The third little traveller decided instead of just getting his usual bout of tonsillitis he’d make it a little more interesting, switch it up a bit. He threw in a severe middle ear infection as well. The doctor took one look in his ear and took a step back “ay ay aye, that’s a bad one”.
Our regular clinic has the usual lucky dip of doctors, and today we’d done well, she’s one of the best. I decided I’d make the most of our luck and quickly throw in any other ailments we had on the go. In the past couple of weeks I’d noticed a small round lump on the inside of my wrist; on good days I thought it may have been a result of resting my wrists on the laptop, on bad days I was sure it was a cancerous tumor.
I held out my hand, and after a quick prod and a poke she declared I had a Lipoma.
“What’s that?”
“A group of fatty cells.”
The third little traveller’s eyes widened in an uh oh did you just call my Mum fat kind of way.
“Why are they fatty? Why have they chosen my wrist. Is this diet related?”
“No. It just happens, if it gets bigger or begins to give you pain you’ll have to have it surgically removed, in the meantime just forget about it”.
Fatty. Could we please give the cells a different name? No-one likes to be called fatty.
I posted a picture of Tara Lynn on the 4 kids, 20 suitcases and a beagle Facebook page the other day. I love her curves and she has to be one of the most gorgeous models around.
I suggested we needed more models of the Tara Lynn variety. Models who didn’t look starving, models who the regular jane could identify with. Yes, we still need size six models for size six people but can we balance it out a bit?
There were people who agreed and there were others who rightly highlighted that this picture had been photoshopped. I’m sure her skin has more blotches and bumps, but I’m glad she wasn’t completely airbrushed. Bruce the registered nurse suggested Tara was a walking health hazard and would have type 2 diabetes by the time she was forty.
I took another look at her.
Was she really that big? Did she look unhealthy? Was I not seeing what others were seeing?
I had to ask Bruce for more information. His response talked of the link between obesity and Type 2 diabetes in the same way there’s a link with smoking and lung cancer.
Wait. Tara’s obese?
Oh my fatty wrists, if Tara is obese I’m going to have to re-think a few things. I thought obese was roley poley? I thought obese was this person is losing their breath after a walk around the block? I thought obese was I’ve just had KFC for lunch and I’m thinking I’ll head to McDonalds just after I finish this chocolate thick shake? I thought obese was unfit.
I get it, Tara is not thin, but, obese?
Tara is tall, Tara is broad, Tara has a tummy and a decent set of thighs. At a guess Tara is a size 16 in Australia, maybe bigger, but is Tara obese?
Tell me.
Sign up for the best bits here
Sign up for the best bits from our community of forty thousands expats. Every Saturday morning we’ll shoot you the five hottest topics from the world of expat.
Overweight. Not obese.
That’s what I would have thought? I’m worried with the whole BMI calculations we’ve somehow skipped overweight and landed straight into obese territory.
um Bruce needs to check his facts….(on the link–interesting new evidence on this point….) and no she’s not obese
You might be surprised. Overweight is a lot smaller than we think because the U.S. is so large. I am 145 lbs and 5’8” and I am technically overweight because I have a small frame, however my BMI is normal. Just comparing her body to my own, I wouldn’t be shocked if she is *technically* obese. That’s not to say she’s not really pretty…it’s possible she isn’t at a healthy weight, though.
I don’t think its just the US that’s large anymore, Australia now gives it a pretty good nudge as well, I read somewhere recently that Australia is in the top 5. The last thing I want people to think is that I am not recognizing that the Western World has a problem with obesity. But it’s the “technically obese” that plays with peoples heads. I think there’s a big difference with being slightly overweight than obese. Thanks for your comment Kendall, really appreciate your thoughts. xx
That’s quite possible, I honestly have no experience with many other countries (one reason why your blog is so intriguing). I do agree on the difference between overweight and obese, though. I think the term “obese” is supposed to refer to BMI over 30, while “overweight” is BMI over 25. All the numbers kindof contradict each other, though, don’t you think? Because I am overweight weight-wise but have a 22.4 BMI. I *think* the idea is that if you have a BMI over 30, you’re more susceptible to the diseases associated with obesity than you are if you have a BMI under 30.
I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to calculate my BMI correctly 🙂 Hmmmm maybe that says something. I do think the numbers contradict. It was when I went to a certain global weightloss centre with my very thin sister thinking they would turn her away and tell her that she was crazy, and then being shocked when they happily took her money and said that she could lose a few pounds that I knew the world had gone completely mad.
Whenever I have calculated my BMI it has said I am obese and my health is “at risk”. I am 5,9 and a size 14/16 depending on where I shop and I do weight a lot at 13 stone but I dont look overweight. I have curves but not not roly poly as these BMI charts would suggest I am. I said this to a nurse once at an appointment that the BMI chart worried me and she said to ignore it! She had 19 stone guys come in, who were heavily into weight lifting and such and their BMI’s also said they were morbidly obese. I really think they need a rethink because it certainly sends out the wrong impression especially to younger people. I will always be a bigger dress size, simply because I am tall and that mere fact is what makes society class me as obese or plus size. I think if my self esteem was lower or I hadn’t figured this out then it could really have a negative impact on the way I or other people view themselves. I certainly don’t view her as obese.
Love your comment. I agree I think if you suffered from low self esteem the numbers would really play with your head.
Here’s an online BMI calculator, in case you’re interested.
http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmi-m.htm
But I would concur with Kendall about the ‘technically obese’ part: it doesn’t take as much as you’d think to find yourself in the ‘obese’ category. I am about 25 pounds overweight (now) and 5 pounds ago, I was technically obese. Yes, I’m heavy, but I’d never thought of myself as ‘obese.’ I ran, cycled, swam, hiked, skied, ate a pretty healthy diet, wore clothes from the ‘normal’ sizes of the store (the large end, granted – 14-16 in US sizes- but still) and generally thought of myself as someone who was overweight, but never ‘obese.’ Imagine my surprise (and shock) when I ran my numbers and discovered that I had a BMI of 30.9. (Normal=18.5-24.9) I guess I’d always thought of someone ‘obese’ as someone who was overweight to the point of being almost incapacitated – you know, people who struggle to fit in airplane seats or amusement park rides. I would say that – for most people and their everyday vocabulary -that’s still what ‘obese’ means. But medically speaking, it doesn’t take that much to damage your health, and the studies show that having a bMI of over 29.9 puts you at risk for all sorts of diseases – not just Type2 diabetes, but also heart disease and cancer. I think Tara is lovely, but – knowing what I know now(sadly) I would concur with Bruce – she probably does fall into the ‘obese’ category. Sigh.
Caroline, you have really made me think about this. Too too scared to calculate my BMI 🙂
I think what most people think of as “obese” is actually “morbidly obese”.
But yes, the waist measurement is what indicates diabetes risk not BMI, and her waist is definitely not that large:
Increased risk
– Men: more than 94 centimetres
– Women: more than 80 centimetres
Greatly increased risk
– Men: more than 102 centimetres
– Women: more than 88 centimetres
http://www.measureup.gov.au/internet/abhi/publishing.nsf/Content/factsheet-waist-measurement
I have no idea what my waist measurement is. I need to go and have a look – now! Thanks for your comment, it has got me thinking. xx
Possibly she is obese according to the BMI charts. I agree with Sophelia above, we mistake the morbidly obese asw being simply obese, when these poor people are actually the minority. I have seen people who look perfectly healthy but find themselves in the overweight range of the charts. Having lost a significant amount of weight I sometimes despair I am still not in the healthy range yet, and yet I look the best I ever have and people roll their eyes when I tell them I’m not done (so in their eyes I must be looking healthy).
However the diabetes thing and cancer risk thing also comes from waist measurement – and Tara may fall into the at risk category there (don’t quote me but from memory I think it’s supposed to be less than 100cm for men and 80cm for women. Still pushing to get to that one for me too.) I see an above post has slightly different stats, but I disagree, I think Tara’s waist would definitely be above that number. It’s not hard to get to that sort of number, I know, and if you get a tape measure and measure your own,or make a circle of 80cm, it’s quite small and I doubt our Tara here would be in that range.
The other issue I see, as with all this equality and non discrimination and embracing plus size models – all great initiatives don’t get me wrong, but it’s possible we are normalising unhealthy weights. We see the US getting bigger and what used to be the norm of a size 12 here is now the norm of a size 16. We have accepted that this is the size of most regular Janes in this country. That can’t be good, if we explain away obesity with more acceptance of larger sizes as simply being the new normal. Accept people, but don’t accept that weight reality for their health. We should still expect people to aim for a healthier weight. I see this explaining away done by adults regarding childhood obesity all the time. Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
I really enjoyed your comment, and it got me thinking. I haven’t measured my waist in years, but I’m going to. I agree that we should idolize overweight models just like we should idolized underweight models – but it is just SOOOOO refreshing to see someone with thighs and a tummy. Thanks for taking time to write such a thoughtful comment, you’ve really got me thinking now. Definitely buying a tape measure tomorrow. xx
wow, just did my BMI. I am 154cms and 59.9 kilos and I am technically overweight. Guess I better get cracking on losing some more baby weight. I would think whilst stunning and healthy looking (a great tan helps) Tara would be in the obese BMI. She may eat well, exercise and have good cholesterol but technically may be obese.
The idea that anyone who weighs 59 kilos can be technically overweight completely baffles me. Completely!
Yikes, she is so not obese… and it’s too simplistic to say that obesity by itself will lead to diabetes etc … I was just thinking that she looks quite like me. My weight is just over the top of the healthy weight rango so into overweight. But I exercise a fair bit and feel fab.
Yes, morbidly obese is pretty unhealthy I guess… but isn’t it the combination of overweight and lack of exercise that is the big issue?? Am no expert BUT I do love the notion of ‘health at any weight’ and must read more on that.
Health at any weight. Love it! Thanks for your comment, I agree, far too simplistic to make a call solely on weight alone. xx
My Mom wore a size 16 all my adult life and no one looking at her would ever have called her fat let alone obese. Her body was well proportioned–sort of like Marilyn Monroe. Would you have called her fat?
You make a great point. I wonder where MM would fit in today’s BMI standards. I think so many of carry weight so differently, it depends on height, comfort and posture. I know plenty of very hot size 16’s 🙂
It’s not the BMI as far as I understand it that is the concern with diabetes etc but the tummy fat – if your waist measures over 80 something cm then it is dangerous for your health….I currently measure 83cm around the waist..and am constantly asked if I’m pregnant, I’m not…but I do have all the markers for Type 2 diabetes…I just lost 5cm off my hips, am a size 14/16 depending (you know how that goes) and am working my ass off (yep) to get rid of my gut so I can be healthily here for a long time.
Leanne, your comment (along with a few others of the same nature) has really got me thinking. I’m definitely going to measure my waist and look at things from a perspective from now. I’m buying a tape measure tomorrow. xx
The lovely ladies at the gym have advised me not to go by weight but measurements, our organs can’t do their job properly when covered in a layer of fat…but also, I’m really liking starting to feel stronger 🙂 Have been enjoying Katie180’s blog…she explains nutrition so clearly!
Also – my hubby has a lipoma thingo on his back…I refer to it as his old man back fat 😀 I’m a very supportive wife!
Love your writing, keep up the awesome work 🙂
Imo she would fall into the obese category…right or wrong? Not sure but she’s gorgeous. Your lipoma needs a good whack with a heavy book, preferably a bible ( or so my granny would always say). Not saying you actually do that but that is how they used to seperarte those fatty lumps in the good ole days 🙂
I think the heavy whack is for a ganglion? Mine is a (you’re going to make me say it again aren’t you) a fatty cyst which is a lipoma. I read somewhere that you can get your liposuction for your lipoma. Of all the things to get liposuction for?! Thanks for the advice, I may end giving the book a sneaky try just to see if it makes any difference. xx
no answer here, just want to say she is very pretty, and it is nice when images show that beauty can come in different shapes and sizes!
Hooray! I totally agree. Such a refreshing change. And I loved seeing her lovely luscious thighs. xx
In Ireland they have started to focus on waist measurement as an indicator of health rather than BMI – http://www.safefood.eu/Utility/About-Us/Campaigns/Stop-the-Spread.aspx. This was a real wake up call for me as I hold most of my excess weight around my middle:) I am now WIP and getting there slowly but surely!
For me the terms overweight, obese and morbidly obese are more distracting than helpful – they make people feel bad about themselves without giving them the encouragement/incentive to do something about it.
I believe that people need to be responsible for their own version of healthy – whatever that may be.
I had never thought to take my waist measurement until today. I’m fascinated now to see where I am on the scale (pardon the pun). Thanks for the comment xx
Great article, Kirsty, and really great comments from everyone else – they have made for a fascinating read. There are so many issues here, tummy fat, overweight as opposed to obese. I have no answers or even any conclusions, but my feeling is that if you lead a healthy lifestyle (exercise regularly, eat healthily and stay away from excessive amounts of alcohol etc etc) then really it doesn’t matter what size clothes you wear. If your weight prevents you from walking up the stairs without having to rest or puts excess strain on your joints, then it’s time to lose some. But I agree with all the people who think you should throw away the BMI!!!
YES! I’m with you xx
What a great discussion! The label “obese” triggers so many negative images for most of us that we naturally resist applying that ugly word to someone who is so beautiful. Makes me wonder though whether we’d be so quick to rationalize this woman’s weight if she didn’t have a gorgeous face and hair and skin. Hmmm, something to think about.
The more important point to me though is that the label “obese” is not about appearance, it’s about health. Medical researchers use it as a measure to help them understand the likelihood that some people in a given BMI range are more likely to get certain diseases than others. So we get studies that associate higher BMI ranges with a higher risk for some diseases. But it doesn’t matter whether we label those ranges “obese” or “overweight” or “curvy” or “roly-poly” – the point is to understand the health implications. And for complex diseases like diabetes, we still don’t have clear-cut answers. There are a lot more factors than just BMI – I gather that waist measure is one, but there are also nutrition and family history, among others. Even “skinny” people can get diabetes!
In any event, Tara is gorgeous just as she is, but her weight might also indicate a higher risk for some health problems. The thing is, while as a model her beauty may be my business, her health really isn’t – that’s her own business and I don’t need to be judging her about it either way.
It is her own business and I think my title is a bit screwy, the last thing I wanted was judgy – I was genuinely interested in people’s thoughts as I really saw her as beautiful and didn’t feel she was all that overweight. Loved your comment Sara, it really had me thinking – particularly the bit about whether we’d be so quick to rationalize her weight in different circumstances. Kx
I get to travel a lot with work – especially around regions and capital cities in Australia. It’s always a shock going from one area to another and what “overweight” is in each area. In some areas a size 16 is considered the norm (and due to a large number of people being 16 or larger, 16 looks “fine/healthy”). In other areas a size 10/12 is far more normal and a 16 looks obese. Unfortunately the larger sizes are becoming more of the norm, and therefore what people view as skinny vs healthy vs overweight vs obese is changing rapidly. If your friends that have been a similar size as you all your life are packing on weight at the same rate as you – you’re not going to perceive that there’s anything wrong other than a touch of middle age weight creep.
As to Tara – easily obese and over the 80cm healthy waist. Not good for health, and to be honest not an image I’d want glamorised to my kids as it does not support healthy living (not saying models have to be all size 6’s but size 10/12 is far healthier – and why do models have to be 6 or 16? a few size 10/12’s would be great)
I agree, I wish we had a bit more variety when it came to sizes. 10/12 is such an nicer option.
I think this exact argument has added to my weight anxieties over the years. I think boundaries have become too blurred as we have come to a point in history that lies between having plenty of food and the means to buy it, and the realisation that self image regardless of size is essential to emotional well being. I have recently come to the conclusion that we need to stop thinking in terms of obese and slim and concentrate on good food and cooking everything from scratch, as well as not always taking the easy option as far as transport is concerned, then watch and see what happens to the weight of nations before revisiting the discussion.
I agree, good food, healthy portions and exercise every day. I think that’s about the best I can manage. Loved your comment. xx
She’s rounded and beautiful, and if she’s happy – then what’s the problem with a few curves? I know, rounded and wobbly, so heavy your knees creak, that isn’t a good idea. But she’s a read role model – the important things is being happy with your body, rather than lying awake wondering what’s wrong with it.
And your fatty bit – I’ve had one on my arm for 18 years, and it’s done me no harm!
So glad to hear your fatty bit has been there for 18 years! Imagine having to get liposuction on your wrists?!
I was going to comment on her nonexistent obesity, but that discussion is already going nicely, so I’ll just comment on the wrist lump, because up until I read this, I thought I was the only one who got that. I started calling mine my “mouse callus” because that’s where I thought it came from (resting my mouse hand on a flat surface while using the mouse). I started using one of those little mouse wrist rest pillows full of microbeads, and in a couple weeks it was gone entirely.
Miram! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! I shall be investing in a mouse rest (how cute is that) asap. I’ll report back if there are any changes xxx
The BMI is a guide only because of many factors discounting it – very small people, very muscular people, etc. some very thin or even “normal sized” people aren’t healthy because they have no stamina or muscle tone, for example.
I’m more disturbed by the fact that plus size models (famous ones not your catalogue models) are always pictured in the nude. Yes, they look beautiful and yes it is a great way for us to see different shapes but it annoys me that fashion magazines regularly feature plus size nude models. Apparently it is because it is difficult to get designers to supply clothes to dress them – they’d rather have their works showcased on typical model bodies.
Not sure whether she’s obese but she’s definitely gorgeous. I do agree that your area’s demographic contributes to your weight perception. I’m a 12 and in my relatively wealthy gym, Pilates, stylish cafe suburb, I’m on the bigger side. However, I recently felt very thin, like I’d lost two dress sizes, when I attended a function where almost all the women were much larger.
Tara is beautiful. Tara is comfortable in her own body. Tara is a woman.
These are the only “labels” we should be putting on Tara. I don’t care if Tara is underweight, overweight, obese or morbidly obese. Why? Well it’s really none of my business to either judge her or label her. It’s her body, her life and the ONLY thing we should be concerned about is her happiness and comfort in herself and her body and she seems content in both.
Why do we feel the need to label people? People think it’s fine to comment on my body – do they not think that I know I’m fat? That one day I’m going to look down and think “omg when did I get fat?”. I KNOW I’m fat, I know it every morning I wake up and push my body out of bed, when I have a shower and soap myself up, when I look in the mirror as I’m drying myself, as I go about my physical job in aged care and have to push my body into tight spaces and twist and turn it.
I know I’m fat. I hate my body. I dislike myself. I don’t need total strangers judging me or labeling me – I do that to myself.
I think in general we need to back off and stop thinking it’s “ok” to label people because it’s not. It’s not your place, my place, anyone’s place to comment, judge or label anyone or their body.
When I went for a routine visit to my Aussie GP 2 years ago I was shocked to be told I was overweight. At 67kgs on a 5’4″ (162cm) body I knew my waistline was a bit tight but I had never been labeled that way before. I lost 10 kilos but like many others about half it crept back slowly so once again I’m exercising and this time using intermittent fasting to get back to a “healthy” BMI. I’ve started to look beyond the scales and the numbers and think ahead to all the risks associated with being too heavy. One of the biggest motivators with how I eat now is the fact that Intermittent Fasting is being researched as a potential miracle preventer of cancer, heart attack, stroke and dementia. I think we need to focus on being sensible in our eating habits, throw in some exercise and look to our long term health rather than obsessing about a number on a chart. We do all come in different shapes and sizes and I think Tara is gorgeous but in the end if she is heading towards a future that is at risk of health problems shouldn’t it be ok to admit that? And truly not just so she fits media images of what “They” think we should look like but a happy medium somewhere in the middle?
thanks for share....