Although I realize I have a habit of giving advice on just EVERYTHING, I promise I shall not come back here and comment on anyone's ideas. I think it'd be cool if we just posted our lists without thinking that anyone else is going to give feedback. The idea is just to say what we think without worry that someone is going to disagree or on the other hand, agree.
I think we have a lot of collective wisdom on this board and I think it'd be fun to share what we think.
My Personal Opinion as to What Constitutes 10 Myths About Weight Issues:
Myth One: Diets don't work. They do. "Diet" is just a word for an eating plan, but the "diets don't work" mentality corps has changed that to mean a short-termed plan for reducing weight by rigid conformity to a low calorie or other type of program. I think healthy, controlled eating and moderate calorie reduction over a long period of time in conjunction with moderate exercise under a health professional's supervision doeswork to control or reduce weight.
Myth Two: Size 10 is a plus-size. Grrrr. This is another media, fitness-board myth that makes my teeth stand on edge. This is part of the related (remember this is just my opinion) myth that manufacturers now universally rush to put smaller size labels on their clothing than they did in the 1950s and that if Marilyn Monroe was a 12 in the 1950s, she'd be a zero or something today. There is some truth that sizing has changed, but it is so non-uniform that generalizations just make me nuts. A size 10 is gorgeous, so's a 12, so's a 14, 16 or whatever. Going in the other direction is just as good. Clothing size just doesn't matter, it's having a healthy body that matters.
Myth Three: That said, I really wonder about size zero ... that's my third myth ... that anyone is really a size zero, even if the label says so. I mean if you are a size zero, wouldn't that mean that you don't exist? Where do your organs go? Where's the skin, the bones, the face, the hair, the voice, the soul? Where would you keep it all?
Myth Four: Pear-shaped is not desirable ... that's really wrong in my opinion. I love my pear shape. There is a journalist (forget her name) who writes about weight issues. In one of her books she talks about how being a pear shaped saved her from an attacker ... her low center of gravity allowed her to lie down and get some good kicks in. Other shapes are good, too, but don't tell me to get rid of my pear!
Myth Five: Most people who lose a large amount of weight gain it back. Research doesn't (IMO) bear this out and it's a dumb, discouraging message for anyone who suffers from true obesity. There are many studies of groups of people who lose weight through diet and exercise and maintain that loss (with some fluctuations, such as my unfortunate recent lapse) for more than five or 10 years.
Myth Six: Obesity is a complex problem and the outlook is very poor. In my opinion, although yes it is complex, by far the largest population of people who are medically overweight or obese can lose weight and keep it off long term (with medical supervision).
Myth Seven: It's healthier to choose to stay obese than to keep trying to lose. Everyone's case is different, but in talking about true obesity (not just a few pounds), unless one takes it so seriously they're ready to commit suicide over "dieting" I think it's better to get the weight off. It's just my opinion, but lots of medical studies show that reducing excess weight even a little reduces lots of health risks that are prevalent in our society.
Myth Eight: That said, I think another myth is that heavy people are not beautiful people. They are and while it's fun to lose and wear smaller jeans or whatever, many people actually look better with more weight. Look at the plus-size model Emme (hate that plus-size word, but that's how they describe her). Could anyone be more gorgeous than that woman?
Myth Nine: All thin people suffer from eating disorders and are unhealthy and hurt the eye to look at and starve themselves. Lots of people are thin by nature and eat like horses. They are beautiful and healthy, but I don't want to be them.
Myth Ten: People who tell you they wear a size 2 are always telling the truth.
