Too fat for fair rides...

So I just got back from the fair, which would have been a wonderful night, except the last couple rides I tried to ride I was too big for. It wasn't even the guy at the gate was like "I don't think you can fit, sweetie..." It was a full blown got-into-the-seat-and-they-couldn't-latch-me-in thing. I'm really trying not to think too much about it because I've been doing moderately well with MFP, but it's really depressing and took away from the whole experience.

Replies

  • tropical24
    tropical24 Posts: 19 Member
    I've had this happen And I live close to several theme parks. (We have season passes) it's a horrible feeling to have that happen. whats worse is to go and be terrified to ride anything because you think it will happen, so you miss out on the fun.

    Don't think too much into it though, You're working to fix it. That's the part that matters.
  • srogers89
    srogers89 Posts: 190 Member
    Keeping on trucking! You are doing well with MFP and every journey takes time :) think about it this time next year! You will probably be able to slide under those bars with all the great work you are doing ;)
  • MuseofSong
    MuseofSong Posts: 322 Member
    I'm sorry that happened to you. I've seen it happen to a guy before, and it wrung my heart to see it. I tried like hell not to stare, and it made me angry to hear people snicker or laugh outright. I used to go to theme parks constantly (live in So. Cal.)

    I honestly have not gone to a theme park since I gained all this weight. I might like to go back someday, and when I do, I darn well want to be able to get on all the rides.
  • annwyatt69
    annwyatt69 Posts: 727 Member
    The last time I went to our local fair I was too big for the rides, not to mention the fact that I couldn't walk around the fair grounds. I also couldn't step up into the rides, or step down.
    Two weeks ago, we went to Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. I have lost 109 pounds since my last fair experience. I walked around that dang park for over 6 hours and enjoyed riding every ride, some of them several times.
    My youngest son, 21, was 401 pounds at his heaviest. He has now lost 100 pounds and is still losing. He still had some issues with a couple of the rides. By the time we go again next year, I expect that he will fit nicely in those rides too.
    It is very disheartening when you realize that you can't do what others do. It's an eye opener for sure.
    It wasn't not fitting in the rides that "hit" me.
    It was not being able to cut my own toenails or polish them.
    Strange what our breaking points are!
  • Oh I am so sorry. :-( I can imagine how that felt... I've been with people when that happened to them and know how I felt for them. Please don't use this as a jump off point to mess up all the hard work you've put in. Use it as an affirmation of determination to win this challenge. Promise yourself that at the fair next year you will ride every singe one of those rides with PLENTY of room to spare. You CAN do this. You have been working so hard and I have complete faith that you can meet your goal. Make this a new challenge. Try to let the negative aspect of this to lessen and just gain purpose from it. Best of luck!!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    As hard as it might seem, don't let this get you down. We all have things in life that disappoint ourselves from time to time. The objective is to draw strength from it.

    You got this. We believe in you! Keep up the great work!
  • Suzmp85
    Suzmp85 Posts: 184 Member
    I had that happen to me when I was towards my heaviest..it was one of my favorite rides and I was devastated to let myself get as big as I did (240 at my heaviest) but that moment motivated me to take my weight loss journey more seriously.

    Let that motivate you, and the best of luck. You can do it! :)
  • helpfit101
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
    Well the good thing is.. you can change this! If you've had success here on MFP you already know you can change it.

    If you have had trouble PM me and tell me what's not working.
  • jaecamp1
    jaecamp1 Posts: 120 Member
    That happened to me the last time I was at a fair. The fact that I was on a date made it even worse!

    It was not as embarrassing as having to stand and wait for the hostess in the middle of a restaurant to explain that you need a table because you can't fit into their booth. :embarassed:
  • dga226
    dga226 Posts: 224 Member
    that has happen to my friends and we all got off the ride and the manger of the park tried giving us free passes to come pack but said sorry

    we were upset and he tried to bribe us we stuck with are friend
  • fitfreakymom
    fitfreakymom Posts: 1,400 Member
    well you fit onto most of them and by this time next year you will fit on all of them so don't worry about.
  • reddgirl87
    reddgirl87 Posts: 6 Member
    Hey try not to Let it get to you... You're working on the problem now so next time the fair is in town, you won't have to worry about it! :D I've had that happen to me before, & I was so embarrassed... That was last year, this year I actually got on a few the rides because I could fit again! The feeling is great, and you will feel it too once you lose more weight :-) good luck :):)
  • amdevns23
    amdevns23 Posts: 35 Member
    I know the feeling :/ This past Spring Break I went to Mission Beach with a couple of girl friends (who all happen to weigh like 120 soaking wet)... First we rode the roller coaster on the Pier and they had to come push down the bar because it wouldn't easily lock.. Then we went to Sea World and I had trouble on the rides there. It was mortifying :/ Don't let it get to you. You're doing something about it. That's what's important!!!
  • PaulHalicki
    PaulHalicki Posts: 576 Member
    At Six Flags Over Texas this summer, there was a woman who couldn't be properly locked into the roller coaster but they let her ride anyway. She ended up falling to her death in front of her (adult) children. So.... be grateful they don't let you ride; it's for your own safety. I'm sure the Six Flags incident has been drummed into the employees at all fairs and amusement parks and they aren't taking any chances.

    On the plus side, use this for motivation. You said yourself that you're losing weight, when you're skinny you'll be able to ride all the rides again and you'll appreciate them more.
  • somerisagirlsname
    somerisagirlsname Posts: 467 Member
    At Six Flags Over Texas this summer, there was a woman who couldn't be properly locked into the roller coaster but they let her ride anyway. She ended up falling to her death in front of her (adult) children. So.... be grateful they don't let you ride; it's for your own safety. I'm sure the Six Flags incident has been drummed into the employees at all fairs and amusement parks and they aren't taking any chances.

    On the plus side, use this for motivation. You said yourself that you're losing weight, when you're skinny you'll be able to ride all the rides again and you'll appreciate them more.

    I've been trying to look at the safety aspect of it for sure, but it's still mortifying.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    Don't you dare get discouraged! :) you're doing so well on MFP! You just hang on in there, you know you're going in the right direction and you know this sort of thing will be in your past very soon.

    I'm sorry about what happened, i bet it hurt. I remember when my (then) husband at 150kg shattered an antique chair he was sitting on, and the chagrin he suffered.

    The difference is you're dieting. You're leaving all that humiliation and depression behind you. You're being pro-active and you're doing REALLY WELL. I sooo want you to win. I'm TOTALLY rooting for you. K?
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    You'll get there. Sorry you had to go through this. :flowerforyou:

    #andnothingmean
  • badgerbabs
    badgerbabs Posts: 49 Member
    Sweetie, I'm so sorry. Crap like that hurts like hell, and it scars us, to boot. I'm very certain that you'll go back there within the year and strut your stuff right on up to the ride. Knock 'em dead!
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
    that has happen to my friends and we all got off the ride and the manger of the park tried giving us free passes to come pack but said sorry

    we were upset and he tried to bribe us we stuck with are friend

    This doesn't sound like bribery, this sounds like a kind gesture. Good for you for all getting off with your friend to show support, but I don't think the park manager was being mean, I think he was trying to make up for an unpleasant experience. The rides aren't designed to upset people, it's just a safety feature.

    OP, I'm sorry this happened to you. I've never not fitted on a ride, but I have certainly avoided riding some things just in case I didn't. Our local theme park has sample ride seats at the entrance to some of the rollercoasters so you can sit in it before you get in the queue and see if it is 'comfortable'. This seems like a good way of handling it, but I guess that's probably more difficult for a traveling fair to do.
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    Hey, you're working on changing your situation. There's no point in dwelling on it-- it happened, put it past you, and keep working toward your goal. Be proud that you're putting in the hard work!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I agree with what some others have said. Don't let it depress you. That feeling that you felt when you got turned away, that is your motivation. When you want to overeat, or NOT go to the gym, remember not being able to fit on that ride! Next year, you'll be able to do it just fine.

    The picture on the left is MY motivation, my breaking point. I was already trying to lose weight. I had been going to the gym 3-5x a week for like 2 months, and had lost 10 lbs. My friend took the picture at her daughter's birthday party and posted it on facebook. When I saw it I wanted to vomit and cry ( and un-tag myself in the picture), but I didn't. The picture on the right was taken about 2 weeks ago. I have lost about 25lbs since the first picture was taken. Once a month I put on that shirt so I can see how far I have come.

    10067067346_a131833b47.jpg
    Untitled by crochetmom2010, on Flickr
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    Understandably humiliating.
    Use that as motivation - - not self-hatred, because that's destructive - - but rather as yet one more awesome thing you will be able to do once you master of your own body.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    I'm sorry OP. What type of person are you when it comes to motivation? I have things burned into my head when I was at my heaviest and most out of shape, in fact I started a list that I kept on a sheet of paper that I carried around with me for a long while. Every time I thought I couldn't take a step further or was too exhausted to make my next lift, I dug into that list either in my head or that paper and took the opportunity to say **** you to an item on it and push myself further than I thought I could.

    Not sure what type of person you are when it comes to positive or neg reinforcement but this could be one of those experiences that you bottle up and makes you drive harder than before. Good luck to you OP.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    next year you will be riding all the rides...keep moving forward.

    And as other's have said dont use it to berate and self harm yourself see it as a learning experience.

    (just dont get pregnant that puts a mild detour in your progress)
  • somerisagirlsname
    somerisagirlsname Posts: 467 Member
    I'm sorry OP. What type of person are you when it comes to motivation? I have things burned into my head when I was at my heaviest and most out of shape, in fact I started a list that I kept on a sheet of paper that I carried around with me for a long while. Every time I thought I couldn't take a step further or was too exhausted to make my next lift, I dug into that list either in my head or that paper and took the opportunity to say **** you to an item on it and push myself further than I thought I could.

    Not sure what type of person you are when it comes to positive or neg reinforcement but this could be one of those experiences that you bottle up and makes you drive harder than before. Good luck to you OP.

    I am a very sensitive person, you have to be when you're a special educator, and I internalize everything. This is something that could very easily knock me off my rocker. Luckily for me, my eating habits have become a real lasting habit (thus far) so the only thing that I could "fall off" of, so to speak, would be exercising. Considering I have an elliptical actually in my apartment, I don't think it will be a problem.
  • I say take that experience and turn it in to more motivation to keep working and keep progressing towards your goal. I understand how you feel. Been there and done that. Just don't give up!
  • Hevenerk
    Hevenerk Posts: 48 Member
    I had a couple of experiences like this when I was at my heaviest. The one that helped finally motivate me to loose weight was when I was flying to Chicago to see family and I was almost not able to buckle the seat belt on the airplane. The flight attendant (or whatever the PC name is now) was standing there staring at me like I was holding up the entire flight because I was too fat to buckle up.

    As many others have said you should use this experience as motivation to hit your goals instead of letting them get you down.

    Now every time I fly somewhere I look at how much belt I'm able to pull out to tighten it up and realize quietly to myself that those are all inches I have lost over the last year and a half.
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member

    Now every time I fly somewhere I look at how much belt I'm able to pull out to tighten it up and realize quietly to myself that those are all inches I have lost over the last year and a half.

    I could always buckle the belt, but I got SO EXCITED when I could put the tray in front of me all of the way down and not have to keep my drink on my husband's tray instead. It's the little things. :)

    Amusement parks? If you are big, stick with Disney. Almost everything is accessible to almost everyone.
  • manda79rn
    manda79rn Posts: 45 Member
    I am so sorry that happened and can relate and remember those days... such a hard thing to deal with and as much as we try to look past it, it's one of those memories that tend to creep into your mind and cling. You are doing well and moving in the right direction, small vistories and just think.. this time next year.. this will all be a distance memory and something you can celebrate!!!
    I'm sorry OP. What type of person are you when it comes to motivation? I have things burned into my head when I was at my heaviest and most out of shape, in fact I started a list that I kept on a sheet of paper that I carried around with me for a long while. Every time I thought I couldn't take a step further or was too exhausted to make my next lift, I dug into that list either in my head or that paper and took the opportunity to say **** you to an item on it and push myself further than I thought I could.

    Not sure what type of person you are when it comes to positive or neg reinforcement but this could be one of those experiences that you bottle up and makes you drive harder than before. Good luck to you OP.

    I think this is a great post... I've done the exact same thing and it's been my saving grace numerous times. Goals I wanted, things I never wanted to forget and when I felt like "WHY do I work so hard" I'd take a look and think... oh yeah, that's why. :)