*This is a sponsored post on behalf of Special K® . However all opinions and statements are my own.
Do you put yourself down? Do you bully yourself in your thoughts about your body? Would you say to someone else what you say to yourself?
I have done a lot of thinking about this over the last few days and realized that I am guilty of “fat-talk” more often than I thought. It was an eye opener and actually made me really sad.
2013
There are a few moments in my life that I can look back on and remember with clarity the exact thoughts and feelings I had as if it were yesterday…
One of those times, a member of my family made an innocent comment about me having sturdy legs. We grew up backpacking, and so the comment was well intentioned and actually meant as a compliment. But, I was a young teenager and like most girls that age, I was dealing with normal body insecurities. In my teenage head, I understood that to mean that I had “fat” legs. Isn’t that so sad?
At the time, I was not old enough or mature enough to understand that there is a big difference between muscular, athletic legs and being overweight. I was a normal and healthy teenage girl with an athletic build. I should have been embracing it and not feeling self conscious about it. Sadly, for years…and well into adulthood I felt self conscious about my “fat legs”.
Me in 8th grade Spanish class
I have been and will always have a curvy, athletic build. My 5’ 9 inch frame is never going to be petite. I am never going to have stick straight legs….ever…no matter how many carrots I eat. I am just not built that way.
Even now, an adult woman, I still sometimes find myself involved in “fat-talk” within my own head and when talking with other women. Sometimes I joke about it, especially with my recent food allergies and the toll it has taken on my physical body.
I realize just how self-deprecating and damaging this “fat-talk” is and the negative impacts it can have on our overall health and self esteem. And as the mother of three young impressionable girls, I realize how vital it is to not pass this down to them. I don’t want them to feel uncomfortable in their own skin. I want them to be proud of their uniqueness and to embrace who they are. And I need to be the one who sets the example.
So I am saying SHHHH! to the “fat talk.”
If I have learned one thing this year with my food allergies, it would be that being healthy is and feeling good is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. If we are feeling down about ourselves due to our own bully talking…how can we help to uplift our children and others?
I am currently 40 years old, which means that for one quarter of my life, my body has been growing and nourishing another precious human life. If you are counting, that is approximately 8.9 years, 3,175 days, or 86,200 hours, 5,172,000 minutes that my amazing physical body has been working to sustain life.
I WILL wear this body with pride. It has given me 5 amazing blessings.
![pregnant #5wm_thumb[2]](https://www.theidearoom.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/pregnant-_5wm_thumb2_thumb.jpg "pregnant #5wm_thumb[2]")
![baby #5wm_thumb[3]](https://www.theidearoom.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/baby-_5wm_thumb3.jpg "baby #5wm_thumb[3]")
Birth of my 5th Baby
This curvy, athletic body has carried me through the highs and lows that comes with living, carried me on some beautiful hiking trips with my family, allows me to enjoy a day on the slopes with my family, endured a couple of half-marathons and the hours of training that entails, and it allows me to enjoy my everyday life moments.
I hope you will join me in supporting Special K® in their fight against “fat talk.” Special K® has shown that positivity is important to weight management success and have found that 93 percent of women Fat Talk. Fat Talk is contagious – and it’s weighing women down.
As a partner to women along their weight management journey, Special K offers many delicious, guilt-free products, including snack and breakfast options that provide protein and fiber. Women can also visit www.FightFatTalk.com to help SHHHHut down Fat Talk (#FightFatTalk).
I LOVE how Special K® is focused on living a healthy life. I believe that they are creating products that help us achieve the healthy goals we set for ourselves. Will you join us by saying SHHHHH! to the “fat-talk”? We need to shut it down!
For more information about the challenge you can visit Special K®.
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
Would you like more Recipes, DIY, Printables and Organization Ideas?
Subscribing to the newsletter will enable us to periodically send you creative content exclusively for Idea Room subscribers.
*View our Privacy Policy here.
I need to shhhhh the fat talk too. Your sturdy legs rock! And I loved the pictures on this post. Thanks for talking about an important subject. We all need to shhh the fat talk! xo
Thank you so much Mique! This is really something that I feel like needs to be addressed and I need to start with myself.
First of all, I’m really glad you clearly state which posts are sponsored. It makes me more confident in your honest opinion when you recommend certain products for projects.
On another note, I’m happy that companies are starting to embrace marketing in this manner because you reach so many readers. Thanks for the positive post :)
Thank you so much Pam. I am always really careful about what I put on my site sponsored or unsponsored. I ALWAYS will share my true opinion. There are a LOT of sponsored posts that come my way that do not make it on this site for various reasons. I feel strongly about supporting things I believe in and making sure that is transparent in all I do here. So thank you for noticing this.
I always appreciate hearing from my readers. Thank you so much for feeling like you could share that here and thank you for following along. xo
I think this is a wonderful campaign. I had a good talk with my three girls about fat talk. I think opening up the discussion and helping them see their bodies in a more positive light is awesome!
xoxo
I totally agree! I love that this opens up the conversation for all women and girls and is something we all need to work on.
I am never more conscious of this than in front of my 3 teenage girls. I use positive words and talk about positive self image and encourage them, and often if I’m not careful I’ve”caught” myself. I turn around and use negative words myself about my own body and struggle with being overweight.
But still …being conscious of it is definitely a first step.
Thanks for sharing this! It will be printed and posted on my fridge to spark a conv.
Thank you for sharing this Andrea! I love the idea of putting this in a prominent place to remind us of its importance! I love how you approach it with your daughters!
Great post!! I’m on board with the shhhut the fat talk. Thanks so much for sharing :)
Thank you so much Crystal for sharing that with us! xo
I think this is a wonderful post! I really need to stop the fat talk… especially around this time of year. Thanks for sharing this awesome message. XO
This time of year and with the new year’s resolutions is always a harder time of year for me too.
Loved what you shared. Thank you for taking a stand to stop the fat talk!! I am guilty. My new year resolution……… shhhut the fat talk!!
Thanks Carol! I am glad you are willing to join with us! Thanks so much for sharing that with us!
I think this is a fabulous campaign, and have been trying to make a conscious effort to stop the talk….especially infront of my daughters!
Thank you Cheryl! It really is important to show our daughters how to love ourselves!
I struggle with this! While I don’t really compare myself with other women I compare myself with my younger self. This is such a great post and a great reminder to stop being negative. Negative thoughts about weight will turn into negative thoughts about other things. Negativity breeds more negativity. Thanks for the post!
I totally get that…comparing yourself to your younger self. It is hard not to do that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! I loved hearing that…negativity does indeed breed more negativity!
oh man, this is something that is too easy to do. i find myself fighting to say positive things about myself, but am determined to change that..i want my kids (and especially my daughters) growing up knowing how awesome they are and not always looking at the flaws. awesome campaign. :)
I am so guilty of fat talk. I often put my body down. I love this post. I will take time to think about and appreciate the great things that my body has done for me. We need to be a positive example to our youth and end the cycle of fat talk. Plus, Special K red berries is our favorite cereal around here!
I can totally relate. Thank you for sharing that Tara! We do need to be the ones to end the cycle. Special K red berries is good :)!
one of the best topics for a blog post especially this time of year. although i always speak the “fat talk” – this is perfect & I need to stop talking like this as well! LOVED seeing all your pictures through out the years – so beautifully put together!
xo
kellie