Guestblog, Opinion Column

[ #Opinion ] Body / Slut / Image Shaming | #Guestpost by Riitu Chugh |

body-shame-breasts-slut-shaming-women-issues-harassment-opinion-guest-post
Pic Credit: Sailesh Anand **  Location: Australia

It’s in the genes I guess.

A skeleton which weighs all of 69 kilos as multiple body analyses have reconfirmed. An inherited sluggish thyroid gland. And yet despite a thyroxin supplement and a reasonably ‘light‘ diet ( includes dairy and occasionally eggs ) but no non vegetarian food,  limited fat,  alcohol on rare occasions and of course – no smoking, the figure over which the weighing machine needle giddily sways and comes unerringly to a halt – would horrify the creators of those ideal height-weight combo charts.

It’s a complete mystery to me as to how I am the sort of person who adds weight even by breathing. As was laughingly said to me by my endocrinologist many years ago – “ aapko toh hawaa bhi lagegi “

Carrying that cross has not been easy. Fancy outfits are not available in one’s size.  salesperson will smirk or dismiss you by saying ‘ aapke size ka nahin hai ‘  Well-meaning friends and family will ‘tch tch’  and pile on weight loss advice. Garrulous old folk will ask me if my child is as fat as I am.  Occasionally some evolved soul will tell me its okay because there is more of me to love.

The hardest is when the medical fraternity – who possibly do not have an explanation for why my weight is the way it is – choose to humiliate me for being the way I am. I speak of Delhi’s best known endocrinologist – who fat shamed me, prescribed a near starvation diet and threatened me with bariatric surgery if I did not lose weight.  This after l told him that my diet plans have enabled me to reduce my weight by anywhere between 12 to 18 kilos. But I hit a plateau and then the weight creeps back up on me.

So as part of my introspection and ongoing process of self-analysis and realisation I made a few decisions.  I decided to stop worrying about the number on the scale and decided to stay happy , healthy and fit. I switched over to walking. ( have walked 10 km in a 100 minutes ). I plan to try to find my balance so I can ride a bicycle and use that to enhance my fitness. My food intake remains in line with what I used to eat – but I eat out less as my tummy can’t tolerate too much of it. I cook fancy food for myself occasionally – including chocolate cake as it’s a darn sight healthier than the rubbish available on shelves.  I keep my borderline hypertension under control with prescription medicine and monitor my parameters regularly.

My biggest vindication of my body and its state came a few months ago when I travelled to remote parts of North East India to forbidding heights ( 15,000 + feet ) in sub-zero temperatures. I took no risks and all precautions. My wonderful, fabulous body enabled me experience each and every minute of this bucket list trip freely and with joy.

I guess I will be fulfilling my Kailash Mansarovar dream after all.


body-shame-breasts-slut-shaming-women-issues-harassment-opinion-guest-postRiitu Chugh

@junoesque 

      still learning. mom. walker. traveler. sunshine.

riituchugh.com


This is a Guest post written for a campaign on my blog for creating an awareness on how much we put others or ourselves down on physical aspects, personality traits, financial status, perceived notions and mindsets conditioned by years of nonsensical vagaries.

Popularly called Body/Slut shaming, its gripping us all in epic proportions on a psychological levels and creating havoc in the minds of the young women and men who are more susceptible to peer pressure or should I say “Peer pleasure” ?

Look forward to seeing my readers reaction to this and many more to come!

Other Guestposts on this topic can be seen here

** Check out more of his gorgeous clicks here **

Facebook Comments

19 thoughts on “[ #Opinion ] Body / Slut / Image Shaming | #Guestpost by Riitu Chugh |

  1. Our society has weird body trends… It keeps changing, becoming weirder and weirder… So don’t feel any obligation to abide by their rules. You are fabulous, who have achieved so much… I mean staying in remote parts of north east isn’t an easy job by any means. Keep doing what you love

    1. Yes our society and the hitlers that patrol it have weirdness written large across everything! Its time we all stepped up and took control of our thoughts and opinions by loving ourselves just a little bit more!
      Thanks Raj 🙂

  2. Body shaming is for real and who knows it better than a person who is heavier. I dread visiting doctors because for any ailment the first statement will be ‘Lose some weight’. My family used to tell me to work upon myself and lose weight for my brother’s wedding so that I look good in the photographs. For all of their concern about my heavy weight, I did not budge then and only started the process of working on losing weight after the wedding got over. Now I look back at the photographs to see how far have I reached.

    1. Just love yourself more and do remember to work on your fitness levels rather than weight. Health is wealth and at the end of the day thats all that matters.!! All the best with your fitness journey Anamika! 🙂

  3. I have been at the other end of the spectrum.
    I was thin as a stick for as long as I can remember. And, the taunts I heard echo in my mind till today. I was asked if my husband did not allow me to eat/feed me. The poor man would pile up the pantry with all sorts of ‘miracle-diets’ that would help me gain weight, or so he thought. All of it to no avail.
    Finally, some years ago, I decided to love myself the way I was. So what if I was thin, I would never need to hit the gym, I told them. I began ignoring the barbs and rejoicing in my permanent size-zero body. No, it’s really not size-zero, but thereabouts. With the help of Yoga and my self-made diet plan, I work on making myself fit from the inside. And, thus, what I see in the mirror, makes me immensely happy, people’s comments be damned!
    I am glad you decided to take charge of your health and revel in the body you have been blessed with. Just ignore all that people talk/comment, and be happy, for you are special! 🙂

    1. Uff the things we go through just to fit into the designated moulds of physical perfection! But hang on a second – who actually has made these standards and why have we just accepted them? I am so happy to see more and more people standing up against this nonsense and being liberated in mind body and soul from the shackles of peer pressure!
      Yes you are special honey- dont you ever dare forget it!!! 🙂

  4. I hear you! I’ve been through a similar experience myself and despite what I do, working out or maintaining a balanced diet, nothing seems to work for me. While on one hand it’s difficult to sustain momentum and yet find ways to not give up, on the other hand there are people who think it’s a joke and don’t miss an opportunity to give their advice. Indians are so obsessed with weight issues and giving advice.

    1. Thats so true Ashwini- we are too obsessed with weight and that too the other person’s! Its tough to lose weight and we are constatnly struggling with it in our lives!

  5. This is absolutely inspiring. As someone who has always been conscious of her weight I feel good reading this. It’s this Zen state that I wish to achieve someday. The thing is weight-loss advice is all around us and even if we want to shut our ears to it, it manages to get into our ears and under our skin too.

    1. I made my peace with my weight a few years back and since then have been eating guilt free, mostly!!! A book that really helped me is Rujuta Divekar’s famous one- loads of sensible advise about how and what to eat and when!! That I think is the key to eating right as it lets you eat everything!

  6. You know what, Riitu – I hear you. Loud. Clear. And applaud you for taking charge of it all.
    I have similar issues, and just recently discovered something else that has silently been killing all the hard work that I had put in.
    Of course, people around us or who interact with us, never know what we’re going through.
    I’ve stopped worrying about the weight, and am just trying to focus on eating healthy and staying active.

    1. More power to you on that Sid!!! Same to same boat here too! But I am concentrating on being healthy vs thin!

  7. After I think years of being teased, I have finally attained some sort of Nirvana! I dont bother what people have to say. But I remember those years and it did hurt. But What really brought me to my present form- well mentally- is focussing my energy on doing things I love. I picked up a sport, I read a lot and worked and ate well…

    I hear you Ritu….. most of us go through it at some stage in our lives.

    1. Thanks Ramya and so sorry to hear you had to bear the brunt of it too!! Glad to hear that you have conquered the hurt to feel good about you at any and every weight!!! Cheers

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.