What Is #FlatStomachAppreciationDay?

For reasons unknown, the phrase #FlatStomachAppreciationDay is currently trending on Twitter. While this could have devolved into a running live feed of personal photos, some people are using the trend to try to spread a more body-positive message. Whether it's talking about the diversity of beauty or sending out information on eating disorders, it's heartening to see so many Twitter users turning something vapid into an important message of self acceptance:

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Comments

[Natassha Halverson]

07:33 AM on 04/25/2012

I think the only tweet I agreed with in the slide show came from @therealespo. Lots of people carrying around extra body fat "hate on" anyone who strives to be healthy, and that really pisses me off. Because I am not ok with the potential for Diabetes and Heart Disease I have an eating disorder? Anyone who looks at me can tell I am neither fat nor too skinny, but healthy with a flat stomach. I do do this in part because I want to look good, but mostly because extra body fat is NOT healthy. Bottom line.

As someone already said, villainizing health because it is not the norm is the wrong answer. The norm is unhealthy and sending us to an early grave.

[FreddyNWhitey]

01:14 AM on 04/23/2012

The discussion reflects where our society is; between a rock and a hard place.

Promoting flat stomachs -> discouraging obesity.
Promoting flat stomachs -> encouraging eating disorders.

BOTH obsesity and eating disorders are growing problems. I think as soon as we stop calling them 'epidemics' the conversation will relax a bit, hopefully into a more civil tone. Afterall, the term 'epidemic' connotes a panic, and a collective neurosis can't help either problem.

[urkiddinme]

09:05 AM on 04/17/2012

I don't think there's anything "vapid" about working hard and eating right to have a healthy, functioning, strong, attractive body, nor is there anything admirable about people accepting (and fulfilling) the low standards society has now deemed "normal."

[Natassha Halverson]

07:23 AM on 04/25/2012

Perfect wording.

[urkiddinme]

08:04 AM on 04/25/2012

Merci beaucoup, and right back at ya!

[missy mitten]

12:11 AM on 04/17/2012

Apparently if you're fit you have an eating disorder. Who knew.

[Vingraham]

08:13 PM on 04/22/2012

and if you choose organic food and eat healthy you have "orthorexia"... lol annoying huh?

[averagezoe]

09:08 PM on 04/16/2012

All this obsession with flat stomachs, eating right and exercising is just that - an exercise in futility. Fat people are quite aware of how they look, I assume they have mirrors. If someone can lead a fulfilling life in a massive body and be happy with it, I say go for it - it's really a matter of personal choice. I will never be big because I could not live with myself if I was fat - it would demoralize and cripple me - and although I don't much like to eat and do not have a tendency to gain weight, I work out every day just be be sure.

[Tom Roseman]

08:46 PM on 04/16/2012

I like all of these comments. THANK YOU ALL for knowing that it is NOT okay to be overweight in that it is unhealthy. You don't need to let it get you down, but there is no reason to embrace it. Sure, you don't have to be rail thin, but be HEALTHY.

[OD Williams]

07:17 PM on 04/16/2012

I always find it funny when people try to villainize what should be the norm.

Keep your house clean? Neat freak.
Get good grades? Nerd.
Plan for your financial future? Greedy.
And, of course keep yourself in shape? You let your body "define" who you are (whatever the heck that even means).

People really need to stop it. With all the rampant, out of control obesity in society, you'd think folks would understand the need to take care of themselves. But I guess it couldn't be that simple. If it were, these obviously obese commmenters wouldn't be in the situations they're in right now.

[urkiddinme]

06:56 AM on 04/17/2012

EXCELLENT comment; very well said!

[Natassha Halverson]

07:25 AM on 04/25/2012

I am going to borrow a portion of this comment for my FB status of the day lol. Well put.

[TheImpossibilityOfReason]

06:29 PM on 04/16/2012

Right, lets accept and embrace obesity and over-eating, and lack of exercise, and see how much worse this epidemic gets

[kymber23]

06:16 PM on 04/16/2012

I love that there is a backlash against people wanting and being thin. Overeating is an eating disorder just like under-eating and the reason why people do one or the other (or both) varies. Leave the thin people alone. Let them eat right, exercise and have their flat stomachs without ridicule. Being anorexic is something different like being obesity is and just because you want to be slim and trim doesn't mean that anorexia is lingering around the corner. Just because you are overweight doesn't mean that obesity is in your future. Leave people and their choices alone.

[Acorn Tree]

03:59 PM on 04/16/2012

yes lets encourage unhealthy eating habits

[irrenmann]

02:05 PM on 04/16/2012

"Stop policing others' bodies"

The idea that appreciation is equal to policing is utterly ridiculous.

Meanwhile, in the name of "celebrating who you are," policing people's *intentions* is apparently perfectly okay. Hypocrisy.

[missyinSoCal]

01:20 PM on 04/16/2012

Maybe it's an appreciation thing because the majority of the world doesn't have a flat tummy, so... Perhaps if everyone wasn't so afraid to offend someone else, this wouldn't even be a news story.