I'm new to this forum, although i've been lurking in the background for a couple of weeks. I'm going to put a separate post under the Welcome to my fat spouse section and introduce myself and my situation there. I just had to comment on the fat acceptance movement though first.

I had no idea this movement even existed until i found this blog and heard the name Kate Harding, which i subsequently 'googled'. I've since read through several of her posts, and I am absolutely flabbergasted at some of the arguments she makes. I can't stop reading. It's like one of those fringe groups that still believe the earth is flat - the flat earth society....no matter what the evidence to the contrary suggests.

Anyway, Kate Harding's latest blog (entitled 'Why people hate the gym' has her getting rid of her car and finding a gym near her house. So Kate takes a water aerobics class but gets offended by some of the instructor's 'fat hate speech'.

So, the instructor is friendly, the class is going along fine, and then it starts. While we’re doing arm exercises, she babbles: ”It’s really easy to fatigue the triceps, because they’re smaller muscles and we don’t use them as much. You know what’s funny? We use our biceps all the time, because —” [mimes bringing fork to mouth]. “If we just did this –” [mimes pushing plate away] “–more often, we’d all be better off! Best diet in the world, and you’re using your triceps!”

Then the instructor makes a comment about how most of the swimmers in the class don't look as good in swimsuits as Michael Phelps etc.

Basically, the instructor has assumed that anyone overweight at the gym is there trying to lose weight. This of course is not a bad assumption, afterall being overweight is not healthy. But to the FA fringe group this is fat hate speech.

I was thinking about this earlier. It's like someone wanting to take guitar lessons but telling the instructor that i don't really want to learn how to play the guitar..i just want to have fun. And if you mention anything about me playing a guitar i'm going to get really angry and accuse you of discriminating against those who have no musical talent. Obviously, you join a gym because you want to be healthy and part of being healthy is losing weight. I think it's unrealistic to think that a gym won't mention losing weight (if you're overweight) when you take a class or use one of their personal trainers.

OK.. i know i'm preaching to the choir. But just had to vent a little.

Hi jr1972 and welcome! Yes this whole fat acceptance deal is just absolutely unfreakingbelievable isn't it!! I had no idea it existed really until I started hanging out on here and then one day I tried to visit a couple of the sites but got so mad I had to switch the computer off They ARE just like the flat earth society! There is no reasoning with these people whatsoever. And I can't believe Kate Harding went into a gym..wow..doesn't like go against her principles or something?? Everything that is said around her is taken as "fat hate speech". You probably can't even look at that woman sideways without setting her off claiming fat discrimination!

Hang around and post a little..I'd be interested to hear your story

Kate Harding's references to Michael Phelps were a little odd considering she has used the Olympics as way to attack the attractiveness of female athletes in a thinly guised attempt at feminism.

The girl's outfits are TOO skimpy!

Read ‘em: Elsewhere in beauty standards

I'm inclined to agree with Sweet Machine, but, from what I understand the female athletes are picking their own outfits out.

Female gymnast is "Jerk off Fodder"

More Olympic Fever

So, women don't drool over Olympic athletes?

I know they do! My wife admits she had a huge crush on Greg Louganis while she was in college. Until, of course, she found it he was gay.

I think Kate is just a wee bit jealous?

I think she's VERY, VERY jealous. So she doesn't have a problem with the guys wearing "skimpy" bathing suits, but expects the women to cover up (maybe a 1920's bathing suit would be to her liking). Such suits are designed for ease of movement I'm sure, but not only that but I personally like to see the muscles on the athletes (male and female)--they are like works of fine art in motion.

Besides, I believe the orginal Olympics were held in the nude (all male).

Did you say water aerobics???? Isn't there an article on here about wimpy exercises and one of the ones mentioned is water aerobics?

QUOTE:
Did you say water aerobics???? Isn't there an article on here about wimpy exercises and one of the ones mentioned is water aerobics

Oh my, oh my... I read that entry too and decided just to shut up and ignore it for once, but it's too infuriating in more ways than one.

I was not at all surprised that KH listed 'doing Curves, yoga and pilates' regularily, and now she's into water-yoga and water-pilates (I don't know if there's a water-version of Curves yet, but I think it might be a success if there was).

Nothing wrong with yoga or pilates btw, but it doesn't count as 'I exercise all the time, and burn tons of calories...'

Mmmmmmmm..nice picture Chris..thanks!!

Mary45 wrote:

QUOTE:

QUOTE:
Did you say water aerobics???? Isn't there an article on here about wimpy exercises and one of the ones mentioned is water aerobics

Oh my, oh my... I read that entry too and decided just to shut up and ignore it for once, but it's too infuriating in more ways than one.

I was not at all surprised that KH listed 'doing Curves, yoga and pilates' regularily, and now she's into water-yoga and water-pilates (I don't know if there's a water-version of Curves yet, but I think it might be a success if there was).

Nothing wrong with yoga or pilates btw, but it doesn't count as 'I exercise all the time, and burn tons of calories...'

I hear that too. "I was in the gym for hours" and they basically hung out and very little. If the intensity is not there it will only have modest results.

BTW. I made some posts to the Kate Harding page but I suspect they will be thrown out by the editor. Oh well, we will see.

I've done some pretty intense water aerobics work outs (while my foot was broken, it was about all I could do) but most are pretty weak. And I bet I know which kind this is.

markerbull wrote:

I hear that too. "I was in the gym for hours" and they basically hung out and very little. If the intensity is not there it will only have modest results.

BTW. I made some posts to the Kate Harding page but I suspect they will be thrown out by the editor. Oh well, we will see.[/quote]


Yep, I've seen that too....women in the gym for hours but the only thing they've exercised is their jaw yakking away and then they wonder why they can't see any improvements in their bodies

Izzy wrote:

QUOTE:
markerbull wrote:

I hear that too. "I was in the gym for hours" and they basically hung out and very little. If the intensity is not there it will only have modest results.

BTW. I made some posts to the Kate Harding page but I suspect they will be thrown out by the editor. Oh well, we will see.

Yep, I've seen that too....women in the gym for hours but the only thing they've exercised is their jaw yakking away and then they wonder why they can't see any improvements in their bodies [/quote]

Lets not forget the guys too. I see them doing a couple curls and then its time to stare at themselves and chit chat with their buddies. Funny how those guys never seem to crowd the squat rack but manage to spend endless hours on the treadmill set at 1.