WAKE UP Weight Watchers!

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

There is a special place in hell for those who profit off of, and market weight loss programs to children.

Too strong?

People, I am fired up.

And yes, I am referring to the recent news that Weight Watchers — or now, WW (so chic *eyeroll*) — has launched a weight loss app FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS.

Yes, you read that correctly. A WEIGHT LOSS APP FOR CHILDREN.

I am literally shaking in anger as I’m typing this, because it is so grossly negligent.

Body confidence aside — the app itself is SO PROBLEMATIC. It literally has a stoplight feature — putting foods into categories. Veggies and fruits are green; foods to “limit” — like dairy, lean protein, and whole grains — are yellow; and the “red foods” are things like sugary drinks and candy.

Which — that in itself — even if that was geared towards adults — just infuriates me. Because the number one thing that can lead people down the slippery slope of eating disorders is categorizing foods into “safe” and “off limits.”

Heck, that’s how it started with me! During Lent my sophomore year! First it was desserts. Then it was white flour. Then it was X, then Y, then Z — and then the next thing you know the only thing I’m eating is diet probiotic yogurt and canned nonfat tuna.

I mean – this is SEVERELY dangerous.

But the fact that it is FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS AS YOUNG AS 7!?!?

They even added “Snapchat-like” qualities to the app to make it like a game with “streaks.” Read between the lines, people — they’re trying to make it addictive. Hook ’em early so they can be enslaved to the multibillion dollar diet industry for the rest of their lives.

It’s just disgusting.

Children. CHILDREN!

They proudly paraded this “Before and After” image on their Instagram account of a seven year old girl, congratulating her for dropping 8 BMI points with the help of their app.

7 YEARS OLD!

I just wanted to hug that little girl and tell her that she is beautiful inside and out, just the way she is! That her worth is not from the number on the scale, or where she falls on the BMI chart!

I mean, THIS RIGHT HERE is the biggest factor that can lead to eating disorders.

I know it might not seem like a big deal — but ESPECIALLY in the mind of an impressionable young child — comments about weight and body image and “good or bad” foods are SO INFLUENTIAL. Both positively and negatively.

And sure, you may think — she’s just a kid, she’ll shake it off!

No. These little, throw away remarks leave HUGE impressions on kids.

Allow me to share a little bit about my own story. Because as the survivor of severe anorexia — that strangled my mind and body for years, and left me barely hanging on at 78 pounds — I feel I have a bit of authority.

The first time I thought about weight or my body was — when I was 7 years old.

Up until that time, I just believed that I was the most adorable thing to grace the earth. Which — *ahem* — I was. 😉 JUUUUUST KIDDING

But I did. I never once thought about my weight. I played all the sports, did all the shows. I was in great shape. Never thought twice about it.

Well, that summer, we went to our lake home in Wisconsin and, every summer — popsicles — were such a treat. My family never kept “junk food” in the house, so on vacation, when the freezer was packed with a Sam’s Club-quantity of popsicles for a family reunion — your girl went to town!

Which is great! I was running around. It was vacation. Whatever.

Well…one night, I was, of course, expressing my love for the popsicles, and a family member said, “Take it easy on those popsicles, Care. Don’t want to get chubby.”

And there it was.

That one small remark, that was probably just a throwaway comment from someone who had had one too many Bud Light’s on the boat — planted in me a thought that — Wow, I could get chubby?….And if I get chubby, I won’t be lovable.”

Now, I’m not saying that I *BAM* developed an eating disorder at age 7. But that seed of WEIGHT/BODY IMAGE = WORTH was planted at a young age, and it was something that the perfectionist and people pleaser in me never ever forgot.

What we say to children matters. How they see their elders speaking about themselves, or to others about weight or food or diet — it matters.

Children are listening.

They are impressionable. And they only start caring what other people think when we teach them to.

I mean, the message that this app is sending is just so destructive.

LOOK AT THIS INSTAGRAM POST they put out.

Bating CHILDREN that “Hey, if your body has rolls on it, don’t even think about putting on a bathing suit!” Sure, it’s just an “Internet Meme” — but if you think KIDS don’t take that stuff as Gospel, then you are severely mistaken, my friend. Just look at ALL THE VIRAL TRENDS — “Dabbing,” “Gangnam Style,” “Planking,” all the Ice Bucket Challenges, Hot Cheetoes and Takis, Area 51, Marie Condo-ing, “and I OOP,” KiKi Do You Love Me” — KIDS LIVE AND DIE FOR INTERNET CULTURE. So if you think that this “little meme” isn’t going to make an impact — you are wrong, wrong, wrong.

We should be building our children up. We should be telling our young girls and young boys that they should focus on chasing their dreams. Focus on doing their best in school and on the sports field. Focus on discovering passions or topics that set their spirit on fire. Focus on having fun with their friends. Exploring the world outside of their cell phones. Reading books. Dancing. Building relationships. Giving back to the community.

You know what we SHOULDN’T be encouraging them to focus on? THEIR WEIGHT.

How they look in a bathing suit.

What their BMI is.

How to build their day around “safe food choices.”

I mean — GET A GRIP, WEIGHT WATCHERS.

A child should be celebrated and taught to believe in his or herself. NOT taught to scrutinize their body shape and the number on the scale. That is a one way ticket to a lifetime of disordered thoughts and behaviors. Take it from someone who’s been there.

“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5

TAKE ME TO THE B³ STORE!
Yay for cute hats!

A big thank you to my foundational sponsor, BetterHelp Online Therapy. I cannot begin to express how beneficial therapy was for my recovery from anorexia.  Speak with an online therapist. Or check out content about eating disorders from BetterHelp.

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BBB: Because we're all recovering from something. // For speaking/business inquiries: beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com

184 thoughts on “WAKE UP Weight Watchers!”

  3. You’re so right about those “casual” comments thrown a person’s way. I distinctly remember going in to get a physical for high school, and it was an older male physician on duty that day. He opens my chart, looks at my stats, height 5 foot 9 inches, weight 118 pounds, and says, “You’re doing okay, but you don’t want to gain any more weight”. I have NEVER forgotten that, or the way it made me feel–and that was more than thirty years ago. He was supposed to be a medical professional–who the heck tells a teenager with that height and weight not to gain any more??? SMH

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    1. Hi Lisa, thank you for sharing your story. Gosh, I am so sorry that doctor said that to you. that is just awful. wow. who the heck tells a teenager that!!!!!???just awful. i appreciate you stopping by. big hugs xox

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  6. You are fired up! Great post Caralyn. I think children have been marketing targets for a wide variety of products far too long. Product marketers know that if they can get in our heads at an early age then we’re likely hooked for life.

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    1. I am definitely fired up! Thank you so much, you’re right – there should be something in place to protect children from those marketers! hugs xox

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  7. Hear! Hear. I was grossly overweight. But I knew that if I denied myself whole food classes, I would utterly fail. Therefore, I ate whatever I wanted, but less of it. I lost 101 lbs.
    Good piece.

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    1. Hi Jay, thank you so much for sharing your story! Wow, what an awesome accomplishment. And in a healthy way! Rock on my friend 🙂 big hugs xox

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  8. Fresh air, sunshine, a planned healthy diet and proper rest and exercise, If we help manage our children’s time so that all is in balance there will be no need to focus the kids on weight loss. A balanced life will take care of that. Selfish business interests can cause dysfunction in our thinking.

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    1. You are so so right about that Ian. that’s the secret forumla! all about balance! thanks for stopping by! big hugs xox

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  9. You made me think. We have to be so careful what we say. I was concerned I got it wrong myself this morning. I had to spend ten minutes this morning explaining that the word womanly did not mean fat.

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    1. You’re right – words have power! Yeah, there’s a lot more to be “womanly” than just looks! Womanly means strength, wisdom, compassion, kindness, beauty! all of the above! big hugs xox

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      1. I have been investigating Lena Zavaroni,who was also badly affected by anorexia.It made me so sad.she had also seemed to be impacted by a few careless words and died at a tragically young age. I am glad you speak up. Somewhere out there your courage to speak out on this topic, is probably saving lives.

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      2. I am unfamiliar with her, but oh my gosh that is just so sad to hear. Gosh, heartbreaking. thanks for saying that. big hugs xo

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  10. I had no idea that was happening! What an awful thing to do to young children, they should only ever have to think about having fun, making friends and just enjoying being children. Thank you for posting this, such an eye opener.
    (I don’t have children but I do have a three year old niece)

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    1. Thanks Bambi, yeah it really is quite awful that they’re sending such harmful messages to kids. Healthy lifestyle is one thing – body image and scrutinization of weight/BMI is quite another. So glad you stopped by! big hugs xo

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  11. I’m current working through the discover that diabetes and obesity are the evil twins of post-second war American policy in health care and diets. If you read about the history of high carb, low fat diets you soon discover that the United States, and the rest of the world, were conned years ago, about the benefits of high carbs and the dangers of fat, any fat, but especially fat from animal sources. These policies were initiated by the National Health authorities to try to reduce heart disease but instead have led to several generations of increasingly unhealthy populations.

    Children don’t eat too much. But their choices are influenced by what they are taught by their parents as well as what they see in the media, and on social media. All of the sources of information are tainted by misinformation pumped out by a combination of well meaning but uninformed dieticians, medical doctors, school authorities, health boards and urged on by corporate interests who make money selling foods based on this advice. Eating foods that inevitably bring on obesity, as surely as clouds bring on the rain, is dangerous. Childhood habits encourage the eating of carbs and sugar, rather than healthier alternatives.

    Our generation is perhaps the last generation poisoned by the demonization of fats and the promotion of carbs and sugars. The recent book by Dr. Jason Fung, the Diabetes Code, should be must reading for everyone responsible for feeding themselves, but especially for anyone responsible for giving advice on healthy eating and living.

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    1. Hi Donald, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. You bring up a great point – parents are the number one influence on what the child eats. They are, after all the ones buying it. I think parents should be educated on how to instill healthy lifestyle choices – not just put the child on a diet and shame them on their body image or BMI. Very informative comment. Thanks. Hugs and love xox

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  12. I agree ! What we as adults should strive to do is take the focus off of “safe food” and weight loss and encourage our little ones to take care of the temple God has given them by fueling their bodies with food that will help them grow and live a long healthy life . Also don’t take the very essence of childhood away from them by giving them very adult issues to worry about . They’re kids! The job is on us as parents ( and adults ) to tell our children that they are beautiful and loved and special just his God made them regardless of “ size”. Unfortunately this is way of the world today . It’s so sad. 😢 sorry I’m a little fired up as a I have a 7 year old niece who is already beginning to feel self hate because she’s “bigger” . Thank you for this post .

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    1. Yes! I SO agree Sophie. taking care of the temple God gave us! And AMEN – let kids be kids! Everyone’s bodies grow at different paces and in their own way! Praying for your niece! She’s lucky to have such a great aunt 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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  14. “But that seed of WEIGHT/BODY IMAGE = WORTH was planted at a young age, and it was something that the perfectionist and people pleaser in me never ever forgot.” Such a true statement! It is like the bullying comments from our childhood that play like a song on repeat … for our WHOLE lives! Thanks for speaking out on this topic, for you have experiences that give you a voice in this … perhaps, for such a time as this!
    Carole

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    1. Thanks Carole! Yes! I am all about helping children love their bodies and have confidence in who they are! Hugs and love xox

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  15. I just heard about the new WW program for kids this morning. So disappointing. Is there no agency regulating this? How many new ways can we find to make our children feel insecure?

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  17. I remember attending WW meetings with my mom as a kid. She always struggled with weight and body image issues, and this transferred to me. Seeing this for kids is heartbreaking because it creates so many issues for children who are otherwise perfectly healthy. I wasn’t able to break this cycle until I was 27, nearly 100 lbs overweight, and underwent weight loss surgery. Thanks for your writing!

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    1. Thank you Sarah for sharing your heart and your journey. I agree – it is heartbreaking for kids. So glad you’ve found that freedom 🙂 love you friend. Hugs and love xox

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  18. Wow! Thank you for speaking out about this. I feel so naive. Honestly when I saw your post and went in to it, I was thinking ‘Awesome, I was (and still am) overweight as a child, and perhaps this could have helped me.’ Never looked at it from another view. Never even thought to. But my daughter battles eating disorders and my son is very ‘physique conscious’ – both stemming I’m sure from me trying to keep them from being overweight like I am & was. What I am finding now as I grow older is that preparing healthy food because it tastes good and making it fun and making even snacks and treats that are healthy yet yummy is helping me. Anyway, thank you so much for this post – it was a real eye-opener.

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    1. Thank you so much Amy. I appreciate you sharing your heart and your story. I’m so glad you’ve found that shift – it definitely helps with our relationship with food in all aspects. Big hugs xox

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  19. Wow! I knew you were thin from past readings, but I had no idea. Last year my wife got sick. She went down to 99 pounds. I feared she would die. But the Lord is helping her.

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    1. I’m so sorry to hear that your wife was sick – gosh, i will be praying for her. Hang in there – God will see you through this! big hugs x

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  20. Having been a “fat kid” as an 8-year-old — and I was! — the only weight loss advice for children should come from a pediatrician and/or the family doctor, on the basis of health concerns. And parents need to be advised on how to support the child. 55 years ago (yes, I’m that old!), the doctor basically said, “you need to lose weight” and my dad’s best effort was a form of “fat-shaming”. Not that I blame either of them: they meant well and didn’t have any other resources to draw on. I digress: one way parents can support a child in a weight-loss-for-health program is to not place expectations on them that rely on physical image — like sports or beauty contests. Let them have fun and enjoy being who they are.

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    1. Thank you so much for sharing your story, Drew. You’re so right – medical professionals should be the only guiding voice on this — not the marketing department of a for-profit diet company. I fully fully agree. Enjoy being who they are!! Thanks for stopping by and joining the dialogue! Hugs and love xox

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  22. Smh that Instagram post is truly SICKENING. This is not okay. Thank you for making an effort to do something about this, I cannot even imagine the amount of children and teens who will be saved from a life consuming illness and permanently altered perspective and mindset if (*WHEN) this gets stopped. #NotOK

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    1. I agree – not okay at all. Thank you so much for your support. We should be building our children up to believe in themselves and feel confident!!!! and love themselves!! 🙂 hugs xo

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      1. Absolutely!!!!! I wish so badly we could focus on non appearance related goals, dreams, and topics to believe in, encourage and speak to our children about. I personally feel anything regarding an individuals weight or appearance should NOT be brought up to a person (especially children) unless it is something they brought up first. Sending love and positivity xoxo💖✨

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