Looking at fat through the eyes of an anthologist is something that everyone should have the chance to experience; this book gives us just that. To live in a culture that is different from our own we find that the fear of fat is far more complex and different than what we may believe. The book puts together 13 anthropologists who share their experiences with different cultures and how they react towards fat.

From the deserts of Niger where Arab cultures find young girls stuffing themselves into what is deemed beautiful, the most beautiful girl in town is also the biggest. In Brazil the use of diet aids and cosmetic surgery shows how their society conforms to extreme beauty ideals. The book is finished by a chapter written with a fat acceptance activist which gives a great response to all of the questions brought up in the proceeding chapters, like why people ask for skim milk in line at starbucks but will add cream to it later hiding in the corner hoping to not be seen. We might not find out answers to how we can one day come to terms with fat but she gives a voice to so many that need one.

In all this book not only brings fat to the forefront of our culture and shows that it is far more diverse than we might of once thought.

To buy, Fat: The Anthropology of an Obsession

I guess I haven't spent enough time watching the Oprah show in recent years to understand her mental state at this time. If its anything like how it use to be when I was in high school I am guessing that weight loss is a huge topic of discussion.

Now that I have read snippets of Oprah's upcoming article "How did I let this happen again?" I feel as though a good comment could be made about women in our society. You can be one of the richest women in our world and still feel that you are not worthy enough as a person because of your weight. It has nothing to do with the weight per say but the way our society views said weight. Doesn't Oprah also believe with finding inner peace? At what point is she going to speak as a women and instead of worrying about the number on a scale, worry about her health. There is a point when she needs to live a healthy lifestyle and exercise but stop putting such emphasis on weight loss.

There was a point when I was 18 that I had to decide that my body was mine and I could only take myself for what I am or continue to hate myself. It was only at that point I could find who I was, and find that my body is mine. Instead of worrying about how much I weigh, what I should lose, what I have gained or lost, I live my life. I don’t do diets, mostly because they are unhealthy but because living life is not about dieting it’s about being active and happy.

I understand that talking about weight loss makes money, but as women we need to wake up. Each day we meet with our girlfriends and talk about our bodies, put ourselves down, talk about other women around us, their weight our weight putting what is so superficial and personal on a platter for everyone to see instead of looking past that and loving each other for our mind and character as people.

Just think, how many times a day does someone comment on your appearance? As in the "Wow you look like you lost weight," "I love your make up" why not "Your so funny!" or "Your so intelligent"

I would hope that if a 23 year old waitress can come to peace with her body that Oprah could do the same.

Is it just me or does A&F smell? And I’m not talking about a nice smell but that surround you, full your lungs, make you cover your nose almost vomit smell of teen boy cologne that makes you wish you never went to the mall that day. I’ve noticed that different A&F stores have a different level of stench that they force the world to suffer through. I’m all good with walking into a store and smelling whatever they want me to smell, but when I’m walking past some stores and the odor from the store emits into the common space between other stores it just annoys me. At what point did I give them the right to invade my senses with their nasty overpowering odor?

Now mind you I have only entered A&F once in my life that time I stood in the corner with the moms watching as my coworker ran around like a crazed lunatic looking for whatever caught her eye. The dim lighting and over bearing music was enough for me to remember why I never ventured into that store. I also enjoyed Hollister that day, and yet again I sat with the parents as their children ran around spending far too much money on far too little clothes. I guess that’s what you get when you enter a store that has shirtless mannequins on their porch.

I looked for an email that I could possibly send them a note about their store but no such luck.