This post was sponsored by Special K, all opinions are my own.
We are approaching the start of a brand new year, and while many people (especially women) are making New Year Resolutions to lose weight and get in shape, I want to challenge you to do something a little differently in 2014. I want you to Fight Fat Talk. Sure, work on losing that weight and getting into shape - but let's do it in a positive way, and put an end to the craziness that is Fat Talk!
I'm not the only one who realizes how important it is to SHHHHHUT down Fat Talk! Tyra Banks has teamed up with Special K to help shift the conversation about weight loss and weight management to a more positive one.
“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.”
I think this initiative is so important because Fat Talk is so ingrained in our culture that we may do it without even realizing it! I used the Fat Talk finder search tool on the Fight Fat Talk website and found that 4 friends recently engaged in Fat Talk on Facebook - in the last week alone! Considering that 93% of women engage in Fat Talk, I shouldn't be surprised...but I am still disappointed.
The plain and simple truth is that Fat Talk weighs all women down, and we need to put an end to it. Whether you're the one starting the Fat Talk, or engaging in it, it is time to put an end to it. Don't engage. Shhhhut it down!
Special K recently conducted a “SHHHH” shopping experience to show shoppers what it looks like when they engage in Fat Talk. Check out the video to see what a powerful impact this experience had on these ladies; it really is an eye opening experience!
It's time to shut down the Fat Talk. You can find out more about fighting Fat Talk and embracing weight loss and weight management in a positive way on FightFatTalk.com.
Are you with me?
Colleen
I have been really enjoying this campaign it is so true and this video really really has an impact.
Ellen Christian
That's so important! Negative talk can really hurt you. It's something I struggle with sometimes.
Nicole
93% is a lot of women! What a nice campaign, I really like the positive messages it is sending out.
Tamie
Fat talk is so contagious. This campaign is such a great idea.
LauraOinAK
I am all for eliminating (or at least reducing) the fat talk out there.
Alison
I loved working on this campaign! It brings a good topic into the fore front! Hopefully we have helped to end the Fat Talk!
susan
this is a great campaign, we should cut out all the fat talk in our lives.
Amber Edwards
This is such a brilliant Campaign! I love the message behind it! Words even when spoken to ourselves are destructive. And the little girls that overhear how we talk to ourselves; yea it hurts them too.
Angela
I love seeing Tyra Banks as part of this campaign. She is someone I admire.
Jennifer Soltys
I am guilty of this (putting myself down, not others). 🙁 Definitely must work on in the new year. Putting yourself down is NOT productive.
Janel
93% is a huge number, but honestly doesn't surprise me. I'm guilty of it myself a bit, but I'm nowhere near as bad as many of my friends.
Pam
That is a terrible statistic. I know every teenage girl my daughter has ever hung out with has complained about their weight no matter how skinny they are.
Nancy L. StyleDecor
I love Tyra and Special K - what a great team! Having struggled with weight loss herself, Tyra is a terrific spokesperson for the campaign! <3
Mistee Dawn
I am with you! Women are so hard themselves and each other. It is time for that to stop! Thanks for the info!
Liza
This is definitely something I think about more often now that I have a toddler who mimics and mirrors everything I do and say. I want to be sure she makes it into adulthood with confidence and a good body image, so I need to check some of the things that come out of my mouth.
Liz
Girl, I am totally with you on this. It's a lifelong trap we get stuck in with that bad habit and it's time to break it for good!
brett
right there with you. i'm planning to lose the fat talk while i lose the unhealthy weight i'm toting around
Chrysa
This is such a good campaign. Even things that are said in a "flippant" way can drag a person down. A positive mindset and talk can do wonders!
Melissa
I'm with you! My son caught me saying negative things about my body and he was so upset. With 2 daughters now, I know I have to be positive for them!
Melinda Babiak
it's terribly contagious too. once one of us starts it's like a snowball. we have to be more positive about ourselves.
Rebecca Brandt
If we really want to fight fat, we have to stay away from food that is fake - and that would be almost 90% of what is in the grocery store. Let's get up and start walking, let's run with our children, let's eat fruits and veggies - and real meat....and bread (real bread that we grind and make in our homes). Let's stop and look around and realize - we need real food and less time on our bums....
Amy
Great video! I love this! I don't usually talk about myself like that, but I do feel like it's contagious! One person talks about how fat their tummy is and everyone joins in on the fat talk! We need to stop!
Kecia
I am with you! I have engaged in fat talk in the past but want to have a better outlook for myself. 2014 is all about getting healthier for me!
Kathy Balman
I love this post and couldn't agree more. I raise my children to not be considerate of others by showing them how I am considerate. Sadly we do have a problem in the US with weight but horse words are not the answer education and love is.
Amy Desrosiers
I think society has a double standard sometimes. They want us to eat all this nasty junk, and then they throw dieting in our faces. Im glad that people are standing up for this, but people need to be more wiser with what they put into their mouths.
kim
I'm with ya!! Along with everything else, we've just got to stop criticizing everyone and everything!! Happy New Year.
Janeane Davis
It is important for women to learn to speak of themselves in a positive manner like they would a stranger instead of meanly.
Donna
I'm so bad at self fat talk, and I am going to STOP it. It's one of my goals for 2014. I do need to get healthy, but I don't need to find things about myself to put myself down. I need to be positive and build myself up. I do others, so why don't I love myself enough to do that for myself? So it's time for a change. I love this campaign!
Lindsey
I am guilty as charged. Even though I may never actually let the "fat talk" out of my mouth, I'm certainly having a whole conversation in my head. I need to nip that in the bud for the future!
Yolanda
I am with you. Thank you for sharing this much needed campaign!
Jennifer
I really struggle with negative self talk! Its one of the things that I am trying to conquer in 2014!
Angela
I am so guilty of this myself and really appreciate this campaign. It's a much needed message.
Amethyst Moon
I'm so with you! The biggest of changes must come from within. It's time to be healthier and happier and embrace a positive self image.
Prototype Mama
I've seen this across the web and I think this an awesome campaign. This is something that we are guilty of
Liz
I am really trying so hard to not give those knee jerk reflex responses about myself this year. I'm just going to force myself to not say anything until I stop to really think about what's going to come out of my mouth first. It's gotta be positive!
Autumn
I'm totally guilty of the fat talk. I've been trying to watch how I speak (especially about myself!) in front of my daughter so that she doesn't lose her confidence when she's older. It's hard sometimes, though.
Bethany Delk
I think this is so important! What a great inspriation to today's generation of teens. Girls must realize they are beautiful, no matter what the scale says.
Liza
I love that this campaign is everywhere I turn right now. Poor body image is something so many women have, and we just created a vicious circle by participating in fat talk in front of the next generation. It's something I think about even more so now that my toddler has become such a sponge of what we say and do.
Anjanette Young
I really do love this campaign I think it brings awareness to some of the negative things we do and say that don't help.
Toni
What a great campaign this is. Positive esteem is definitely something our kids (and us adults too) need.