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I'm a long-winded gal, the sort of person who writes lo-o-ng letters with a fountain pen, but I'll try to tell my story as succinctly as possible. I'm a return client and also a longterm fat-acceptance advocate--which is sort of a contradiction in terms. You see, I went through this big psychological transformation in the '90s, resulting in a firm commitment to the notion that fat is not a dirty word, just a word that describes a person's size--like short or tall. I'm a member of NAAFA and used to be heavily involved in fat-acceptance forums on the Net. I was fat, big, ample & generously proportioned, but "don't call me overweight--over whose weight?" I was opposed to the whole concept of dieting.
Then I hit my 50s & got high blood pressure. I started listening to all the medical info about metabolic syndrome & life expectancy. "I don't want to die any earlier than absolutely necessary." I had a big "turning point" moment, but I can save that story for later.
So I hooked up with a local Jenny Craig center & got myself a marvelous counselor. (I still have her: she is my rock.) I lost 100# (330 to 230) from Sept. '07 to May '09.
Then I got a medical illness (unrelated to fatness), dropped out of JC, & didn't return when the illness was over. I was self-deluded enough to think I would lose the rest alone. I was also appalled by my clothes. (Is anyone else here appalled by how many garments they own?) I have 3 closets, 6 chests of drawers, & still more clothes in boxes (and even a few =gulp= piles!). I'm not a hoarder--it's just that I didn't used to be fat, so I have all these different sizes. I was so obsessed about which clothes to sell, which to give away, which to tailor--I was gonna teach myself tailoring--I wasn't motivated to diet or exercise.
May '09 to Jan '10, I stayed the same weight. Then I started gaining. The thing was, my wonderful husband of 32 years (!) got severely depressed after the death of his father. We don't have any kids (by choice) & not much in the way of family--we just have each other & our cats & our 3 computers--so his depression was a HUGE stress for me. I started eating the pounds back on. They've come back on so fast, it's unreal. I've been feelin' like somethin' out of a science fiction movie: the Incredible Expanding Woman.
Now I'm back at my starting weight of 330#. I am out of denial about it. Since the last time I was in JC, they've gotten computers for tracking clients (about time!) & something called "Metabolic Max": it sounds kind of cool, but involves an armband I doubt will fit around my arm. (Anyone else have that problem?)
To those who are still reading =laugh=: I thank you, I thank you, I thank you so much for being here. If you have 200 or more pounds to lose and you haven't posted yet, please pluck up the courage and do so. The more the merrier!
Fiona
