Ep 381: Fat or Plus-Sized? Why Words Matter.

 Welcome to the not your average runner podcast. I’m Jill Angie, a certified running coach and your running BFF here to help you start running, feel confident and love the journey no matter your size. Now if you’ve ever felt like you just weren’t meant to be a runner, think again. I believe that running is for all bodies, even yours.

This podcast is your warmup buddy. giving you tips, motivation, and the support you need to lace up and get moving. I’ve helped thousands of women become runners, and now I want to help you. Let’s go. Hello, my running friends. Welcome back to the podcast. Today, we are departing from running topics for a little bit to discuss something really important, and that is the words we use to describe our bodies.

Now, if you’ve been a listener for a while, you know that I believe that The word fat is simply a neutral body descriptor. I use it on purpose in most of my work. I’ve been doing that since 2013, when I titled my very first book, Running with Curves, uh, Why You’re Not Too Fat to Run, and The Skinny on How to Start Today.

But you may have also noticed that lately I am starting to incorporate the words plus size and larger bodied. more often in my writing and in my podcasting and so forth. And in this episode, I want to share why I made the shift to fat forward language in the first place and why I’m now broadening the language that I use and why you will never hear me say overweight or obese.

Except for right now, obviously. Now, please stick around because at the end of the episode, I actually have a little announcement about one of my weekly emails that I think you’re going to find fun. But first, let’s talk about why I used the word fat in the first place. Okay, so I started making a serious effort, very intentionally using what I call fat forward language.

In other words, I was using the word fat. Almost as much as I possibly could. I started doing that kind of in 2021. Um, I mean, I’d used it before in my work, but I hadn’t made a real effort to sort of put it front and center. Um, and it was part of my own journey in really reclaiming that word because the word fat is often used as an insult.

Um, it’s a word that for, for some people, for many of us, will carry shame and judgment. But here is the thing, right? It is literally just a word. It’s just a three letter word. It’s a descriptor. It’s like tall or short, uh, blonde, brunette, right? It’s, it’s a way of describing someone’s appearance, okay? And the only reason it has negative connotations is because Society has decided that being fat is a bad thing, right?

So, I really want to help change that belief system, and so that is why I have, you know, really started to normalize using that word to describe myself and to describe, to say, like, I help fat women start running, right? Because using fat in a neutral and, um, what I feel is an empowering way, takes the sting out of it, at least for the individual using it, right?

Um, it helps us break free from that idea that being fat is bad or being fat is something we need to apologize for. And I have seen firsthand how powerful this can be because when we use The word fat without hesitation, we take back control over how we see ourselves. We give other people a reason to think about and question their own beliefs.

And it’s funny because whenever I meet somebody new and they ask me what I do for a living, um, and I say, I help fat women start running. And it is fascinating to watch the responses, right? Some folks look, look absolutely panicked. Like, oh my God, she just used the F word. Um, others look confused. Like, why would fat women want to start running?

Um, others look horrified. Like, how dare you, right? Um, and then there are people who totally get it and they’re like, yes, please, more of this in the world. But the important thing is that it opens the door for a conversation about the word fat and what it means to be a fat runner. Okay? Now, all of that said, not everyone is in the same place with their, in their journey with that word.

Um, some people are not on a journey at all. They’re like, I hate the word fat. I’m never going to use it. End of story. And okay, I respect that. Um, some women in my community feel empowered by that word. Um, others, like I said, have a very visceral reaction and then everything in between. And, you know, it’s possible they’ve been bullied or other traumatized, otherwise traumatized by weight stigma, very common.

Um, and the word fat is triggering. So they’re like, nope, let’s use a different word if we even need to use a word at all, right? Um, and I get that because for decades, I went out of my way to describe my body with any words, right? Other than short, other than short or brown hair. I would use like, I would describe things that I couldn’t be shamed for, but I wouldn’t, you know, it was probably in my thirties before I would even say, Oh, I’m a plus size person.

And, you know, I had been plus size since probably my second, first or second year in college when I really started gaining weight and it wasn’t until I was in my fifties. So pretty recent, right? That I really started to feel super comfortable calling myself fat, even to strangers, um, on the internet, right?

Um, but it took a lot of work to get there. It took a lot of intentional, conscious work that I chose to do, okay? Not everybody wants to put that time and effort in, and I get it, right? We, we are in a pretty busy society right now, and some folks are like, listen, I got more important things to do than normalize the word fat for myself.

Can we please use a different word? Um, so because I want my coaching, my emails, and this podcast to feel very welcoming and inclusive to all bodies, I’m going to start using a wider variety of body words here. Well, I’ve already started, but I’m, you’re going to notice it and I’m going to do it more and more on purpose.

So, um, it is not like it’s. It’s no longer a space, it never was, but, um, I don’t want it to feel like a space where you have to be at a certain point in your body acceptance journey to belong. Okay, so by using the words plus size, or larger bodied, or maybe some other, you know, euphemisms alongside the word fit.

fat. I’m going to be making space for more women, even more women to feel seen and included no matter where they are. Okay. And this is not about abandoning the fat forward language, because I am still going to use that word in my work all over the place. You will, that will never go away. Um, but it is more about making sure that more women feel comfortable stepping into this community and starting their running journey.

And, by the way, if you are a listener who does not identify as being fat or plus size or larger bodied, you’re like, listen, I, I’ve been thin my whole life, um, but I’ve gotten a lot of value out of your podcast. Do I even belong here now if all we talk about is being fat? And the answer is absolutely yes.

Because, spoiler alert, almost everything I teach applies to runners of all shapes and sizes. But the reason I use that specific language is I want to make sure, I want to make it clear to women who have traditionally been excluded from fitness spaces because of their size, that this podcast is a safe space for them and that it is going to give them Information and help that will work for them.

Okay. So absolutely everyone is welcome, but I am centering larger bodies because there aren’t always a lot of places where we feel accepted and included. Now, here is, uh, why you will never hear me use the words overweight and obese, okay? I will never talk about them, I will never use them, and here’s why.

First of all, they are medicalized and stigmatizing, okay? And I know I just said fat is just a word. It only has stigma because, uh, because we give it that stigma. But the words overweight and obese are, have been derived from the BMI system, which is outdated. It is flawed. Um, it has been used to justify discrimination against larger bodied people.

And for that reason, I am. against using these words because I do not think they are helpful. Um, I refuse to use them to describe my body or anyone else’s. Um, part of the reason behind that is that they imply that there is a correct weight. Okay? The word overweight suggests there is a normal weight that we should all strive for, which simply isn’t true.

Okay, and our bodies are diverse. There is no one size fits all definition of health. So the word overweight implies that you have deviated from what you should be, right? And that is sort of a really unhelpful way to look at body size and body weight. And you know, similar to the word fat, but unfortunately Um, more in a medical context, they are used to shame people.

The media, diet culture, and even some medical professionals, which is supposed to be a safe space for, for people, um, use these terms in ways that make people feel like their bodies are a problem to be solved. And again, um, that is kind of similar to the argument against the word fat, but the reason I prefer the word fat is because it is a description.

Rather than a judgment and because it doesn’t have its roots in the negativity of The outdated BMI system. All right, so I refuse to be part of the narrative where You know the medical Industry and I know not all doctors are like this I my doctor is not like that at all because I would not put up with it but many many are and I I don’t want to play into that or further that kind of narrative, so you will not hear me use those two particular words, um, in my work.

So I prefer to focus on language that empowers, right? And I believe fat, using the word fat is empowering. Um, but I, I like empowering language because your body, exactly as it is today, is worthy of movement, strength, and joy. So instead of looking at it from a, I need to change myself so that I can fit in, I want language, to use language that allows people to be like, this is where I am, and I’m worthy of movement, strength, and joy.

All right? I hope this clarifies things for anybody who’s been questioning it. Um, and now for that little announcement that I mentioned earlier. So, in the theme of Our Language Matters, um, one of the places that I have been most intentional about using the word fat is in my weekly email. Uh, which is called big fat Friday.

And when I named it, I wanted to reclaim the word fat in a very bold, joyful way. Okay. But again, as I’ve worked with more runners, I’m realizing that not everybody connects with that name, that it has a little bit off putting to some folks. Other folks are like, bring it on. But I do want my emails to feel as inviting as possible.

So starting this week, big fat Friday is becoming feel good Friday because at the end of the day, That’s what it’s all about, right? Helping you feel good in your body. With your running, um, and feeling good about yourself. So the name is changing, the encouragement, support, and motivation will stay the same.

And in summary here, language matters, right? Um, the words we choose can shape how we see ourselves and our place in the world. So I’m going to keep using fat because I believe in reclaiming it. But I am also making space for, um, other words like plus size and larger body. To ensure that everyone feels welcome here.

And I would love to hear from you. Okay, what words feel empowering to you? What is your experience with reclaiming language around body size? Feel free to send me a, a DM or tag me on Instagram. I’m not your average runner over on Instagram. Um, or hey, reply to this week’s Feel Good Friday email and let me know what your thoughts are.

And if you want to subscribe, if you’re not getting that email and you want to subscribe, I will have a link in the show notes. Um, yeah, I think that’s it for this week. Uh, oh wait. If you need a supportive community that gets what it’s like to train as a plus size runner, I urge you to come join, run Your Best Life because it is where we talk training and mindset and everything in between.

So head over to run your Best life.com to learn more. Or again, I will link it in the show note. And that is it for this week. All right, my friend, as always, please remember that you are a runner, no matter your pace or your body size. And I will talk to you next week. Mwah! Real quick before you go, I’ve got a fun challenge for you.

Take my Exerciser Personality Quiz to find out exactly what kind of exerciser you are and how to make running feel easier and more enjoyable. Just head over to notyouraveragerunner. com slash quiz to take it and get your results. That’s notyouraveragerunner. com slash quiz.