Ragen Chastain of Dances With Fat asks “What’s Stopping the Fatty Uprising?” She writes:
I think that one of the main things standing in the way of a fatty uprising against all of the stigma, bullying and oppression of fat people is the belief that weight loss is possible, even likely, for all fat people. It’s not just that the people doing the stigmatizing buy into this idea, it’s that fat people do too. That’s pretty problematic since in over half a century of research there has never been a single study where weight loss worked long term for more than a tiny fraction of people. …
So many of things are only acceptable because of fat phobia, and because people (including fat people) believe they not only can, but actually should, be obligated to lose weight in order to be treated better.
I’m with Ragen that research on weight loss suggests that it’s not a good bet. She puts her efforts towards activism and HAES, both of which I support, but call me crazy, I continue to explore weight and weight loss (as a populace, we weren’t always this heavy, so maybe, just maybe there’s a way back).
But I think things are going to get worse before they get better as far as fat penalties go. So paying attention to these issues is paramount. I’d strongly encourage you to make Ragen’s blog a regular read.
Weight Maven is written by Beth Mazur. Beth believes that obesity is more symptom than cause and that the real problem is our Western diet -- especially sugar, refined grains, and industrial oils. Beth writes about nutrition, ancestral health, & food policy. And cats! 
Fat people also believe it’s their own fault. I always felt guilty about being overweight, so bring on the punishment! The fact that we live in a food-saturated environment where the most unhealthy ways of eating are labeled as “normal” couldn’t possibly have anything to with it, could it?
Yep!! Like I’ve said before, I refuse to believe that there’s just been a massive failure of personal responsibility in the last 50 years. Nope. Not gonna do it!
I am with you and Sandy. Something I’ve been pondering lately is the extreme “either/or” of the situation. Either we’re dieting, striving to be skinny, and badass fitness-wise, or we’ve let ourselves go and are obese, unfit, and sick. I’m finding the middle ground quite nice. I’m not skinny (I’m “overweight” according to BMI), I’m incredibly healthy and I’m active and strong. I eat mostly whole foods, but don’t do paleo or vegan…I haven’t eliminated whole categories of foods. Sure, I’ve reduced my intake of wheat/gluten, but not because it’s a fad, nor because of a sensitivity, but because it feels better.
Oh, I have no doubt that weight loss is possible for many fat people, but the amount of loss that can be maintained is probably much smaller than most would deem worthy of the sacrifices involved. After maintaining a loss of 130 lbs of adipose tissue for over 3 years, simply by following a lower carb diet (while not tracking calories, and consistently eating to satiety), I finally decided to regain some weight—as an experiment—because my cognitive functions (memory, organization, focus, planning, etc), my day-to-day level of energy, my sense of internal motivation, my moods (mostly pessimistic), and so forth, had deteriorated so drastically during a few short years that I found it increasingly difficult to attribute these profound alterations to inevitable symptoms of menopause.
Having regained about 20 lbs from my lowest weight, my menstrual cycle has apparently returned, I can focus and plan for my future with greater ease, and I’m beginning to believe that the “normal BMI”, which I had achieved, was signalling a state of chronic imbalance to my neuro-endocrine-metabolic systems. The so-called “normal” weight resulted in worsened insomnia, worsened symptoms of PTSD, and increasingly severe and debilitating symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder.
I now believe that some (or even many) of us do not function at our best when our BMI says we are “normal weight.” Certainly, I would caution others who have pre-existing mental health conditions (such as PTSD, ADHD and depression) to carefully monitor for deteriorating mental health symptoms after significant loss of adipose tissue.
I am hoping to find a more balanced weight—a happier medium which will probably put me in the “overweight” BMI category—at which my body feels vital and my ability to thrive will return. I really believed (deep down) that the low weight, which I eventually achieved and for which I received countless compliments, was “healthy” for me. Now I know better. That low weight allowed me to feel chic and beautiful by social standards—but it kept my systems at odds with each other. For instance, I thought I had gone through menopause, and not (with the regain of 20 lbs.) my menses has returned, almost as if I had been anorexic in some ways (chronically cold, for instance), even though my BMI said “normal.”
Indeed, as you do often suggest, Beth, all of these issues are far more complex than most of us can yet comprehend. It is taking me a lot of courage and self trust to regain weight in the hopes of regaining more of my sanity—but I do believe I’m on the right track even though the social approval for my efforts seems nonexistent. Being stick thin brings MANY strange and gushing compliments…and even a moderate regain has left me feeling rejected in comparison. What a bizarre social environment in which we are living…
Thanks for letting me share…and ramble! Hugs to you!
Did you regain your weight remaining low-carb? I couldn’t help but think of some of the things I’ve read on Emily Deans’ blog reading your story.