I visited the doctor right before vacation, to find out why I haven't lost any more weight. At 160 pounds, I feel pretty good, and I'm pretty happy about my size 12 status, but according to size charts (see the MetLife chart, right) I'm technically overweight (I'm 5'6")."I'm huge!" I complained, "I lumber along on treadmills next to tiny birdlike women who fly along with their tiny selves. I work my ass off, running 15 to 20 miles a week, and haven't lost a pound."
Doc smiled, turned to his computer and said, "let me show you something. If I graph your weight over the past five years and draw a line right through the middle, guess what I get? I get the weight where you are right now. This is where your body likes to be. You're a big girl. And, you're not that overweight."
All of this inspired me to make a web search, ala Google, for positive images of larger women. By larger, I mean size 12 and up, since size 12 is the realm of plus-sized models. I kid you not.In any case I started looking at pinups. I notice that during the 40's, most pinups were reasonably proportioned. However, sometime after that pinup artists began extending the length of their legs and thinning their waists, until they looked like Barbie.
So here are some fast facts:
Some of the more postive Synonyms I've found: big, broad, heavy, heavyset, hefty, husky, inflated, large, luscious, meaty(?), overweight, plump, plumpish, pudgy, rubenesque, rotund, solid, zaftig. Let's not forget Athena (mainly used in Triathlons)
Searching with the term "overweight healthy women" gets you information on medical studies.
Searching with the term "overweight women" gets you porn sites. Very cool portrayals over large-sized women can be found here, although I'd like to see more of the renderings showing women doing active things.
I want to quickly mention that I'm in favor of health. However, I've resolved to accept myself during 2006. No more looking in the mirror and wishing I was willowy. I will revel in my sturdy, solid frame. Be proud of my strength. Resist the impulse to bitchslap the tiny women running next to me on the treadmills. I will endevor to remind myself that Marylin Monroe was a 12 at her tiniest, and a 16
at the height of her career. Of course, I'm no Marylin Monroe. I plan to live to see my grandchildren, and they'll be either cheering me on at my latest event or running alongside me.
