. Add this to the fact that kids of all sizes can be healthier by simply adding nutritious foods and regular and fun physical activities to their lives and you've gotta wonder--what are those Strong4Life people thinking? How does <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/meta/search/imageDetail?format=plain&source=http://abcnews.go.com/images/Health/ht_childhood_obesity_ads_tk_120102">THIS</a> help kids? <br />
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So what can we do? Well for one thing, we can work to counteract some of the negative side effects of the Georgia campaign. Marilyn Wann has initiated an amazing campaign called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IStandAgainstWeightBullying">"I stand against weight bullying"</a>. In this campaign, Marilyn has created a design template that imitates the Strong4Life ads and invites people to submit pictures of themselves and statements to represent themselves. These images are then submitted via facebook and an amazing <a href="http://istandagainstweightbullying.tumblr.com/">tumblr feed</a>. My image is shown above. Go to the facebook page and learn how to submit a picture of your very own!<br />
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In addition, the most awesome Ragen Chastain, worked with several other members of the size acceptance community to create a <a href="http://danceswithfat.wordpress.com/the-billboard-project/">campaign</a> to raise money for billboards that feature a size-positive response to the Strong4Life ads. She's initiating a money bomb TOMORROW to get the ball rolling and raise money to meet an amazing $5,000 matching grant from <a href="http://www.moreofmetolove.com/">More of Me to Love</a>. So dig through your change jars and make a contribution already!<br />
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You CAN be part of the solution for kids of size all over the world. You can show them that they are, and will be okay. You can demonstrate that healthy and happy life is possible at all sizes. And you can remind them that every BODY deserves love (including you my darling chicklettes).<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-16386667871089776632012-01-19T16:52:00.000-08:002012-01-19T16:52:22.421-08:00Alter, Tweak, Modify, Tailor<div class="fotopedia_widget_dark_unframed" id="fotopedia_widget" style="width: 400px;"><script src="http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-3282316618/widget?cc_only=true&widget_skin=dark_unframed&widget_width=400" type="text/javascript">
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I got an email this week from a person who had bought my book. She was super excited about getting going on the exercises, but she had gotten stuck. One of the early exercises (exercise #2 in fact) was entitled rock the block. This exercise (which is also available on my website) suggests that you walk around the block as many times as you can to determine an accurate starting point for your fitness efforts. On the surface, this seems like a great idea. You'll never be too far from your front door, you can just keep a water bottle on your front porch and you know the neighborhood. All good except for one thing. What if you can't do it?<br />
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What do you do when you come up against an exercise that you simply can't do--one that just doesn't fit? Do you just give up? No! In the tradition of the best Academy Awards red-carpet gowns, you tailor it. You alter the gown to fit the star, you don't alter the star to fit the gown. It's the same thing with exercises. If the exercise doesn't fit, just change it!<br />
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There's no law that requires you do a particular exercise. Most of the time you can find a simple change or substitution that will get you past the roadblock and on your way. Can't walk an entire block outside? Okay, walk 1/2 or 1/4 of a block. Or do laps inside your house from kitchen to living room to bedroom and back again. Does walking hurt your ankles, knees, or hips? Try walking laps in the local pool. The water will remove most of the force of gravity off your joints while offering greater resistance than air. You can get the same level of physical exertion walking slowly in the water as you can get walking much more quickly on land.<br />
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Sure, you say. It's relatively easy to modify moves when you're all by yourself. But what about when you're in a class? The answer is the same. Tailor the moves to you. You're not a member of the Rockettes. There will be no dire consequences for doing things differently than the other folks in the class. If a particular move or exercise hurts, scares you, exhausts you or causes you to lose your balance, DON'T DO IT! It's as simple as that. Your teacher should be willing and able to help you figure out modifications for virtually any movement in your class. If your teacher isn't friendly and accommodating about finding modifications, maybe you need a new teacher. This is your class and YOUR exercise time. You shouldn't feel exhausted, deeply frustrated, scared, unbalanced or in pain.<br />
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While there are specific modifications for nearly every kind of movement in the universe, there are some typical modification tools you can call on when you're having trouble:<br />
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1. Slow down: If a move is going by too quickly to do it properly and comfortably, just do it more slowly. In a dance class you could do the move at "half-time" (meaning that you take twice as long to accomplish the move as those around you). In yoga classes, you can also choose to flow more slowly from posture to posture. Just make sure you have space around you so that you're not banging into other folks who are not quite in sync with your movements.<br />
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2. Make movements smaller: if you're finding that you can't quite keep up in class, you can simply make your moves a little bit more contained. In dance class, you can keep your feet closer together and closer to the ground. If you're doing a step-touch, narrow your stance. If you're doing kicks, just kick a little lower or do a point or a tap instead of a kick. Also if you suffer from hypertension, you should probably keep your arms at shoulder height or lower most of the time. It may raise your BP to work out for extended periods with your arms over your head.<br />
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3. Simplify movements: If you're finding yourself overtired in class, you can simply do the leg movements and drop the arms to your sides. Or you can sit in a chair and just do the arm movements. You can also use this strategy for pain management. Legs hurt? Just do the arms. Do your arms hurt? Just do the legs. Is your right arm killing you? Just use the left one. You get the idea...<br />
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We could go into a lot more detail about this, but here's the key point. It's YOUR body. Nobody knows more about how your body feels than YOU do. So take charge! Apply some simple modifications, ask for help, speak up, and be the boss of your own body. Just make sure your fitness FITS you. <br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-11517815329920897522012-01-09T09:01:00.000-08:002012-01-09T09:04:40.268-08:00Surviving the Holidays: Making a List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WGzR3HLSeMg/TvN7soynTQI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/pFY2KY2fFiM/s1600/christmasList.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WGzR3HLSeMg/TvN7soynTQI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/pFY2KY2fFiM/s320/christmasList.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So, I was making a list and checking it twice. Wanted to find out if there's a Psychiatrist willing to prescribe emergency Xanax and trying not to hyperventilate. Seriously at this time of the year the list gets a little long and out of control, right? Last time I sat down to do my holiday to-do list, I got to page 3.5 and burst out into tears.<br />
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But after I blew my nose and medicated myself with a small amount of premium dark chocolate, I was able to address the list again. And I realized something. I really didn't NEED to do everything on the list. The list was more a wish list than a highly prioritized, realistic list of the most important stuff I absolutely needed to get done. So I took my list and put it through triage. I sorted out the stuff that MUST get done, from the stuff that I really WANTED to get done and the stuff that would be NICE to get done. And here's the thing about triage, you have to be brutal. You have to make tough choices. The stuff that MUST get done is the things that would result in severe consequences if you don't do them. On my list this included: get medications refilled, get gas in the car, deposit check into the bank, pay bills that are due, get the food I promised to bring to Christmas dinner, find somebody to care for our dog while we're out of town and keep up with my client demands enough to keep my clients. Then there are the things I really wanted to get done: send presents to out of town friends and family, do laundry, pack clean clothes for the trip, bake some cookies to bring to the party. Then there was a long, long list of things that would be nice to get done: decorate the tree, clean the house, wash the car, look for new clients, find a new outfit to wear for Christmas, sort the garage, clean out the closets, send Holiday cards to acquaintances, and on and on and on.<br />
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The result of my holiday triage, is that less than 1/4 of my list counted as stuff I MUST get done. Another 1/4 was things that I really wanted to get done, and half the list was in the would be nice category. So I told myself: okay get through the must, then see how much time you have for the want and if you don't have time for the would be nice, then just don't sweat it. I got through everything on the list that was absolutely necessary. My suitcases were packed and near the door. The food was organized and the cooler washed and standing by the door. The car was gassed and ready to go. Dog sitter standing by all before bedtime. All I had to do was get up in the morning, put the stuff in the car, post this blog and GO. What a relief! I went to bed with a smile on my face.<br />
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And then both me and my husband got violently ill with the flu. At that point, I had to just throw the entire list out and start over. I couldn't go to my parents on Friday or even Saturday. Christmas Eve dinner was a few saltines and some ginger ale. The food I assembled to bring to my family had to be stored in the freezer. We finally managed to zip our suitcases and stagger to the car on Christmas Day. <br />
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This is really an extension of the previous post about setting holiday expectations. Our lists are so long because we are trying to be perfect or achieve a holiday story that is just not realistic. What if we could stop spending so much time worrying about what other people will think about us at the holidays, and spend more time just being with them? How many wonderful opportunities for love and communications have I missed because I was in the kitchen just whipping up one more thing or washing another dish or cleaning the house? And here's the thing, the dirt always comes back, but sadly, our friends and family are only with us a limited amount of time. And that's why I decided to focus on getting to my family on Christmas, and didn't sweat it that this blog post is about 2 weeks late.<br />
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Since then, we passed one of the great list making holidays of the year, New Years. That's when we move away from our holiday lists and towards lists of resolutions for the whole freaking YEAR! That's when we decide we're going to reorganize the house and only eat organic foods and run a marathon and run for Congress and heaven only knows what else. And here again, I think a little list triage is in order. In fact, let's not make a list. Want a New Year's Resolution? Okay, pick ONE. Not 5, not 20, don't make a list. Just pick one thing. Close your eyes, listen to your heart and choose one thing that you think will make you happier and make your life better this year. Got it? Good!<br />
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And since it's technically not too late to say it: Happy New Years my little chickadees!<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-75898951054465599292011-12-16T08:09:00.000-08:002011-12-16T08:09:42.153-08:00Surviving the Holidays: Managing Expectations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hNt_Wk8A6bQ/TutsHS-aCSI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Oc2ZV8ebMew/s1600/TinyTree1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hNt_Wk8A6bQ/TutsHS-aCSI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Oc2ZV8ebMew/s320/TinyTree1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Last year, as I was frantically finishing final edits to my book: The Fat Chick Works Out! I had to accept that I had neither time nor money for a huge Christmas tree. Even if I was in a position to shell out over $100 for a nice tree (California pricing--sheesh!) I didn't have time to even go to the lot and pick it out, so much drag it home, prop it up and put hundreds of ornaments on it. I had to accept that it just wasn't going to happen. So I took out my tiny little pretend Christmas tree, slapped one string of lights on it, and put on about a dozen little teeny ornaments. And you know what, it wasn't so bad. It was disappointing, because I had expected the giant live Christmas tree. But it's cheery little presence kept me company in the wee, dark hours before dawn as I sat next to the fireplace and did final edits. And I learned.<br />
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This year, I never even thought about that huge Christmas tree. I knew I would be even busier this year than I was last year. I didn't win the lottery, so the big tree was probably too expensive anyway. So I set my expectations for my tiny tree, and this year it's making me happy with no disappointment and no regrets. My tiny tree is enough. I am satisfied.<br />
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I think so many times during the holidays, we make ourselves crazy with totally unreasonable expectations. We think we need to uphold every holiday tradition that anybody in our family has ever had. We think we should give everybody everything they ever wanted for Christmas, and even a few things they didn't ask for. And everybody is going to get along at all the family gatherings, and the kids will all be perfectly behaved and our holiday will look just like Mr. Rockwell's paintings. And naturally, we'll lose 30 pounds between Christmas and Thanksgiving so that we can fit into that slinky little black dress we've been dreaming of. Because we need to make this the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! Ho, ho, freaking, ho.<br />
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And of course, it never quite works out like that, does it? When you're standing in long lines the day after Christmas returning presents that the kids didn't like after all (and you couldn't afford anyway) you cringe at this year's NEW crop of holiday memories complete with grandma passing out after too much eggnog, nobody talking to Judy because of what she said about our Susan, and a mess that you couldn't shift with a sherman tank. And the little black dress? Honey all the Spanx in the world 'aint gonna get you there. Frankly, it's depressing.<br />
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But does it have to be? What if you accept that you can't please everybody. What if you accept that you can't change people? What if you accept that this crazy, messy, imperfect, noisy and less fiscally irresponsible Christmas will be YOUR Christmas and get over it? Can't meet old holiday traditions? Make new ones! Can't buy expensive presents? Give of your heart and your mind and your time. Got a crazy family? Enjoy them while you still have them. Gained 2 pounds since Thanksgiving? Get a great pair of comfy but gorgeous leggings and ROCK 'EM!<br />
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That's my Christmas gift to you my love. Go out and have a personalized, imperfect and perhaps more than slightly crazy holiday season.<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-23481176298329968422011-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:002011-12-12T08:19:59.786-08:00Surviving the Holidays: Get Some Sleep!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EulPFoe5xhE/TuYWuC-HWEI/AAAAAAAAA3M/a0onCE90D04/s1600/rumpled_bed_Blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EulPFoe5xhE/TuYWuC-HWEI/AAAAAAAAA3M/a0onCE90D04/s400/rumpled_bed_Blue.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>Now don't laugh when I ask this, but seriously. When is the last time you got a good night's sleep? I know during the holidays (at least in MY life) this is one of the first things to go right out the window. I stay up to wrap one more present, address one more Christmas card, bake one more holiday favorite and before you know it, it's tomorrow. I can't tell you how many times I've dragged myself up the stairs in the wee hours of the morning and collapsed in the bed. And maybe no other creature (including the proverbial mouse) is stirring at the crack of dawn in my house, but I am. I'm up early doing all the stuff I would normally be doing, but put off because of holiday obligations. Tis the season to be surly, cranky and get sick because we just need a little shut-eye.<br />
<br />
In the health magazines, I've seen lots and lots of articles about how NOT to eat holiday treats or (gasp) gain holiday pounds. What I haven't seen is much of any information about the need for sleep. This despite the fact that there is ample evidence that going without sleep is really bad for your health. A recent <a href="http://bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2011/12/12/night-shift-work-linked-diabetes/yvAsNCIZD2hCm2Ygw9oIvJ/story.html">study</a> showed that shift workers are more likely to suffer from diabetes, and the thinking is that the sleep disturbances have a lot to do with it. (Poor Santa. Maybe he should deliver presents during the day.)<br />
<br />
But diabetes is just one of many potential health effects of not getting enough sleep. Aside from increased accidents on the road and at work, sleep deprivation is linked to a host of other ailments including:<br />
<ul><li> <a href="http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/default.htm">High blood pressure</a> </li>
<li>Heart attack</li>
<li>Heart failure</li>
<li>Stroke</li>
<li>Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders</li>
<li>Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)</li>
<li>Mental impairment</li>
<li>Disruption of bed partner's sleep quality</li>
<li>Poor quality of life</li>
</ul>Yikes! And let's not discount "disruption of bed partner's sleep quality". This is probably not a formula for a happy marriage. I wonder if Mrs. Claus has to sleep with the pillow over her head when jolly ol' St. Nick finally crawls in to the sack at the North Pole. <br />
<br />
But seriously, going without sleep over the holidays is NOT a good thing. Aside from the potential health risks, it makes you cranky as heck, and all the more likely to bite Aunt Ethel's head clean off when she asks you (again) when you're getting married. Not. Good.<br />
<br />
So how do you fit sleep in during the holidays? First off, you need to prioritize it. Here's an exercise I sometimes do. I set my alarm to go off when it's bedtime. This reminds me that it's time to wrap up WHATEVER I'm doing and go to sleep. Sometimes that means some things don't get done. After all, this blog post was supposed to go up LAST week. But is the world still turning? Let me check...<br />
<br />
Getting sleep is also about managing your holiday obligations and your holiday expectations. We'll be talking about both of those things in the weeks ahead. But not right now, because it's time for me to get some shut eye.<br />
<br />
So my little chicklettes, my plea for you is to find some time to lay down your fluffy little heads and head off to dreamland.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-66025105489667035092011-11-28T08:37:00.000-08:002011-11-28T08:42:38.895-08:00Freakin' laser beams on their freakin' heads.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1o8spKHB92I/TtOyR-jIZ5I/AAAAAAAAA3E/VEEB0fZ9CxQ/s1600/IMG_2620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1o8spKHB92I/TtOyR-jIZ5I/AAAAAAAAA3E/VEEB0fZ9CxQ/s320/IMG_2620.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I was trolling through photos, looking for inspiration for my post-Thanksgiving blog post when I came across this beauty. "Yup, that's the one," I said. You may ask why. You may wonder why I'm looking at a photo with no turkeys or pilgrims or Norman Rockwell paintings as the perfect choice. If you're wondering that, well you DO have a lot to be thankful for. But I'm guessing that most of you are giggling right now because you know EXACTLY what I'm getting at.<br />
<br />
Although Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of rest, and family and gratefulness. It seems to have become a lot more like a shark tank lately. From <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/27/black-friday-target_n_1115372.html">Target shoppers</a>, stepping over the prone body of a man who had collapsed with a fatal heart condition, to a <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-investigate-walmart-pepper-spray-incident/story?id=15035480#.TtO3DnHjhy4">Walmart shopper</a> using pepper spray to ensure she got the last copy of a video game on black friday to Aunt Thelma asking if you really needed that piece of pumpkin pie, the shark tank seems a pretty apt metaphor for what the holidays have become for many of us.<br />
<br />
We're supposed to be thinking about love and happiness and goodwill to our fellow man, but how many of us are wishing we could be a super villain with our very own tank with sharks with freakin' laser beams on their heads? (See the video clip <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ88I1V_v5k">HERE</a>.) And so on top of the shopping stress and the family stress, we have the depression that comes with guilt and unmet holiday expectations.<br />
<br />
So, what's a girl to do? How do we navigate these treacherous waters? While I could probably write a book on this subject, you probably don't have time to read it. So I'm going to start a series of brief blog posts, each outlining a specific tip for helping you to survive the holidays, okay?<br />
<br />
And here's the first tip:<br />
1. RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'RE IN DANGEROUS WATERS:<br />
For most of us, the holidays are no kiddie pool. You don't want go go wading in without some serious protective gear. I'm not talking about some inflatable water wings. Nope, I mean a harpoon, and a shark cage, and possibly nuclear incendiary devices. While it's good to be optimistic and think positive (maybe you could leave the nukes at home) it is a good idea to understand that the holidays are a difficult and stressful at times for almost everybody. So along with the holiday gift lists and grocery lists and packed holiday calendar, be sure to take a little time to plan to care for yourself. And to gird your loins my dear, for the days ahead.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat Chick<br />
<br />
P.S. Want to learn more about the shark tank in this picture? Check it out on my other blog: <a href="http://weighsmore.blogspot.com/2011/11/stuff-that-weighs-more-than-me-shark.html">Stuff That Weighs More Than Me</a>.The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-87953726486459629722011-11-16T10:56:00.000-08:002011-11-16T10:56:36.645-08:00Tubby Bunnies, Moral Panic and A Partridge in a Pear Tree<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GwcqAHmjljY/TsQGoN5k7jI/AAAAAAAAA2s/xyVtfYOcd64/s1600/coley_pauline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GwcqAHmjljY/TsQGoN5k7jI/AAAAAAAAA2s/xyVtfYOcd64/s320/coley_pauline.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's truss up Santa! (Photo provided by Coley Chen under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en">Creative Commons</a> License.)</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Over the past few months, few things have driven home the overblown panic surrounding fat people than this <a href="http://hopperhomebunnyblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/uk-study-shows-obesity-epidemic-in.html">recent article</a> on the Hopper Home Bunny Blog declaring an "obesity emergency" among pet rabbits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although rabbits consume the lowest amount of “junk food” among household pets at 26%, they are BLOWING UP at an alarming rate. 26% of British Bunnies apparently equates to over 430,000 rotund rabbits!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These thousands of rabbits are "at risk of developing obesity related and certainly life-threatening disease if their diets don’t improve."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lock up your children!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay indoors!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somebody better develop Lapin Band surgery for these corpulent cottontails.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One week later, <a href="http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/10/30/Halloween-haul-3500-to-7000-calories/UPI-52651320025510/#ixzz1cNK8fZ7f%20">this statement</a> came out demonstrating the moralistic food police in a total tizzy over trick or treating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>UPI hosted a statement that pointed out that kids gather between 3,500 and 7,000 calories during trick or treating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh the horrors!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even noted that (gasp) the U.S. President and First Lady handed out CANDY to trick or treaters at the White House. Donna Arnett, head of the department of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health suggests that people give kids money instead of candy (because kids love money), and that parents hand out pedometers to their kids and give a prize (non-food of course) to the kids with the most steps. Okaaaaay.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well we’re smack dab in the middle of this holiday season, and I wonder, who else is going to be implicated in this obesity epidemic?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will we truss up St. Nick next to the holiday turkey and serve him up as a bad role model?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, that guy could stand to lose a few, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we going to put Baby New Year on a diet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that kid could live longer than a year if he ate a little broccoli, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the prescription for the Easter Bunny goes without saying (see above).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’d like to suggest that we all take a holiday from weight obsession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we take a few weeks to work on managing our stress and getting a little bit of good sleep?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we choose to enjoy holiday treats openly and while we’re hungry for them, rather than denying ourselves, and then closet eating all the Christmas cookies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we engage in regular, rational and pleasurable physical activity, rather than doing nothing until New Years and then weekend warrioring ourselves right into an injury?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we all just take a deep breath and calm down?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s my plan and my holiday gift to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sleep in heavenly peace my friends.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Love, </div><div class="MsoNormal">The Fat Chick.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-23052005689012239372011-11-01T14:36:00.000-07:002011-11-01T14:36:44.954-07:00The illusion of being safe.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SJBnbBjqoUw/TrBh9bWMXDI/AAAAAAAAAw8/Hun8HIE7zAQ/s1600/umpsafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SJBnbBjqoUw/TrBh9bWMXDI/AAAAAAAAAw8/Hun8HIE7zAQ/s320/umpsafe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">“Safe!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shouted as a runner gets to a base, shouted as you reach the goal in kick the can, this word is a happy one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It means you made it to a place no one can harm you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminds us of our childhoods with wide laps and warm beds and somebody always there to brush away the tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how many of us really feel safe in our own skins? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ever since the cries of “fatty, fatty, 2x4” and the comments about “letting yourself go,” and the fact that you have, “such a pretty face”, have you ever really felt safe?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you feel safe, knowing that a perfect stranger feels justified in yelling things at you from across the street?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you feel safe knowing that any time you go to a doctor or dentist or even optometry shop (not kidding here) some professional who is supposed to be helping you may launch into some body disparaging nonsense rather than giving you the help you’ve been asking for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t, it’s no surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be especially hard feeling safe in a fat body.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s enough to make you never want to go out of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s enough to make one want to snuggle down, with your cats and doggies and put a blanket over your head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s enough to make you not want to dare anything.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I know that I’ve done a lot of work about moving ahead in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I no longer want to wait until I’m thin to do the things I want to in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagined what I would do if I were thin, and started doing them anyways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started teaching exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I became a writer and a producer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a DVD and I wrote a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m proud to say I’ve done a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I still find myself in a stuck place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still find myself shyly dipping a toe in the water instead of holding my nose and doing a cannonball into the pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still find myself wanting assurance that I’ll be safe.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But here’s the thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Safety is relative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is not one person anywhere who is completely safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Safety is mostly an illusion that we build for ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’ll keep trying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll keep building the strength I need to slay the dragons I meet along the glory road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll go out the door with my head held high and my wits about me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll not be a simpering princess sighing in a high tower waiting for somebody to rescue me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’LL rescue me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wish me luck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love, The Fat Chick</div>The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-92160560352180212892011-09-25T07:06:00.000-07:002011-09-25T07:06:11.851-07:00Reboot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrAqeAmPADk/Tn8tpvF_KmI/AAAAAAAAAnE/uIps_9fsqnY/s1600/reboot" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrAqeAmPADk/Tn8tpvF_KmI/AAAAAAAAAnE/uIps_9fsqnY/s320/reboot" width="320" /></a></div>Yup, I'm pretty sure I both want and need a reboot. I've been running around like headless poultry for several weeks now and I'm looking forward to a night off. Not that I don't absolutely LOVE all the time I've spent over the last two months meeting new people, conducting exercise demonstrations, promoting the book, running trade show booths and traveling my butt off. I DO love it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVlF9IcqFO8/Tn8w3Qw2NzI/AAAAAAAAAnI/68r-tIslvH4/s1600/Booth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVlF9IcqFO8/Tn8w3Qw2NzI/AAAAAAAAAnI/68r-tIslvH4/s320/Booth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sd1H93fpBxg/Tn8w55g0MdI/AAAAAAAAAnM/ARHJAm6SoLM/s1600/drama_queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sd1H93fpBxg/Tn8w55g0MdI/AAAAAAAAAnM/ARHJAm6SoLM/s320/drama_queen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NeiS_b7LT94/Tn8w-mSapoI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/H0kKwnR6MKo/s1600/NAAFA_LA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NeiS_b7LT94/Tn8w-mSapoI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/H0kKwnR6MKo/s320/NAAFA_LA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
But I'm looking forward to throwing the tent in the car with my sleeping bag and taking off for just one night. My awesome husband (the awesomest husband in the world) even promised to do the packing. So I'm taking a deep breath, giving my inner Virgo/Producer woman a holiday and releasing control over the camping prep. (Deep, breaths. Take DEEP breaths Jeanette.) I'll see y'all when I get back. And I'll let y'all know how it goes.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-68424282796520121202011-07-22T17:52:00.000-07:002011-07-22T17:52:45.070-07:00Yee Haw!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OwyExVma8UM/TioZ5bgWo9I/AAAAAAAAAmA/VAomN1oesrw/s1600/IMG_2615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OwyExVma8UM/TioZ5bgWo9I/AAAAAAAAAmA/VAomN1oesrw/s400/IMG_2615.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>That foreground shadow--that's me on Fremont Street in Las Vegas during the BBW Bash last week. For those of you who don't know, the BBW Vegas Bash is one amazing party! I had a great time in Sin City over the weekend. And I thought I'd include a picture of the neon Glitter Gulch Gal from Fremont St. because THAT girl obviously knows how rock a western outfit AND have a good time. And at over 20ft. tall, she doesn't seem to be letting her size get in the way of living her life to the very fullest! So my little chicklettes, I think it's time to take yourself out and paint the town red (or whatever color you like). Have fun. Score some slightly racy and exciting pictures to post on facebook! And don't forget to send me an email and tell me all about it.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-90463964876685120732011-04-30T16:01:00.000-07:002011-04-30T16:01:31.676-07:00Coming out of the Desert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B6IYI2qXNAE/TbyKkYKhjnI/AAAAAAAAAks/mrq8p3W6350/s1600/IMG_2541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B6IYI2qXNAE/TbyKkYKhjnI/AAAAAAAAAks/mrq8p3W6350/s320/IMG_2541.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Sometimes writing a book can seem like crossing a long, barren desert. It's a solitary pursuit. Often you stagger around and encounter no one. You just step over the bleached bones of the authors who fell before you. Sometimes you think you will never see green or water again. And then, you see the other side. There's trees, and grass and cool, cool water. That's what this book signing was for me. An oasis. A moment of rest and nourishment after a long, long haul. I gotta tell you, it feels pretty good.<br />
<br />
I hosted the book signing today at my favorite coffee shop--Joe's Place. I sat right in MY chair. The very chair where I spend many hours, days and weeks with my trusty Mac laptop and an extra large, black, decaf coffee. Many of my students and dear friends came by to get an autographed copy. They were thrilled for me. And their excitement allowed it to soak in. I'm no longer considering the concept of thinking about maybe someday writing a book. I WROTE the blessed thing. I have a copy in my hand. I've crossed over to the long dreamed of moment where, sharpie in hand I've signed my name on the inside front cover and become an author. And the balmy moist breezes blew over the watering hole and I said, Ahhhhhh.<br />
<br />
So hang in there my little chickadees. You're nearer the oasis then you think. See you at the watering hole.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-58940944612229128582011-01-12T19:16:00.000-08:002011-01-12T19:16:15.395-08:00Viva La Revolution!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TS5uT_L17ZI/AAAAAAAAAaI/dXOSdZWr2xY/s1600/scale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TS5uT_L17ZI/AAAAAAAAAaI/dXOSdZWr2xY/s320/scale.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Well it's the second full week of January and by now I'll bet some of the shine has fallen off those New Year's resolutions. You know, the ones you fervently spout while sipping (or slurping) champagne on New Year's Eve. And also the ones you whisper as you nurse your hangover on the first morning of the year. Yeah those are the ones I'm talking about. And while you're still enjoying the shiny, new, I can be a size 4 by February resolution fantasy it can be a little hard to talk to you. Believe me, I know exactly what that's all about. But now that you've had a few weeks to think about it, and to allow reality to filter in allow me to offer you an alternative.<br />
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This year, a lot of folks in the fat acceptance and health at every size communities (including me) decided to create a "New Year's Revolution" instead of resolutions. This year, for every day in the month of January, we're focusing on a way to love, nurture and care for the bodies we already have rather than trying to change them into something else. It's super fun and super cool. You can find out more about it <a href="http://2011revolutions.blogspot.com/">HERE</a>.<br />
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I hope you check it out. The idea of loving and caring for yourself may be revolutionary, but at another level, it's just common sense. Viva la revolution!<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-77137779054097711702011-01-04T07:56:00.000-08:002011-01-04T07:56:02.511-08:00Too Darn Hot! (Happy New Year)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TSM_s1KFKOI/AAAAAAAAAaA/L1fmchn5gzM/s1600/010411070144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TSM_s1KFKOI/AAAAAAAAAaA/L1fmchn5gzM/s320/010411070144.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Well it's the beginning of a new year and I'm starting us off with a picture of a fire extinguisher. There's really two reasons for this. One, is that my husband and I spent practically all of the New Year's Holiday putting out fires. Not fun. (Warning--whining ahead. You may want to skip down to the bottom of the post.) First, my Mac blew up. This is the second Mac that blew up on me this year. Now I love Macs, and both of these were quite long in the tooth, but what a PAIN. I spent 3 days just getting back to some semblance of being able to work. And we spent a good deal of New Year's Day cleaning all the drains in the house with a plumbers snake. (Don't even ask...) There were various and sundry other dramas as well. In fact, at one point it became really comic. My husband and I had to giggle. Perhaps this was some sort of post traumatic stress disorder, but I tend to think it had more to do with gratitude. After all, we were still healthy. And we were strong enough to work together to solve the problems. There's something deeply reassuring about having a husband who knows how to fix a computer and snake a drain. And there's something deeply satisfying about learning how to do these things for myself. Not that I wouldn't love to have a staff to take care of these pesky troubles. Not that I'm going to start picking up these activities for a Saturday night, but I like to know that if I have to do stuff, I know how.<br />
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When sharing my plight with my awesome friend Barbara, she offered this tasty tidbit of insight. "Well we all know that a great performance is usually preceded by a really crummy dress rehearsal. Naturally this means you will have an awesome year in 2011." And you know what, I think she's right. I don't need a fire extinguisher to put out all the fires. I need it because 2011 is going to be too darn hot! So circle up my little chickadees. I want to reassure you that 2011 will be less than perfect. We will need a fire extinguisher nearby to put out fires along the way. Stuff happens. But we will take it in stride. We will giggle at the absurdity of our tribulations. And we will win. And naturally, we'll also need a fire extinguisher nearby just to protect those near and dear from our overwhelming hotness! Happy New Year.<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-30615166636182320892010-11-23T19:18:00.000-08:002010-11-23T19:18:03.264-08:00Feel the rain and do it anyways.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TOx_-nJVt4I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/wWJ6eQthEjo/s1600/Mara_Thon1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TOx_-nJVt4I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/wWJ6eQthEjo/s400/Mara_Thon1.JPG" width="371" /></a></div>One of the primary lessons I've learned in getting and staying fit is that exercise sessions often don't go as planned. Your exercise buddy doesn't show up, the class is canceled and on the day of your big group walk, it rains. Sometimes it seems like the entire universe is conspiring against you in reaching your fitness goals.<br />
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In this situation, you have two choices. You can say, awww the heck with it and go watch TV. Or you can get out there and do it anyways.<br />
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This past Saturday was the final leg of our progressive Mara-thon at church where we raised money for the Mara district in Africa. During the Mara-thon, we raised money to buy motorcycles and bicycles for the Mara missionaries--to help them cover their district which is 700 km from end to end. This is roughly the distance between Los Angeles and Phoenix. That's a long darn way over some hot and dry terrain. And I think it's fairly safe to say, that their travel/exercise conditions are rarely optimal. <br />
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So it was apropos, that this past weekend, for the final leg of our Mara-thon, we had some pretty tough weather. It rained. (and rained and RAINED!) But I'm proud to say, that our little band got out our umbrellas and raincoats and just got on with it! Yes it was tough. Yes we got cold and wet. But we didn't suffer anything that a cup of hot coffee and a nice warm bath couldn't cure.<br />
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Yes it was raining (cats and dogs) but we decided to feel the rain and do it anyways. We were cold. We were wet. But above all, we were proud.<br />
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So my little chicklettes, here's my wish for you. We're coming into the holidays--when there are built in excuses to avoid exercise around every single corner. You may be tired. You are undoubtedly busy. But I'm asking you to put on your raincoat, grab your umbrella and exercise anyways. Enjoy some well-earned pride along with your holiday pie.<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-5293232492485258972010-11-16T14:11:00.000-08:002010-11-16T14:11:50.919-08:00A Big Fat Juicy Kiss!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TOL3CpeztxI/AAAAAAAAAZs/nMc0ejd50_4/s1600/profileKiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TOL3CpeztxI/AAAAAAAAAZs/nMc0ejd50_4/s320/profileKiss.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Fantastic Photo by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/varnerphotography">Kelly Varner</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>After the flap over the now infamous Maura Kelly blog post on MarieClaire.com about how she felt that fat people kissing or indeed walking across a room would be "gross", I've been thinking a lot about the simple kiss. Much to my delight, I watched as rad fatties and friends staged a "<a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/10/30/anti-marie-claire-protestors-stage-a-kiss-in-at-hearst-building-denounce-fatties-blog-post/">Big Fat Kiss In</a>" at Friday closing time in front of the Hearst building. I participated in <a href="http://www.bigfatblog.com/bfbs-virtual-kiss">Big Fat Blog's Virtual Kiss in </a>with a photo of my own. I kissed and was kissed.<br />
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Right smack (hee hee) in the middle of all this hullabaloo about kissing, a new episode of Glee aired, with a kissing theme. And intwined in the plot was a very sensitive and interesting story about two characters who had "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Been_Kissed_%28Glee%29">never been kissed</a>". Both characters expressed their angst over never having been kissed and what that meant--were they good enough? Were they desirable? Would they ever find somebody to kiss?<br />
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And this strikes at a deep fear that many of us share--the fear that we are not kissable--that despite the prince (or princess) inside, folks just can't get past the "frogness" outside.<br />
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That's what makes Maura's post so dangerous and damaging. That's also what makes the Kiss-ins so extraordinary. This Kiss-ins show that Maura is just WRONG. The kiss-ins remind us that we are all not only kissable, but liable to be bussed in public for all the world to see. It's a simple and powerful statement--"It's not just the skinny chicks that get kissed. Fat Chicks get kissed too, and some of OUR snogging is simply epic".<br />
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So, my little chicklettes, it's time to tell those who shame you or make you feel inadequate to "kiss off!" And it's time to simply line everybody else up for a kiss. Smile and share a smooch with somebody today. Don't let ANYONE you love say they've never been kissed.<br />
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Love and Kisses,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-12617769597978055962010-11-12T09:05:00.000-08:002010-11-12T09:05:27.083-08:00Eat, Move, Live, and SHARE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TNzB6RdyOwI/AAAAAAAAAZo/ZEPOm5DNg5I/s1600/IMG_2296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/TNzB6RdyOwI/AAAAAAAAAZo/ZEPOm5DNg5I/s400/IMG_2296.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm so excited! I've been invited by the City of Hope to present fitness information and demonstrations as part of their Eat, Move, Live series. In these sessions I meet with parents and children and help them learn how to integrate fitness into their daily lives. We had the first session this past Tuesday and it was awesome! You know, whenever I teach a new class, before I turn on the music and get everybody up and dancing, there's always a moment where my students are unsure. They seem to ask themselves, "Can I do it?" "Will it be too hard?" "Will I hate it?" "Will I look stupid?" But after I turn on the music and get everybody started, there's that moment--usually halfway through the first song when I watch the questions on everybody's face turn to answers. I watch their faces say, "Hey, I'm actually doing it!" "It's not that bad!" "It's actually kind of fun!" "And I DON'T completely suck at it either." Man, I gotta tell you, I love that moment. As a teacher, it gets me totally jazzed. I'd love for you to experience that moment too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wonder my dear friends, is there somebody in your life you could share that moment with right now? Do you have a friend or a family member that just needs a little encouragement? Is there somebody who just needs a little proof that they can do something totally amazing? I want you to take a moment and think about it. And if a name comes to mind, don't hesitate. Call or email that person and help and share. Because with all the talk about "runners high" and "endorphins", the high of helping somebody else find their strength, trumps all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh and if you're in Southern California, and want to check out any of the two remaining sessions, don't forget to check my <a href="http://www.thefatchick.com/thefatchick/Speaking.html">speaking schedule</a>. I can't wait to see you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Love,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Fat Chick</div>The Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2445591847292462553.post-87457040768277815982010-08-27T13:48:00.000-07:002010-08-27T13:48:42.567-07:00Acting Like a Kid Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/THgfLAMtiiI/AAAAAAAAAYY/XxBhrYWWPV0/s1600/IMG_2184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/THgfLAMtiiI/AAAAAAAAAYY/XxBhrYWWPV0/s320/IMG_2184.JPG" /></a></div><br />
My newfound <a href="http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/star/ci_15457853">FAME</a>, in the Pasadena Star News led to an opportunity to teach at a kids health camp in Duarte last week. I led a 45-minute exercise class with about 25 young kids in it. Was it ever a blast! The kids were excited and enthusiastic about trying something new. We did "dance around the world" with songs from Africa, Spain, Ireland, India, France and China. We didn't talk much about exercise and we certainly didn't talk about thinning our thighs. Some of the kids were genuinely surprised when I used the word "fat". There were a few snickers and giggles, but mostly the kids just got down to the business of having a really good time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/THgkWdv0_MI/AAAAAAAAAYg/Twdgimo-0xM/s1600/IMG_2175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gNTK-s8KMfY/THgkWdv0_MI/AAAAAAAAAYg/Twdgimo-0xM/s400/IMG_2175.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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And that's the point, right? <br />
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One of the problems with adult exercise is that so often, we lose track of what exercise's primary objective SHOULD be, which is having fun. The minute exercise becomes about something else--fitting into a bathing suit, reducing numbers on a scale, toning your upper arms, the fun just leaks away. And once the thrill is gone, it becomes a chore. And we all know how we all feel about adding one more chore, right?<br />
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That's why it was so awesome dancing with these kids. They were doing it just for the joy of it. Nobody told them it was supposed to be hard work for them--so it wasn't. So my dear chicklettes, that's my wish for you. Take your inner child outside and play. Swing on some swings. Turn around in a circle until you get dizzy and fall down. Turn on some fun music and boogie! Above all, have fun.<br />
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Love,<br />
The Fat ChickThe Fat Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06402005060136047014noreply@blogger.com1