Australia's 'obesity epidemic'
Australia's 'obesity epidemic'

is about to get worse.
is about to get worse.

The country's Battle of the Bulge.
The country's Battle of the Bulge.

More than 60% of Aussies are obese.
More than 60% of Aussies are obese.

Australia will be in the grip of
Australia will be in the grip of

an obesity epidemic.
an obesity epidemic.

We are still putting on weight.
We are still putting on weight.

Hi my name is Catherine.
Hi my name is Catherine.

I'm a Fat activist in Brisbane.
I'm a Fat activist in Brisbane.

I blog at fat Heffalump where I've been blogging
I blog at fat Heffalump where I've been blogging

for about five years and it's my goal to change the way people think about
for about five years and it's my goal to change the way people think about

fatness I always thought I was fat one of my earliest memories I was called fat
fatness I always thought I was fat one of my earliest memories I was called fat

I've always been called fat and I believe that the worst thing a person
I've always been called fat and I believe that the worst thing a person

could possibly be was fat through my teens and 20s and early 30s I just
could possibly be was fat through my teens and 20s and early 30s I just

battle it in every single way I could you name the diet I was on it
battle it in every single way I could you name the diet I was on it

you name the weight-loss plan I was on it I believed that I couldn't do
you name the weight-loss plan I was on it I believed that I couldn't do

anything in life that was good until I was the I couldn't have any form of
anything in life that was good until I was the I couldn't have any form of

success could have a good job couldn't have a loving relationship couldn't be
success could have a good job couldn't have a loving relationship couldn't be

happy in any way so I didn't try I
happy in any way so I didn't try I

haven't always been fat I was actually a regular-sized little girl and when I was
haven't always been fat I was actually a regular-sized little girl and when I was

17 I was actually diagnosed with type 1 diabetes since then taking insulin and
17 I was actually diagnosed with type 1 diabetes since then taking insulin and

treating my diabetes regularly I slowly became fatter and fatter when I began to
treating my diabetes regularly I slowly became fatter and fatter when I began to

gain weight I was a little worried my mother was a little worried but as time
gain weight I was a little worried my mother was a little worried but as time

went on I became okay with being fat that acceptance is a radical notion that
went on I became okay with being fat that acceptance is a radical notion that

fat people human beings and deserve respect I
fat people human beings and deserve respect I

discovered fart acceptance probably about six years ago I think it was on
discovered fart acceptance probably about six years ago I think it was on

Twitter that I just somebody must have retweeted an article and it as per
Twitter that I just somebody must have retweeted an article and it as per

anything on the Internet you read one and the vortex gets you and you read the
anything on the Internet you read one and the vortex gets you and you read the

next thing in there it the next thing it was kind of like a light bulb went on
next thing in there it the next thing it was kind of like a light bulb went on

and I thought that was when I started to think that perhaps it could apply to me
and I thought that was when I started to think that perhaps it could apply to me

I'm Jessica Simpson I lost over 50 pounds on Weight Watchers I'm gonna lose
I'm Jessica Simpson I lost over 50 pounds on Weight Watchers I'm gonna lose

15 kilos and you know what if you're sitting out there wanting to lose weight
15 kilos and you know what if you're sitting out there wanting to lose weight

too then come and join me we're changing the shape of one of Australia's most
too then come and join me we're changing the shape of one of Australia's most

obese towns there seems to be a cultural obsession here whether in Australia or
obese towns there seems to be a cultural obsession here whether in Australia or

the United States with a thin body health at every size is a movement that
the United States with a thin body health at every size is a movement that

is basically just encouraging people to adopt good health behaviors and to
is basically just encouraging people to adopt good health behaviors and to

forget about weight as a goal or weight change as a goal and instead just
forget about weight as a goal or weight change as a goal and instead just

embrace the bodies that we're living in and make good health choices to support
embrace the bodies that we're living in and make good health choices to support

them I'm Sarah Harry and I specialize in body image and I also teach Kobe Yoga
them I'm Sarah Harry and I specialize in body image and I also teach Kobe Yoga

when I tell people that I'm a yoga teacher I usually get an interesting
when I tell people that I'm a yoga teacher I usually get an interesting

reaction sometimes people think that I'm joking
reaction sometimes people think that I'm joking

which is funny and too big for food because I think they expect a yoga
which is funny and too big for food because I think they expect a yoga

teacher to be a sin way very small and life and flexible and I'm very flexible
teacher to be a sin way very small and life and flexible and I'm very flexible

but I'm not small a lot I think the problem with aligning
but I'm not small a lot I think the problem with aligning

exercise and weight loss is that then we put a whole lot of pressure on the only
exercise and weight loss is that then we put a whole lot of pressure on the only

benefit for exercise as a way to lose weight whereas the benefits of exercise
benefit for exercise as a way to lose weight whereas the benefits of exercise

are so enormous so I think we're doing exercise a great disservice in only
are so enormous so I think we're doing exercise a great disservice in only

making it about weight loss looks great there are many reasons for why someone
making it about weight loss looks great there are many reasons for why someone

might be living in a fat body for some people that's just genetics and they're
might be living in a fat body for some people that's just genetics and they're

leading very healthy lifestyles eating good quantities that are appropriate to
leading very healthy lifestyles eating good quantities that are appropriate to

nourish their bodies and to try to judge somebody by their weight will give you a
nourish their bodies and to try to judge somebody by their weight will give you a

lot of misinformation one of the main things that I find is that I'm under
lot of misinformation one of the main things that I find is that I'm under

constant surveillance you can't go anywhere without being watched by
constant surveillance you can't go anywhere without being watched by

anything that happened before I dyed my hair pink it happened before I chose to
anything that happened before I dyed my hair pink it happened before I chose to

wear bright colors I used to be what I referred to as a brown tomorrow I would
wear bright colors I used to be what I referred to as a brown tomorrow I would

wear dark colors not wear anything that was visible it was before I had tattoos
wear dark colors not wear anything that was visible it was before I had tattoos

and people would kind of even then still sort of make a comment about fatty
and people would kind of even then still sort of make a comment about fatty

you know people judge me for my way all the time I go out in public people will
you know people judge me for my way all the time I go out in public people will

give my husband and I looks we take up a lot of space and we walk down the road
give my husband and I looks we take up a lot of space and we walk down the road

holding hands on a footpath I remember when we were trying to jog once they
holding hands on a footpath I remember when we were trying to jog once they

were cheering us on like we were in a marathon and you could tell it was quite
were cheering us on like we were in a marathon and you could tell it was quite

sarcastic yeah yeah you get that component on these people I think that
sarcastic yeah yeah you get that component on these people I think that

you know having a bit of fun but realistically it does hurt sometimes
you know having a bit of fun but realistically it does hurt sometimes

don't ya we hear in the news all the time about an obesity epidemic and how
don't ya we hear in the news all the time about an obesity epidemic and how

people are dying of obesity and what we see is that it's just not true what is
people are dying of obesity and what we see is that it's just not true what is

true is that people are heavier than they used to be but what's also true is
true is that people are heavier than they used to be but what's also true is

that we're living longer than ever before people ask me all the time if you
that we're living longer than ever before people ask me all the time if you

can be fat and healthy I'm not offended by that question I feel like it reflects
can be fat and healthy I'm not offended by that question I feel like it reflects

on me a little bit because I feel like I am a fat and healthy person I'm not
on me a little bit because I feel like I am a fat and healthy person I'm not

healthy I'm going to say that because I have two autoimmune diseases I can't say
healthy I'm going to say that because I have two autoimmune diseases I can't say

that I'm fully healthy but I'm doing the best that I can to live a great life I'm
that I'm fully healthy but I'm doing the best that I can to live a great life I'm

not the expert on societal health I am the expert on living in my body
not the expert on societal health I am the expert on living in my body

I'm not a disease and I'm not diseased this is the body that I tell me if
I'm not a disease and I'm not diseased this is the body that I tell me if

someone offered me a way to instantly lose my weight guaranteed success
someone offered me a way to instantly lose my weight guaranteed success

tomorrow I probably still wouldn't accept their offer we should not be the
tomorrow I probably still wouldn't accept their offer we should not be the

same there's nothing wrong with go ahead there's nothing wrong with being a fat
same there's nothing wrong with go ahead there's nothing wrong with being a fat

person just like there's nothing wrong with being a nonfat person fat
person just like there's nothing wrong with being a nonfat person fat

acceptance led me to a place where I could be who I wanted to be and so I
acceptance led me to a place where I could be who I wanted to be and so I

started to ask myself how I wanted to be and that was positive and bright and
started to ask myself how I wanted to be and that was positive and bright and

colorful and fun and it's a really good feeling it is a really good feeling to
colorful and fun and it's a really good feeling it is a really good feeling to

not hate myself
not hate myself