So How Does One Get REALLY Fat?

"So how does one get REALLY fat?"

This was the question posed to me by one of my close friends.  I just officially past the "100 lbs lost" mark, and we were discussing health in general.

"I mean, as you got bigger and had to buy bigger clothes didn't you realize there's a problem?"

Of course.  But it's a little more complex than that.

When you're fat you don't like to go clothes shopping. At least I didn't.  It's not an enjoyable experience to be confronted with the reality of your situation.  For me, it would usually go like this.

I would put off clothes shopping as long as possible.  As I gained weight, my clothes would do their best to accommodate me.  Shirts would get stretched out, buttons on pants would loosen...or pop off.  You get the picture.

Eventually I would be forced to shop.  Either because I literally did not have enough clothes to make it through the week, or I had a wedding or other event coming up.  When I ultimately made it to the store, I'd find out that I crept up a size...or two.  Each time, one step at a time, I progressed down that unhealthy path.  44 inch pants turned into 46s...2X shirts to 3X...

The problem is that by the time you're in the Big & Tall Store trying to buy pants, you can't just say, "Hey!  Whoa!!  Hold the phone!  I believe that I may have gained some weight.  I'm not buying any clothes today.  I'm going to go lose some weight and THEN come back and buy some clothes."  You're at the store, you need the clothes or you wouldn't be there, so you buy the clothes that fit.

Lather, rinse, repeat. It's a vicious cycle. In my case, this was perpetuated by an incorrect body image.

Most of the time when people think about weight issues and body image, they think about bulimia or anorexia.  People that see themselves as fat when they really aren't. Mine was the opposite.  It wasn't really that I was in denial, per se, but every time that I saw a picture of myself, I was surprised at how fat I was.  In my mind's eye, my body image was such that I saw myself 75-100 lbs lighter than I actually was.

So how DOES one get really fat?

Simple.  Avoid buying clothes as long as possible so that you aren't confronted with the weight you've gained in a quantifiable way.

That's what I did, and it worked for years!  By the way...I don't recommend it.

Sometimes I Feel Like a Superhero

In case you didn't know, I'm a comic book fan.  More specifically, a superhero fan.  Most superhero origin stories start with the hero discovering their powers.

If you've seen Spiderman, you might remember him trying to figure out how to shoot his web and swing from the rooftops.  Or maybe Iron Man learning to fly in his new suit.

I know this sounds like a crazy, over the top exaggeration, but sometimes that's how I feel.  I admit that I didn't get bitten by a radioactive spider and wake up the next morning with the ability to climb walls, and I'm not learning to fly a new mechanical suit.  But what I am doing is exploring all the things my "new" body can do.  Here are some examples:

1)  Walk up stairs without gasping for breath
2)  Bend over and tie my shoes
3)  Scratch my own back
4)  Run

It's funny, because I'm still discovering what I can do all the time.  On the flip side, there are still things I can't do that I have as goals.  Because I like lists, here are some things I'd like to be able to do, but can't yet:

1)  Scale a climbing wall
2)  Do a real, good form, pushup
3)  Chin-ups
4)  Run a 5K without any walking

I guess I'm still just a superhero-in-training.

Sponsors Welcome!

Hello everyone!  In case you haven't heard, I'm organizing a 5K race on April 16th at 9:00 AM. At the bottom of this post is the description I lifted right out of the Facebook event I created for it.

Along with a growing list of volunteers, the race currently has two sponsors.  Melodie from Angel Wings Photography will be doing the race photography, and all the graphic design work is being done by Stephanie Bradac of Mostaza Seed.

As you can see from the event description below, there's no official registration fee.  Instead, all money donated will go to the American Cancer Society. We are making and selling t-shirts, on which we will make our only (tiny) profit. We're running a tight ship, and have a very small budget, but there will be some expenses.

So...I was hoping there might be a business (or individual) out there that might want to help sponsor the race. This sponsorship would help defray the general expenses of the event. We'd even put your business name and/or logo on the t-shirt!

Email me if you are interested!

Thanks!

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From the Facebook event:

Those that know me know that I have been on a journey these past several months to get into shape. Many, many people have encouraged me along the way, and lots of those encouragers like to run. So, I had a crazy idea to get some of those people together and run my normal 5K route.

One crazy idea led to another, and I decided to host a full-blown race. My original thought was to just do it for fun, no fees, no time, etc. But then I started thinking...why not give people a chance to donate some money as a registration fee, and then give all the money to the American Cancer Society? For me personally, I would be donating in memory of my sister Teresa, who lost her battle with lung cancer in December of 2009.

There's NO REGISTRATION FEE, but all donations (suggested $25) will be given to the American Cancer Society.

We are planning on making t-shirts available for an additional charge. We've got a great deal on them! T-shirts are only going to be...wait for it...$10!!!

We are currently exploring ways for you to pay with a debit card...but cash and check are already accepted!! You can make checks out to the American Cancer Society.

Also - if you don't want to run, or even walk, you can still help! We need some volunteers to "work the race". Any help would be greatly appreciated!