Amusement park woes

DanniB423

Yesterday I went to an amusement park with my family. For years I avoided them due to the fear of not being able to fit on rides at 5'0 and 272lbs. I have lost 66 pounds in the last 14 months and I am feeling pretty good. I wish I could say " I got on those rides no problem and had a blast!!" At 5'0, bottom heavy and 206 lbs I STILL felt too nervous to try. I took the little kids on their rides and let the adults run off and do the coasters. I have no idea why my brain holds me back. I do think I would have fit. Being told "Sorry, you need to get off"just sounds so crippling to me. Now I said to myself "Okay I'll go back at goal (170) and I will get on!" Will I? Is there anything that you know physically now you are capable of after weight loss but your mind still holds you back?

Sharon_C

My daughter works on a roller coaster at a local amusement park. She says that people tell her stories all the time about how they were told they couldn't ride due to their weight. They used that as motivation, lost weight, and came back the next year to ride. So you're not alone. Use it as motivation!

As for me, the obstacle runs are holding me back--Tough Mudder, etc. My husband and daughter do them. They constantly ask me to do them with them. I have been weight lifting for 2 years now. I know I have the strength but the fear of failure, of not being able to do the obstacles, holds me back. I know it frustrates my daughter that I won't do them.

Madwife2009

Loads of things, for example, I am convinced that I have to have my car door wide open in order to get into the driver's seat. Absolute nonsense but I still park well away from any other cars.

My spacial awareness is rubbish. I have no idea what I can and cannot fit through.

I've got past the amusement park thing though. Last time we went I could fit on every single ride, including those made for very small children. You'll get past it as well.

88olds

Some parks have test seats outside of the rides. Sounds like you need some kind of private no pressure test. I don't think that's unreasonable. Maybe with some research you could make a test chair at home.

I lost 65 lbs, became a gym regular and ran my kids ragged in the Orlando parks. It was one of the great benefits of losing.

Then I lost 35 more lbs. I spent years getting rid of clothes that didn't fit. Like Madwife2009, I had no grasp on what my size actually was. I still balk at buying anything in medium even though that's clearly what fits.

LyssaJ1

I put off going to Disney World for a few years because I felt sooo *yuck* and like I was too big for the seats (some of it was actual, but a majority was a sort of 'body dimorphic') but I used it as a motivator because I really, really wanted to go. In my opinion, Disney is *so much more* accommodating to bigger folks, whereas Universal Orlando has *some* test seats, they are right near the entry to the ride, mostly wide open to everyone. It's like "gee thanks for the added embarrassment." ) Even though I was 'smaller' than I was at Disney (Universal trip was a year after last trip to Disney, and due to health issues, hadn't been able to exercise *at all*) the seats were *dang snug*. I have friends who are bigger than me and I know it would crush their spirit if they couldn't ride the rides because of their size. I wish I could motivate them to drop weight...not just for silly reasons of rides, but for their health (because we aren't spring chickens anymore ~lame chuckle~.

Congratulations on your weight loss! Atta *YOU* and I sincerely hope that when you reach your goal, you will take the most brave step and face your fear of getting on those rides. At 170, you *will fit* (excluding a particular ride at Universal 'cause it's just for children and *one* adult, of super-small proportions (in my opinion). I'm like, two inches too tall, but in 30 pounds, I'd be the 'right enough' weight...I'd just need to borrow someone's kid LOL!

For me, when I'm facing something that I don't feel confident doing ('do I even dare try clothing the next size down? Have I lost enough? What if I don't? How do I cope?) I have to make a plan for dealing with the anxiety. Okay, so like, what if I'm *not* able to fit into the next side down? Be confident in my (your) resolve that you will re-evaluate diet/exercise to get to that goal! We can sit down, and feel defeated...but it's far greater to stand up to the problem, break it into smaller pieces, and deal with it. Just like learning to walk...one step at a time.

tmahanna79

Thank you all for sharing your stories on this topic. When it happens to you, it feels like you are completely alone in the world. I love Disney and Universal and really all theme parks, but have been avoiding the rides with overhead restraints because I was pulled from a ride at my favorite place in the world (Harry Potter World). I decided in May this year, that would never happen again, down 68 so far, hoping to lose about 40-50 more. Would love to friend all of you so we can support each other in our life long journeys.

ekim2016

few years ago went to Flags in Vallejo.... got into a roller coaster seat then the cross bar was lowered and it was crushing my gut and I had to scream NO, let me off!! Embarrassing as they all stared at me as I slinked away...