I am definitely not the first person to express this idea and certainly not the most central to it. But, I thought it was an important topic for me to address- for those who have never heard this concept and especially for those who may be suffering because we are taught the opposite.

For as long as I can remember it was vital for me to never “get fat.” It was implicitly and explicitly taught to me by family, friends, teachers, movies, magazines, and everyone else. I viewed my body as something to be controlled and (hopefully) admired. I was fortunate to exist in a smallish body, was very active, and had regular access to food. But, as most do, my body changed through puberty and I was actively dieting by 13 years old. The intensity of the dieting cycled, but it was always a part of my young life. As a young adult I discovered the gym, personal training, and through that, the profession of dietetics. I turned my personal pursuit to “not be fat” into a job. I bought in 100%. I counted calories, recorded my weight, obsessed over what I ate, and what others ate too. I eventually got even deeper into wellness culture by owning a juice bar and yoga studio. I was in really great shape, but never good enough. Then, when I was pregnant with my second daughter we found out she had some major medical complications. My whole focus shifted. I needed to learn how to eat without worrying about how to eat. I found Intuitive Eating. That led me to Health at Every Size, fat liberation, weight stigma, and so much more.

Now, over four years later, I have gained weight. Weight from two pregnancies, weight that was suppressed from 20+ years of dieting, and weight my body deserved to gain. I have also gained a better appreciation for my body, a positive relationship with food, and the freedom to care for my body in the ways it deserves. Now I am fat, and that’s okay. I am on the smaller end of the fat spectrum (small fat)- there are people on the opposite end, and that’s okay too. They deserve all of the same respect, opportunities, and joy every other person in this world does. Existing as a fat person is okay. I believe being fat is a neutral way of being. Just like being short or tall, we all exist somewhere on the spectrum. I believe fat people can be healthy and happy, but they certainly don’t have to be. I believe everyone is worthy no matter what their body looks like or how healthy it is. I believe our culture needs to do better in the way we treat fat people. I believe in a version of life where all bodies are treated like good bodies and I want to help that version to exist sooner than later.

*Note: I am choosing to describe myself as fat as a personal choice, I also use the word fat in a neutral, descriptive way. This does not mean that fat is a universally accepted term for everyone, but it’s also not a bad word.