I want nothing more than to banish the harmful obsession of unrealistic body shapes and the subsequent belief that thin means healthy, happy or beautiful. Size is only one of MANY pieces to someones health, happiness or attractiveness. Size NEVER dictates someones innate value.
But...
Being a 200# vs 300# version of you has its differences- health being one of them. You will have higher risks of diabetes, cancer, early death, joint issues and disability. Ignoring this fact doesn't help anyone. Addressing it empowers people to get the most out of their life. With obesity, the appearance and size of the body isn't the problem (and that is an excellent point made by #HAES movement). How well that body functions at that size DOES matter- and bodies don't function as well with obesity.
I fear we are just trading one extreme for the next. Spending too much time fighting the stigma of obesity is just one more distraction from the real problem. Skinny, fat or anything in between- why do we struggle to adopt healthy lifestyles on a personal and population level?
Really, #healthateverysize is a good starting point to self acceptance and self care. And that is powerful. Taken too far or literally, it robs people of facing some unpleasant facts of what their changeable risk factors are. It is OK to want a better version of yourself and that MIGHT mean losing weight. And you CAN still value people of all shapes and sizes while wanting to lose weight.
Subscribe to follow and learn more about how your values and motivations for losing weight are as important than your methods.