fat talk

it's hard to go against the grain and not participate in fat talk, especially when it seems that everyone is doing it.

this is a situation where speaking up really comes in handy.

try these come-backs:

"why do you hate your body?"
"don't you have anything better to discuss than how fat you think you are?"
"it's amazing how brainwashed people are by the media. yes?"
"how is this conversation productive?"
"i used to have an eating disorder and fat talk is triggering, so i'd appreciate it if you wouldn't disparage your body in front of me."
"i think we all live better lives by being thankful for what our bodies give us, don't you?"

if you're uncomfortable with confrontation, a simple, "hey... fat talk bothers me, so can we change the subject?" should do it.

if these conversational methods fail, that's where email, IM, PMs, and voicemail come in! tell them when you're not face-to-face. so much less pressure.

it is important that you tell people what you need so you can defend those needs. if protecting yourself against fat/diet/food/weight talk is what you need to be healthy, then you should speak up. we do necessary things for our health every day; we put on band-aids, we take showers, we brush our teeth, we take antibiotics when we are sick, etc. speaking up against fat talk is no different; you're maintaining your health and fighting a real sickness, whether that is body dysmorphic disorder, depression, an eating disorder, negative emotions, what have you. these are things that give you a terrible quality of life and are horrible for your health, so advocating for yourself on this issue is a no-brainer. and hell, in the process, you can inspire your friends to really examine the way they treat themselves and maybe think about making their own changes. positivity is contagious.