Growing up in a home with five women, I learned at an early age to complain about my weight, otherwise known as Fat Talk. Of course it's not something that I am proud of, but let's be honest: most women openly complain about their weight. I feel like it's second nature to say things like "Ugh, I am so fat," or "I feel so fat today," or "Do I look fat in these jeans?" and it never really occurred to me how wrong this way of thinking was until Angeline began puberty and I started hearing her saying the same exact things.
It broke my heart, and ever since then, I've tried to address weight in a positive way. I'll admit that I sometimes slip, but overall, I really try to address any weight issues in a positive light, or not at all! When Angeline makes comments about being fat (which she isn't, but being a teenage girl, has that typical teenage body dismorphia), I shut it down right away. There will be no Fat Talk!
Why? Because Fat Talk weighs women down. Special K® believes that Fat Talk is a barrier to managing weight and when so many women do it on a daily basis, we're all just that much further from reaching our goals. Have you seen that SNL skit where the women all run into each other on a street corner, and when one of them compliments the other, they immediate say something like, "OMG I am such a cow!" It was funny, but incredibly sad...because it's only a slight exaggeration of how we behave!
According to a recent survey, nearly half of women say that they engage in Fat Talk because they feel it’s better to criticize themselves before someone else does. Why do we think that others are going to criticize us for our weight? Believe me, you are way more worried about your weight or appearance than anyone else is. 62% of women in this survey said that they actually feel like they have to join the Fat Talk, making disparaging remarks about themselves when they hear other women doing it!
Fat Talk is bad for all of us! Instead of getting involved in Fat Talk, and keeping the Fat Talk going, put an end to it. FIGHT FAT TALK.
Special K® has proven that a positive approach is the key to weight management success, so let's join together to silence this negativity about our weight once and for all!
Special K® has partnered with Tyra Banks, a woman known for embracing her body, to help help shift the weight management conversation to a more positive one. Why? Because being positive is so important to success in any path in life, and weight management is really no different.
In my personal experience, I have found that losing weight and getting healthy is much easier when I focus on the positive and have a optimistic outlook. Special K® knows how important being positive is to weight management success and after doing some research, found that 93% of women Fat Talk. 93% people! Special K® found 1,434,556 instances of Fat Talk online, with only 4,544 instances of positive talk. There is something seriously wrong with those numbers.
“I know firsthand how much criticizing your body negatively affects self-esteem, but as a role model, I try to maintain a positive attitude and healthy approach to managing my weight,” says Banks. “That’s why I’m excited to partner with Special K to help empower women to not only feel confident about their bodies, but also to remove those negative thoughts and show them how to employ tips and tricks to make their least liked physical attributes look better.”
Special K® offers a wide variety of delicious, guilt-free products for women who are conscious of their weight. Product offerings include snack and breakfast options that provide protein and fiber, which allows us to satisfy our taste buds and feel full without indulging in too many calories.
To help women with their weight management journey this New Year, Special K offers a variety of delicious food options and is inviting them to participate in the Special K Challenge, an easy, effective way for women to kick-start their weight-management plan in 2014. You can find more information about the Special K Challenge by visiting SpecialK.com.
Check out this infographic about Fat Talk for some startling statistics found in the Special K survey, and visit www.FightFatTalk.com for yourself and help us SHHHHut down Fat Talk!
Oh yeah, and if you hear ME engaging in Fat Talk? Tell me to shut it!
Tamie
That's true when we are positive about ourselves that we can do more towards a healthier way of living.
Jodi
So true, there is so much negativity in general. I have noticed over the years how much that type of talk really weighs you down. I think just living a healthy life is so important, without focusing so much on body image.
Krystyn
We really are mean to ourselves and our bodies. And, it's sad that it takes us hearing our kids to "get it". But, we really try to talk about healthy and unhealthy instead and it helps.
Shaz
I am lucky to be in the 7%. I grew up in a house with a mother and sister who constantly dieted so I also grew up in a house where low fat food and exercise were a way of life. I've always been slightly too thin. But I've had to be around the "you're too skinny", "look at how skinny you are" comments, meaning I have the opposite problem. I always feel I am unattractive because I have a little chest or thin legs. I would love to live in a world where we just love ourselves for who we are. I'm all for this campaign!
Jennifer Clay
It is hard for me because I still have some of the pregnancy weight and when I stop thinking about it, I will have somebody say "You need to lose some weight".
Kita
Negative talk weighs you down sometimes more than the actual weight. We have to do better myself included because I can mean to myself. Great campaign and much needed.
Mama to 5 BLessings
I hate Fat talk, it's not necessary and it's ugly. What a nice post, many need to be reminded of it!
Mistee Dawn
I so totally agree. I hate it when I hear a woman say she is fat. Especially a younger girl. So detrimental.
Kecia
I am so guilty of this! I think it doesn't help when society puts so much emphasis on body size either.
Ashley McLure
I tend to let others know they need to stop that way of thinking when I hear it. Then again, I'm really bad about doing it myself though not where anyone can hear me.
Jennifer
I really need to work on silencing my own inner fat talk! I've been dealing with my weight my whole life and have had WAY too much negativity!
The Mom Jen
My 15 year old now tells me to zip it when I complain about my tummy fat, I really need to zip it!
Cassie
It sucks but these days that's the way people think and talk. My husband and I joke that if Marilyn Monroe were alive today she'd be considered fat and disgusting. The sad part is that thinking about it now she probably would be 🙁
Ashley M
My mom is a nurse who is constantly on a bad-for-you diet. It has always boggled my mind how someone in the health field makes that decision but I digress. I was lucky enough to not be influenced by those bad choices. While I do admit to sometimes participating in Fat Talk, overall I have a pretty healthy body image and make good choices. I too and super conscience of the way I speak in front of my daughter.
Mandi
We aren't just mean to ourselves, we are horrible at talking about other women's bodies. I definitely need to watch what I say to myself... I have a little girl who's always listening and I don't want her to think badly about herself or mimic me.
Felicia
WE really are our own worst critics. When my husband and I decided to watch what we were eating we noticed that Graham (age 6) started talking about calories and looking. It made me realize that he is watching every move we make and everything we say.
Angela
This campaign has such a strong and powerful message. I have been down about my weight for years. It's definitely time for women to take a positive approach to losing weight and getting healthy.
Amber Edwards
This is such a brilliant campaign! Fat talk is so damaging, not only to yourself but all those that hear you say it too! such a powerful message!
Tammy
It's a bad habit to start and an even worse one to keep up. It's so true though that we need to all stop, especially to be role models to the young women in our lives. I never realized I did it either until one day when my daughter said something about herself and I told her she was pretty, and she replied "well you're pretty too Mom, but you always say bad things about yourself" Ouch!
Kristin Wheeler
You're right! And especially around kids. I like to say I am focusing on eating healthier instead of "I feel fat!" or "I'm on a diet!"
Janel
Wait, you mean I shouldn't say that!! 😉 I've still got 15 to lose, but at the same time I'm proud of how far I have come!
Shauna
AMEN!!! I love this post, we should be empowering ourselves... I agree with it all... I was not on a diet I am getting healthy
brett
this might just be the best campaign EVER. my kids are 8, 6 and 4 and my 8 year old daughter is already talking about how her thighs look fat when she sits down.
Susanna Barbee (Zealous Mom)
Helping our young girls develop a positive body image is so important! Since they soak up everything they hear, we adult women must be very careful about what we say and how we word our comments. I love the Fight Fat Talk campaign. Very important cause.
martha
its amazing how young girls pick up on fat talk these days. and how often i hear beautiful and thin moms talking about their fat jeans!!
Brandy Myers
Way to go Special K! I would love to see "fat talk" go away and help re-build the perspective of healthy to young girls rather than the need to be thin.
Marina
Great campaign considering the fat talk can scar a person/child for life! I know someone who grew up with such a complex because everyone called her Flabby
susan
I have to agree, negative talk brings you down and sows a bad body image. My 8 year old daughter mentioned that she though she was "fat" the other day, there is nothing wrong with her!
candice
this is great! woman need to be more positive toward one another rather than put one another down or talk in a non positive way.
Henrietta
Fat talk has just become so commonplace that I think so many of us really don't realize how we are speaking about ourselves. It truly is sad and something we should be more mindful of, especially when we have daughters of our own. Thank you for the reminder!
katherine
Great post. I am always hard on myself and don't need to be
Liz
I totally do this and I'm super critical of myself. If there's something to pick at, I'll find it and it only makes me feel worse!
Kelsey Apley
We can be our worst enemy, when I say something about myself a lot of tiems people say they don't see it or they never noticed it!
Autumn
I'm guilty of this on an almost daily basis. I've never really thought much about how my self-loathing words would affect my daughter's outlook. Thanks for the reminder! We are too hard on ourselves, aren't we?
Shell
That's a very powerful video. Growing up, my mom weighed herself every morning and if there was even a pound difference, she would get really upset about it and say awful things. This from a woman who barely broke 100 pounds. It definitely didn't give me a healthy starting point about weight.
Toni
I realized just how much effect our words on ourselves have on our kids when my daughter said she was fat one day. I told her no she wasn't, she was beautiful and her response to me was "mom you are beautiful too, and you are not big, but you say you're fat". I died a little and decided from then on I would not talk negatively in front of the kids.
Sara Phillips
I know how easy it is to let those FAT TALK comments sneak in - out loud or in my head - but I try really hard not to let them. I don't want my kids to see/hear me say those things about myself. If I want them to love themselves, I have to love MYself.
Kimberly
I read about this on another blog yesterday. What a great campaign.
Jenn
It's so important to shut this down before it affects our daughters. Thanks for the reminder.
Linda Brooks
I hate Fat Talk. I love myself enough not to let them get into my head.
Jayme
It's so important not to talk like that- especially in front of my daughters!
trisha
At the same time, I have to admit that ignoring your body is not any more healthy either..i really COULD lose weight AND be better off for it.
Paula Krueger
I know I'm guilty of fat talk and need to cut it out. I always say I wish I was as fast now as I thought I was in high school.
Melissa
I completely agree! I need to watch what I'm saying. My 5 year old son actually got really upset what he heard me talking bad about myself. I need to be more positive!
Beeb
I love the message of positivity, lifting ourselves and other women up by stopping the body shaming!
Natalie
I'm trying really hard to curb my comments when around my 7 yr old son and 3 yr old daughter. I think I've done it so long now, I hardly notice when I do.
Blondie
I'm guilty of it, and I always do it in a joking matter as if that makes it any better but really its just as bad.
Tonya
I relate. I grew up surrounded by women who had body issues and pushed those off on me. My teenage years were rough and I'd never want my daughter to deal with what I dealt with.
Kat B.
I am guilty of this. So very guilty. And I cant even blame my mom because she has always told me that I was beautiful and I have never heard her fat talk.
Not So Average Mama
Another reason I love Roller Derby...there are women of all shapes and sizes and there is NO fat talk!!! In fact, they prefer big butts 😛
Mickey
I agree that it's bad for so many reasons. It perpetuates a more negative self-image, but it also affects the people listening, who then compare themselves (as in if SHE's fat and wears a size 6, then I mist be HUGE in her opinion). Women should definitely be more confident and more positive about themselves.
tammilee
I am guilty of this and it sucks!
I have made a resolution for 2014 to be positive in all aspects of life especially when it comes to how I talk about health, body issues and life in general.
Nichol
I just adore this campaign. We are so quick to put ourselves down, but never say enough good things about ourselves. Almost, one year ago I put a stop to that. I now try to focus on the positives and not any negatives. It has really made me a much happier person.
Karen
It is so true that we are our own worst critics, and what we say is heard by our children. We all need to start being more positive and let our daughters know that just because we don't look like fashion models doesn't mean we are not valued.
Jenny
i stopped caring about my weight. seriously, nothing i can do about it. well, nothing i'm WILLING to do. i'm lazy xD
Donna
I love this message because too many women (myself included) spend way too much time fat talking and putting ourselves down. I do it all the time. I am working really hard on making this my new year's resolution -- to stop the negative talk.
Melinda
my mother and sister are the worst with the fat talk, they do it to each other all the time.
Amy
Definitely important to not engage in it.. although it is so tempting.
Cat Davis
Guilty! It's something I really need to work on for the new year.
Nina Say
This is such a difficult topic, because it is one of those things that is easier said than done. BUT with a good support system I think it is so much more achievable.
Leah
I couldn't agree more. I do have a lot of weight to lose and I think it's ok to talk about goals, but making fun of myself doesn't really do any good. I think I was always like Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect...I made fun of myself before other people do it behind my back.