Deborah,

I wish you best in this campaign.  I sense a dichotomy you might have to work through.  On the one hand, you are legitimately incensed at the insensitive treatment of over-weight people and are compelled to defend them; on the other hand, you want to not be an over-weight person. 

I know from experience there is lots more to this journey than diet and exercise.  You go girl!

"On the one hand, you are legitimately incensed at the insensitive treatment of over-weight people and are compelled to defend them; on the other hand, you want to not be an over-weight person." 

I could have written the above article. I too have been "overweight" off and on all of my life and now weigh more than I did when my last child was born 18 years ago. I don’t necessarily want to "not be an overweight person", but at 50, I feel the extra weght in my legs and knees every night, I suffer from reflux and sleep interruptions. All of which, I am almost positive come from being overweight. I am betting that some of this may be behind Deborah’s motivations as well. I am really more concerned about my health and life longetivity than I am about being "FAT". I want to see my children (and just born grandson) grow old.

And I haven’t even mentioned the nightmare of buying clothes and bathing suits!!!Most affordable clothing lines, either don’t carry plus sizes, or their selection is limited to big, ugly, tent looking thingies!!!

Lee, I too understand this journey. A lot of us do. I just wish I could afford to see a specialist.

Scarlett,

I feel your pain.  I was a total skeptic…and went along with some friends to Weight Watchers…to prove that it wouldn’t work for me.  I gave it a fair shot…made it a summer "project."  And ya know what?  It worked!  I was a little hungry for a week or so; it took me twice as long to grocery shop since I had to read every label; and I went to meetings once a week.  Once I started actually losing weight, that was all the incentive I needed to keep it up.  I wish you resolve and guts and success.

Deborah,

Best of luck to you darlin. My daughter was 220 pounds at 13. She was a compulsive eater and a food hider. at over 300 lbs last year she got a lap band. it’s worked really well for her. but it’s not the "easy" way let me tell you. it’s been incredibly hard work. BUT i wanted to tell you that all of her growing up years i used to think "there’s something physical going on". I dont’ know how to explain it but it never seemed to me like her weight was truly indicative of her calorie intake (and i knew she was sneaking food). she had a lot of other physical problems and she had a terrible sleep disorder very young. so i’d be very curious as to the Dr’s research.

But here’s what i really wanted to say to you… I watched my daughters pain. I watched how people reacted to her and the things she dealt with every day. even people who loved her didn’t think anything of commenting in a movie how "fat" some girl was or making other remarks with her sitting there. I’ve held her sobbing and had her call me in the middle of the night practically suicidal her pain was so deep. Big hugs to you. and whatever you weigh doll… those people who give you the "look". F—- em! seriously…

Deborah - way to go!  You’re very courageous and generous to share your work on this personal issue on your blog.  My feeling is that processed foods, white carbs, stress and marketing have set us up for weight problems in our nation.  I would caution you on the "Fat Hater of the Week" feature at the bottom of your blog.  It is a good idea but some issues (e.g. airplane seats) are very polarizing and I’d hate to see the focus of response to your blog turn from intelligent discussion to hateful and toxic debate and/or commentary. 

Thank you for your generosity.  Wishing you Peace, love and much success.

With Yo-Yo dieters, especially myself, I find it is important to face up to one’s current photo, without retouching, if nothing else, in order to shake oneself into realizing "This is what I look like now. I alone have the power and control to change that."

A fat photo is like seeing oneself in those five-sided mirrors in a dressing room. At first it is a shock, then a wake-up call. You are only cheating yourself by having it retouched.  I lose weight for myself, my health, my confidence. And finally, to take a healthy photo once that weight is gone. One photo can be a powerful motivator.

About United Airlines "unfriendly skies," I think the airline is being opportunistic and discriminatory — all to make more money. The Canadians addressed this issue when it issued its "one-person, one-fare" ruling, effective last January, covering passengers with disabilities including "clinically obese" passengers who cannot fit into a single seat. Canada’s airlines have been ordered to make available extra seating FREE OF CHARGE to passengers who require extra space due to their disabilities. Ethic Soup has a good post on United "large charge," at:

http://www.ethicsoup.com/2009/04/uniteds-unfriendly-skies-airline-charges-fat-passengers-double.html

And, I so agree with your point about United’s quick reaction to a mere 700 passenger complaints. Pu-leez! They are so concerned with passengers comfort that the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (a polling group that rates some 43 businesses in ten different sectors) rates the six biggest American airlines as the lowest in consumer satisfaction of all 16 industries surveyed.

Excellent post.

My daughter is very slim.  However her best friend (for the last four years) is not.  My daughter was suspended only one time in her school career so far and that was belting some little b&^% who called her best friend fat.  I couldn’t punish her too hard, even though I knew she had to be taught that physical violence is wrong.  This angel of a girl (my daughter’s best friend) has cried and been hurt, but has also told me many times that her friends are the ones who pull her through.

Another girl (no longer a friend), took to anorexia and cutting herself.  It’s so sad to see these young women put so much into their image when we worked so hard to have society judge us by our BRAINS!

Hugs to you for being a great mom and by teaching your daughter that she means more than a number on a scale.

You poor deluded old woman.

In regards to the rubbish about fat people being forced to buy a second seat on a plane….

 Quite frankly, if they are too fat for one seat, then they should shell out for a second seat instead of squishing the poor person who has to sit next to them.

I’m 5’8" and weigh in excess of 120 kilos, no idea of how much that is in pounds but probably quite a lot… and while I wouldn’t be  happy to pay for a second seat on a plane, if my fat rolls were drooping onto the seat next to me, I can see why I would be asked to buy one and really, I would comply with the request.

As for the wankery about ‘even skinny people sit with their knees under their chins’.. what a load of crap! As big as I am, I find the economy section quite comfortable and I still have room on either side of my fat arse in a normal sized seat so really,  you must be quite a massive woman to feel so… ‘put out’.

 I really wish fat people would stop whining about how unfair life is. If you are unhappy, then do something about it.

There is a reason why I call The Biggest Loser.. ‘fatties that cry’… every time I see that show, even by accident, I just laugh and laugh and laugh.. all it is about is a group of fatties who whine every second of the day about how they don’t have a decent life because they are fat! SHUT UP YOU LOSERS!

You can have a great life when you are fat… you just have to have the personality to go with it!

Well, I don’t want THAT personality, no matter what size!  Sheesh!