Fat 101: Introduction

Americans cling to a nearly cult-like mythology that “fat” is caused by “food”. Yet, if this were the case, all over-weight people in our culture should simply be able to stop eating the food that makes us fat and we’d instantly become sleek and fit. Obviously, food does play a role in the growing obesity of America.  And, certainly, there are “good” foods, those that are nutritious and maintain a healthy physical form, and those which are “bad”, empty-calories, high fat and sugared foods, chemical-laden and highly processed food which debilitate the natural functions of the body. Yet, to really look closely at fat, our fat culture, and our fat bodies, I think we must search beyond the food, into the psyche of ourselves and our collective attitudes regarding fat.  We must also not dismiss our biological heritage–a genetic heritage which still influences the foods we crave and the way we approach eating. This blog is my exploration into fat.  The nation’s increasing girth, and my own journey into fatness. I plan to approach this in several ways:  explore my perceptions and observations about fat in American culture and offer commentary thereon; provide narrative of my own history of fatness and the feelings generated by it; highlight popular cultural examples of “fattitudes” within contemporary American culture; and, finally, keep a detailed log of my dietary and exercise habits along with a tracking of my weight gains and losses over time. My goal is to keep daily entries for the next full calendar year, after which I will decide how to continue.

Tags: diet, fat, fat culture, fattitudes, health