Last week, Frugivore published an article about the growing number of Black “thinspo” photos and blogs floating about. Some people voiced concern.

I think it misses the target.

Instead of “thinspo,” we need “fitspo.”

I won’t hurl all the statistics about Black women and obesity at you. I’m sure you’ve heard them enough. Plus, I hate how the media always targets overweight people saying they are at higher risks of a) “the sugar” b) hypertension c) heart disease and d) the inability to find a good Black man but don’t refer to people with “normal weight” who have these issues as well.

And this is where I feel “FitSpo,” instead of “Thinspo,” can come in.

For “Fitspo” spans larger than looking a certain way. “Fitspo” bleeds over into your food choices, medical choices, and attitude. Instead of focusing on size, the focus is on being fit — physically, emotionally and mentally.

“FitSpo” for Me

I’m going to get personal. I’m starting (or restarting if I’m honest) a fitness journey.

According to the BMI chart, I’m obese. Funny, I don’t feel obese. I don’t have any health issues constantly thrown together with obesity. But, at 5’3 and 185 pounds, that’s where I’m at.

I’m a pescetarian, and steadily reducing my sugar and non-complex carb intake. I eat healthier than many of my skinny friends. So I’d appreciate it if the terrors of fatness weren’t tossed at me just because of my size.

But fat-girl ranting aside, I don’t feel like a fit 22-year-old.

I’d like to lose 50 pounds. But I want more than to just lose weight. I want to be healthier. And the fitness blogs on Tumblr have been my biggest motivators so far. With images like this and this, they are more relatable, more moving and more encouraging than any picture of a skinny woman in fashionable clothes could ever be.

I have to admit I’m envious of the ladies on sites such as FuckYeahChubbyGirls or The Thickness (NSFW), who can see their beauty and raise a collective middle finger to a sizist society. I’m envious of this woman here, who works her butt off at the gym despite not having the body of a Sports Illustrated model. But for me to be the Crissa I can, I feel I should lose some fat and gain some muscle. I feel I should be fit.

I’m grateful for the thinspo discussion, because it’s another avenue for a discussion on health and fitness. But, for society at large, and the Black community specifically, fitspo is the way to go.

For some “fitspiration,” check out this blogs:

Arthlete

Fit Black Girls

My Goal is 140
Before and Afters

around the web

13 Comments

  1. don’t know why anybody would be jealous of the fat and proud crowd.

    whatevs…

    • @omfg:

      I do…they have the confidence to love the body they’re in, regardless of what you or anyone else thinks of it. I don’t believe in advocating for an unhealthy lifestyle, but accepting where you are and loving you no matter what is always a good thing…and is enviable.

  2. Yay!!! Thanks for posting this article from my comment 😀

  3. I don’t think everyone realizes what thinspo is and how it got started (it was birthed out of a movement promoting the eating disorder anorexia). Sites like tumblr, blogger, and pinterest have taken steps to prevent people from using them to promote being thin by any means necessary.

    There is a big difference from unhealthy concentration on being slim and finding inspiration to be healthy. There is no place for thinspo.

  4. Corrisa is my twin; height, weight, and age! You really nailed how I’ve been feeling and I just wanna thank you for the inspiration!

  5. @omfg

    Perhaps because these women love themselves completely in a world that teaches women that no matter the size we are to feel body shame. These women are beautiful and they are confidant that is why someone would be jealous but then if you weren’t such fat shaming person you could see that for yourself.

  6. I’m 5’1 and at my most weighed in at 206 (just this past January)…..sure I’d love to shop the racks where choices are many instead of searching down the elusive one size 14P on the rack but it’s more than that. The importance of being fit, healthy, strong and caring for this body I need for a lifetime just up and smacked the bejesus out of me and I went into action. While I’m comfortable with who I am and how I look, I’m not comfortable about my health so that is what I’ve changed. Here we are in April and I’m down to 195. I know others who’ve lost more than me but that’s them and this is me. This is a lifestyle change and I’m creating one that is sustainable. This time last week I completed my first half marathon EVAH and I’m proud to have lost 3 inches off my waist line courtesy of the gym. When I think of what that means for my internal health….it thrills me.

  7. @renee

    if these women truly loved themselves, they would not abuse their bodies.

    i don’t need to fat shame anyone and i will not be cowered into saying being obese is good or okay or attractive by this newfangled fat acceptance language.

    better to be proud that you eat a clean diet full of vegetables and fruits and that you actually exercise than be proud of obesity.

  8. @omfg:

    Are you talking about fatspo/fatspiration? Because fitspo is NOT the same thing. Fatspo is so stupid! It encourages people to eat unhealthy foods and to just sit around and be fat. I could do that without the encouragement, you feel me? Ugh, Fatspo and pro-mia/pro-ana/pro-ed blogs should be banned or at least set to private only.

  9. @OMFG

    Since when did you have access to the medical files of these women to decide whether they are healthy or not? You cannot look at anyone and determine their physical health so please just spare us all that nonsense.

Leave a Reply to Liz Cancel reply