A few years ago, I wrote a blog on MySpace entitled "Fat, Like Me". In that blog, I delved into the "fat discrimination" issue and the attitude towards those who were overweight. I went head-on into it because I had first hand experience about the overweight/obesity issue. I should know, around the time I reprised the blog in 2010, I weighed at least 300 pounds. I will never know how much I weighed back then since I never weighed myself.
Honestly, I did not want to-- because it would be too shocking since I weighed about 180 twenty years earlier. I was a fat kid, and teenage angst made me thinner. I dieted, but I did it out of anger. In my "angry" years, mainly in my 20's, I wanted to be THE GUY with a chip on his shoulder! But something happened, I got laid, okay I got a job first (and THEN I got laid, but enough about me and my libido later). But as I got "happier", and got more money, and got a piece now and then (okay, I'll stop), I started to get relaxed and my anger slowed down (because who can get laid pissed off and broke?) The truth was I was comfortable and I was more accepting towards myself. For those who remembered me in my 20's...well, I am surprised some of you are my friends on Facebook! By the way, sorry I was an asshole back then!
So when I wrote that blog, I was fairly happy and fat... AND THEN THE RECESSION HAPPENED! In the field of work I'm in, mental health (MR/DD), State and Federal funds got cut and so did my hours. I ended up getting a second job in Geriatrics, but the squeeze already started! It got to the point that I was spending more on gas than food-- whatever food I could buy, I rationed. I kinda got angry again but instead of dwelling on the miserable economy, I set goals. I started walking my dogs more often, then I started to walk myself about 5-10 miles a week.
But the signs were out there to lose weight. I had some fat jokes thrown around by my clients, especially my clients in my Geriatric job! Also, I woke up short of breath on several occasions.When I bent over just to tie my shoe, I felt like I was choking myself! I also purchsed a size 46 pair of shorts that I barely squeezed into. Probably around in April of 2010, I might have weighed 315 pounds! Around that time I wrote "Fat, Like Me", I wrote about being fat because I WAS fat! I'm still fat now, but I now can be considered "chubby".
Two years, close to four pant sizes, and maybe 71 pounds later (I actually WEIGH myself now and I currently weigh 244 lbs.!), my BODY is starting to get happy! I can squeeze into a 38' pair of pants but I can wear size 40's with ease (which is GREAT b/c anything over a 44" waist is at least two dollars more in most chain stores)! I have a waistline now and in the shower, I CAN NOW SEE MY BALLS!!!! Sorry Mom and others who are "sensitive readers"for the frankness, but seeing my "man parts' in the shower is a liberating experience! I even RAN a mile a couple of weeks ago!
With a new waistline come a new attitude. If I can lose 70 plus pounds, maybe I can do ANYTHING! And "anything" is starting to happen, I'm getting more hours, I am now out more often (but eat out less), and I have more women talking to me. I am working to lose a few more pounds (to the point I will write a blog called "Skinny, Like Me"), and I am working to get a girlfriend, maybe a wife-- after I have seen my own "man parts" I wouldn't mind seeing some "lady parts" now and then!
Call it a "diet", but I never really dieted; I just cut down on food and go for more walks (now I'm up to at least 2 miles a day, 5 days a week). Call it an "attitude change' but I still believe that fat discrimation is still out of hand and overweight people are still looked down upon which I still think is wrong. I am in a new category now, but I'm not going to do a commercial nor be on "Biggest Loser" (I STILL HATE that show, by the way). Even now, after all the weight I had lost, I am still blind when it comes to looks. Looks count, but I still go for personalities first! I still can't get into the whole "skinny" thing and I will still have a pizza or chips and dip but it's few and far between. After all of this, I still want a girl who's not "exactly" skinny. The bottom line is that self appreciation comes in any size! And in the words of SNL character, Stuart Smalley "... and that's OKAY!"
Honestly, I did not want to-- because it would be too shocking since I weighed about 180 twenty years earlier. I was a fat kid, and teenage angst made me thinner. I dieted, but I did it out of anger. In my "angry" years, mainly in my 20's, I wanted to be THE GUY with a chip on his shoulder! But something happened, I got laid, okay I got a job first (and THEN I got laid, but enough about me and my libido later). But as I got "happier", and got more money, and got a piece now and then (okay, I'll stop), I started to get relaxed and my anger slowed down (because who can get laid pissed off and broke?) The truth was I was comfortable and I was more accepting towards myself. For those who remembered me in my 20's...well, I am surprised some of you are my friends on Facebook! By the way, sorry I was an asshole back then!
So when I wrote that blog, I was fairly happy and fat... AND THEN THE RECESSION HAPPENED! In the field of work I'm in, mental health (MR/DD), State and Federal funds got cut and so did my hours. I ended up getting a second job in Geriatrics, but the squeeze already started! It got to the point that I was spending more on gas than food-- whatever food I could buy, I rationed. I kinda got angry again but instead of dwelling on the miserable economy, I set goals. I started walking my dogs more often, then I started to walk myself about 5-10 miles a week.
But the signs were out there to lose weight. I had some fat jokes thrown around by my clients, especially my clients in my Geriatric job! Also, I woke up short of breath on several occasions.When I bent over just to tie my shoe, I felt like I was choking myself! I also purchsed a size 46 pair of shorts that I barely squeezed into. Probably around in April of 2010, I might have weighed 315 pounds! Around that time I wrote "Fat, Like Me", I wrote about being fat because I WAS fat! I'm still fat now, but I now can be considered "chubby".
Two years, close to four pant sizes, and maybe 71 pounds later (I actually WEIGH myself now and I currently weigh 244 lbs.!), my BODY is starting to get happy! I can squeeze into a 38' pair of pants but I can wear size 40's with ease (which is GREAT b/c anything over a 44" waist is at least two dollars more in most chain stores)! I have a waistline now and in the shower, I CAN NOW SEE MY BALLS!!!! Sorry Mom and others who are "sensitive readers"for the frankness, but seeing my "man parts' in the shower is a liberating experience! I even RAN a mile a couple of weeks ago!
With a new waistline come a new attitude. If I can lose 70 plus pounds, maybe I can do ANYTHING! And "anything" is starting to happen, I'm getting more hours, I am now out more often (but eat out less), and I have more women talking to me. I am working to lose a few more pounds (to the point I will write a blog called "Skinny, Like Me"), and I am working to get a girlfriend, maybe a wife-- after I have seen my own "man parts" I wouldn't mind seeing some "lady parts" now and then!
Call it a "diet", but I never really dieted; I just cut down on food and go for more walks (now I'm up to at least 2 miles a day, 5 days a week). Call it an "attitude change' but I still believe that fat discrimation is still out of hand and overweight people are still looked down upon which I still think is wrong. I am in a new category now, but I'm not going to do a commercial nor be on "Biggest Loser" (I STILL HATE that show, by the way). Even now, after all the weight I had lost, I am still blind when it comes to looks. Looks count, but I still go for personalities first! I still can't get into the whole "skinny" thing and I will still have a pizza or chips and dip but it's few and far between. After all of this, I still want a girl who's not "exactly" skinny. The bottom line is that self appreciation comes in any size! And in the words of SNL character, Stuart Smalley "... and that's OKAY!"
Congratulations!!! I'm very happy that you're feeling better and going out more!
ReplyDeleteYes, and I'll be honest-- I got SO excited about my "new body" I got myself a THONG! And I'll be honest I look pretty darn good in it (and the mirror did not crack!)LOL
DeleteThat's great! The only successful way to get healthier is to change eating and activity habits. You did good....
ReplyDeleteThank you Darlene! I'm just happy to finish a goal-- but I still got a way to go! Hopefully my past weight problems now turn into future woman problems since there will be too much of them to fight off! LOL
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