DIS Boards Show - The Weight Thread

[*NikkiBell*]

It's no surprise to those DISers who have been frequenting the Unplugged boards for awhile that I am a woman with weight issues. I just couldn't resist the urge to comment on a few things mentioned on the DIS Boards Discussion show. Please note that this is not necessarily directed at anyone here (unless you fall into this category); I just had to get it off my chest.

I have been overweight my entire life. I was a fat baby, a fat child, a fat teenager, and a fat adult. In 2001, after years of ridicule in school including the traditional name calling and group teasing plus a large dose of sexual harassment related to my weight, I made the decision to get skinny before I graduated college. I thought it was the only way I would be happy. While I am not going to go into the unhealthy details of how I lost 114 pounds in about 10 months, I will say I did not do it the right way.

I moved home from college and met the guy of my dreams. He spoiled me profusely with presents including those that were edible (Godiva was a fav ). I soon put on the weight again. Two and a half years ago, I decided I could not do this anymore and made the decision to give total control of my eating to Jenny Craig. I lost 119 pounds on their program and have kept it off since. They taught me how to eat, how to cook, how to eat out, and how to think about food. Giving up that total control allowed them to correct the behaviors that I formed as habits --- overeating, constant eating of high fat, high carb meals, etc. It was what saved my life from where it was headed, diabetes, high blood pressure, muscle pain, and potentially heart disease.

I remember a time when I went on Nitro at Six Flags before I lost the weight. The ride vehicle just barely held me in place. I would have been mortified if I was forced to exit the ride due to my size. Thankfully, I have never been in that position and feel horribly for those who have.

To those people out there who have stared, mocked, or verbally criticized those who are heavy, how dare you.

To those who question what a large person eats during their vacations, how dare you.

To those who snap pictures of overweight swimmers in their bathing suits, how dare you.

Unless you have lived my life and the life of so many obese individuals, you have no right to criticize. In fact, even if you have lost a tremendous amount of weight, you are not entitled to it either. I thank God for threads like the one discussed on the show because it helps heavy WDW lovers plan their trips better so they can avoid any embarrassment relating to their size. My heart broke when I heard of Kevin’s discussion of the chair breaking in California. I’ve been there.

I am committed to maintaining a lifestyle that will prevent me from returning to those dark days. My weight will always go up and down. I’m always going to make bad food choices at restaurants while on vacation (or even while at home). To this day, I will not wear shorts at home or in the parks because the memories of being made fun of in elementary school haunt me. But, I will never, ever criticize someone for how they choose to live their life and it sickens me that others do.

I have the battle scars on my body to remind me of what overweight people go through on a daily basis. It is their decision if they want to lose weight. No one’s rude posts on the Internet can change that. And no matter where my life takes me, I will always support my friends who choose to take the long journey towards a healthier lifestyle. For those that are not ready yet, I will support them, too. It is not my place or anyone else’s to judge another for what they look like on the outside. It’s the inside that counts.

 

[rocio]

I haven't listened to this show yet, but what you write is spoken from the heart and very eloquent. Thank you! I agree with you wholeheartedly and would expand this idea to include anybody who is "different" than you. Until you walk a mile in someone's shoes....

 

[SamSam]

I teared up reading your wonderfully written post. I could literally feel your pain from the emotional abuse you suffered as a child. You are a wonderful, strong, caring person, thank you for sharing your story.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Thank you for your wonderful post Nikki. It should be posted everywhere and include everyone with challenges. Be it weight, size or disability or circumstance.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Thanks, friends. I really didn't write it to receive attention or kudos. It just makes me so angry sometimes that people are so ignorant. I agree that it relates to so many other "differences" in our world, too.

 

[lblume91]

Wow. Very well-written. It hit so close to home that I could have written it myself. I too have always struggled with my weight. I seem to have settled into a middle of the road weight (for me) that I can maintain, which is certainly heavier than my ideal weight but nowhere near my heaviest. It is a daily battle that many of us will face for the rest of our lives. I try to take it one day of good decisions at a time. No one deserves to be judged by another. Thank you for giving so many of us a voice.

 

[disneyholic family]

decided to delete mine as it might be misinterpreted as criticism, which of course it wasn't meant to be (just a long, not very eloquent rant about people's assumptions about others)..

Nikki, your post was much more eloquent!!.....

 

[wishspirit]

Thank you so much for your post Nikki!

Most people in this world have body issues, be it too tall, short, fat, thin, big arms, knobbly knees or bad feet.

Those who ridicule others are the really ugly ones, no matter how cosmetically pretty they are. They do it because they are small, afraid and have no empathy for other people. I feel sorry for them from the bottom of my heart!

Your body is an amazing thing. It is an amazing, intricate system that can deal with immense challenges and overwhelming emotions, who cares about the packaging it comes in?

 

[dizneedoll]

Hi Nikki,

Your story sounds so much like mine. I was a fat kid, teenager and adult too. I HATED school because of how much abuse I took from being overweight. When I was in my 20's I lost a lot of weight the wrong way too. Unfortunately that saddled me with an eating disorder and a terrible self image.
I'm always amazed and awed at how brave the podcast crew is sometimes in opening up the way they do. I think it is that that sets them apart from all the other podcasts, you get to know the people and you care about them. I remember in school there was a classroom that had very small desks, those kind with the chair attached to the desk, and when I first went to that class I couldn't fit in the desk. It was the most horrible moment, everyone knew and saw and well...I'm sure if you've been there you can imagine how it was for me. So, yeah, I understand how Kevin felt with the chair in Ca. too.

Thank you to both Nikki and Kevin for sharing about this. It really does make it better to hear that others have been through similar experiences as myself.

 

[Joshua_me]

Bless you for taking the time to write that, Nikki. I know it couldn't have been easy....

Brought a little tear to my jaded and cynical eyes.

(((Thank You for that)))

 

[mikelan6]

Thank you, Nikki for the great post.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I tease, taunt and torture you.....but I know through all it, that you know you are my friend.

I love what you have written. Thank you for it.

When we were picking out what threads we were going to talk about....I knew I had to pick the one about being "Pooh sized".

I wrestled with talking about the chair breaking because I was humiliated and embarrassed by it happening, but I sorta knew driving to the podcast that I had to own it. I have to try to de-stigmatize stuff like this. I've been given the honor of having a small platform to talk about stuff that I think is important and I would feel as if I had wasted an opportunity if I didnt.

I too, have been overweight my entire life. I have lost and regained so many pounds that it's hard to keep track. I try to make the right choices every single day and it's a struggle I'll have my entire life.

Thanks again for what you have written Nikki. I agree with Lisa. This should be posted everywhere.

 

[DisneyKevin]

decided to delete mine as it might be misinterpreted as criticism, which of course it wasn't meant to be (just a long, not very eloquent rant about people's assumptions about others)..

Nikki, your post was much more eloquent!!.....

I read your post and didnt see it as criticism at all.

I respect your decision to remove it, but I wanted you to know that I thought it was just fine.

 

[ADP]

This thread has caused me to shed a tear. Just know I've been there and done that Nikki.

I love the way you've described all of it.

I hope nobody minds, but I need to say this. A heart felt thanks to my friends on the DIS and family who've helped me get to where I am today. It's been a long, hard road......On a road that never ends.

 

[FireDancer]

I wrestled with talking about the chair breaking because I was humiliated and embarrassed by it happening, but I sorta knew driving to the podcast that I had to own it. I have to try to de-stigmatize stuff like this. I've been given the honor of having a small platform to talk about stuff that I think is important and I would feel as if I had wasted an opportunity if I didnt.

Kevin, if it makes you feel any better about 4 years ago I sat down on a wooden chair that was left out one too many winters and fell right through it. It wasn't gradual, it was straight out of a Charlie Chaplin movie. Not only that, but I then had the comical indignity of one of my friends helping me to remove splinters from my back side. You do find out quickly who your friends are when they are helping tweeze splinters from areas you can get arrested for showing publicly.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Really great post, Nikki. I hadn't read anything about your story before, so it was all new to me. You're totally right, though, and I'd take it one step further - how dare anyone stare/remark/mock someone else because of ANY physical difference.

I've never had to deal with weight issues, but I have a muscle issue that can draw attention from time to time. I definitely had a hard time with it growing up, until I learned to have thicker skin about it. I think it's so important, like you said, NOT to criticize anyone for how they look. No one knows their situation, or what they are dealing with/not dealing with on a day to day basis.

 

[disneyholic family]

I read your post and didnt see it as criticism at all.

I respect your decision to remove it, but I wanted you to know that I thought it was just fine.

thank you so much for saying that Kevin

the written word sometimes leaves a lot to be desired (especially when it's my written word ).....

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I'm always amazed and awed at how brave the podcast crew is sometimes in opening up the way they do. I think it is that that sets them apart from all the other podcasts, you get to know the people and you care about them. I remember in school there was a classroom that had very small desks, those kind with the chair attached to the desk, and when I first went to that class I couldn't fit in the desk. It was the most horrible moment, everyone knew and saw and well...I'm sure if you've been there you can imagine how it was for me. So, yeah, I understand how Kevin felt with the chair in Ca. too.

This is why I absolutely love the DIS and podcast so much. It just gives me a forum to share my mind. Some may like that, others may not, but it's all about the blessed opportunity to do that. Give me a topic, and I can talk about it.

I am very sensitive to my overweight students. I am also sensitive to their parents. While I was on my journey, we had a team meeting with one child's extremely obese parents. As soon as the mother walked in, our team leader said they could sit in the kids' desks. She then walked to a seat herself (our team leader was super skinny). I immediately jumped up and got them chairs from the back of the room to avoid any embarrassment. I didn't say a word, I just put them down in front of them. Sometimes you need to be in one's shoes to be sensitive to even the most basic needs.

I tease, taunt and torture you.....but I know through all it, that you know you are my friend.

I love what you have written. Thank you for it.



Thanks again for what you have written Nikki. I agree with Lisa. This should be posted everywhere.

I was tempted to post it on the restaurants and community board forums, but thought it'd get me a penalty for repeated posting. I know that's against DIS guidelines somewhere.

By the way, you left out a comma in your post. -running-

decided to delete mine as it might be misinterpreted as criticism, which of course it wasn't meant to be (just a long, not very eloquent rant about people's assumptions about others)..

Nikki, your post was much more eloquent!!.....

I read it before and did not see it that way.

Kevin, if it makes you feel any better about 4 years ago I sat down on a wooden chair that was left out one too many winters and fell right through it. It wasn't gradual, it was straight out of a Charlie Chaplin movie. Not only that, but I then had the comical indignity of one of my friends helping me to remove splinters from my back side. You do find out quickly who your friends are when they are helping tweeze splinters from areas you can get arrested for showing publicly.

I just laughed my butt off at this. Thank you! It sounds like something that would happen to me during a summertime podcast chat night. Were you around for the Cool Whip incidient?

 

[astrodrummergirl]

Well said Nikki. I'm still searching for a good way to lose weight, but I just can't seem to focus on making it work!

 

[FireDancer]

Well said Nikki. I'm still searching for a good way to lose weight, but I just can't seem to focus on making it work!

Have you checked out the WISH boards?

I just laughed my butt off at this. Thank you! It sounds like something that would happen to me during a summertime podcast chat night. Were you around for the Cool Whip incidient?

Ah yes, I have learned in life through many such things (of which I am quite prone to unfortunately) that the ability to laugh at one's self makes for a much happier life. Of course I realize that is easier for some then others.

I have not heard of the Cool Whip incident, pray tell.