When I was growing up, I wasn’t the fittest kid around. My grandparents really pampered me to a point where eating right wasn’t really a mandate. Obesity runs in my family and conveniently, I made my peace with it by never even trying to eat healthily.
How It All Started
I’ve always been a victim of bullying and being called horrible names for being “fat”. I didn’t have a single friend in school because my self-esteem was too low to be friendly and open up to people about how I felt. I wasn’t very tall in school, and that made me look chubbier than other kids. I was about 4 feet tall and 80kgs by weight. People would make jokes about me to my face and I wouldn’t say a word. Because, how could I? Society had established the fact that fat=ugly. That’s how we perceived everyone. Just to prove a point, I made it my life’s mission to lose weight.
What Changed?
After my horrible school life, I decided I won’t let it repeat in college. Now, during those vacations, I went on a healthy diet, exercised and did whatever I could to lose a fair amount of weight. I’m pretty sure I was depressed, I just didn’t know it. Once I lost 25kgs over a period of two years, I met the very kids who would bully me and of course, they didn’t even recognize me. They had no idea how they had scarred me.
What I’ve realised is that we define people by their shape and size. I am the same person I was when I was 25kgs heavier. I didn’t talk to many people then, and I don’t interact with many people now. The only difference is, they called me ‘bitter’ then, and they call me ‘snooty’ now.
It’s amazing how just your appearance can change what people think of you. Today, I not only pledge to never judge anyone by their shape (because I know how hurtful it is), but I will also not let anyone body-shame me or anyone else around me. No one has a right to comment on my body except me. You may not realise how one lousy comment on their body could leave a negative impact on them for the rest of their lives. Also, I pledge to love my celluloid and love handles because it’s a part of who I am. It reminds me of how real I am. I’m curvy and I love it!
