Hey, Fat Girl.

2

Replies

  • bump so i can read it again and again.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    Being that fat girl sucked. When I crossed the line on my first 5k, it was so liberating that I lifted my arms in the air and cried. That was when I finally said goodbye to the fat girl. I was a runner. I had fought my body the whole way...Through stitches and shin splints, gasping for breath, sweating through all my clothes... And when I got over that finish line, I realised I had won.
    Every time I feel like I don't want to go for a run (it's too cold outside, I'm tired, any excuse) I remember how hard I fought to be ABLE to run. And then I go.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    I wish there was a "like" button on MFP forum.

    me too.
  • SephiraRose
    SephiraRose Posts: 766 Member
    Wow, that was very touching, once you made it past the second paragraph. I always admire ANY runners I see out there, such dedication.
  • geeberscreepers
    geeberscreepers Posts: 19 Member
    Teared up a little reading this... I always feel like the fat girl at the gym, it takes a lot of courage for me to leave the locker room because I feel like everyone stares at me sweating and panting, thinking that I don't belong there. I will remember these words next time!
  • ezloshead
    ezloshead Posts: 167 Member
    I was going to the gym a year and a half ago as a futile attempt to be healthy and I felt like that girl. I only went after work at 10:30 at night. Every time I did something wrong or couldn't lift as much as I did the week before I would feel so embarrassed. Sometimes I broke down and had to leave. I couldn't deal with the mirrors or the people or the numbers being too high here and too low there. Then the boyfriend I was with left me, my sweet beagle died in my arms of cancer and a friend lost his life in a car accident and I just couldn't handle it anymore. I don't know if I'll go back to the gym again any time soon but I hope people saw me as that girl and didn't scoff at my mistakes or laugh behind my back.
  • ezloshead
    ezloshead Posts: 167 Member
    Kids called me Miss Piggy too. It hurt to be dehumanized and made into a caricature.
  • ezloshead
    ezloshead Posts: 167 Member
    This made me tear up. I've always been the "fat girl" since I started puberty. I was teased mercilessly and called Miss Piggy all throughout my school years. It makes it hard to get out and be seen. The sweat usually mixes with tears of frustration and jealousy at the other runners who seem to do it so effortlessly. I am growing up now, ignoring the taunting voices of my childhood in my head and getting out there.

    I ran for the first time in probably 20 years this past saturday. It was only a quarter of a mile...but I RAN!

    Thank you for this post. I am going to have to reread it again and again.

    :heart:

    I meant to quote you with my last comment. Sorry, still figuring this stuff out!
  • Momto4minions
    Momto4minions Posts: 173 Member
    This made my heart sing.
  • NancieFeatherston
    NancieFeatherston Posts: 52 Member
    I love this! :wink: Thanks for sharing it again!
  • Thanks for posting this :)
  • Mgregory723
    Mgregory723 Posts: 529 Member
    I have seen this before and for me it has great meaning because that "fat girl" could be me. I joined a gym and I am not feeling afraid anymore.

    Thanks for re-posting!! :flowerforyou:
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    Heh.
  • Wow. This topic was such a great affirmation for me.

    I rarely run. But today I decided to do some intervals on the treadmill at the gym, and ran really hard during a few of them. I felt so self-conscious because I was breathing loudly and shakily (a big part of the reason I never run), and I knew it was because I'm overweight. Today I told myself I'd do it anyway even if I felt like people were staring or something.

    Then I come home to this topic. Totally made my day. :) Thank you for this.
  • I just cried my eyes out, Slim Fast bar in hand! I'm not running yet because walking at 2.5mph on the treadmill is a bit of a task for me right now but that is up from the 2.0 mph I was doing a month ago. I exercise at home because I need that privacy, too. I think I'm going to print that out & read it often as a motivator. Thank you for sharing that. It's something I needed right at this very moment.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Heh.

    This isn't quite the response you got, if I recall correctly.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Heh.

    This isn't quite the response you got, if I recall correctly.
    werent there pitchforks?
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Heh.

    This isn't quite the response you got, if I recall correctly.
    werent there pitchforks?

    And fire!
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Yes it's been posted before, and thank you for posting it again. I hope this gets posted regularly.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Heh.

    This isn't quite the response you got, if I recall correctly.
    werent there pitchforks?

    And fire!

    Be patient. It's still early
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Heh.

    This isn't quite the response you got, if I recall correctly.
    werent there pitchforks?

    And fire!

    And something about mean spirited fat shaming and certain people actually being women, if I recall it correctly
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I know a lot of people like it but I find it incredibly condescending. YMMV.
  • Hauntinglyfit
    Hauntinglyfit Posts: 5,537 Member
    I know a lot of people like it but I find it incredibly condescending. YMMV.

    I agree.
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    I know a lot of people like it but I find it incredibly condescending. YMMV.

    I think it's mean spirited masquerading as inspiring. But, you take what you can from where you can.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    I know a lot of people like it but I find it incredibly condescending. YMMV.

    I think it's mean spirited masquerading as inspiring. But, you take what you can from where you can.

    I think if you're the type of person that is willing to stand in the mirror and call yourself names, or has a tendency to be sarcastic or engage in trash talk, then this is inspiring. I am, so it is. To me.

    If you are the type of person that prefers a more overtly positive self talk, and prefers overtly supportive motivation, then it probably does come off as condescending as hell.

    Just my 2 cents.
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    I know a lot of people like it but I find it incredibly condescending. YMMV.

    I think it's mean spirited masquerading as inspiring. But, you take what you can from where you can.

    I think if you're the type of person that is willing to stand in the mirror and call yourself names, or has a tendency to be sarcastic or engage in trash talk, then this is inspiring. I am, so it is. To me.

    If you are the type of person that prefers a more overtly positive self talk, and prefers overtly supportive motivation, then it probably does come off as condescending as hell.

    Just my 2 cents.

    I'm actually that first type. But I won't take it from anyone else. Lol. Perhaps I'm an anomaly.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    I know a lot of people like it but I find it incredibly condescending. YMMV.

    I think it's mean spirited masquerading as inspiring. But, you take what you can from where you can.

    I think if you're the type of person that is willing to stand in the mirror and call yourself names, or has a tendency to be sarcastic or engage in trash talk, then this is inspiring. I am, so it is. To me.

    If you are the type of person that prefers a more overtly positive self talk, and prefers overtly supportive motivation, then it probably does come off as condescending as hell.

    Just my 2 cents.

    I'm actually that first type. But I won't take it from anyone else. Lol. Perhaps I'm an anomaly.

    Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm just wrong . . .

    It wouldn't be the first time!
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
    bump
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    The word "fat" is just a descriptor.
  • Jackie_Paper
    Jackie_Paper Posts: 183 Member
    All I see this as is "hey fatty, I sure do respect you now that you've decided to try and not be a fatty anymore"