Agent of Change.
So, at work, every available surface is PLASTERED with Weight Watchers flyers. Thus far, I have resisted the impulse to rip them down, but only by this much.
But after two weeks of seeing them every day, I have reached my breaking point. I’m working on a flyer of my very own all about HAES. And I’m going to be hanging one next to every damn WW flyer in the building.
The thing is, last year before I quit dieting, I had no ideathat not hating myself was even an option. After all, my fat was completely the result of my Very Bad Couch-Sitting and Constant Donut-Eating. All I had to do to fix it was control my calories in v. calories out with, well, chronic undereating and overexercising. And if I still didn’t achieve thinness, then I just needed to try harder. You know, eat less and move more, even if “eat less” really meant “attempt to starve” and “move more” meant “spend hours on the treadmill every day while ignoring friends, family, pets, sleep, and ONE’S OWN SANITY.”
But then I found out that my body wasn’t an object of shame. I found out my health, which is a real and tangible thing, had meaning that was not relative to my pants size, an arbitrary and inconsistent thing. I found out that exercise didn’t have to be punishment. I found out that constant hunger was a sign of a problem, not a symbol of my virtue. I found out that beauty isn’t a BMI.
I still have hard days. But even on the hardest days, I still know the truth. There’s no un-learning body acceptance. Even when you want to ignore it because in a lot of ways it’s easier to go back to being a good-for-dieting fat girl, you can’t forget it for long because you know better now. And the part of you that knows you deserve kindness and love? It’s going to fight like hell to keep you from going back.
I’m a reserved and quiet person. And so, I’m not much of an activist because I’m not quick with the talking and the smartness; I’m better at applauding from the sidelines. But you know? I can’t use that as an excuse.
Even I can wrangle a few flyers and a box of thumbtacks. And that’s a start.
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I love this.
If you’re interested, Paul at Big Fat Blog has printed up some flyers he’s pasting onto those annoying WW ads - he’s posted them on his website for anyone to download and do the same.
I hope you post a pic of the finished flyer…especially a well-placed one next to a ww flyer! =0)
For 2 years they hung up WW fliers all over where I work. I ignored them on the hallway notice boards where they still made me wince but at least there they were lost in the shuffled mess.
But in the womens room they hung them on the walls and a few times on the back of every stall door.
I would take them all down… over and over and over.
One day someone left a note on the wall that said “to whom ever is removing the weight watchers notices if you have a problem with WW please come and see me” followed by someone name and phone extension.
I giggled for days when I saw that on the wall
It did pay off in the end they don’t hang WW notices in the restroom any more.
Every time I see that you’ve posted a new entry, I get really excited
I hope your posters can help even one person to stop and think for a minute about how they can be happy and healthy without dieting.
I’m glad you didn’t tear them down, and equally glad you are posting your own. I remember on my college campus that the GLBTA group had a lot of problems with people tearing down fliers. It certainly got the point across, but it made the people doing it seem like they were full of hatred without the courage to back it up. (no offense intended, cynth) Counter-posting is a much better option, IMO!
“There’s no un-learning body acceptance. Even when you want to ignore it because in a lot of ways it’s easier to go back to being a good-for-dieting fat girl, you can’t forget it for long because you know better now. And the part of you that knows you deserve kindness and love? It’s going to fight like hell to keep you from going back.”
Thank you for this - it’s a reminder I really needed.
Add me to the list who loved the “There’s no un-learning body acceptance”. It’s so true. I may feel like I have lost it at times but I never truly do.
Hope you share your flier.
The place I work sanctions WW as part of our “health benefits”. As much as I’d like to post anti WW fliers, I value my job more.
ugh, that’s horrid, cynth! My sympathies
We have WW fliers at my office too (my company has “partnered” with WW as part of their own health benefits … cynth I wonder if you and I work for the same large company?). I tear them down every time I see them, but I like your idea, GWC, much better! Posting a HAES flier would be much more productive than merely tearing down the WW flier.
I agree with Julia. I love when you post and miss you and worry about you.
Fuck WW. And their stupid fliers. Diets don’t work. Come do our diet.
I want to let you know that I’ve given you a “You Make My Day” award (it’s on my blog)–thanks for your great writing!
I’m late on replying to this (didn’t see it until now), but that’s awesome
Let us know what kind of response you get!
Congrats on taking action!! I totally stand behind this!!