Thanks for sharing that quiet ballerina. I agree with her!

Sorry I haven't been around. I've been job searching, updating my resume, researching how to make a resume for returning to work after unemployment (SAHM), using those tips to update resume again, writing a cover letter *specific* to each application, scanning and rescanning ALL the job sites, googling local place to send out cold calling resumes, plus I'm still taking a class online...I cannot believe HOW MUCH TIME job searching takes up...omg

Anyway, my thoughts in a nut shell...I do not think Maria has fat shamed. I watched the youtube clip, and so NO fat shaming at all. I honestly cant imagine how what she said can even be taken that way.

What I hear from her is that all of us should practice good nutrition and regular exercise and let our bodies manifest as they would with those interventions.

I do agree that the catch phrase "What's your excuse?" while it does not bother me, is not one I would have chosen to motivate. I think that the kind of people that typically respond to that kind of "look at your self in the mirror, cut the sh!t, stop making excuses and lose the weight" approach ARE the kind of people that have that tiny little drill sergeant voice already in their mind and directing their weight loss. I don't think those people that respond to that really needed the motivation, because I believe that internally they rub their own noses in their excuses, and will attempt to stop using them. I do believe that the kind of people that are motivated by an aggressive challenge, would have put their own foot up their out rears without Marie. Maybe I'm wrong but that's how I see it.

Personally, I cant stand excuses for anything. I have so much more respect for someone when they just own their life. Me, I didn't run today, because I didn't feel like it. I'm busy, but I could find 30 to exercise daily, but I choose not to. I exercise 4-5 days a week, or sometimes less, if I'm being particularly lazy. Same with school. If I dedicated myself more, I could take more classes at one time, but I choose not to. To me listing all these reasons why I'm not thinner or why my degree is STILL not done is a waste of energy. It excuses. The truth is I'm choosing not to do the things I need to do to get it done faster.

I guess I see an "excuse" as "things that are out of my control", and a "reason" as "things that are within my control". When someone says they don't look like Maria and list things as though they have no control over it, I do think it is a type of whining and excuse giving. I don't know, if I'm going to be fat, I at least want to feel that 1. its my choice and 2. I can change it whenever I want.

Why do I need an excuse? Whose forgiveness am I supposed to be asking for? Does my very existence require excuse or apology because my life choices and goals aren't the same as hers? Please, please, suffer my fatness because I have reasons! I don't remember offering an excuse or asking for her pardon.

To me, she's about as obnoxious as the "to the b*$ch on the treadmill next to me, yes we ARE in a race" type memes. If you can only psych yourself up to work out or enjoy your fitness by goading people or making up imaginary competitions, you need to work on your mental health.

Also, she doesn't come across as overly smart. I've yet to see her defend this with anything but, "fat people are like gross and um unhealthy." People can try to put a better spin on it FOR HER, but she's not doing herself any favors and unless she's just happy for the attention, she would be better off to stop "helping" her defenders because their arguments for her are a lot better than the ones FROM her.

I had no motivation for exercise til my youngest was 2.5 so this doesn't sit well with me. I was very busy breastfeeding, changing nappies and feeling exhausted to think about exercise. It seems that Maria Kang has support to do that with three littlies, plus it is her business.
My priority, even now is my kids so even though I now see the value of exercise, its not about excuses, its reality.
I can now leave my kids with hubby ( or even take the older ones) to exercise. I have more time to focus on myself.
I think this is important - I am changing my lifestyle for me. Not because anyone told me to stop making excuses, or because someone said I need to. It helps no one to shame people who are not fit for whatever reason.

I don't want to start down the road of judging her, but...I do kind of agree with this, well, I wont say she's not smart but from what I've seen, she's not that good with words. I've watch her answer questions that as a nurse, I am like "hello! You are missing that big points with why health is so important!"...she does keep going in circles with the same talking points...

I'm going to agree with you. "Not very smart" was kind of harsh. I think she doesn't seem to think or speak well on the spot (even when she obviously knows she's going to be interviewed and could prepare something). Everyone makes these very well-reasoned speeches in her defense, she could easily just use those (dare I say) excuses as her talking points and instead she talks in circles and essentially comes back to a kind of snotty "being fat is gross and there's no excuse" defense - which blows away all the nicer interpretations.