Shamelessly Stolen Insperational Material

Text in plain type is stolen from Becky's Bar and Grill, and in bold is my own comments on it:

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I say the next time you feel “[following WW's] is Too Hard” consider how hard it was/is to:

Shop in Specialty Clothing Stores (Layne Bryant, The Avenue, Catherine’s) your choices are limited.

For me it is Casual Male XL (formerly Casual Male Big and Tall), which is the only place I can buy any clothing other than socks.

Missing Out on Pool Parties because you're too embarrassed to wear a bathing suit in front of your friends.

I have definitely done this. I love to swim (ok, so I love to play in the pool, not exactly swim), but I've only done so twice in the past three years (both times at Niagara when Liz and I had the hotel pool to ourselves) or maybe even longer than that. It's not so much my friends I'm ashamed of, but the way I know I look even to complete strangers. I know I'm disgusting, and I don't want to ruin other people's time in the pool... so I just stay away.

Not being able to wear your favorite outfit because it's too small.

Not wanting to hug those close to you because you don't want them to feel your rolls of fat.

Not going to the movies, because squeezing into the seats for 90 minutes is too uncomfortable.

Not dancing at weddings because you don't want people staring at the "fat chick" on the dance floor.

At work, twice a year, we have retreats at state parks for one and a half days, and the night between the two days always involves a DJ/dancing in the bar from like 9-1. I have managed to keep myself tipsy enough at two of the four I've attended to get myself out on the floor and just have fun. The first of the four I skipped entirely and hid in my room all night, the third there wasn't a decent bar and I was too sober/self conscious. There's one other guy, a Managing attorney, who is almost (but not quite) as overweight as me, but he has a lot more confidence than I do. And I hear my friends/coworkers making fun of him at times, and I know they'd think the same about me if we weren't friends (or maybe just if I weren't in the conversation)

Not attending family gatherings because you don’t want people to see how big you’ve gotten.

Not going to a picnic or summer barbecue because you’re afraid the lawn furniture won’t hold you.

I have broken a number of our folding chairs at home, [over time, not like all at once] and I refuse to sit in chairs which aren't either metal or really solid wood.

Not attending your high school reunion because you don't want old boyfriends seeing how much weight you've put on. Or old friends thinking "what happened to her?"

For me, I was already fat in high school... and it was at least part of why I don't think there is a single person who will be disappointed that I didn't show for the reunion. I will only go to my 10 year (next Spring) if I feel that I've lost enough weight to surprise people.

Having to ask for a seatbelt extension on the airplane.

I think i've said before in this blog... I do whatever possible to avoid flying because I'm afraid they'll make me purchase two seats.

Yes, journaling, weighing and measuring your food, exercising, and attending weekly meetings is hard but being over weight is much harder and so much lonelier.

Hell yes.