I’m not fat…I’m big boned!

My mother to this day will tell you that I was not fat growing up.  There are pictures in my book that prove otherwise…Oh the love of a mother.  Fat gene or skinny gene…it’s a roll of the genetic dice that I lost.  I believe that it was my mother’s point of view that inevitably gave me mine. I have a very good friend that has struggled with her weight since childhood too but she has told me before how her mother would make negative comments about her weight rather than being supportive. I think she has bitter feelings about being fat directly related to this. I know that given the opportunity to be left alone with little Johnny who did not pick her for the kickball team in the fifth grade – because she was the “fat kid” – it could get a little messy….and not for her.  My mother never harped at me about my weight or told me I was fat. According to her I was just “big-boned.” To me I was fat. Today I am fat. I am not angry about, mad at anybody because of it, and know that there are reasons for it but also know that even as I lose weight I will never be skinny. And I do not want to be skinny. I was not born to be a skinny chick even if my doctor tells me that at my height of 5’6” and large frame I should weigh something like 130.  Sorry, that is never going to happen – it is a physical improbability!

In Making Light of Being Heavy there are pictures of me at around 170 my senior year in high school. I had dieted like mad to get into a dress that I bought for senior prom and I was “skinny.” I can remember my dad coming up beside me at the dinner table one night pointing out my shoulder bone and hip bone and telling me to stop with the dieting. But according to the weight guidelines I was obese!

People should find a comfortable weight for them and consider that their weight guideline and just smile politely at their doctor who whips out the chart that says otherwise. A person’s main focus should be that they are healthy. I may be fat but I am healthy. People will ask how that is possible… if I am fat I must automatically be unhealthy. I am 44 and even though I am considered in the medical field “obese,” I do not have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, varicose veins, joint problems, etc. Am I just lucky?

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

Cruise ships and fat chicks…

First let me intro this with a little history.  Many may recall the show The Love Boat back in the 1980’s.  I loved that show! I still remember the song – “…The Love Boat soon will be making another run, The Love Boat promises something for everyone, set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance…” I used to daydream about being on a cruise ship and going to exciting places and having fun all night dancing and going to the shows.

I couldn’t wait until the day I could go on a cruise myself and the day did finally come a couple of years after my son was born. We were going on a five-day Carnival cruise stopping in Key West and Cozumel. I was so excited. It was everything I had imagined and even better with yummy drinks, great entertainment, and food everywhere – that is until I went to use the shower.  Now I understand that they design these ships for maximum capacity and that is all good unless you are a little heavier than the average cruiser.  I was attempting to take a shower in my luxurious shower stall, which seriously didn’t appear to be more than a foot wide, when it seemed like there was a problem with the water.  It kept going on and off, on and off. I was starting to get a little irritated until I realized that with every move I made because it was such a tight fit I kept hitting the knob and turning the water on and off! I still laugh when I think about it!

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

Is there a vaccine for ignorance?

I recently came across this Australian article, “Graphic advertisements showing damaged vital organs or people drinking liquefied body fat should be used to shock Victorians into giving up junk food and sugary soft drinks, health groups have proposed.  The Australian Medical Association says campaigns promoting healthy eating habits and exercise have failed to curb the obesity epidemic and shock tactics are now needed.”

“They want a campaign modeled on recent New York City health department ads, which showed a man drinking a beaker full of body fat, and shoveling down 16 sachets of sugar.”

Yeah, I think that will work!!  Not.  This is another example of the general mentality that anyone who is “obese” is just kicking back on the couch stuffing their face with Oreos, pizza, cheese curls, and intravenous soda.  They are comparing this to the anti-smoking commercials which show body organs that are damaged from smoking.  The one factual difference is that obesity is not always directly related to food intake whereas damage from smoking is directly related to the act of smoking.  Period. 

Excuse me while I go eat a pound of butter…

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing! 

http://www.theage.com.au/national/doctors-want-to-put-the-fear-of-fat-into-you-20110101-19clw.html

The inspiration for Making Light of Being Heavy…

Making Light of Being Heavy was inspired by my daily life as a fat chick.  Specifically, one summer day a friend and I were in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, with our kids just walking along the sidewalk when this young athletic guy driving a pedicab (a ride that is driven by a person on a bike) pulls along side us waiting for a light. I looked over at him and asked him with a smile, “Hey cutie, what’s the weight limit on that ride?”  Now both my friend and I topped out at over 300 pounds each so you can just imagine what this 160-pound guy must be thinking!  He looked at us as though he was trying to come up with a “safe” figure to not hurt our feelings and with a confident grin said “500 pounds.”  I jokingly laughed with my friend and said that we wouldn’t be getting a ride on that anytime soon! 

As we were walking away, my friend commented on how cool it would be to write a book about the funny side of being fat.  Now, of course, this is all perception but I have always had a great sense of humor and I started recalling incidents in the past that I laughed about, specifically regarding my weight.  When I started writing Making Light of Being Heavy and adding my perspective, I realized that this might actually help some women to have a different outlook on their struggles with weight as being fat is already hard enough with all the negativity that comes along with it.  One of my friends read my rough draft and commented that it was a great self-esteem booster and how it also provided a lot of insight into the life of a fat chick that she was not expecting.  It made me feel good to know that if I could just get this book out there, it might actually help some women. So then it began – my goal to get the book published. 

This book may be a quick read, but with a little bit of humor and a lot of realty it sure does pack a punch!

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

Ditch the diet and live longer!

The article starts out by asking, “Are you a reluctant dieter?”  What kind of question is that?  Is there anybody out there that likes being on a diet?

“The researchers said the idea that weight is harmful has been “exaggerated” and people who are little heavier may actually live longer. The California University (CU) study that looked at about 350,000 people in the US also suggested that the obese put their health in greater danger when they obsessively try to slim down.”

“It recommended that people should eat a varied and balanced diet, and take “enjoyable” amounts of exercise — even if they still end up carrying a few extra pounds. The researchers also noted that society’s obsession with dieting is “ineffective” and often leads to people becoming fatter as they crave food and binge, the Daily Mail reported.”

As a professional dieter and fat expert myself, this article comes as no surprise to me.  I know I am fat but I also know I am healthy.  The article refers to society’s obsesssion with dieting but the real bottom line is society’s obsession with what is considered “normal.”  This is what is most aggravating.  Who creates the “normal” guidelines anyway?  We are all familiar with the ones from the doctor’s office that say if you are this tall, this age, and have this body structure you should be this weight.  Really?  If that were true then everybody would look the same and how “normal” would that be?

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-25/science/28374891_1_heart-disease-poor-diet-balanced-diet

I think I ate my willpower…

According to my pocket Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of willpower is “energetic determination.” I do believe that the word energetic is a tad bit misleading…When dieting we all know it takes willpower in order to be successful but who goes skipping and dancing around their house like the Energizer diet bunny all happy that they are yet on another diet?

I have started the Scarsdale Diet at least three times lately and I will do great for a few days but then all of a sudden I don’t know what happens…Well, one night I went out with friends and drank and was merry and perhaps had one too many Kamikaze shots or maybe it was the late night popcorn snacking and plate of eggs and toast that went along with it….I got right back on my diet the next day but apparently the damage was done because my steady weight loss for the week came to an complete stop for the next four days. This sucks. But did I have fun? Yes. Do I regret messing up my diet? No.

Monday is only a couple of days away and back on I go with a smile on my face and that energetic determination in my step.

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

Lifestyle can offset the fat gene…

Anyone who has been following my blog or has read my book knows that I am a firm believer in the fat gene, and that yes I have it. “We know that genetics plays the dominant role in determining body mass index,” says Arya Sharma, one of the country’s foremost obesity researchers at the University of Alberta.

“Exercise will not help everyone lose weight,” Dr. Sharma says. Although slimming down is just one of many reasons to exercise, he notes that “the more genetically predisposed you are to gaining weight, the more effort it’s going to take to override those genes.” Did he just say what I thought he said?? Exercise will not help everyone lose weight…

“But before anyone concludes that diet and exercise are futile weapons in the war on weight, researchers have also found that the simple eat-less, move-more strategy can overcome the known genetic susceptibilities for excess weight. Some people just have to move much, much more and eat far, far less to see results.”

Move much, much more and eat far, far less….and this will offset the fat gene. Okay, show of hands of how many people want to exercise three to four hours a day and have a balanced diet of rabbit food in order to actually offset this dang gene?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/skinny-genes-how-dna-shapes-weight-loss-success/article1873494/page1/

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

Another great book review…

As I mentioned earlier in my blog, the virtual book tour went very well this past November and December with several good reviews. My intention for my book Making Light of Being Heavy was to provide a funny and positive look at life as a fat chick. To put it simply, this book is observations and opinions from a fat chick’s point of view. Nowadays it seems like everyone’s way of thinking is society driven and is based on what they see in the media, or years and years of incorrect assumptions with which, of course, comes lots of negativity. It is really great to hear from reviewers that totally appreciated my perspective. I know that for many women, having a sense of humor is hard to pull off when you are fat – but I hope my book helps, even just a little bit, by putting a smile on their face and perhaps a new outlook in their daily struggles with weight.

Jennifer from Rundpinne states, “Frank, honest, witty and to the point, Making Light of Being Heavy by Kandy Siahaya takes a closer look at life and what it is like to be fat (yes, it is okay to use the term fat, see page 55). Siahaya debunks many myths and misconceptions that float around such as those who are fat must be ignorant, lazy, unmotivated, with low self-esteem. Through humour, personal experiences and research, Siahaya writes frankly about her life, diets, exercise, the worst things people have said and done and ultimately shows the reader that she is a strong woman who is happy to be who she is. How many people, regardless of shape can honestly say they love themselves for who they are, just as they are? The diet industry would not be so powerful and wealthy if people accepted themselves. Siahaya is not recommending a life of non-exercise and unhealthy habits, rather she is merely stating that one can be fit and fat and still be happy. I found myself laughing along with Siahaya and so very pleased she decided to share her thoughts, insights, and experiences with the world. I would recommend Making Light of Being Heavy to all readers, and maybe, more understanding, tolerance, and acceptance will be the result.”

http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/12/book-tour-and-review-making-light-of-being-heavy-by-kandy-siahaya.html

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

Turn down the heat to lose weight…

Don’t go on a diet, just pitch a tent outside to lose weight in the winter. According to an article on The Body Odd, a new study suggests that if you lower the temperature in your home you just might lose weight. “Researchers suspect that rising indoor temperatures in British and American homes may have contributed to the obesity epidemic. The theory is that we burn fewer calories when our bodies don’t have to work as hard to stay warm, according to a report published in Obesity Reviews.”

“Research into the environmental drivers behind obesity, rather than the genetic ones, has tended to focus on diet and exercise – which are undoubtedly the major contributors,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Fiona Johnson, of the UK Health Behavior Research Centre at University College, London. “However, it is possible that other environmental factors, such as winter indoor temperatures, may also have a contributing role.”  http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/26/5917711-turn-down-the-thermostat-your-heater-may-be-making-you-fat

Well, since I already practically freeze myself and son out in the winter to save money on oil, it must be that dang fat gene that keeps me from getting skinny in the winter.

Hey!  Check out my YouTube video – Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQR5AC-r9qU

With a bunch of butt shots with measurements (yes I said measurements!) coming up to the slow rocking beat of stripper music, my video Fat Chicks and Unfriendly Chairs definitely has the market cornered on making light of being heavy 🙂  Making Light of Being Heavy is a comical book with opinions and observations from a fat chick’s point of view that puts an unexpected and funny spin on dealing with the fat gene!

Until next time, keep laughing!

YouTube book trailer…

I have been working on my book trailer this weekend with my good friend Chris. The gist of it basically is referring to how certain chairs out there are not fat chick friendly – one in particular being the plastic patio chair which I talk about in my book…

Going to new places is always a little nerve wracking especially when I walk in and see that the tables have those plastic patio chairs that are always so sturdy and easy to get in and out of. You know what I mean. You may be lucky enough to be able to squeeze into the chair and make it through your meal uncomfortably without it collapsing and then get out of it without it being stuck to your ass in which case you have made a mental note to never go to that restaurant again because the stress involved with all the fat disaster possibilities is way too overwhelming for your heart to take and they don’t provide table-side defibrillator service.

Until next time, keep laughing!

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