• News
  • Health headlines
  • Office on Women's Health press releases
  • Featured content
  • Women's health highlights
  • Healthy Women Today Newsletter
  • Spotlight on Women's Health
    • About the program
    • Disclaimer
  • What's new on womenshealth.gov?
  • RSS feeds
• News in Spanish (en español)

Fat Talk is negative self-talk. Women (and men) engage in Fat Talk with startling frequency. It's very habitual, meaning we do it without realizing it. We may Fat Talk while bathing suit shopping ("I look so fat in this!") or after we blow off a workout ("I am so lazy!"). Fat Talk triggers unhealthy behaviors. After all, putting yourself down creates reverse inertia in all aspects of your life. Fat Talk also allows us to hide our true emotions. Instead of admitting we feel sad, guilty, or lonely, women often pick apart their physical features. Fat Talk is damaging mentally, physically, and emotionally, and we must stop this behavior. We should be building ourselves up, not putting ourselves down.

I am a former Fat Talker. Throughout my teens and early twenties, I never believed I was good enough or deserving. I would put myself down and feel ashamed of my body just because it wasn't "perfect." Now, I realize that my body always was and is perfect because it allows me to do amazing things, like run, write, play, and dance. I stopped my own Fat Talk by repeating positive mantras, much like the ones that are written on Operation Beautiful notes.

Operation Beautiful is a website (and future book!) that features photographs of Post-It notes that women (and men!) have posted in public places. These notes feature positive messages for strangers to find and be inspired by, but the person who posts the note benefits, too. Operation Beautiful was created spontaneously. I take night classes at community college because I'm trying to make a career change, and I was having a bad day at school so I decided to post a positive note on the mirror. I posted the picture on my blog, Healthy Tipping Point, and asked my readers to participate — and the rest is history. Since June 2009, I've had thousands of people participate and have received notes from all over North America, Europe, Asia, and even Africa. It's amazing.

There are two ways Operation Beautiful notes impact people. When people post or find a note, they remark that it "made their day" and put a little pep in their step. However, for some people, finding a note (or the website) is like destiny. They believe that it's the message they really needed to hear at that point, and that the universe put them in the right place at the right time to find it. I've heard from women going through divorce, eating disorder treatment, or just the horrors of high school; some of these women say the note changed their lives! It's amazing. One little Post-It can have such a huge impact.

My best friend Lauren sat me down and told me the blunt truth: either I needed to stop Fat Talking or I needed to do something about my health and eating habits. She asked me if I wanted to go running with her (she was training for a marathon at the time), and I agreed. I could only go a quarter of a mile at first, but I liked the challenge and stuck with it. Three months later, I ran my first 10K. Over the last four years, I've ran or biked in 18 races and am training for my first marathon. I've also lost 10 pounds and increased my strength and endurance. I was inspired to eat healthier by the book In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan — it's a great resource for anyone who is looking to stop "dieting" and start living!

My fitness philosophy is "do the best you can, given your current situation." Too many women beat themselves up because they don't have the time or energy to work out 5 days a week. But, if you can only squeeze in three workouts a week, you're doing the best you can! Also, I think it's important not to set yourself up to fail. Set small, achievable goals. I didn't start my running career by saying, "I'm going to run a marathon!" Enjoy your successes, and dream big. Lastly, it's never too late to get in shape. My mother is 64 years old and started to walk a 2-mile loop around her neighborhood once a day. Six months later, she completed an 8-hour hike up a mountain and walked a 5K!

I'm a vegetarian and focus on eating whole, natural foods. When I do eat processed foods, I try to choose things with a short, recognizable ingredient list. I eat lots of oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, Greek yogurt, granola, tofu, beans, and casseroles. I also love ice cream!

I think the hardest thing about getting started is realizing that you don't have to be perfect. I subscribe to the belief that if you are healthy 80 percent of the time, you are going to be fine. Don't let one indulgent meal ruin your mood or eating for the rest of the week! Each meal or day is a new chance to be healthy. Also, don't expect maintainable results overnight. It took me 6 months to lose 10 pounds, but I've kept it off for 3 and ½ years.

The best thing about reaching goals is getting to set new, bigger ones!

I'm currently working on Operation Beautiful: The Book, which will be published in August 2010 by Gotham Books. My fitness goals for the future include running my first marathon in January 2010, completing a triathlon, and biking a Century, which is 100 miles. I also hope to begin a family with my wonderful husband soon! I hope my kid likes to sit in a jogging stroller!