Slimfast Ads showing plus size cake toppers.

It doesn't matter what size you are people will always say something. Cabell haven't you said that people have told you your too skinny before? (I am not saying that you are too skinny myself) I know my mother used to drink ensures to help her gain weight, because she felt she was too skinny. I think it doesn't matter what weight you are you have to learn to feel comfortable in your own body regardless of what other people say. That is with anything though. I get teased because I am a Harry Potter fanatic. I also get comments because I am a young unmarried mother. I am okay with that. I love me and that is the only way we are going to get over this. Ever hear the saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?"

Tiffani: I agree that women get pressure about their bodies in all kinds of ways, including "you're too thin" and "you need more curves" along with "you need to lose weight." However, having been both fat and fairly slender, I can state pretty confidently that I got a lot more negative reactions being fat--and I attribute that to a general fatphobia that is pervasive in mainstream Western society. (I also think that it's particularly bad in the US, where, unlike in Western Europe, people tend to assume that fat people are fat because they are lazy or otherwise "bad.")

Loving oneself is good, and helpful, and what I hope to encourage as much as possible in my potential future daughters as well as other women around me. But when there are cultural messages everywhere that fatness is worse than anything else, and that fat people can't live in the now but must always be struggling towards some thinner-therefore-better future, that is a social problem, not an individual one.

Words do hurt. That's the reality. My alteration lady took my dress in too much and now my dream dress is ruined and she's claiming "the fatty gained more weight." Yes those words hurt. At the same time I know I haven't gained weight. I also know the dress was huge and the lady screwed up. Does that make seeing an image like a bride with a split dress any less hurtful? No it sure doesn't.

Anyway my whole point of this post was to start a discussion not piss off or annoy anyone. If you don't want to read this post stop reading it.

Well said Cabell. It is very normal for America to be fat, but not for Europe. I was in Europe few years ago and wow they were skinny. They are always walking and they take their time to eat, heck they would chat and drink wine and eat for four hours or longer. They have a very active life than average American do. When we work a lot, we tend to go to fast food resturant. I would try to cook dinner the night before for next night since I would be at work then hurry to a class. Our busy lifestyles tend to get us to eat fast foods and have no time to work out. I do truly believe that we can make time to cook healthy foods and work out. Like 30 minutes cardios before work and make foods for next day.

I think Slimfast would have been insulting if they had put a plus size cake topper next to a skinny cake topper and said something about wishing you were the skinny topper or said "You, Molly Smith" in their ad.... But they were simplying saying.. "if you" (and only you can decide)... "feel like your dress won't fit or you need to lose some weight before your wedding.. try slimfast as a weight loss option." They never said what size YOU should be.. and they aren't calling you out by name.. They are simply leaving it up for you to decide.

I like that Rachel, that makes sense

Go Rachel!!

@Cabell, right on! and thanks for the link!

@Nov bride..I'm sorry you had to go through that, how horrible! :-(

Soo I've seen several posts stating justification for the ad by saying that the ad could be worse..yes we can all agree that it could be worse..but just because it could be worse, doesn't mean the marketers deserve kudos for holding back; it still is what it is.

So how would you have them advertise for a weight loss company.

WOW. I am a skinny bride and flat chested to go with it. I have been told I was to much like a boy to be sexy and no one will ever want me because I have no curves. So not true. Ladies the ad is offensive. It hurts people by saying we are not good enough. But the product exists and as long as folks have low self esteem they can sell the product.

Diet foods are just a bunch of crap anyway. We as a nation are addicted to the crap they put in our food. It makes some of us not want to eat and become to thin. It makes most want more and then they become lethargic and add pounds.

I would love to send the foods filled with chemicals and fillers to oblivion. I would like to see we as a nation eat healthier and move more. The perfect world would be full of women with curves and men with broad shoulders. And for the slimfast crowd and its friends to have new jobs.

I think that's mean, i mean as women we have issues wit out body already now they're doing it with our wedding now. come on man that's so wrong and like stated above, i'm sure they are going to make lots of money cause of that fact. that's a low blow, like we don't have enough stuff to worry about

Gotta admit the first pic gets the point across very well!

But c'mon many of us (who are not overweight) are finding themselves not able to fit into these gowns. Not fair! lol

On another note. A girl I knew drank Slim Fast and ate nothing else, for days. She was soon rushed to the ER. She made it though but it was a scary moment.

Yeah there was a big dilemna about this more than once. I first saw it on Offbeat bride

I think people are missing what the main thing here.. In the Ad it merely asks us a question. "Need to lose a little weight before your wedding?" So to help us visualize this question.. they show cake topper brides (much better than actual women IMO) who are plus size with accident to imply the reason for "needing" to lose weight. If they had just shown Plus Size brides in normal situations that then would have been "rude" because they would have been saying ALL plus size brides should consider losing weight.. But again.. the big point here is that they are asking "US" to decide.

@ Rachel, I think they´ve already decided for us, haven´t they?

Tiffani raises a good question, how would I say they advertise it..i can't come up with a great answer, the larger point being it's a problem with the weight loss industry/marketing, not only this ad, and in my view THAT is the main thing..but I do realize not everyone shares my view or is seeing the larger picture here; beyond the ad, and that's a reality that disheartens me, but one I accept nonetheless.

What do you mean Abigail? How can they decide that for you? Either you feel you need to lose weight or you don't. I bet there are many plus size brides on here that are happy with themselves just the way they are so they didn't think twice about the ad. They decided that they don't need to lose weight. And that is awesome! But maybe another plus size bride saw the ad an said, "Ya I WOULD like to lose a little weight before the wedding." So now they are considering Slimfast as an option. Slimfast Advertising Mission = accomplished.

And Yeah.. I am being a bum today and just being a message board whore.. Sorry. Lol. I miss debate class. : )

Hehe you aren't being a message board whore! lol..and i'm being a bum too and avoiding school work via forum posts :-P I think what I meant is just the existence of the ad implies that brides SHOULD lose weight. and yes I am biased already in being against the cultural idea that women should feel bad about their looks (but to be clear I am NOT against being healthy)..I see your point that they did not necessarily mean that..you are right, the AD is definitely open to interpretation; which for the forum purposes is great so we can talk about these issues. Yes slimfast mission is complete unfortunately!

ps sweet-i was in debate class also :-)

"You won't be attractive on your wedding day if you don't lose weight."

That's the thing, I don't think that's the message they're trying to send at all.

I like what Rachel M said