Is Fat Funny?

I went to the gay capital of Ft. Lauderdale last night for their Halloween extravaganza. It was great fun sitting on a bench watching the people strolling by decked out in all sorts of wild and crazy costumes. Amazing looking women, slinky and sexy, dressed in their highest of heels and full makeup turned out to be men. Sailors, policemen, Mad Hatters, a penis, masters and their slaves and lots of people dressed in fat costumes. Men and women alike in padded suits, overabudant fake breasts, rolls of simulated fat, fake double chins - all in the name of Halloween and a good time. But is it in good taste?

Is it OK for us to single out a group and make fun of them? Is it alright to pretend to be someone else, such as a homeless person, a fat person, an old person, all in the name of fun? Here's an excerpt from Kataphatic. In her blog Katie says:

"My body is sold as a costume. People can dress up like me, pretending. Playing. Trying out what it’s like to be fat; getting a laugh out of it. How crazy and disgusting their body would be if they really looked like me. And then at the end of the evening they can take it off. Shed that extra weight of the costume with a sigh, and a “thank God I’m not really that fat.” Or, maybe not even think about it, the way I think about how my life would be different if I weren’t fat, every day. My body is treated as a costume by thin people.

My body isn’t the only body that’s objectified as a costume for privileged people. The bodies and cultures of many people of color are used as costumes by white people. The bodies of "illegal" immigrants are used as costumes by American (particularly white) citizens. The bodies of the mentally ill are used as costumes by the neurotypical. The bodies of the old are used as costumes by the young. The bodies of the poor and homeless are used as costumes by the wealthy.

The privileged use the bodies of the oppressed as costumes, but they don’t stop there. The costumes are not usually realistic at all. They don’t communicate any sense that the wearer (the appropriator, the rapist, the conqueror, the colonizer) has any sense of the humanity of the person whose body they are exploiting. These costumes are caricatures of us, designed to be shocking, ugly, “exotic” to highlight the “other-ness” and even the “not-human-ness” of our bodies. Not only are we othered by the fact that our bodies are used as a costume, we are dehumanized by them."

When you see that thin person decked out in some semblance of a fat person's body, how do you feel? Do you find it amusing? Or is it just pathetic that they think it is OK to make fun of overweight people?

No Thanks, Spanx!

As a teenaged girl, my mother encouraged me to squeeze into a panty girdle, which was somewhat de rigueur back in the 60's. This tight contraption. which went from the waist to the bottom of the thighs, was worn under everything - dresses, skirts and pants. It smoothed the figure and eliminated bulges. It also acted as a kind of chastity belt because it was almost impossible to be naughty while wearing one, which might be why so many mothers bought them for their daughters. From the 1920's through the 70's girdles were a part of every woman's wardrobe.

Sex & Nudity

I take my clothes off in the privacy of the bathroom where no one will be able to see my nakedness. I don't even like looking at my own nudity. I'm no prude, far from it, but when it comes to displaying my overabundant flesh I am shy. Well, maybe mortified is closer to the right feeling. My body looks nothing like the ones I see in magazines. I could be the "before" on a makeover show if they had a Ms. Nude Makeover series on TV - too much jiggle and wiggle and a whole lot of sag.

Starting Over

How many of us, with all our good intentions, go astray? We win battle after battle but occasionally our passion for food gets the better of us? I truly believe that for me it will always be a struggle. There I was, just three measly pounds from my goal and then I succumbed to temptation. How easy it would be to eat myself into oblivion, gaining back all of the forty plus pounds I've lost, and then some. I swore to myself that I would never, ever do that again and this is a promise I intend to keep.

Weight Watchers Follows You Everywhere!

Sorry, friends, for having taken some time off. I bought a new condo and have been so busy moving, cleaning, organizing, etc., that I haven't had a spare moment to write. Today, however, I have just returned from a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas, rested and ready to get back to business at hand.

I have to catch you up on what's been going on. Many of you have written asking how my hula hooping was going. I do have to tell you that my first day, being in hooper's heaven, I overdid it and happily hooped for over an hour and a half. I wound up with enormous bruises around my midsection! So my advice to those of you who want to have some fun while exercising -start slow. Maybe 15 minutes at a time. Don't whirl like a dervish the way I did!

A Cheesy Dilemma

Ah, cheese. So many varieties, so many flavors and from so many countries. While Gorgonzola can be wonderfully piquant, a nice creamy brie can be paired with some ripe pear slices. And a sharp Canadian cheddar is always welcome as a topping on your burger or with a glass of red wine. Whatever your choice, cheese is a delicious addition to any meal or hors d'oeuvres selection.

But cheese has fat, salt, lots of calories and that dreaded cholesterol. So what would be a good choice for us folks who are trying to lose weight? And how much can we eat before it does too much damage?

An ounce of cheese is considered one serving and provides 200 - 300 mg. of calcium. Most adults need 1,000 mg of calcium per day and people 50 and older need 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Since milk is the main ingredient, cheese provides a good source of protein and vitamin B₂. (Information from American Dietetic Association).

Hooping and Hollering

My hula hoop finally arrived and I am on my way to becoming a full fledged hooper! Unlike the toy hula hoop, the weighted hoop is easy to spin and I was successful on my second attempt. I can easily keep it going for almost as long as I like. In fact, I am still hot and sweaty as I write after an hour of whirling, twirling, spinning and grinning. it's the most fun I've had exercising ever! With some of my favorite tunes programed on Pandora I was good to go.

A Whole Lot of Hoopla!

I just ordered a weighted hoop, like the old fashioned hula hoop only heavier. About six months ago I bought a kid's hoop but couldn't swing it around my body without it immediately falling to the ground. It wasn't like riding a bicycle because I used to be pretty good at swiveling my hips but now it seems I'm a total disaster!

So after studying up I learned that the children's toy is not what we want anyway. A larger hoop with some heft is easier to spin and more effective. The idea was so appealing that I found out what to look for in a hoop and wound up ordering a beginner's hoop. If I'm not a total disaster, I'll spring for the next level. I even found a hooping event just a couple of miles away which I hope to attend in August, if I get the knack, that is.