Oprah Winfrey is like a modern day Jesus Christ to a lot of people - her word is gospel, with millions across the globe eating up her guidance on books, movies or presidents as though it were the last word on everything. Splashed across the latest O magazine cover, we have Oprah circa 2005 looking athletic, toned and trim next to 2009 Oprah - pudgy and 40 pounds heavier. I have no idea how to convert pounds to kilograms, nor can I be bothered, but in physicality terms it makes a huge difference. I'm not surprised that she's asking herself how she let it happen. Didn't she notice she couldn't fit into her old clothes anymore?The bleeding heart, don't-make-people-feel-bad-for-being-overweight council has come out swinging, wailing that Oprah is endorsing an unhealthy body image and encouraging yo-yo dieting when she makes comments to the effect that she feels "mad at herself ... embarassed" for letting herself gain so much weight in the past year, and that "I didn't just fall off the wagon, I let it fall on me" (that's funny!). She explains she took herself off her own priority list, stopped exercising and meditating (this is the word of the O) and started to eat badly. Who hasn't been guilty of that, multiple times?
I don't know where they of the it's-ok-to-be-fat class get off: obesity is a serious issue in our world today. The majority of Australia's population is overweight. We're fatsos, we just don't want to admit it. Sticking our head in the sand is not going to resolve what is now becoming a global epidemic - being overweight increases the incidence of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and all sorts of other unpleasant illnesses. The current generation of children is the first ever to have a shorter life expectancy than their forebears, simply because they are fatter and less healthy than previous generations. We exercise less, eat more, drink more and everything we stuff into our face is probably a lot less healthy than it was even 15 years ago.
How can you accuse Oprah of endorsing unhealthy body images when she is promoting health, happiness, security and well-being in an honest, brave and forthright manner? I don't think we could ever accuse the Big O of being anorexic, and she's a smart enough woman to know that no food in the belly doesn't exactly give you the energy and tenacity to create the next media empire of the world (although it may be enough to launch a clothing line a la the Olsen twins).
In our modern age when everything is laid out on the table, I don't think it's fair for people to be criticised for discussing topics that might make people feel uncomfortable or insecure about a truth in their life. And Oprah, who is unapologeticly frank about her lifelong war against the pounds, is probably one of the better placed people to discuss the issue of struggling with your weight (there's nothing worse than a size 6 moaning about her thighs as she picks at her lettuce and celery lunch). And at least she's doing something about it: Oprah is taking immediate action, with her first 5 episodes in January devoted to healthy eating, spirituality, financial wellbeing and general happy glowy-ness. I like it when people can admit their failings and run off and fix things of their own initiative. It's enough to make me want to chuck a sickie for the first 5 days of January just to get her 10 Commandmants for healthy living. I think the fat council needs to spend some quality time on the couch with Oprah for that one. 10 hail Oprah's and a virgin mary all round!
Not that I can talk. All the Christmas cheer I've been indulging in of late, I think I'm going to resemble a champagne bottle soon. You are what you eat, after all.
If only drinking champagne made you look like Grace Kelly
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