Plus Sized Dolls...

Ok, let me start this off with a disclamer. In no way am I casting aspursions on any plus sized women who may read this nor am I in any way attempting to hurt the self esteem of any plus sized women read this. The opinions voiced herein do not reflect the opinions of AutomotiveForums.com or any of its owners :D

Ok, I was watching Good Morning America this morning when I saw somthing that made me almost livid. The story started out about Barbie and how if she were in real life she would wear a size 2 and how for years magazines had drilled it into young girls heads that they had to fit into the "Impossably Thin" look and that they should all grow up looking like Barbie. Then they bring out this other doll which Barbra Walters said "Represented a more reasonable looking, 'natural' woman" This doll was built in the image of a plus sized model who wears a 14-16. Now this model went on and on about how she lectures to schools and eating disorder groups on how its "ok" to not fit into the barbie doll image, on how its "ok" to not be "impossably thin" and how she thinks that this doll represents "a more natural woman".
All I have to say is WHAT THE FUCK!! I dissagree with this on so many different levels that I cannot begin to explain it! First of all, I do not like the mentality of "Its ok that your fat, you just have an eating dissorder:(" No!! Its not ok!! Use some self control and get into shape!! Now I know already that I'm going to get flamed six ways from sunday about that line and people are going to say "But but but some people REALLY can't be thin! Some people just have to be fat" Who said they had to be thin? I said in shape, the people who complain about having an eating dissorder ARE NOT IN SHAPE! Now I know plenty of people who were a size 10 or 8 and arein shape. And I could tell by looking at this plus sized model that she had some body fat that could be lost. Ok ok so I'm not a nutritionist or anything, but I understand the concept of being "impossibly thin" and being in your target weight and % body fat range, this model was not in either.
Now secondly, I do not like this because I think it gives little kids a subconcious licence to be fat. This is because now they have this lady preaching to them saying its ok! And they are little kids, they don't know the difference between target weight and % body fat and being actualy obiece! They look at her and they see a big woman saying its ok to be just like me, and they think its ok to be fat.
Now if any one else saw this they saw that the doll was being marketed as a collectors item right now but because of the tremendous responce they had at a toy fair they are putting a mass production model of it into production. Petition while you still can people!!! There's time to stop the travisty!!

I don’t know of any women who use Barbie as their roll model for how they look. Its to bad that they compare themselves that way and any men that do are pretty damn shallow and not worth their time. However, the description of people exercising some self control to keep fit is a bit misleading. Some people do have a genetic make up that makes it hard not to carry excess weight (and I don’t mean just a little). I guess I look at it the same way as saying that people in special education just aren’t trying hard enough.

Originally posted by YogsVR4
I don’t know of any women who use Barbie as their roll model for how they look. Its to bad that they compare themselves that way and any men that do are pretty damn shallow and not worth their time. However, the description of people exercising some self control to keep fit is a bit misleading. Some people do have a genetic make up that makes it hard not to carry excess weight (and I don’t mean just a little). I guess I look at it the same way as saying that people in special education just aren’t trying hard enough.

Hmm you make a good point... I suppose there are always exceptions. Good analogy though with the special ed thing :)

*edit*

I guess the main problem I have with the whole thing is that I think it reflects America's general mentality of "Oh, its not your fault your _____" overweight, murderer, rapest ect. I think that we need to start taking responsibility for what we are or what we have done and realise that [i]in most cases[/] (agian, there are always exceptions) it is of our own doing.

Whilst I agree that there are exceptions to the rule and that some people have medical conditions or take medication that makes them gain weight, for the majority of people you can lose weight. It takes a lot of willpower and effort, but it can be done. I used to be really skinny (60kg at 5” 9’), but I gained a fair bit weight over a few years and decided to do something about it. I managed to lose 16kg of pure fat (I had my bodyfat measured) in 12 weeks (I entered the body-for-life competition that EAS hold every year). It took a huge effort and I was working out for 9 hours a week and I never strayed once from my diet. It can be done but there is no magic pill or potion – just effort.

Now that most of the weight is off I am now working towards getting my bodyfat down to 18%.

Being too fat is just as unhealthy as being too thin and it is wrong to have people on TV or anywhere saying anything else.

Originally posted by FTO Girl
Whilst I agree that there are exceptions to the rule and that some people have medical conditions or take medication that makes them gain weight, for the majority of people you can lose weight. It takes a lot of willpower and effort, but it can be done.

Being too fat is just as unhealthy as being too thin and it is wrong to have people on TV or anywhere saying anything else.

Thank you FTO, for providing some support from the female side of the equation. I was afraid I was going to get flamed for being "insensitive". I just hate the "Its not my fault" mentality that every one seems to have nowadays.
I agree with you whole heartedly!

Europeans dont seem to have any problems staying in shape, why is it in america that's its ok to be fat now? People are just using the "eating disorder" excuse waaaay too much. Yeah, you have an eating disorder, you eat too goddamn much! Perhaps its not an easy disorder, its a "im too damn lazy to get off my fat ass for once" disorder. There's 3 SM's in my CAP squadron who could lose aobut 50 pounds each, or more. I really wish they would, cause its just gross, plus they huff and puff when it comes to walking through the woods during a SAR mission.
i wonder what they'd look like if they were skinny.....HA!
HAHAHA!

Originally posted by Steel
Europeans dont seem to have any problems staying in shape, why is it in america that's its ok to be fat now?
Sad fact, but it's true: most American are big, fat, and lazy. We are the largest consumers and we're pushing other nations to obesity (sic) with our habits.

all i gotta say is

LOOK IN THE FUCKING MIRROR AND TELL ME UR NOT DISGUSTED

im not everweight, i got a little chub in my stomache and im disgusted, i wont let myself get any worse, HOW THE HELL DO U GET THAT BIG

arent they uncomfortable with them self?

Originally posted by Steel
Europeans dont seem to have any problems staying in shape, why is it in america that's its ok to be fat now?

Because Americans seem to be the only culture that doesn't eat right, doesn't get enough excersise, and the excuse they use is that "We are just to busy!!" I say bullshit (pardon my french)!!!

Originally posted by Gonthrax
Because Americans seem to be the only culture that doesn't eat right, doesn't get enough excersise, and the excuse they use is that "We are just to busy!!" I say bullshit (pardon my french)!!! I agree. The time factor is crap. If you want something badly enough, you’ll find a way to do it. If that means getting up an hour earlier or going to bed an hour later, so be it.

I agree with you also Gonthrax and find nothing offensive about your post. I also do not know of anyone who has used Barbie or magazines/media as their role models. I think there are some good points in teaching children that they don't have to be a perfect size 2, 6, or whatever to feel worthy, but they also need to be taught good nutritional habits. Most overweight people are thay way because of dietary choices they made...I have been there and can testify to that...and am still working toward getting myself in better shape. I am by no means anywhere near perfect according to society's standard of perfection. As far as "being fat runs in the family", some people's genetics give them higher metabolism and others not as high, but even if "fatness" runs in your family you can keep it off. Fact of life...some us have to work a little harder than others, but being in shape is obtainable for anyone.

There are more overweight people out there than ever now. Last time I read anything regarding this topic, the average woman wore a size 7 or 8 10 years ago. Now the average woman is a size 16. Why? There is a McDonalds (or other fast food) on every corner. Every restaurant gives free soda refills...soda is probably very high on the list of offenders for why people are gaining weight. Everything is drive thru this, micromeal that. "Convenience food" is heavily marketed and pushed on our society more so now than in the past. And yes, it is alot easier to make a quick run to a drive-thru and bring dinner home for the family than it is to cook a full supper then have a kitchen to clean later. But what's less housework worth when you look at the whole picture?

Another factor is the fact that computers and electronic toys of sorts provide us maximum entertainment with minimum physical activity. How many of us here remember when you actually had to get up to change the channel on the TV? Or how bout when you had to get up to put your cassette on Side B? Now everything is done by remote controlor by computer. Video games is a big killer as far as children go. Last time I read anything on that it was reported that most average children play 4-5 hours of video games after they get home from school. Imagine sitting there making minimal movement while consuming chips or other snacks. While you sit there in a near dormant state, the body processes the "energy" but since it is not being used it ends up being stored as fat.

I have mixed feelings on whether a "normal" doll is acceptable or not. Where do you draw the line on what normal is? I personally think the reason Barbie became "evil" as far as her image is because someone overanylized Barbie and started rallying their cause on how bad she is for little girls' self-esteem. And unfortunately too many parents have not taken the time to teach their children that Barbie is just a toy and not something to model themselves after.

Katwoman: I don't think that Barbie is being looked upto as a role model either, but thats what this model said... Personaly I think the whole "Impossably thin" thing is just somthing for another special interest group to get up in arms about but oh well, there will always be SI Groups ranting on about somthing or another. Now sure it is harder for some people to stay in shape then others, but it is nothing that eating right and a little excersise won't take care of. In most people's case its not even actualy working out at the gym. Its just getting good excersise, like not driving to the store thats a block away to get 1 thing, just walk! Its not going out for a sunday drive, its going out for a sunday walk. Just do somthing! Anything! The human body was designed to walk everywere, hunt for its food, not sit around all the time and eat. As for loosing weight, granted it is hard and takes alot of willpower, but the largest part of the equation is will power. Here is the biological fact. The reason you eat is to fuel your bodies cellular processes, this fuel is glucose, vitamines and minerals. When your intake of these things is in excess of what is needed, the vitemines and minerals are passed though and the glucose is converted to cellulose and storred as a starchy string in fat. If you stop your intake of starch and glucose then your body will naturaly start to break down your celulose into glucose and use it. If you do think and maintain a healthy intake of vits and mins, you WILL lose weight, that is a fact. This process can be speeded along with proper excersise. Now there are a few rare cases inwhich the body does not have, and cannot produce the proper molicules to breakdown these big polymers (cellulose) into glucose, this is a true problem. However the number of people who have this dissorder is VERY SMALL!! And gene therapy can fix this.

I'm glad the females on here are getting behind me on this, perhaps we should petition or somthing :D :D

Blah, I just looked back over this and realized I was in a huge hurry typing this and there is a huge amount of gross mispellings but thats just to bad,I don't feel like going back and correcting them, you know what I ment :p :finger: