Sunday Share: Hey, Fat Girl

June 3, 2012

Happy Sunday!

I wanted to quickly share this because I loved it. It’s from a blog called FlintLand, and is titled “Hey, Fat Girl.”

Hey, Fat Girl.

 

Yes, you. The one feigning to not see me when we cross paths on the running track. The one not even wearing sports gear, breathing heavy. You’re slow, you breathe hard and your efforts at moving forward make you cringe.

 

You cling shyly to the furthest corridor, sometimes making larger loops on the gravel ring by the track just so you’re not on it. You sweat so much that your hair is all wet. You rarely stay for more than 20 minutes at a time, and you look exhausted when you leave to go back home.  You never talk to anyone. I’ve got something I’d like to say to you. (read the entire post)

This is the comment I left on his blog, which summarizes my feelings about it:
Thank you so much for this post. I am a weight loss blogger who started at 455 pounds and despite having lost 113 already, still hang my head in self-imposed-shame whenever I try a new physical activity. I did my first half-marathon at 350 pounds and finished with no spectators except the race organizers and my amazing friends who wogged (walk/jogged) the race with me. I’ve popped a stability ball in the gym, and fallen off treadmills. I will say that for every silent snicker or snide look from onlookers, there have been twice as many people who have been cheerleaders and who have pushed me onward. Pull strength from those who lift you up, not those who keep you down.

Thank you all for letting me pull from your encouragement! It gives me strength.

  • sarahrr123

    Wow. Wow, wow, wow. That was amazing. I too completely ignore people as I “run” (I call it wobbling) down the street in the morning. I never really considering it avoidance, but I am just concentrating and not wanting to stop to converse with anyone. Maybe I’ll start looking up and wave to my neighbors. They must think I’m rude!

  • LHA

    Thanks for sharing this. I needed it today! You always inspire…..always encourage…..what a wonderful gift to all of us who read your blog. Thank you!

  • Stephanie at Visible and Real

    Thank you for posting this. This was really what I needed after a rough run today

  • Tricia

    Thanks for sharing that bought a tear to my eye. It also gave me encouragement to get back out there.

  • http://twitter.com/fabbecky Becky Cooper

    The article made me cry, it was so beautiful. I had to leave a comment and re-post through my social media accounts so as many people as I could reach would see it. Thank you for sharing this, and your own journey, which constantly inspires me.

  • http://www.coffeepotchronicles.com Kim

    I just found your blog via Fitfluential on Pinterest and have to extend a huge thank you.

    My bad ankle flared up recently and it kept me away from workouts. Worse, I started to get that feeling of “Why bother going to the gym? I can’t keep up with these girls. I look like an idiot.” Thanks to you and some other posts I’ve read I know I CAN do it and the excuses MUST stop. I’ve lost 35 pounds so far and still have 100 to go. I’ve come this far already and have NO good reason to stop now. Bad ankle be damned. I can do this and WILL do this.

    Thanks so much for the inspiration and motivation. I’ve bookmarked your blog and will be reading more.

  • Melanie

    Thank you for posting this!

  • Amber Surface

    That’s a beautiful story. I was always so sure that people at the gym were mocking me until I realized that most of them were dealing with their own personal concerns.

  • Veronica Holtz

    Love this! You’re awesome and when you look back on all of this you’ll be SO PROUD you stuck with it! Congrats on getting back in the game after an injury!

  • Lindsey

    Wow, thanks for linking to this post. It was exactly what I needed to hear. When my boyfriend are out trying to run/jog (he lightly jogs next to me while I’m giving it everything I have to keep bouncing lol) I am the girl he described. I don’t like to really make eye contact with anyone. This made me look at the situation much differently!

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