Monday, May 12, 2003
I’ve long been a fan of...
Big Fat Blog. It discusses issues in the media that have to do with fat. The focus of the site is how fat is portrayed as a negative stereotype, and how many people take assumptions at face value despite a lack of any real scientific evidence to support it.
Case in point, lately there has been a lot of talk about the link of obesity to cancer. Once the stats are analysed, however, obese people suffer LESS from cancer than ‘normal’ people. What is the truth? I don’t know. But I do like having a forum to discuss these things with like minded (and bodied!) people.
Another discussion has related to obesity and the incidence of birth defects. Again, this is something that is a ‘known fact’, and yet there are no scientific studies to back this up. Perhaps there is no medical reason for me to lose weight before becoming pregnant!
There would still be the comfort factor, of course. And my ability to keep up with a 2 year old will still be awkward at my current weight.
However, the number one concern, increased possibility of birth defects, seems to be an unwarranted fear.
My ‘life plan’, as it was, had me waiting a little longer to have kids. For sure Ian and I aren’t in the best situation for having a family, what with being in different cities and job instability. But we knew we had time to sort that out while I lost weight. Now, the limiting factor may be getting a stable environment!
That’s something Ian and I can sort out quickly. I can move back to Toronto, or Ian can probably find another job somewhere else that is more stable, even if it pays less. It means that, my life is potentially in great upheaval, and yet I’m much closer to being a mother than I’d expected.
Obviously I’ll be working this out with Ian. Maybe I will still aim to lose another 200 lbs. I’d certainly like to experience being slim again after my years of being this size. Just to see which really feels most comfortable on me. I’d hate to live in regret about my weight.
And if it does take three years to get ‘ready’ to have a family, then so be it. But if we can get it underway tomorrow… that’s actually kind of exciting! I know Ian would make an awesome dad, and I’m really looking forward to the changes that motherhood brings.
Big Fat Blog. It discusses issues in the media that have to do with fat. The focus of the site is how fat is portrayed as a negative stereotype, and how many people take assumptions at face value despite a lack of any real scientific evidence to support it.
Case in point, lately there has been a lot of talk about the link of obesity to cancer. Once the stats are analysed, however, obese people suffer LESS from cancer than ‘normal’ people. What is the truth? I don’t know. But I do like having a forum to discuss these things with like minded (and bodied!) people.
Another discussion has related to obesity and the incidence of birth defects. Again, this is something that is a ‘known fact’, and yet there are no scientific studies to back this up. Perhaps there is no medical reason for me to lose weight before becoming pregnant!
There would still be the comfort factor, of course. And my ability to keep up with a 2 year old will still be awkward at my current weight.
However, the number one concern, increased possibility of birth defects, seems to be an unwarranted fear.
My ‘life plan’, as it was, had me waiting a little longer to have kids. For sure Ian and I aren’t in the best situation for having a family, what with being in different cities and job instability. But we knew we had time to sort that out while I lost weight. Now, the limiting factor may be getting a stable environment!
That’s something Ian and I can sort out quickly. I can move back to Toronto, or Ian can probably find another job somewhere else that is more stable, even if it pays less. It means that, my life is potentially in great upheaval, and yet I’m much closer to being a mother than I’d expected.
Obviously I’ll be working this out with Ian. Maybe I will still aim to lose another 200 lbs. I’d certainly like to experience being slim again after my years of being this size. Just to see which really feels most comfortable on me. I’d hate to live in regret about my weight.
And if it does take three years to get ‘ready’ to have a family, then so be it. But if we can get it underway tomorrow… that’s actually kind of exciting! I know Ian would make an awesome dad, and I’m really looking forward to the changes that motherhood brings.
// posted by Charlotte @ 2:14:00 PM 
