Having Self- Esteem While Fat

[Catherine]

And if some stupid, arrogant, skinny little minny thinks they can get in my way or cut me down, I'll just sit on them!

This made me laugh out loud!

I've always hated gyms. Every time I tried to go to one, I always felt uncomfortable. My last attempt was a curves, it was awfull. Women larger than me gave me attitude, women smaller than me sneered, it just sucked. Gyms are like a haven for "mean girls" of all shapes and sizes. I'm glad you found one that you feel good about.

I'll stick to walking and my pilates videos.

[Owl]

I'm going to be really, really brutally honest about myself here. I'm 5'10. And at my widest (heh!) I was near 500 pounds. No, that's not a typo. I was, and still remain a Fatty McFatterton.

But...

I have lost about 150 pounds, all on my own, by busting my ass over the years. I sustained a very serious knee injury a few years back, so now I can't do the same exercises I used to do. I've gained a few pounds back. But from 500, I'm still down to 380.

Think about that: *DOWN to 380*! Put that in context for a moment. 380 pounds is the kind of number that would give most people the lowest self-esteem on the effin planet! And now, I'm *proud* to say I'm down that far. After I lost so much weight people, some of whom I had know all my life, had the nerve to say to me, "Oh, you're looking so much better now."

And not once did I hesitate to say, "Really? Well, you're not speaking any more intelligently now!"

When people cut you down or make a back-handed 'compliment', let them know about it. Sooner or later they're gonna realize they really can't get to you. And that gets to *them*.

My fiance and I actually just joined a gym yesterday. We had to spend a lot of time looking around to find one for the best price, and that had the best equipment. I'll be best working in a pool now because of my knee injury. I'm anxious to get started because I want to continue with my weight loss goals. Not for anyone else, but for me. Because I want to feel better, be healthier, and look even better than I already do. It's a terribly long, hard road, but it's doable.

And if some stupid, arrogant, skinny little minny thinks they can get in my way or cut me down, I'll just sit on them!

Well Done!!!!

Sitting on them is always good policy!

[Tana]

Well Done!!!!

Sitting on them is always good policy!

Personally I like to mutter something about having 'the higher fighting weight and knowing how to use it.'



Sitting on them, tho', is another option. *muhahahaa*

[SunflowerP]

It seemed like a good time to bump this thread up.

Sunflower

[Sage]

It seemed like a good time to bump this thread up.

Sunflower

Just when I was struggling with it myself! How'd you know?

[stephyjh]

It seemed like a good time to bump this thread up.

Sunflower

Really is, especially since the gym that is right on my way to work turned out to be a godsawful fit for me. I wanted to strengthen my shoulder to manage my pain levels better. They started talking about meal plans. Because naturally, the reason my shoulder hurts isn't because of a serious injury 10 years ago that received only the bare minimum treatment. It's because I'm fat.

[Sage]

Really is, especially since the gym that is right on my way to work turned out to be a godsawful fit for me. I wanted to strengthen my shoulder to manage my pain levels better. They started talking about meal plans. Because naturally, the reason my shoulder hurts isn't because of a serious injury 10 years ago that received only the bare minimum treatment. It's because I'm fat.

Was it a physical trainer that told you that? Because fuck them. They provide services to you that you want, and if the default assumed service is 'make you lose weight' then... no. (It could be that there was a misunderstanding or they were used to dealing with customers whose primary reason for being in the gym was weight loss, but you definitely get the benefit of the doubt in my head when it comes to assessing this situation at hand, especially with your own discomfort levels.)

[stephyjh]

Was it a physical trainer that told you that? Because fuck them. They provide services to you that you want, and if the default assumed service is 'make you lose weight' then... no. (It could be that there was a misunderstanding or they were used to dealing with customers whose primary reason for being in the gym was weight loss, but you definitely get the benefit of the doubt in my head when it comes to assessing this situation at hand, especially with your own discomfort levels.)

Even after I told him, "I had an eating disorder for several years. I'm not willing to let someone tell me what to eat," his response was, "Well, how about what NOT to eat?" So he'd clearly decided I should be on a diet.

[Sage]

Even after I told him, "I had an eating disorder for several years. I'm not willing to let someone tell me what to eat," his response was, "Well, how about what NOT to eat?" So he'd clearly decided I should be on a diet.

Oh jesus jumping bean christ. Yeah, see, this is why we can't have nice things.

[SunflowerP]

... or they were used to dealing with customers whose primary reason for being in the gym was weight loss....

That might be a small mitigation, for an initial misconstruing of a customer's motivation. But, really, assuming "all our customers have the same primary reason for wanting our product/service" is lazy and self-defeating business policy, right from go.

Sunflower