The Skinny on Fat Talk

The Skinny on FAT Talk

How do you talk about your body?  Do you say things like, “My thighs are huge.  Look at the flab on my stomach.  I’m disgusting.”  If that’s familiar, you’re engaging in fat talk.

In the newest episode, Dr. Nina she turns her attention to the phenomenon of “fat talk,” in which women openly disparage their bodies and find fault with their size or physicality. This makes them feel bad about themselves, which in turn leads to turning to food for comfort or distraction from these upsetting emotions.

Dr. Nina reminds listeners, “The size of your stomach or thighs doesn’t define you.  What defines you is the size of your intellect, the size of your compassion, not the size of your jeans. “  She urges listeners to assess the size of their hearts, not their thighs.  She suggests that people count the number of friends they have, not the number on the scale.

She provides guidelines for how to stop the fat talk, including a moratorium on discussing body weight and size, reframing negative thoughts, and focusing on the symbolic aspects of fat talk.

Dr. Nina reminds listeners that fat talk keeps them in a toxic and cruel relationship with themselves, and distracts from their true selves and their potential.  She challenges the idea that people “feel” fat.  As she puts it, “fat is a substance, not a feeling.”

She also gives hope for immediate change, saying, “Losing weight takes time, but you can drop the fat talk in no time.”

Listen to the full episode for more on this topic!