Monday, April 25, 2011

The Wedding Dress & Weight Loss Does Not Equal Happily Ever After!

As you walk down the aisle in your wedding dress, you may be pondering a few things:

  • I am so happy (and nervous!) to spend the rest of my life with this person
  • What will our children will look like?
  • I L-O-V-E this person no matter what.
Sadly, a new wave of products and programs have inserted what we should be thinking:
  • there needs to be less of me before I commit to the man who unconditionally loves me
  • this white dress makes me look huge so glad I crashed dieted
  • I wanted to invite my best friend into my wedding party yet she is too fat. Wouldn't look good in the pictures.
Shedding for the Wedding has couples compete to lose weight for their wedding. The first ad for this TV show brought a sigh and saddened look to my face. The Slim Fast Twitter campaign made me shoot fire from my ears and daggers from my eyes. I am pissed.

I could rant for hours on this issue and I will sum up my anger source in 4 points:
  • Losing weight for an event does not equal health. This external motivator promotes temporary crash dieting negatively altering metabolism (read: promotes the body to preserve fat and breaks down muscle for energy). Once the event is over, the person's body will quickly regain the weight and be more prepared to maintain body fat for the next diet attempt. This is also referred to as yo-yo dieting.
  • A wedding is a celebration of unconditional love. This type of regard is hopefully genuine and made to withstand "sickness and health"...and weight changes. Shame on you Slim Fast for disregarding the moment's beauty just to make money. Blech.
  • One of the toughest thoughts: we need to shame our friends or ourselves if too large. Subtly provide your potential wedding party Slim Fast so they will look good enough for your pictures. Or, if you want to EVER get married (symbolized in catching the bouquet), drink Slim Fast or else. Duh duh DUUUUUH.
  • The wedding build up including fitting in her wedding dress is one of the top 5 experiences that triggers one to practice an eating disorder. Thank you Slim Fast and Shedding for the Wedding for rationalizing this practice. Of course, all women will not experience severe pathology from this yet minimizing who's affected doesn't make it okay.
Promoting quick weight changes prior to the big day does not promote health or a stronger marriage. It only promotes shame. And, shame is an experience that never promotes healthy behavior change.


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Header Image from Bangbouh @ Flickr