Protein World: "Body Positivity" and a lesson on how not to motivate people

[Lilani]

So recently in the UK, a chain of stores which sells fitness nutrition supplements called Protein World has received some backlash on social media due to an ad campaign they've got going on which features a thin/fit woman in a bikini with the text "Are you beach body ready?"

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rossalynwarren/women-are-improving-this-beach-body-advert-with-their-own-bo#.sdYrd5vEBR

It's getting backlash from feminists saying they're treating the female body as a commodity, and it's getting backlash from body positivity campaigners for essentially being an ad campaign which weaponizes fat shaming.

On top of all that, Protein World has been responding to this criticism in about the worst way a for-profit company can--by being insufferably smug, insensitive, and unapologetic. An actor and comedian named Juliette Burton, who has struggled with being overweight and insecure on top of clinical depression and bipolar disorder, spoke out against them on Twitter, and Protein World responded with "Why make your insecurities our problem" along with a winky face.

She then says "Because adverts like yours add to the external voices telling young girls they're not good enough as they are," and they reply with "and it's ok to be fat and out of shape instead of healthy? We are a nation of sympathizers for fatties." Remember, this isn't a hacked account, this is actually how their social media people are responding to this. Even the CEO of the company said regarding Juliette, "it sounds like Juliette had a lot of issues well before she saw the PW ad," completely missing the point of her response.

As a fat person myself I feel like I have a stake in this, so here are my two cents. In the last week I have jogged for at least 10-15 minutes in the morning for four mornings, and I intend to keep going for at least 15-20 minutes the same number of days every week all summer. I tend to run in the morning before sunrise, partially because I want to get it done before work, partially because I sometimes feel so ashamed of my body I do not want anybody to see it in the sunlight. I stick to darkness so I don't have to feel the shame, and I have stayed in on weekends simply because I slept in after sunrise and didn't want to get out. This sort of pressure and insecurity is also why I don't go to gyms.

Protein World is supposed to be a place for people who want to improve their health. It seems to me they shouldn't be hating on the unhealthy. To me, their ad campaign isn't encouraging, it's anti-exercise. To me, it says if my body doesn't look like that, I shouldn't be on the beach. When I feel that way, I don't want to get out and do what's best for me, I just want to stay in and hide my shameful body. It's judgement like what Protein World is dishing out which makes me stay inside and not run in the light.

But when I do feel proud and confident in myself, I find the strength to get out. On the days I can look at my curves and lumps and say "Yeah, there's something here worthwhile" I find the strength to go farther and even run in the light. I lost 2 pounds this week. I'm still over 200 pounds, but the spring only just started.

I get the logic behind people who dislike the "fat acceptance" and "body positivity" movements, but to me those things don't mean looking at an obese person and saying there's nothing wrong with being obese. To me, it means admitting that everybody is at a different place in their personal health journey, and regardless of where someone is on that journey one of the things they should never feel is ashamed or self-loathing. Because shame and self-hatred are not helpful emotions in any situation. They don't motivate, they don't empower, they don't improve. They just drag a person down. Now, it's okay to be CONCERNED about your health, and I've been fat and insecure long enough to know the difference between concern for myself and hatred for myself.

But concern is not born from hatred, it's born from love. Motivation is not born from shame, it's born from hope. So instead of stamping out "body positivity" and attempting to use fat shaming as a way of "encouraging" people or making them "concerned" about their health enough to change, we need to be telling people everybody isn't the same but that doesn't change how much you are worth. We shouldn't be telling people the shape of their body determines how ready they are to be seen by the world, because that only holds back those who need most to get out there and move. And a for-profit company like Protein World should be reaching out not only to those who are fit and want to stay so, but also those who aren't fit and want to be. There are several gyms in my area which are making a KILLING from beginner and gender-specific fitness classes geared toward those who are out of shape and looking for positive and gentle guidance, and facilities open 24 hours for those who don't want to exercise in front of a crowd.

So that is my rant for the day. For discussion value, let's talk about our general feelings on the idea of "body positivity" and the mixed signals that come from people and now apparently companies who claim to be looking out for the best interests of overweight people, but whose actions are very unmotivating and unhelpful.

 

[Twintix]

OK, listen here people, "tough love" is not an excuse to act like a right dick. You know, I think some of the responses were a bit on the overreacting side (Like, calling it sexist? Because it's a fit woman in a bikini? Fucking really?) , but as soon as you start to dismiss potential customers' complaints by acting like a smug fuckface, that's when I start to have a problem with this. You can get tired of people accusing you of things, sure, but at least try to be a bit professional, a'ight? Though I can't help but wonder if this had gotten as much attention if the poser had been male...Just a thought.

Hasn't it been proven that fat shaming and making fun of overweight people does not motivate them in the slightest? In fact, I heard that insults have the opposite effect. Can I get a source on that?

Reminds me of seeing a trailer for a new season of "Trinny & Susannah Gives Sweden A Makeover" (Or however it's translated) where they give a slightly chubby girl help to pick out a nice style for her.

My brother saw this, sneered and said: "Oh great, just what we need: Another stupid show where they delude fatties into thinking they're beautiful."

This, coming from my brother who has never said anything like this before, was so out of the left field that I just had to ask if he thinks that being fat is the same as being ugly. He responded by getting super-offended and ask what the hell my problem was. (He does that a lot, actually. He can be a bit of a hypocrite in that regard) Note that he dodged the question.

Look, guys, encouraging healthy lifestyles is one thing, but it is not achieved by bullying fat people or dismissing those who work really hard trying to lose weight. These TV Shop ads have warped our view of what counts as healthy weight loss: You must lose your excess weight, and you have to do it RIGHT NOW!
No. Sustainable weight loss takes time. You have to let it take time, let the body get used to a routine. I lost 8 kilograms over the course of about 4 months last year thanks to a slight change in diet and going for more walks. Rapid weight loss is unhealthy and can even be dangerous.

Ach, another tangent. Sorry. The point is, I can sorta understand what the commercial was trying to do. But the complete lack of professionalism shown afterwards is seriously off-putting.

 

[tippy2k2]

I think it's absolutely appalling how many fat people see "I'm fit and healthy" as an attack on them rather than someone who is fit and healthy being proud of their accomplishments. We saw a perfect example of this in action with Maria King (the "three kids, what's your excuse?" [http://m.nydailynews.com/fitness-obsessed-mom-banned-facebook-article-1.1530755] gal). The example given here by Protein World I am 100% fine with and I just roll my eyes when people complain that it's attacking fat people.

On the other hand, the way Protein World is handling this (as well as many other healthy asshats) who, rather than helping build people up just tear them down is equally appalling. There are so many better ways to help someone who DOES want to improve themselves than berating them. My biggest advantage I've had with my own journey has been the healthy people in my life who, rather than berate, have stepped up and been INCREDIBLY helpful and supportive of me (my brother the soccer star with exercise, my sister in law with nutrition, and various co-worker gym rats who have been nothing but supportive).

As a fat person who has been working on his health for years now (Here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.869056-Healthy-Eats#21757781] is a breakdown of myself I did a few months ago when I really started going at it; I am currently at 208 for those of you wondering), I understand where you're coming from. It sucks to see all the ads and all the actors and everyone who is as hot as the sun looking all sexy and hot but that's not on them; that's on me to change. It's not their responsibility to not celebrate themselves because I feel fat seeing them. It's not their responsibility to go out of their way to make me feel better about being depressed over being fat.

I've been all over the place with this post so I'll just end it with this thought...

Fat people: Wanting to become healthy because YOU want to become healthy is the only way for it to stick. Healthy living is a lifestyle, not a diet. You don't have to stop living, you just have to remember to be smart about it. Do you need ten Oreos or will three work? Do you need a 2 liter of Mountain Dew or will a can work? Also, unless you have an actual, diagnosed medical condition, you're in the same boat as all of us; it's not genetics, it's the 12 piece bucket of chicken you're having for dinner (no, the Diet Coke doesn't help).

Fit people: Don't be a dick. The vast majority of gym rats are the most helpful people in the world but there always seems to be that one asshat every so often who points and snickers at the fat guy. Don't be that guy; be helpful and teach them what you know because it will be you one day (I have found most of the asshats are the ones who have always been naturally in shape and that is not going to last forever...)

 

[Auberon]

Treat it as goalpost, unlike the HAES landwhales. Just because you are self-conscious, does not mean everyone else should conform. Especially when these complainers will at 99% probability never buy these gym rat supplies, unless they miraculously tone up to Protein World's customer base and lose out on "thin privilege" card.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

Um am I missing something here? They used a skinny hot woman to sell a weight loss product. That's what the product is for. How did we go from 'our product can make you look like this!' To 'You are an object women!' Because I'm missing the leap.

Is it just the reaction of the company to complaints that has people stirred up?

Pretty much all fitness products use ripped lean people in great shape posing to sell their products.

 

[tippy2k2]

Especially when these complainers will at 99% probability never buy these gym rat supplies

Well it's a good thing for Protein World that no fat person ever wants to become fit. It's also a good thing for Protein World that fit people who do use their products will never ever sympathize/empathize with people who are angry about Protein World's incredibly assholish response. It's also a good thing that the sky is purple in this world for a blue sky would just look weird...

Seriously, in what world does any company that likes making money think that the way Protein World is responding is a good money making strategy? Hell, Protein World doesn't even have to agree with people objecting to the ad (like myself as I explained in my above post); just don't be asshats about it because being an asshat is going to cost them money.

 

[Zontar]

Especially when these complainers will at 99% probability never buy these gym rat supplies

Well it's a good thing for Protein World that no fat person ever wants to become fit. It's also a good thing for Protein World that fit people who do use their products will never ever sympathize/empathize with people who are angry about Protein World's incredibly assholish response. It's also a good thing that the sky is purple in this world for a blue sky would just look weird...

Seriously, in what world does any company that likes making money think that the way Protein World is responding is a good money making strategy? Hell, Protein World doesn't even have to agree with people objecting to the ad (like myself as I explained in my above post); just don't be asshats about it because being an asshat is going to cost them money.

Well in all fairness they are working in a market which is similar to that of battery selling, where marketing is effectively useless since most of the people buying the products can't tell the brands appart if their life depended on it. If they could manage to have bad PR which is at a level which results in measurable lose in sales, this isn't what is going to cause it.

 

[Lilani]

Treat it as goalpost, unlike the HAES landwhales. Just because you are self-conscious, does not mean everyone else should conform. Especially when these complainers will at 99% probability never buy these gym rat supplies, unless they miraculously tone up to Protein World's customer base and lose out on "thin privilege" card.

I'm just asking to not be treated like shit for not being thin. Or at least for it to be acknowledged that treating fat people like shit does the exact opposite of motivating them to no longer be fat.

And as tippy2k2 pointed out, Protein World sells weight loss supplements. Their response makes about as much sense as a company that makes hunting supplies insulting rednecks.

 

[tippy2k2]

Well it's a good thing for Protein World that no fat person ever wants to become fit. It's also a good thing for Protein World that fit people who do use their products will never ever sympathize/empathize with people who are angry about Protein World's incredibly assholish response. It's also a good thing that the sky is purple in this world for a blue sky would just look weird...

Seriously, in what world does any company that likes making money think that the way Protein World is responding is a good money making strategy? Hell, Protein World doesn't even have to agree with people objecting to the ad (like myself as I explained in my above post); just don't be asshats about it because being an asshat is going to cost them money.

Well in all fairness they are working in a market which is similar to that of battery selling, where marketing is effectively useless since most of the people buying the products can't tell the brands appart if their life depended on it. If they could manage to have bad PR which is at a level which results in measurable lose in sales, this isn't what is going to cause it.

You are almost certainly right...however, is that a chance you really want to take as a company? There are a few ways to handle complaints and the way they chose is almost certainly the worst way. Are there any fit people who will see this story and think to themselves "THAT's the kind of company that I want to buy my products from; a company that mocks and ridicules fat people for not being fit". Maybe I'm pegging gym rats wrong here and I'm just really lucky but all of the gym rats I know are some of the nicest people in the world when it comes to fat people looking for help...

Is it likely to really hurt them? No but is there any reason at all to take that chance?

 

[Johnny Impact]

That's exactly the sort of smug fuckery that gave rise to the term "jock douchebag." Stereotypes often have a grain of truth; here it's more like a whole beach. Being lean and fit does make you more attractive. There's no getting around that. But acting superior because you work out doesn't make you superior, it makes you a tool. I've produced artwork that has moved people to tears but you don't see me shitting on everyone who lacks artistic skill.

This is a marketing gimmick. And it's working. Now we've all heard the name of Protein World.

In fairness, though, it's not realistic to think nobody will ever criticize you. You don't have to like it but you better expect it. Being fat is something we do to ourselves. It's not an accident of birth. It's five thousand nights of pizza and Ben & Jerry's, every one a choice we made. You made yourself look that way. In doing so you made yourself a target. Offended by that? Good! Anger is the first step. Making better choices is the second.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

I don't approve of the smugness, but all advertising turns the consumer into an object whose value is measured in dollars. That's what it's there for. We'd have to get rid of all advertising to fix this problem, if you consider it one. When it comes to young girls, it's a shame. But I also think it's an opportunity to teach them things like 'body positivity' so stuff like this can't affect them. They are reacting this way because they're wired to take it personally. That's not their fault, it's ours as parents, teachers and members of society for making them think that way. Getting rid of the ads isn't going to change that, we need to do more.

 

[CrystalShadow]

The problem with body image and health in this regard, is we've defined a 'healty body' as being something which isn't merely healthy, but rather on the super-skinny end of things...

Especially when it comes to women.

Yes, being morbidly obese is bad, but the evidence is a lot flimsier for people who are merely 'overweight'
And when it comes to women, many women are being shamed not even for being overweight, but merely for having a perfectly normal amount of bodyfat...

And then of course there's other things. Just because you're skinny doesn't mean you're healthy.

And that's not even getting into the people that are in borderline anorexia territory, which has consequences on a person's health far in excess of the risks of being obese...

I'm hardly healthy, but because I have a BMI under 21, nobody cares...

Fat-shaming isn't about health. It's far too superficial for that...
Saying it's about health is just a convenient way to excuse abusive behaviour, because chances are you don't actually know how healthy someone is, nor do you know, if someone is overweight, how much effort they've made to try and change that.
People seem to just assume that if you're overweight you aren't and never have made any effort to change that...

It's easy to gain weight. It's much, much harder to lose weight...
And the worst thing you can do is radical dieting. Chances are you'll lose some weight initially, but pretty soon you'll get back more than you ever lost...

 

[silver wolf009]

So recently in the UK, a chain of stores which sells fitness nutrition supplements called Protein World has received some backlash on social media due to an ad campaign they've got going on which features a thin/fit woman in a bikini with the text "Are you beach body ready?"

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rossalynwarren/women-are-improving-this-beach-body-advert-with-their-own-bo#.sdYrd5vEBR

It's getting backlash from feminists saying they're treating the female body as a commodity, and it's getting backlash from body positivity campaigners for essentially being an ad campaign which weaponizes fat shaming.

On top of all that, Protein World has been responding to this criticism in about the worst way a for-profit company can--by being insufferably smug, insensitive, and unapologetic. An actor and comedian named Juliette Burton, who has struggled with being overweight and insecure on top of clinical depression and bipolar disorder, spoke out against them on Twitter, and Protein World responded with "Why make your insecurities our problem" along with a winky face.

She then says "Because adverts like yours add to the external voices telling young girls they're not good enough as they are," and they reply with "and it's ok to be fat and out of shape instead of healthy? We are a nation of sympathizers for fatties." Remember, this isn't a hacked account, this is actually how their social media people are responding to this. Even the CEO of the company said regarding Juliette, "it sounds like Juliette had a lot of issues well before she saw the PW ad," completely missing the point of her response.

As a fat person myself I feel like I have a stake in this, so here are my two cents. In the last week I have jogged for at least 10-15 minutes in the morning for four mornings, and I intend to keep going for at least 15-20 minutes the same number of days every week all summer. I tend to run in the morning before sunrise, partially because I want to get it done before work, partially because I sometimes feel so ashamed of my body I do not want anybody to see it in the sunlight. I stick to darkness so I don't have to feel the shame, and I have stayed in on weekends simply because I slept in after sunrise and didn't want to get out. This sort of pressure and insecurity is also why I don't go to gyms.

Protein World is supposed to be a place for people who want to improve their health. It seems to me they shouldn't be hating on the unhealthy. To me, their ad campaign isn't encouraging, it's anti-exercise. To me, it says if my body doesn't look like that, I shouldn't be on the beach. When I feel that way, I don't want to get out and do what's best for me, I just want to stay in and hide my shameful body. It's judgement like what Protein World is dishing out which makes me stay inside and not run in the light.

But when I do feel proud and confident in myself, I find the strength to get out. On the days I can look at my curves and lumps and say "Yeah, there's something here worthwhile" I find the strength to go farther and even run in the light. I lost 2 pounds this week. I'm still over 200 pounds, but the spring only just started.

I get the logic behind people who dislike the "fat acceptance" and "body positivity" movements, but to me those things don't mean looking at an obese person and saying there's nothing wrong with being obese. To me, it means admitting that everybody is at a different place in their personal health journey, and regardless of where someone is on that journey one of the things they should never feel is ashamed or self-loathing. Because shame and self-hatred are not helpful emotions in any situation. They don't motivate, they don't empower, they don't improve. They just drag a person down. Now, it's okay to be CONCERNED about your health, and I've been fat and insecure long enough to know the difference between concern for myself and hatred for myself.

But concern is not born from hatred, it's born from love. Motivation is not born from shame, it's born from hope. So instead of stamping out "body positivity" and attempting to use fat shaming as a way of "encouraging" people or making them "concerned" about their health enough to change, we need to be telling people everybody isn't the same but that doesn't change how much you are worth. We shouldn't be telling people the shape of their body determines how ready they are to be seen by the world, because that only holds back those who need most to get out there and move. And a for-profit company like Protein World should be reaching out not only to those who are fit and want to stay so, but also those who aren't fit and want to be. There are several gyms in my area which are making a KILLING from beginner and gender-specific fitness classes geared toward those who are out of shape and looking for positive and gentle guidance, and facilities open 24 hours for those who don't want to exercise in front of a crowd.

So that is my rant for the day. For discussion value, let's talk about our general feelings on the idea of "body positivity" and the mixed signals that come from people and now apparently companies who claim to be looking out for the best interests of overweight people, but whose actions are very unmotivating and unhelpful.

Yeah, no for profit company should ever behave so insufferably smug, insensitive, and unapologetic. Could you imagine the backlash something like this might cause if say, some enthusiast publications suddenly snapped and started insulting their customer base. If a bunch of them got together and simultaneously wrote several stories that all basically boiled down to "We don't need you as customers. We can find better customers."? I mean, that would be colossally stupid.

I think I have problems, because my old trollish side surfaced just now when I read your post and thought, "I could derail this whole thread into ANOTHER GamerGate thread right now."

But I won't. I'm reformed. Unless... That was your plan all along?!

As someone who's struggled with his weight most of his life, but someone who hasn't struggled with his body image for any of his life, this smacks me of stirring up trouble, and then getting lucky that the company turns out to act a bit prickish. Protein World, based solely on the name alone, markets itself on the image of the ideal, as many companies do. Getting mad that they do so is almost like getting mad at peanut butter jars for having pictures of peanuts on them. You knew what you were gonna find.

 

[Sylveria]

If you are of such weak conviction about getting healthier that the very image of a healthy, attractive person demotivates you, you had next to zero motivation to begin with.

I find "body positivity" hilarious, because of these people spent half the time they do on twitter and forums bitching on exercising, even a little, they'd be in vastly better shape. For instance, the writer says he/she spends 10-20minutes a day jogging. How long did it take to write this article? I'm not particularly thrilled with my physique either, but people like Burton, who like Protein World said have a ton of issues to begin with, getting all pissy and outraged that a fitness product used a fit person just show that they're simply looking for something to get pissy about and get their name trending on twitter for a day or two.

To the general population thin, fit, tone, tan people are attractive. It's not "objectification", it's what societial norms and mores have determined to be the sexual ideal. The "Body Positivity" lobby DEMANDING you find them attractive just makes them look more pathetic and desperate because, let's be honest, they're just mad that no one is objectifying them. If they were thin and attractive, you wouldn't seem them out their campaigning for everyone to find the obese people of the world just as attractive or more attractive. It's just more obvious hypocrisy and jealousy.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

She then says "Because adverts like yours add to the external voices telling young girls they're not good enough as they are,"...

As a fat person myself I feel like I have a stake in this, so here are my two cents. In the last week I have jogged for at least 10-15 minutes in the morning for four mornings, and I intend to keep going for at least 15-20 minutes the same number of days every week all summer. I tend to run in the morning before sunrise, partially because I want to get it done before work, partially because I sometimes feel so ashamed of my body I do not want anybody to see it in the sunlight. I stick to darkness so I don't have to feel the shame, and I have stayed in on weekends simply because I slept in after sunrise and didn't want to get out. This sort of pressure and insecurity is also why I don't go to gyms.

All right, I'll go ahead and get the "don't hate me" part out of the way first: Protein World (and that's a terrible name for a store) shouldn't be dickheads, there's really no reason to respond on social media like that to anyone. They're not helping themselves and there are far better ways to go about this.

THAT BEING SAID...

"Because adverts like yours add to the external voices telling young girls they're not good enough as they are..."
Baloney. All the original advertisement did was promote a product that is used to obtain what is considered an attractive trait in the western world (ie. thin and fit). That's really it. It didn't tell you that you weren't smart, or not funny, or bad at your job, or any of the above. This bizarre notion we have that by saying we don't find overweight people attractive instantly means we're insulting them needs to stop.

As for your situation OP, a few things:
1: I'm a "gym rat", and I've probably been to the gym several thousand times in my life. Almost every time I've been (I'd say 95% of the time), there is at least one overweight person there. Would you like to know how many times I've seen someone laugh at, snicker, or poke fun of the overweight person(s)? Never, not once, I've literally never seen it happen. I'm not saying it has never happened, but when I hear people saying they are too insecure to go to the gym, it makes me think of guys who claim they don't hit on girls because they'll get slapped or get a drink thrown in their face. In other words: it's all in your head.
2: Good for you for working out, but if your goal is to lose weight, avoid running. Unless you run crazy, professional track athlete types of distances, running doesn't really help you lose weight. 80% of weight loss is diet, and when it comes to exercise, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is way more effective for fat loss than running (and your knees will thank me later).

I think "body positivity" is mostly a good thing, but like many good things, it can go too far. I don't believe in "fat shaming", but I also don't believe we should stick our fingers in our ears and pretend like there's just as much chance that an average guy off the street is very attracted to Melissa McCarthy as he is going to be very attracted to Gisele Bundchen, just so we can make "girls feel good enough the way they are". We shouldn't pretend there isn't mountains of evidence linking lots of health issues to obesity, just so we can claim the only reason people aim to be a healthy weight is because "the media says so".

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

That's exactly the sort of smug fuckery that gave rise to the term "jock douchebag." Stereotypes often have a grain of truth; here it's more like a whole beach. Being lean and fit does make you more attractive. There's no getting around that. But acting superior because you work out doesn't make you superior, it makes you a tool. I've produced artwork that has moved people to tears but you don't see me shitting on everyone who lacks artistic skill.

This is a marketing gimmick. And it's working. Now we've all heard the name of Protein World.

In fairness, though, it's not realistic to think nobody will ever criticize you. You don't have to like it but you better expect it. Being fat is something we do to ourselves. It's not an accident of birth. It's five thousand nights of pizza and Ben & Jerry's, every one a choice we made. You made yourself look that way. In doing so you made yourself a target. Offended by that? Good! Anger is the first step. Making better choices is the second.

First off attractiveness is totally subjective to individuals. Society teaches us that being rod thin as a female and buff as a man is what is attractive. But that's an overly idealistic view of society. Most people aren't textbook beautiful, and a large percentage people are actually put off by that textbook beauty. Hell until the 19th century and even then, being pudgy, or out right fat was the standard for attractiveness. It meant you were wealthy and ate well, in some places it still is the standard for beauty.

It is a marketing gimmick. No it's not working. Because many we've all heard the name of Protein World and are now never going to give them out business, also we tell friends to avoid them.

Not everyone who is fat did it to them selves. Some people have glandular issues that actually make it difficult in the extreme to maintain a healthy weight of any kind. For some with the glandular issues it's out right impossible. People with depression also often eat, just because it makes them feel better. They often can't help being overweight if not outright morbidly obese, because their coping mechanism is food. Some others have inherited habits of awful diets from the way they grew up, and that's hard as hell to change. Finally some people are in situations where healthy food is simply not an option due to an inability to cook, lacking equipment to cook decent food with, or just can't afford it. So check your judgemental attitude there.

On the topic at hand:

I'm in support of "body positivity" and "fat acceptance" because that's just how some people are happy. Heck I live near some Samoans, and the lightest person in the family is a teen who's 220 pounds if he's an once. They're happy, their equally large elderly family members are relatively healthy, and old as the dirt. Since no two people's bodies are exactly the same, something that most consider "healthy" could be detrimental to another. Even so it's their life, and if it makes them happy who am I to judge that?

Fat shaming is probably the worst thing you can do to someone who is overweight, or even just morbidly obese. It doesn't motivate them, it depresses them, and when depressed large people often eat to dull the pain. It's as counter productive as shouting insults at a smoker, all the smoker is gonna do is smoke more to calm them selves down.

As a tiny person due to having a high metabolism I feel a bit guilty when I eat things that people on diets are trying to avoid, partly because I'm not very healthy. Especially if the fit jock douches and health nuts give me a pass and go after the large person, who is dieting. I mean what genius thinks it's a good idea to shame someone who is actually trying anyways? Then again people shame me for walking with a cane because I'm so young. Without first considering the fact that I have arthritis and would fall flat on my face when my knees give out without my cane. People who use their health as social leverage are an example of the scum of the earth.

As for Protein World. These people are exactly the kind of people that convince me to avoid fitness stores, and gyms. Congratulations Protein World for proving to me once again that fitness buffs and health nuts conform to all the negative stereotypes I have for them.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Beach body ready equated to being thin means you shouldn't be on a beach unless you are thin. This idea isn't going to be viewed favourable. Interestingly, though, it was aimed at both sexes, normally it's usually aimed more at women.