A recent article appearing on the Wall Street Journal blog reports on statistics tying patterns of unhealthy eating to personality types.
A recent article appearing in the Daily Mail (UK) Online offers up images of plus size model Katya Zharkova in the nude, to lively discussion of what is beautiful, what is “normal,” and what is healthy when it comes to body types and body image.
A recent comment about women and fat, on this site, innocent in its intention, raised my ire until there was clarification.
But it still bothers me.
The issue of fat in American culture (and apparently abroad) remains emotionally charged. The definition of “fat,” of beauty, of value based on appearance remains a point of contention for most women – if they fear fat or have battled it.
Fat = Bad, Lazy, Letting Yourself Go (And Worse)
The notion that “fat” equals “bad” makes my blood boil.
Admit it. Most of us associate “fat” with sloppiness, laziness, or not caring about one’s appearance. There’s nothing new in this association; I’ve lived it off and on throughout my lifetime, my mother lived it in a far more painful way throughout hers. And yet, my grandmothers and great-grandmothers did not.
My, how times change. And with them, our definitions of beauty.
Of course, we also know a great deal more about health, the impacts of stress and lifestyle on health, and we are beginning to understand more about food content and health, though we seem to speak of this much less. Instead, we focus on personal habits or, as in one of the referenced articles, personality traits.
There is something damning in that tendency. And outrageous.
Body Image, Body Style
Today, Marilyn Monroe’s luscious and feminine form would be considered “plus size.” Likewise, many of the other beauties of the forties, fifties and sixties. Then along comes the popularity of Twiggy, and an increasingly emaciated look.
It’s interesting timing, when you consider that idealizing skin and bones emerged with growing social movements for Civil Rights and Feminism. It’s odd to me that in seeking greater exercise of a fuller set of options, the bounty and beauty of a woman’s curves were sacrificed in the process.
Do you know a woman who hasn’t wished herself thinner, curvier, taller, shorter – and poked, prodded, pained or paid to attain an element of control over her body type?
Why fashion dictates transitions from voluptuous figures to reed-thin ideals to tits-on-a-stick to boobs-and-booty is, frankly, beyond me. But a woman’s body ought not to be the battleground of societal confusion, though it certainly has been since the latter half of the 20th century. And so we march along, carrying the Body Politic into our bedrooms as well as the boardroom.
Emotional Eating, Fat Habits
We all know about emotional eating. We’re upset, we’re exhausted, we’re mindlessly consuming. We’re feeding feelings rather than hunger, and overeating can be as damaging as a few too many drinks or any number of other addictive behaviors we so easily acquire.
Of course, if we overeat and it never shows on our bodies – no one is the wiser. If we suffer certain eating disorders, no one is the wiser until they impact our health.
Sometimes, our emotional eating is directly linked to processing stress. This is the direction of the data and conclusions discussed in the WSJ Blog article, which states:
The same parts of the brain that control emotions and stress response also govern appetite, several studies have shown.
The article (rightly) includes other behavioral factors, but goes on to say:
those who scored high on neuroticism — the tendency to easily experience negative emotions — and low on conscientiousness, or being organized and disciplined, were the most likely to be overweight and obese.
The FAT Personality Types
And there’s more. Much more. There’s a description of the Night Owl, the Stress Junky, the Mindless Multitasker, the Giver, the Perfectionist.
For each personality type, there are mentions of eating habits and the way food is processed in the body. There is also a suggested “fix” to deal with the behavior and the deleterious health impacts.
So where’s the problem?
I have no quarrel with research of this type, and I recommend the WSJ article. It’s interesting, and possibly helpful – if you recognize an aspect of your own behavior-driven eating, and wish to do a better job of managing it.
But do note the contradictions. Not only is there a correlation (referenced) between scoring low on organization / discipline and tendency toward obesity, there are also references to perfectionism and obesity. So which is it? Might I not conclude that obesity can be linked to almost any personality type?
Apparently, I’m screwed. I’m all of the above. Should I simply give up?
Fat Bias
Here’s where I have an issue. Is there anyone who doesn’t recognize herself in at least one of these personality types? Isn’t this where millions of us find ourselves, in the crazed pace of contemporary culture? If we have the metabolism and hereditary factors that do not result in gaining weight, would anyone wag a finger or make derisive comments suggesting we are undisciplined or disorganized or mindless?
It’s the inherent prejudice that infuriates me – the abusive assumptions and the fact that society squeezes women at every turn – including at the waistline – in an impossible set of tacit and explicit mandates as to how we should look and how we should act.
I can’t help but believe that under the guise of improving our health, this is one more way to say “she is overweight because she’s lazy” or any number of other undermining remarks that encourage women in our capacity and fullness to be and feel smaller than we are.
And the epidemic of obesity? The epidemic of emotional eating? We admit that they exist, but why aren’t we addressing the root problems – those to do with culture, not to mention the availability of healthy foods?
What’s Real, What’s Spin?
I love the article in the Daily Mail that discusses the extent to which body size expectations have changed in the past two generations.
I love that we are offered nude views of a beautiful young woman who is a size 12, with exquisite flesh, and contrasted against a skinny “typical” industry model.
Specifically, the article restates what is written across one particularly telling image:
‘Twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed 8% less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23% less.’
I personally believe that a healthy diet and regular exercise are critical to a healthy life. Equally critical – adequate sleep, reduced stress, and the quality of the food we put in our mouths. Sleep deprivation is epidemic in this country. Stress is spilling over nearly everywhere we look. Turn to your cupboards, your fridge, your pantry. Read the ingredients listed in your food.
What’s real? What’s spin? How can we discount hereditary factors, food quality, health conditions or medications – and blame behaviors and people for not living up to an unachievable standard?
Obesity is a serious problem. But a size 12 woman is not obese; she’s normal. A woman who spends her life in constant yo-yo dieting to be a size 4 may be commonplace, but is she normal?
Fat and Sassy?
In a world where we are quick to sum up, to classify, and to dismiss a complex problem; in a world where we are dismissive of individuals – might we learn from the science behind these findings, and focus on the foundational issues that cause stress? Might we seek to be more mindful eaters – yes – but not ignore the sleeplessness, the job worries, our food and pharma industries, the killing pace of our current lifestyle – and admit that these are political issues?
Let me be clear. I’ve been fat; really fat. I was invisible. And I hated it.
I’ve been thin, and didn’t feel thin enough. I was praised, though I still didn’t like myself.
I’ve been at weights and shapes I disdained, and never realized the beauty of my body.
Now in midlife, I recall the body I once disliked, and recognize its full and feminine beauty. I accept the form I currently possess, and I know the set of stories that it recounts. I seek to maintain comfort in my skin, comfort in my clothing, a size which is suitable for my frame, and good health. None of it is easy; my head is as filled with the damning words and wagging fingers of a lifetime as any woman’s. But what I would truly like is a future for generations of women, in which the negative noise no longer finds a place.
More thoughts on obesity, overweight, and views of body image in America:
- The FAT Issue
- Are You Fat?
- Food, Glorious Food
- Challenging Kids, Knee-Jerk Reactions
- Warped Views, Bad News
- The Body Politic (How Our Bodies Look vs How We Use Them)
Click on the detail image of Katya Zharkova to access the original article and photographs.
cherie
ah. yes. we feel the same way.
taming the curves, within reason. swimming every day we can. and breathing.
that’s our mode de vivre.
sod the critics 😉
_tg xxx
Sod the critics, indeed, _tg!
Just as psychosis was once believed to be demonic possession, I believe that at some point in the near future, science will be able to nail down the *physiological* (NOT psychological) reasons that some of our bodies handle, process and store food differently than others. Once I got my eating disorder under control many years ago, I discovered that what I’d labeled “emotional eating” was really just my body’s response to dieting and malnourishment. (And even today, I find eating process carbs makes me more likely to want to “nosh.”)
Lovely that you joined the conversation, déjà pseu. Indeed, perhaps the entire premise is “off” – that psychology is driving everything, and it is the physical differences we should be studying. And most certainly, I have found in my own experience that when I am eating more organically, I can eat more, feel better, and do not gain weight. All those years of “dieting” and consuming chemical additives? What a waste, and counter-productive.
I feel the same way! As a big girl…5’10 and NEVER a size 2 EVER…I’m so sick of the labeling. Why on earth? If we all looked the same and all had the same DNA and genetics this would be a very very very bad thing and actually, more of a concern in my opinion. Not everyone is suppose to be utterly thin and skinny! The important thing is to be happy with who you are! 🙂 Thanks for the post!
And thanks for reading and commenting, Christine. As for the labeling, why on earth do we do it anyway?
Oh my goodness. We are totally on the same wavelength today! This morning I wrote a post (soon to be released — OK. On Sunday.) on this very topic. I’ve labeled myself when I was truly thin and thought I was fat. I label myself now (although, not out loud anymore — just in blog) now that I’m carrying a few more pounds than I should. I can’t get away from labeling myself as fat. It’s horrible. It’s ridiculous. But at least I’m aware.
Ah, Jane. I wish we could can all the labels. Labels damage us. You might enjoy this post, from LaBelette Rouge, on this topic of labels and identity.
Re the need to study physical differences –
The alternative health community is already in that space, but it has not yet made it to the mainstream. Although mainstream science has discovered that their is no “standard” digestive system that absorbs all nutrients the same, it is still considered “fringe” that we should not all be eating whatever the AMA, heart association, diabetes association, etc. says is best.
Since I personally believe in the biological differences, I hate to go on the bandwagon for a particular style of diet. However, I have to say that one of the most interesting things I have run across is the finding that certain foods, particularly wheat, are addicting. Addicting as in binding to the same brain opiate receptors that control literal drugs addicts, and moderated by the same drugs that are given to drugs addicts to normalize them.
Given the rates of obesity and diabetes we have, which are closely tied to carbohydrates, I am amazed that the powers that be are still recommending high-carb diets – the DASH (high carb) diet was just got broad media recommendation last week. I have been trying to improve my own diet through traditional recommendations for the last twenty years and it has resulted in deteriorating blood numbers and rapidly increasing weight. In retrospect, the “better” I ate, the worse I got. It wasn’t until I started researching alternative diets, i.e. blood-type and paleo, that things started turning around. Read the reviews on these books, and the anti-wheat ones, on Amazon, the information will amaze you.
Thanks for joining the conversation, Robert. Like you, I don’t think there’s a “one size fits all,” and nor do I think it’s simply about losing weight, and the traditional wisdom of “eat less, exercise more” as being the solution.
I think it’s closer to eat right (for your body) and exercise rationally – along with managing stress, sleep, along with hereditary factors, medical conditions, and allergies we may not even be aware of. I tend to think – like you – that there is more to be studied, and much in the properties of the so-called “good diet” that we aren’t aware of.
Will check into the references you mention. Should prove interesting. Thank you!
I’ve only known one model in my life. She lived in a dorm with me. She had the unfortunate nickname of skelator, her thinness was as painful to see as severe obesity.
A friend recently called my attention to a recent New York Times Magazine article, called The Fat Trap. It’s not short, and my time is, so I’ve skimmed it, and it’s fascinating. While lifestyle, exercise and food matter, there is scientific evidence that how we respond to what we eat and how we exercise is different. There is nothing simple about losing weight and keeping it off.
I’m not small, never have been since puberty, and I while I’ve had moments of wanting to look like that in those jeans, I reject my inner critic most of the time. It’s unfair to myself and defeating to any desire to be healthier.
And here’s the thing – there is some line (it varies based on your body) when more weight interferes with function, and when overall health is threatened. But, if you are under that line, you know it. You feel free enough to move, your body enjoys what is demanded of it by normal life, and you look fine. I hope my girls seek health over a number and find joy in their bodies. They are amazing.
“Health over a number, and joy in their bodies.”
What a beautiful way to state it, Kate. Wouldn’t it be glorious if all our daughters could feel this way – and live it?
I had a great figure when I was young, but I never enjoyed it, thinking it was never good enough. I had reasonable genes and I exercised a lot – in part because I enjoyed my aerobics classes, but also due to vanity. I’m not driven in the same way now that I’m ‘over the hill’ though I can’t say I’m free from that pesky vanity thing. However, I’m more conscious that I’m at the tip top of a healthy weight and I’d like to be more in the middle of that healthy range (in my 20s and 30s and even early 40s I was at the bottom of that range). I feel better when I am thinner – I’m stronger and my joints have less to complain about. All that fashion stuff? Nothing to do with me. I got The Thoughful Dresser for Christmas and was intrigued at Grant’s sighting of Alexander McQueen with his ‘fat thighs hanging over his chair like Camembert’. It angered her that he could dictate thinness to women, and then could afford a personal trainer to get himself back into shape.
Obesity is associated with being poor. I walk through the ‘working class’ (more like non-working class) town near me and the state of people’s health – grey skin, swollen ankles, flabby bellies – is on display in the pedestrianised streets. It certainly motivates me to keep moving, keep trying. There was an interesting article I can’t find now that talked about how rich people felt entitled to be wealthy because they worked hard not just for their money, but to keep their lifestyles (their looks, exercise, etc) up to scratch.
I don’t think we can change what views other parts of society hold about women’s weight. I think we can only decide how we will view our own weight and what we will do about it. I do worry that what is deemed ‘fashionable’ isn’t more in tune with what is healthy. I’m aiming for health. Stuff the rest of it.
I remember when my sister and her husband lost a lot of weight, and they were not what anyone would consider fat. Not a pretty sight that. Sissie’s back to normal and so is my wife. I prefer happy, busy people to those who are suffering and mean about their genetically predispositioned weight.
I loved this article which was bandied about this week on Facebook. Beautiful people those plus-sized models. Most sane people know that the personality is the most important bit.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Gandalfe – would that there were more in this country like you! 🙂
I am so grateful you wrote this. I had every eating disorder in the book and it’s so important that women remember how amazing our bodies are no matter what they weigh.
I’ve read so much about the evils of fat that I decided to give up reading.
With the indulgence of Ms. Wolf and her readership, I thought to add “my” male perspective on the topic of discussion.
George Clooney has been named by People Magazine as the sexiest man alive not once, but twice. I have never been named the sexiest man alive. Ryan Gosling certainly showed off his buff ripped self to good effect in the comedy movie Crazy, Stupid, Love (In movie trailer, Ryan Gosling takes off his shirt and Emma Thompson exclaims, “Seriously? It’s like you’re photoshopped!”). While I exercise regularly and jog, I won’t pretend to be “ripped”. Hugh Jackman, named the sexiest man alive in 2008, is at the height of success as a world recognised film star at the age of 43. I am 59 and will be 60 this year. I am hardly recognised outside of my family.
Am I the best looking guy in the room? Not by a long shot. Am I brimming over with self-confidence? Like everyone, I have my moments of doubt and yes, even I have body image issues. (Gettin’ old, man boobs and Vladimir Putin) However, I realised a long time ago that I’m not Quasimodo. Okay, I’m not Brad Pitt, but I’m not Quasimodo.
Our society with its merchandising and publicity presents us all with an idealized version of ourselves, an ideal that doesn’t necessarily exist in reality. (I saw the picture of a famous model the other day without her make-up. Whoa!) I would like to think that the majority of us come to the table with experience and a certain degree of maturity and understand the difference between an ideal and the normal, between fantasy and reality. Not everybody, but the majority.
Therefore, we come back to the question, to coin an expression, of not what you’ve got, but how you use it. Just how much confidence do you have? I am reminded of this life lesson which has proven to be a big help to me over the years.
Rejection 2010-06-14
“I’ve been rejected.”
Somebody doesn’t like you. Oh, boo hoo hoo. Get over it!
Okay, that sounds a little harsh but if you will bear with me, let me now tell you something which comes from my life and is probably very applicable to your life.
When I went to high school, I entered what is for many kids, their first real experience in a social networking environment. Everybody has to figure out how to interact with each other. Yes, I know we had public school stuff, but high school was a much bigger proving ground because we were all getting our hormone spurs: saddle up the pony; it’s time to ride the range!
Like all teenage boys, I suffered too the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, some successes, some failures. Nevertheless, there was always the pain and suffering of being rejected on any grounds, not just sexual.
Then it hit me. I forget exactly what happened, but one day, I looked at rejection from the other way around. It occurred to me that at high school, in the street and in life in general, I did not like everyone whom I met. In fact, some of those people I absolutely detested. All of a sudden it occurred to me: if statistically, I didn’t like everyone in the world, was it true that statistically, everyone in the world would like me? No way!
I began to see the entire world in a new light. I meet somebody, they don’t like me. Okay, your loss, I move on to the next person. Instead of being particularly hurt by the rejection of a single person, I accept it as merely a statistical reality then move on. Like me, if you really want to lay on the rationalization really thick, I sometimes add that the rejecter has neither the intelligence nor the fine taste to appreciate the bouquet and full body of a Chardonnay ’86 à la yours truly. Like a fine wine, I am only appreciated by the most sophisticated of palettes. “Oh gawd, does that man know how to shovel it, or what?”
Old joke: Every night a man goes to a bar and asks 50 women to sleep with him. He gets slapped in the face 49 times, but he never sleeps alone!
wb 🙂