Fet or; Body Dysmorphia

For a long time, I’ve wanted to write an article, or a play, or a book, or... something called:

“Fet: Accepting a Body Somewhere In-Between Fat and Fit”

*My dad-humor thinks this title is very clever because ‘E’ is vowel between ‘A’ and ‘I’... You don’t get it? Oh, you got it but you don’t think it’s funny? Okay, ANYWAY…

Every time I sit down to write this *extremely witty* and heartfelt piece, however, the reality of the damage it could cause makes its case. 

Because the reality is that how my body functions right now… is that of a fit person. Do I have problem areas? Yes. Have I looked better at some point in my life? Yes. What I can’t ignore, however, is that my current exercise and meal plan meets the needs of my physical and mental health.

When I was spiraling deep into the years of my eating disorder, I refused to accept that bodies are made differently. My envy of others became an obsession, my disbelief at another person’s dietary or exercise routine robbed all of my joy, and my self-shaming, online or in front of a mirror, was devastating for my personal life. 

And for what purpose? I have an able body. Manufacturing complaints about its appearance is foolish and, though unintentional, extraordinarily selfish. 

My uncle has this magnet of his refrigerator that I have found true many times in my life. It reads:

“I wish I was as skinny as when I thought I was fat.”

Feeling sad about the perceived shortcomings of our bodies is normal. This week, when we feel those things, take a moment to be thankful for something your body can do. For me, it’s made all the difference.

That’s so fet(ch).

(Did he really just try and quote Mean Girls again? Is he obsessed? I think he has a problem. 

A silence, then… Blackout.)

Peter