I still haven't received Lessons from the Fat-O-Sphere, as it's at my parent's house waiting for them to send it down to me, but I am very much looking forward to reading it. After I have finished with these two book I intend to get both Dawn French's and Jo Brand's autobiographies. Never been much of one for autobiographies (Roald Dahl's being the exception) but I think they will prove very interesting reading.
@fatheffalump @moreofmetolove @52stations @fatshionista @peggyelam @therotund @bigfatdeal @ninjaclutz @mopie
I've also added to the repertoire of fat acceptance and body positive blogs I read, and trying to add more fat and body positive folks on twitter. I think this is the crucial part of my FA, as it is the building of a community of like minded individuals which will really help me finally accept my body as it is. Some of them are very outspoken and brash on the subject, but all of them come across as wonderful people in their blogs.
I have also started listening to the Two Whole Cakes Fatcast, which is definately worth a listen.
I'm also starting to be more vocal on the subject, having had a few discussions on the subject of FA and HAES with some of my friends. In addition to this blog appearing in my facebook and twitter feeds, I'm also starting to comment more on FA related matter on both those social networking sites. While it's not exactly a secret that I'm fat, I'm determined that people, and in particular people I know well are aware that dieting is no longer something that I believe in and that I am on the path towards body acceptance.
I've also made progress on a more personal level. I have relinquished the dichotomy of good food/ bad food, and am learning to spot when I start thinking along those lines. For example I wanted some chips as an afternoons snack, and my brain automatically went into the 'this is bad but I don't care' mode of thinking. I managed to catch myself and correct myself; there is not such thing as 'good' food or 'bad' food, only food (more on this at a later date).
I've also gotten better at recognising when I'm starting to feel hungry and eating then, rather than eating at set times. This has been vastly helped by the fact it is exam season and I have very little in the way of an actual schedule at the moment. I'm less good at recognising the signs that I'm full and stopping eating then, but I'm working on that. There are a few exercises in Health at Every Size that I want to try out, after exams.
This post is my 30th post, and I'm amazed at what I've managed to achieve in that. When I started this blog less than six months ago I was a miserable fat person with next to no bodily self esteem who wanted to blog about a diet to keep on the wagon as it were. Now I'm still fat, but I no longer believe dieting is the answer to higher self esteem and am constantly improving in my body acceptance. I'm no longer miserable, and I'm starting to learn that other people's opinion of my body, whether they consider it attractive or not, will never change the basic fact that it is a fat body.
So while I tackle the rest of my exams with gusto, I will leave you with a bunch of links to check out. Please do read what these people have to say, and if anyone can put me onto a blog written by a fat accepting male, that would be brilliant.
Fat/Body Positive Blogs
Twitter Folks to follow
and also @captainraz (which is me!)
Lesley Kinzel from Fatshionista and Marianne Kirby from The Rotund talk about fat, fashion and politics
