CREDIT
Appearances can be deceiving…
I walk down the street with my daughter. I feel the disapproving looks. I hear the harsh words. People look at me in disgust. And why? Because of my size. At my largest, I have tipped the scales at 19st 8lbs, and was a size 24. Id love to say that its all because of my pregnancy, but it isn’t. At the age of 15, I was 15st, and although I was a size 14, I never felt I looked as heavy as I was. When I fell pregnant with my daughter, I was 16st 9lb, and was in a size 16/18, yet again, I didn’t think I was as big as I was.
Fast forward to the present day, and I have lost a little weight, but not enough. I still weigh the wrong side of 17st, and am still a size 18/20. Yet people still look at me like I’m muck. I get called all the names under the sun because of my size. People look at me and my daughter and assume that all we eat is junk. It couldn’t be further than the truth. My daughter wont even entertain a chip, and due to numerous food allergies, which I have brought on myself, I only eat healthy foods. I get looked at like I’m lazy, people assume I sit on my backside all day everyday and leave my daughter to do the same. How wrong could they be? I don’t drive so any errands I do are done via the shoelace express, including the 12 mile round trip everyday to take my daughter to nursery, get to work, then pick her up and get home. I work 35 hours a week in a busy bar so I’m constantly moving and on my feet. But when I’m at home I must sit and play couch potato, surely to be my size I cant be active? Wrong! A house to clean, clothes to wash, dishes to do and meals to cook, I’m lucky to get 30 minutes to myself each day to sit down! But in all honesty, I wouldn’t have it any other way!
It’s a shame that society judges people on appearances. It’s a shame that I have a medical condition that means I will never be a skinny size 10 (but with my 5ft10 frame, I’d look fab!!). It’s a shame that people treat me like a fat slob because I carry more weight than them. And it’s a shame that things like this bother me. But in all fairness, if it weren’t for the comments, the looks, I wouldn’t have done something about it. I never saw myself as the size that I am, I look at myself everyday and thought I was fine. I go to slimming world now, and I’m doing brilliantly. I’ve lost nearly 2 stone, 2 dress sizes and 2 shoe sizes, and although its taken me nearly a year to do it, I’m still going fine!
I wish people would look at me and see the beautiful person that I am inside. I wish people would look at me and see the fantastic mother that I am becoming with each day. I wish people would stop judging me over my size and see the real me. Maybe next time you see a fat person in the street, you’ll think twice before muttering under your breath and casting a nasty look. Maybe you’ll think of what I’ve written, and remember: we are all people. It doesn’t matter how big or small, able-bodied or disabled, our colour, creed, nationality, its all just talk. We are all skin and bone, blood and organs. We all have hearts and souls. Don’t someone because you can, make them feel good because you want to.
Remember Appearances can be so deceiving.
