The weight loss community has to be one of the biggest in the world; and that fact alone is sad. Although it’s an incredibly supportive community, the fact there are so many who feel their bodies are not good enough is upsetting. Let’s be honest for a moment, we live in a world that preaches self-love, but haters still exist and often that one comment for one nobody can shout louder than all the love from all the people who actually matter. We still live in a society that thinks it’s okay to make comments about another persons body, and a world where Selena Gomez makes headlines nothing more than loving her natural stomach.
I spoke about this when the media made a big deal about Kim K losing weight to fit into the Marilyn Monroe dress. I get really annoyed when the media do things like this because it’s so hypocritical. I stand firm with my belief that nobody has the right to comment on another person’s body – but the media never seems to know what side they’re on when it comes to body positivity. Either they’re backhandedly telling girls and boys they’re too fat or they’re telling them to embrace their natural selves. Personally, I’d respect them more if they stuck to their guns and just chose a side. And, I say backhandedly because they never just print “you’re fat” what they love to do, is print a picture of a size 0 model or influencer and print sh*t like “look at this person showing off her CURVES” like some how I’m staring through some kind of warped kaleidoscope and curvy suddenly means skinny AF.
While I’m sure my rants towards society are what you love and stay for, it’s not the main topic of today. Initially I wanted to update that Rhythm Pharmaceuticals have announced some positive feedback following the release of their drug which is good news for those of us that suffer with genetic disorders that affect obesity. Rhythm Pharmaceuticals have opened a door to weight loss treatment that wasn’t previously available. I’m sure if you’re part of this community, genetically caused or otherwise the advice you will have heard your entire life – much like myself – is/was diet and exercise. I stand by it, because living a healthy lifestyle is important physically and mentally, BUT (and it’s a big BUT) there is more to weight loss than diet and exercise.
Obesity is complex and involves and is dependent on a number of factors (genetic/environmental factors). For most of us, it manifests in early childhood and is a lifelong burden. I remember growing up with the term “puppy fat” (fat on the body of a baby or child which disappears around adolescence) and so many times as a child I remember being told I’d grow out of it and it scares me that this puppy fat theory still exists because we plant this idea from a really young age that fact is temporary, which we find out much later in life that it’s not. In fact, it’s a life long burden and losing weight is hard.
People with weight problems are accused and judged for the failure to adapt to healthy lifestyles, even by health-care professionals and it’s this stigma that leads to eating disorders, the media thinking it’s okay to publish nonsense and the mental and physical abuse we put ourselves through trying to change ourselves. That’s why I rant, that’s why I blog; because a part of me just wants so badly to make the point that weight loss is more complicated that what you put in your mouth. As a community, we need to reduce the stigma through knowledge and education about the pathological mechanisms of obesity, that includes genetics as one of several factors.
With that said, I make a promise to you right now. I will continue to write about MC4r and other genetic factors that affect obesity, I will use my platform to educate the masses as best I can so help reduce the stigma surrounding obesity, and I’ll be a voice for those among us who feel like they don’t have one. I hope you’ll join me in my mission.
MC4r and ME 