Repost: Do You

This post was originally written about two weeks after Farewell Fatso! made it's debut. Just think if I would've listened to the person who was trying to give me advice... Thank goodness I didn't.

Along my journey to combat obesity and create a healthy lifestyle for myself --I’ve shared my trials, triumphs, and story with plenty of people. For the most part, people are very supportive and are truly excited for me. Of course, there are those who  half-heartedly listen to my story for fear they may have to look at themselves and re-evaluate their lifestyles. And, then some folks like to give advice on how I should proceed on my journey. Since I'm not really a private person and I have the propensity to open up to people. Sometimes folks feel they need to give me advice – even if I’m not particularly seeking it.

Recently, someone suggested to me that perhaps I should focus on myself more and not worry about helping others by blogging,*facebooking, and helping parents with their overweight children. After all, I still have plenty of weight to lose before I meet my weight goal…So maybe, just maybe I should take care of me, first.

Long pause. Deep breath. Regroup.

The truth of the matter is my blogging, facebooking, and helping others is actually very cathartic for me. By reaching out to you all it helps me work through my feelings, and furthermore it keeps me accountable knowing I have all of you rooting for me. Besides, what am I to do, wait until I lose all the weight and then begin my work? I don’t think so. I’m not promised tomorrow. None of us are. So I’m doing my thing today.

Here’s my unsolicited advice to you. Do you. Heed others opinions with caution. Remember, you have to be comfortable with the course you are traveling. Don’t let anyone dictate the path you take to get to your destination. In all likelihood the person giving the advice is trying to be helpful, but when it comes down to it, you have to know within yourself the road you travel is at your pace. No doubt, along the course you may hit some road bumps those are to be expected. Stay the course.

In closing, this journey is mine. Me, and only me, chooses the route I take. The course, I’ve decided to travel includes: Blogging, facebooking, and reaching out to the public in hopes to help and inspire. All aboard!

Slow lane

Aren’t you tired of hearing about this? I know I am. Huu…Try living it.  It’s like, hurry up and lose the weight already, fatso. So we can move on. You’ve been saying farewell for quite sometime now. Be gone already. Oh shoot, if only it was that easy. Laughing.

Some days I feel like a broken record. Some days I don’t know what to blog about because I feel like I just keep talking about the same thing over and over. I’m a pretty crafty writer (I think) who just so happens to have a journalism degree so I know all about the spin. But, I’m all spun out.

The accounts of my workouts, culinary creations, food choices, breakthroughs, feelings of inadequacy, and fat back are never ending. That’s right, it’s never ending. This is a long, egregious road. This is a tough battle with a very stubborn opponent. Some days, I get sick and tired of it. Oh, how I wish I could speed this up and cross the finish line. I wish there was a magic pill. Maybe there is and I just didn’t get the memo.

You all know by now. I poke fun of myself. Calling myself, fatso is my way of making light of this all. I chose to put myself out here -- in a very open way. I’ve never told you this, but having you follow me is also the very reason I put so much pressure on myself to cross the finish line. I feel like at some point you will grow inpatient with me. Become bored with me. But, I never told you it would be easy, happen quickly, or be exciting. Folks, this blog is my real account of what it takes to single-handedly battle obesity and create a healthy lifestyle for myself.

I write to you from the heart. I strive to be a positive role model, a real example. I’m not farmed away at a camp being fed by personal chefs and worked out by a team of trainers. I don’t eat from a menu of low-calorie sub sandwiches. I don’t eat from packages and follow diet plans that exclude fruit. I don't place drops under my tongue. Perhaps if I tried one of these methods I’d be at the finish line already. Instead, I am right here, in the thick of life -- full of trials, triumphs and twists battling obesity, and creating a healthy life for myself. A life that includes: Exercise, eating fresh whole food, and blogging in the slow lane.

I’ll keep writing, if you keep reading. Deal?

No offense

Farewell Fatso! display at Cascade Park Library

Farewell Fatso! is my attempt to make light of some pretty heavy (no pun intended) matters: Obesity, childhood obesity, weight loss. When I created the blog and Facebook page I did mull the name over, ran it by my closest friends, and the final conclusion was well, Farewell Fatso! I realized that there may be some folks who would deem the name as offensive. Surprisingly, throughout all these months I've never had one person comment on the name. Until, today I was at the library where I'm due to speak later this month. I was  speaking with the librarian and checking out the HUGE poster advertising the event on display in the lobby. The librarian mentioned that she received a complaint saying that the name was offensive. The librarian explained that it was the name I chose and so ...

I can respect that some folks feel that it's offensive, but it's my way of dealing with my personal battle with obesity. For me losing 170 pounds to date, can't be done in silence or without a sense of humor. This is my way of dealing with my everyday struggles with food, exercise, and becoming the best person I can be. Although I hid behind it, and dressed it up for a long while -- being fat has caused me a lot of heartache. Being fat has made me feel less than. Being fat has held me back from living life to it's full potential. So when I started the journey to shed the pounds, really shed the pounds, and find myself the name that resonated with me-- was and still is Farewell Fatso! I'm saying goodbye to my old childhood nemesis, obesity and this is my way of doing it. It never was, nor is my intention
to offend anyone.

I've said it before many times and I'll say it again with pride -- For once and for all, Farewell Fatso!