"Escape from Obesity" Blog...Wake up call for me....
I was reading the blog "Escape from Obesity" (FYI...I know the author is on here but it has slipped my mind which user name you are...my apologies)
I have to say the post which is titled "I Cried" was quite a shocker. Not only what the author felt about it but that they put a show like that on TV. It really bothers me that it was on a major network. That said I have to say it made me very uncomfortable with the fact that people in grocery stores, on the street, at a restaurant do have a lot of thoughts going through their heads about fat people.
I have one thin friend who is not the most mature emotionally and he is a constant looker into people's grocery carts. He loves to talk about why people would do that to themselves and guess what....he is one of the most unhealthiest eaters. Canned chili, chips etc. are what he eats for lunch. He thinks because he watches "The Biggest Loser" he is "tuned in" to how fat people feel. His wife continually puts her foot down about his eating habits.
As for me....it made a light bulb go off in my head. I really never thought it through. People really do look at you differently when you are fat. I heard about it but never admitted it..... I guess a show like that on the TV sent the message home. I have chronic pain in my legs and feet...maybe I am doing it to myself? I really do nothing to make it better but stay off them as much as possible. I still eat and hardly exercise because of them. Do I work through the pain? I believe it is time. I read the post and started to see little light bulbs go off in different places with comments people have made through the past year. Even my own sister....and of course my mother who has absolutely no respect for me even though she loves me. My brother sometimes has this look on his face when we are eating together that I think now maybe stems from this "How can she do that to herself???" It was a painful look in the mirror to read the post but I have to say....I think I needed it.
If you can take that emotion and use it as fuel for redoubled efforts for the sake of your own health, that's wonderful--that's the best possible thing that could come of such a show.
However, I'm seeing red at the manipulative crap the producers shoveled out there for the audience to behold. It's BS that all people think that way or even that most do; a little judicious editing could show anything from the whole world being against fatter folks to everyone having secret sympathy for the chick (or dude) with the basket full of junk food.
We don't know what goes through other people's heads. To believe that we do is to torture ourselves unnecessarily, to circumscribe our lives in ways we don't need to because someone might not like us. If people didn't like what was in my cart when I bought cruddy food, they don't need to bestir themselves to look in there, now do they? Nor do I need someone else to give me approving nods now that my cart is filled with fresh vegetables and lean meats.
Again, it's great if you can use this show as motivation, but it sounds like awfully manipulative television. Maybe I'm just naive in believing that the world is a kinder place than it really is, but I believe the vast majority of other people are either sympathetic to others or just don't notice others at all. Editors may rig a show to look otherwise, but my personal experience is that most people are kind.
The author of that blog is Lyn2007, and I agree, she is awesome! That show always makes me cringe; I just cannot watch it. Quite glad I didn't see that episode.
I honestly don't think other people think about us as much as you think they do, everybody has their own problems and lives. I don't think I've ever even glanced in somebody else's cart other than to see which line to get into.
I think the one good thing about being my age, 56, is you don't care as much what everybody else thinks of you, I'm just happy to be here especially since several of my friends have already died.
I read her post about it and am glad I didn't see it. Reading her account was enough for me. It also made me feel very lucky that I haven't had to deal with things like that. I've always been social, had friends, met a great guy who is the love of my life. I feel like instead of attracting comments I'm just invisible to a lot of people. If I observe things in public I see that not everyone is treated as invisible.
Lynn's blog is awesome and she puts down on paper what is running through my head so often !!! I personally try not to pay much attention to any of the reality shows ... especially one like " What Would You Do " or whatever it is called . PaulaM ... I have to totally agree with you ...... I am the same age as you and believe me , I have seen enough life to value living each day to the fullest ( and I don't mean my dinner plate ! ) and to heck with what other people may be thinking . I have enough trouble trying to deal with my own insecurities without adding more ... if that make sense .
I am very glad you enjoy my blog. It is the lifeline of my weight loss! Thank you for the kind words.
I had a bad night last night, first one in awhile, but I came here for some encouragement early this A.M. because I am DETERMINED to get my biking schedule set and running and get the rest of the pounds off! So nice to see this thread here when I arrived
Right grammajiggles! Lyn, it just sounds like you are going through a temporary setback, don't let it throw you! And yes, get going on the exercise, it really helps a lot of things. If nothing else it calms you.
DollyR - Thanks for the scoop on a wonderful blog by Lyn2007. She is sooo good at putting my thoughts into her words.
I have heard people make fun at someone walking around with extra pounds, say just those things out loud in front of me but allegedly "not directed at me". It was my now XH and his guy friends. It was my neighbor (and now convicted (grand)child molester) and B-I-L. There was judgment of overweight and obese people in very nasty terms. Any other physical attribute would be ignored or at the very least kept to just thoughts and not voiced to a person with a similar attribute. By the way, all of the people in my story about who have engaged in this bashing are at the very least, alcoholics and are not aware that when they point the finger there are three more pointed back to themselves.
I have often wished I had the guts to say - "I can lose (lost) the weight but you will always be an a$$hole." I just can't - my mother raised me better than that.
One more thought - overweight/obese people wear their flaws, struggles on the outside, out in the open where everybody can see them. This shouldn't be an open invitation to criticize.
I have often wished I had the guts to say - "I can lose (lost) the weight but you will always be an a$$hole." I just can't - my mother raised me better than that.
My mom sure didn't, and I've said exactly that (and worse) to the few people I've met who judge me or others cruelly.
In Mom's defense, she raised me well overall, though. Or at least I think she did.
"Escape from Obesity" Blog...Wake up call for me....
