{"id":3596,"date":"2026-02-10T14:28:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T18:28:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/?p=3596"},"modified":"2026-02-10T14:28:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T18:28:32","slug":"fat-shaming-at-the-super-bowl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/fat-shaming-at-the-super-bowl\/","title":{"rendered":"Fat Shaming at the Super Bowl?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the Super Bowl, there was a commercial that sparked a lot of conversation. Its message centered on encouraging people to eat more whole foods and fewer processed foods. On the surface, that sounds amazing! But the tone crossed a line for many \u2014 subtly fat-shaming, fear-based, and rooted in the idea that bodies need to be controlled, fixed, or punished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s talk about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Yes, Whole Foods Matter!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whole foods: fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, and minimally altered meats , are foundational to good health. They provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and nourishment our bodies genuinely need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eating more whole foods can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Support digestion and gut health<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Help stabilize blood sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Improve energy levels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Reduce risk of chronic disease<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is not up for debate. Whole foods are wonderful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But here\u2019s where the conversation often goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Not All Processed Foods Are the Enemy<\/strong>!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Processed<\/strong> simply means a food has been altered from its original state in some way. That alteration can be as basic as washing, chopping, freezing, cooking, fermenting, or packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examples of <em>processed foods that can absolutely be part of a healthy diet<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Frozen fruits and vegetables<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Canned beans and lentils<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Rolled oats<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Greek yogurt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Tofu and tempeh<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Nut butters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Whole-grain bread<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Pre-cut produce<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Milk, cheese, and fortified plant milks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These foods are often:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>More affordable<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>More accessible<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>More realistic for busy lives<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Just as nutritious as fresh options<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many families, processed foods are not a moral failure \u2014 they are a lifeline and a key to survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Processed vs. Ultra-Processed: The Key Distinction<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The real issue isn\u2019t <em>processed<\/em> foods \u2014 it\u2019s <strong>ultra-processed<\/strong> foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PROCESSED FOODS have few ingredients, have ingredient names that you recognize (and can pronounce) and are often made to preserve, freeze or aid in the preparation of the food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ultra-Processed Foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS have long ingredient lists that are often difficult to pronounce and things you don&#8217;t recognize, heavy use of additives, artificial flavors, dyes and preservatives, and are desined to be hyper-palatable and are extremely tasty, and therefore, often over consumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examples of ultra-processed foods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Sugary cereals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Soda and energy drinks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Candy and packaged sweets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Chips and snack cakes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Highly refined fast food items<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultra-processed foods can absolutely fit <em>occasionally<\/em> in a balanced life \u2014 but they shouldn\u2019t<strong> dominate<\/strong> the plate. The problem arises when messaging turns this into shame, fear, or body hatred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Health Is Not a Punishment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Somewhere along the way, many popular wellness culture ideas have determined that exercise must hurt of be effective, that healthy foods cannot be enjoyed and bodies that don&#8217;t fit a particular mold should be criticized and changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I cannot even begin to describe how harmful this is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Movement is not a punishment for what you ate. Food is not something you earn. Your body is not a problem to solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">True health comes from <strong>care<\/strong>, not control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t eat well because you hate your body.<br>You eat well because you <em>love<\/em> it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You move your body because it brings energy, strength, and joy \u2014 not because you\u2019re trying to shrink yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With this mindset change, a sustainable change can happen in our lives!  Good habits become wants instead of needs. Food choices feel empowering, not restrictive, and movement becomes something you look forward to!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>healthier<\/strong> message would sound like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Eat more foods that help you feel energized and nourished<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Use frozen, canned, and packaged foods without guilt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Move your body in ways you enjoy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Rest when you need to<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Fuel yourself with foods you like <em>and<\/em> foods that support your health<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Health is not about perfection.<br>It\u2019s about consistency, flexibility, and self-respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t need more media that scares, shames, or judges bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We need conversations that that educate free from blame, encourage healthy decision making without shaming and leave people feeling empowered and capable instead of powerless and worthless!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You deserve good nourishment for your body. <br>You deserve movement that feels good.<br>And you deserve to live in your body with kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is real wellness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During the Super Bowl, there was a commercial that sparked a lot of conversation. Its message centered on encouraging people to eat more whole foods and fewer processed foods. On the surface, that sounds amazing! But the tone crossed a line for many \u2014 subtly fat-shaming, fear-based, and rooted in the idea that bodies need [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3596"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3596\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3598,"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3596\/revisions\/3598"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lorettabates.com\/videolibrary.lorettabates.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}