Fat Pride: Big Chairs for Big Bodies

By Chaya Kurtz, Networx

Here’s a question for other people who publish websites and blogs: Why do we perpetuate the barrage of self hatred improvement articles that flood the internet this time of year? It’s like, X-mas comes around and what comes next? Cute little chestnuts like this:

Build a Home Gym for Only $100! (“HERE’S ALL YOU NEED TO TONE UP IN YOUR OWN HOME” –The Nest. I also don’t understand the emphatic use of all caps here. It’s like they think that fat people are also nearsighted.)

Ways to Ramp Up Workouts for Holiday Indulging (“Recent studies confirm that regular exercise minimizes weight gain that comes from a fatty, high-calorie diet.” – Fit Sugar. Thank you so much for telling me this. I have never heard it before and it is truly a revelation.)

Lose 2 lbs. A Week (“New year, new you!” – Self Magazine. You mean that if I lose 2 lbs I will lose my bad traits and stop snapping at people who annoy me? Sweet!)

New Year’s Resolution: Creating a Fitness Area (“I value fitness more than I value having a coffee table.” – Networx.com. Oops. I was skinny and single when I wrote that. Now I am married and am donating bags of too-small clothes on a weekly basis. I’d buy new, bigger clothes but I am spending all my discretionary income on the gym that I never have time to go to because I am always sitting behind my computer editing Networx.com. What I don’t spend on the gym that I never go to, I spend on ingredients for the “fatty, high-calorie” cakes that I bake. My husband has very fast metabolism. I don’t.).

I wrote that home fitness blog because I thought I was supposed to write it. You know what? We don’t have any advertisements on Networx.com; Jenny Craig definitely is not paying us. The only thing I am “supposed to” do is shed a little realistic light on the otherwise “aspirational” world of home & garden content. Guess what? A lot of people are fat. I am joining the ranks. Instead of going on a self improvement hatred rampage, I’ve become fascinated by fat bloggers like Lesley Kinzel, who (gasp!) seem happy and healthy and like they don’t give a rat’s rump about losing 2 lbs.

In honor of all this, I’ll spare you the misery of reading another piece about how to “Lose Weight and Feel Great!” Here are some big chairs for big people who actually want to be comfortable in their own (stylish) homes. They’d also be good for skinny people who like to curl up on a big, comfy chair.

The Pottery Barn Charleston Chair-and-a-Half: Classic design, and customizable with 90 (!) different choices of upholstery fabric. Nice.

The Crate & Barrel Willow Chair and a Half: This one has modern lines, but is cushy enough to be comfortable. It’s also made in North Carolina with a sustainable hardwood frame. So unlike me, it’s politically correct.

The West Elm Bliss Chair and a Half: Tweedy upholstery fabric and mid-century lines meet lounging bliss with this chair, proving that gentrifying brownstone neighborhoods are not only being furnished by raw vegans who spend 5 days “cleansing” after drinking 1 beer.

The Restoration Hardware Majorca Chair-and-a-Half: This beautiful all-weather wicker chair costs half a month’s salary, but its square lines and squat profile are awesome. Who wouldn’t want to hang out on this one on the deck with a good book?

The Jonathan Adler Kirby Slipper Chair and a Half: The upholstery choices for this densely-cushioned slipper chair are out of this world. Also, you can push two of these together for a guest bed.

The Ethan Allen Franklin Chair and a Half: This chair is stately, with classic rolled arms. Its winning detail is its thick, round polished walnut legs.

The Shabby Chic Duke Chair-and-a-Half: In Rachel Ashwell’s signature style, the casual look of this chair belies its price. Just kidding. This chair is awesome.

Z Gallerie’s Linden Chair & 1/2: The Chesterfield-style fans among you will love the studded arms of this durable classic.

Do you have a big chair that you love? Are you a bigger-bodied person who is sick and tired of all the “New Year’s Resolution” media? Leave a comment. We’re listening, and comments make us happy.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Zuzana K.

6:49AM PST on Feb 19, 2012

Agree with Jennifer G.

send a green star

Jennifer C.

6:13PM PST on Jan 16, 2012

Thanks.

Quanta K.

2:28AM PST on Jan 13, 2012

Joe R.

9:30AM PST on Jan 11, 2012

Yes! Forget those resolutions. (If you wear an outfit made out of the same upholstery material that is on your big chair - you will actually look smaller.)

Howard C.

4:17PM PST on Jan 8, 2012

People get so very hung up on size, the media doesn't help, in fact quite the opposite. There are those magazines that would have us think that unless we are stick thin we are not healthy - there are lots of people in the world who are stick thin but not by choice! I am overweight and over 50 - despite every effort to do so my doctor cannot find any weight related problems that affect me. I'm not saying that I eat everything I fancy but I'm not going to live my life on dried bread and water - I will not live until I am 150 years but it will feel as if I have! By the way, I am writing this sitting on my generously sized leather settee - it is internally sprung and so will be able to cope with me sitting on it for quite a few years yet. My message to anyone who is 'above the ideal weight' is simple - be happy with what you are, if you are unhealthy then you need to do something but don't worry if you don't look like a stick - they look better on trees!!

Ryder W.

1:19AM PST on Jan 8, 2012

everybody deserves to be comfortable. i'm not fat, but i would like a fat chair!

Lika S.

12:31AM PST on Jan 8, 2012

Well, those "chair and a half" things aren't too bad. If you're a normal sized person, you can fit two. It's bigger than an oversized chair, but smaller than a love seat. My former father in law had one of those with a twin hide-a-bed in there. He and my son, his youngest grandchild used to sit there cozy and tell stories in the chair.

Anyway, I like to pan fry my foods, and use a lot of home made broths to help flavor other foods, and I do stuff like Asian stir fry and some Mexican fajitas, where the natural flavors of the chicken, veggies, and spices all come together for a tasty but healthy meal.

New G.

11:18PM PST on Jan 7, 2012

Thank you.

Vicky P.

8:32AM PST on Jan 7, 2012

well, pride yes, you don't have to be ashamed because you are bigger, a lot of people are big :)

CynThia M.

7:46PM PST on Jan 6, 2012

"How sad to have so lttle concern for one's health, that one allows this unhealthy state to happen in the first place.."
Ms. Brenda T., this is a clueless, callous statement.

When I hit my early 50's I was in great shape.
Then menopause hit me like a 2 ton load of bricks. *poof* There went all my hard work and effort. I literally do not remember most of the first 2 years after menopause struck. "Mind fog" was an understatement. I would get up to do something and after 2-3 steps could not remember what it was I was doing.
I had two modes. I either cried or I slept. Depression crushed me. During this time I gained 100+ pounds. My husband has told me how weird it was and that it was not me eating everything in sight.

I finally was able to kind of pull it together and started trying to put my life back on track.
Breast cancer had other plans for me. Thank goodness it was caught very early but surgery, radiation treatments, etc... pushed my recovery back even more. I am now trying to just make sure I can keep mobile. If I can lose weight, even better.

I hope you never have to face what I went through. If you do, I hope people show you more compassion than you have here.