Comments on: Dear dieting friends,

By: N

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:06:25 +0000

Thanks :) I expect that I will be surprised whatever the result.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:31:13 +0000

I think lots of us go through that, where we like the idea of HAES and/or size acceptance, but still would like to lose weight in our personal lives.

There’s nothing wrong with that — in fact, it’s a pretty rational response to living in this culture. I definitely don’t look down on anyone for pursuing weight loss. In fact, I pretty intimately understand the motivations for doing so. After all, I did it myself.

Good luck with whatever path you ultimately pursue. I hope it works out for you.

By: N

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:04:18 +0000

Thanks for writing this. I started Weight Watchers a few months ago, and one friendship has ended because of it… I guess I have cognitive dissonance in that I think I believe that I am healthy at any size that I’ve been, and that other people can be healthy too at any size (barring the usual caveats), and that I’m still seeing if I can lose weight and keep it off… maybe I won’t be the freak of nature who in five years will keep off the forty or so pounds I’ve lost, but maybe I will. I guess we’ll see – but I really feel like I not only can be healthy at any size, but I can love myself there too. And I have.

I thought the comment from you friend was funny too – you asked if she liked Weight Watchers and she said no, that she liked to eat food. I like to eat food too, but I don’t feel like I’m not eating while I’m doing WW. *shrugs* To each hir own, I suppose. :) Keep up the good work!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:37:11 +0000

Hey Louise! What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this??

By: Louise Halyk

Louise Halyk — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:23:17 +0000

Hi Michelle: Great blog. I’m very proud of you. You are doing great.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:07:24 +0000

I think you should bring it up, meerkat. You might be surprised. I certainly was. If they love you, they will make an attempt to understand.

If not, well…it’s time to make some better friends anyway.

But I know this is all much easier said than done.

By: meerkat

meerkat — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:55:33 +0000

I’m too afraid to bring it up with them, but I am witheringly annoyed by my friends’ updates about horrible their bodies are because they are fat (this does insult me by implication) or how awesome it is that they have lost five pounds and how they are totally going to continue losing lots more. It will take ages to play out and nothing good will come of it, but I doubt there’s any convincing them because the voice of the media is so loud and Shapely Prose is inherently untrustworthy because it is a blog on the internet (you can’t believe anything on the internet, but you can always believe the evening news).