***Plus Sized Debate

Hello out there.

There's a news story that came out a little while ago that I have been reflecting on. I've attached the link for you if you'd like to check it out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22508670

I wanted to share with you the thoughts that it brought up for me about the Plus Sized Debate that currently rages in our world.

This link will connect you to an article by a 'plus-size' model about clothing sizes and our cultural body image / weight obsession.

I am glad she's speaking up and challenging the status quo and I also question the definition of this woman as a 'plus-size' model.

I personally look at this woman and struggle to label her as plus-sized in any way. She looks simply healthy and balanced to me.

Maybe I have a distorted idea of what plus sized means...I guess if we look at it literally ....plus = more...but more than what? Is it the fashion industry 'what'...which we already know is notoriously dysfunctional and promotes the notion of bone-rack-at-any-cost? I don't think there's anything wrong with being 'plus' that.

Are they referring to the fitness crazed 6-pack-ab, eating clean and lean crowd...not balanced. Not sustainable for most truly and a large proportion of my clients come from this population - dietitians, nutritionists, fitness trainers and coaches, body builders, athletes.

Clearly folks can look 'fit' but be far from it in terms of balanced self-care. Remember this if you're looking at your friend the fitness nut and feeling envious of her slim/toned body. Look deeper - how does she really feel about herself; how is her self-confidence; is her fitness focus about true enjoyment and health and wellness or about needing to be thin. You can be fit and toned and sexy without being a fitness buff and you can look great without having to diet or micro-manage calories and fat grams.

Maybe 'plus-size' to some means 'bigger than normal people'....but, um...what's normal? different bodies, different genetic heritage and different interests are naturally going to produce different norms (is a pro-skater plus sized because her thighs are bigger than others?).

I suppose in reality, try as we might to avoid it...the ugly truth is that for most folks the term 'plus-size' conjures immediate connotations of being overweight. Why do we need the 'plus' in the size - can't there just be different sizes? Again, 'plus' what?

I find the same confounding thinking in folks who get stuck on being 'good enough'. There is no way, ever that you can be 'good enough.' It isn't a thing or a place you can get to. The term 'good enough' on its own means absolutely nothing. You have to qualify it: Good enough for what? Good enough for whom?

Then you get the light bulb moment - Good enough for my mom; for my ex; for the job I want; to travel to France etc.

Once you qualify who or what you're striving to be good enough for you can begin to ask yourself some very valuable and freeing questions:

What, in the first place, makes me think that this person or situation is the accurate determiner of my worth/good enough-ness?
What makes them 'right' and me 'wrong'?
What specifically is the criteria that I believe would make me 'good enough' for this person or situation?
Is it true that I am not that now?
Is it true that I can't be that if I wanted to and spent some time gathering the tools/skills/knowledge etc.?
Would I really want to spend my precious life moments trying to be 'good enough' for that person/thing?
If I weren't so busy trying to make others think I'm 'good enough' what would I really like to be 'good enough' at/for?

Read the rest of my article and offer your thoughts at: http://www.cedriccentre.com/plussizeddebate