Is Tarynn Brumfitt Encouraging Us to be Fat

[Anonymous]

A friend sent me this link from the Huffington Post about Taryn Brumfitt. She's an Australian woman doing a documentary on women's body image and she has started a kickstarter campaign.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/14/embrace-taryn-brumfitt_n_5318178.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

Apparently, she posted "before" and "after" pictures of herself on the Internet that went viral. The "before" pictures show her stunning body after a bodybuilding competition. The second "after" picture shows her "normal" body. She says too many women have body image problems and think they need to be "perfect." Yet, in a nation that is confronting an obesity epidemic, why encourage people to accept that being fat is health?

[Anonymous]

Sigh. Because it is possible to be fat and healthy, and it is possible to be thin and unhealthy. Creating body image problems does not make people healthier; in fact, it encourages a very unhealthy relationship with food.

Next?

[Anonymous]

Who?

[Anonymous]

I don't think either photo of her looks attractive. Overall I think bodybuilders are unattractive body types.

[Anonymous]

I feel like their easily could be a medium to meet. If she had the discipline to get into body building shape I don't see why she couldn't find the discipline to maintain just a normal body weight. It shouldn't be bodybuilder or overweight as the only choices. Where does a normal body fit in?

[Anonymous]

So, she really takes things to extremes, doesn't she?

[Anonymous]

You think the second picture she is fat? I think she is normal.

[Anonymous]

Normal for US adults at this point IS fat. I have a mid-range BMI and 19% body fat (I'm male) and everyone I know thinks I'm super thin.

[Anonymous]

Her body building body isn't even really muscular and her current body is fat. Somewhere in between would be nice rather than getting in decent shape and then letting it go.

[Anonymous]

I think she's encouraging women not to look at their bodies in disgust, no matter what they look like. Nowhere does she encourage people to be fat - just happy and accepting

I get that obesity issues plague the country and cause heath issues that increase our health care costs, but why anyone would care if a relatively healthy person is 10-20 lbs overweight is beyond me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think she's encouraging women not to look at their bodies in disgust, no matter what they look like. Nowhere does she encourage people to be fat - just happy and accepting

I get that obesity issues plague the country and cause heath issues that increase our health care costs, but why anyone would care if a relatively healthy person is 10-20 lbs overweight is beyond me.

Exactly. I think her message is a nice one. But also a healthy one. Because at some point, accepting your body is important in order to have a healthier lifestyle. My own personal feelings on this are that many people (women) look at themselves in the mirror and only see what they hate about themselves. This self-hate can contribute to "giving up" and being lazy about diet/exercise. If we could look at ourselves and not feel this ridiculous pressure to be perfect (size 2 or whatever), then perhaps we'd actually make changes to get healthier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend sent me this link from the Huffington Post about Taryn Brumfitt. She's an Australian woman doing a documentary on women's body image and she has started a kickstarter campaign.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/14/embrace-taryn-brumfitt_n_5318178.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

Apparently, she posted "before" and "after" pictures of herself on the Internet that went viral. The "before" pictures show her stunning body after a bodybuilding competition. The second "after" picture shows her "normal" body. She says too many women have body image problems and think they need to be "perfect." Yet, in a nation that is confronting an obesity epidemic, why encourage people to accept that being fat is health?

You are missing the point. She wants us to love our body, thin, fat, muscular or full of cellulite. You can be healthy but not look so good.

[Anonymous]

I have to admit that I am kind of baffled by people feeling either hatred or love for their bodies. Maybe it's because I'm a man, but I can't imagine looking in the mirror and considering surgery because parts of me were too big or too small. I'm developing a bald spot, which I don't love/accept/embrace, but I'm not considering hair plugs, and it won't prevent me from wearing my hair really short (which makes it more obvious) because short hair is convenient.

On the other hand, when I got up to about 35 pounds over a healthy weight, I decided to lose the extra weight. Now I think I look a lot better and my blood pressure is normal rather than borderline high. But this did not involve love or hate for the fat, just a pragmatic decision with no drama required. Why make something that is simple (difficult, but simple) into more than it is?

If this lady is advocating not hating your body, more power to her. That does not, however, mean that people need to accept being over weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to admit that I am kind of baffled by people feeling either hatred or love for their bodies. Maybe it's because I'm a man, but I can't imagine looking in the mirror and considering surgery because parts of me were too big or too small. I'm developing a bald spot, which I don't love/accept/embrace, but I'm not considering hair plugs, and it won't prevent me from wearing my hair really short (which makes it more obvious) because short hair is convenient.

On the other hand, when I got up to about 35 pounds over a healthy weight, I decided to lose the extra weight. Now I think I look a lot better and my blood pressure is normal rather than borderline high. But this did not involve love or hate for the fat, just a pragmatic decision with no drama required. Why make something that is simple (difficult, but simple) into more than it is?

If this lady is advocating not hating your body, more power to her. That does not, however, mean that people need to accept being over weight.

Why is it okay for you to accept your balding head but not for someone to accept their overweight body? Overweight people can still be perfectly healthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to admit that I am kind of baffled by people feeling either hatred or love for their bodies. Maybe it's because I'm a man, but I can't imagine looking in the mirror and considering surgery because parts of me were too big or too small. I'm developing a bald spot, which I don't love/accept/embrace, but I'm not considering hair plugs, and it won't prevent me from wearing my hair really short (which makes it more obvious) because short hair is convenient.

On the other hand, when I got up to about 35 pounds over a healthy weight, I decided to lose the extra weight. Now I think I look a lot better and my blood pressure is normal rather than borderline high. But this did not involve love or hate for the fat, just a pragmatic decision with no drama required. Why make something that is simple (difficult, but simple) into more than it is?

If this lady is advocating not hating your body, more power to her. That does not, however, mean that people need to accept being over weight.

I love when men brag about losing weight. Do you also have some intercourse techniques that guarantee male orgasm, Dr. Spaceman?