That time of year when every other commercial and advertisement on TV, radio, or in magazines is for low-calorie snack foods, diet pills, diet sodas, weight loss centers, gym memberships. And really, why wouldn't that be the case? Losing weight and getting fit are among the top five New Year's Resolutions in the United States. Any product that isn't taking advantage of that is simply doing bad business. If their marketing departments weren't pumping out advertisements for their products that capitalized on the ready-made market in January, someone higher up in the company would be looking for a new marketing department.
Fine. Whatever.
I recognize the fact that as someone who spent most of the past year in intensive treatment for an eating disorder, I'm slightly more sensitive than the general public to messages on weight and shape. I recognize that on any given day, I'm analyzing the messages that the media is sending me about what weight I should be, at what weight I'll be beautiful, about how great I'll feel when I lose that last 10 pounds. (For the record, I lost that "last 10 pounds." And then some. It was hell.)
So yes, I'm sensitive to weight loss messages. Yes, perhaps the feminazi bitch in me gets angered on a daily basis at the messages we're sending to our wives, daughters, nieces, friends. And yes, perhaps I'm a little jealous that it's okay for other people to lose weight, while I have to maintain or gain to keep myself from winding up in the hospital.
But I don't think any of that is in play here. I think anybody should be outraged at the message Special K is sending this year.
According to Special K, just by losing 6 pounds in 2 weeks, you could gain JOY! SASS! CONFIDENCE! PEP! DRIVE! SHINE! PEACE! HOPE!
I'm sorry?
I can't have those things at my current weight? I can't have those things if I gain the weight needed to reach my target weight? I can't have those things simply by focusing more on the important things in life? (Which, in case you were wondering, don't include: your weight, your pants size, the fact that your thighs touch, how much you can bench, how many miles you run each day, etc. etc. etc.)
Ladies, you're beautiful.
You deserve to have JOY, PEACE, HOPE, SASS, CONFIDENCE, PEP, DRIVE, and SHINE NOW. You don't have to lose two pounds, or six pounds, or twelve pounds to have those things. I didn't find them when I lost 10 pounds, then 20, then 40. I don't think you will either. To be honest, a relationship with Jesus has been the only way I've found any of those things.
And Jesus doesn't care that my thighs touch.
So what are you waiting for? Give yourself permission to have those things NOW. To be those things NOW. You're worth it. You deserve it.
You are more than some stupid number.
7 comments:
JESS!! Is this the official return to blogging? I'm so happy!
But, to comment on today's post, I totally agree. As someone who is working on losing weight for my NYR, I had to realize that I'm doing it for ME and not because the media, the world, the men, etc tell me to. I absolutely abhor that Special K advertisement because of what it stands for. Overweight people CAN'T be satisfied with life because they aren't skinny. Which is total crap, of course.
Thank you for this post! It's excellent!
Oh yeah, and "Jesus doesn't care if my thighs touch."
Just awesome.
in my current ambition, which is to grow my children up and then become a nun - seriously - I have often thought things like this. "Nuns don't care if I am fat. Nuns won't make me wear make-up. Nuns won't abhor the gray stripe in my hair." So I think we are on the same wavelength, here. I've tried to keep my kids off the scale, and focused more on being healthy. I don't care what they weigh, but I do care that they won't eat brussels sprouts. Because, you know, yum! Kids are dumb.
I love you.
Interesting blog. They ran the same campaign slogan last year, and I loved it. I even ripped it out of a magazine in order to use for motivation.
I did gain all of those things when I lost weight. Not to say that I didn't have joy and sass when I was heavier, but I had so much more after losing 70 pounds. Losing that weight made a big difference for me in my attitude towards a lot of things. Maybe I'm special case since I had so much to lose, but that's the way I felt.
Couldn't agree more... well written as always. You ARE beautiful, smart and sassy!! Love that you're back to blogging.
Love ya!
It's funny, when I saw the image for the ad you're writing about, I read it differently than they intended. I read it to mean, "Really, what will you gain by losing weight? Will you really be happier if you lose 10 pounds? No. You'll find something else to obsess about, so stop it right now." I think the message I read by accident was much better than their stupid message.
I just ran across your blog. I enjoyed this post!
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