I've never been one to openly admit that I am "fat." I do things to avoid standing out, like being a private eater. I don't eat much and I know how to control my portions, but I still feel like everyone is watching me to see what the "fat girl" is going to eat. During my high school and young adult days, I hid under baggy clothes (thankfully, I grew up in the era of oversized fashion). I also shopped in the men's section because I didn't think I was worthy enough to look "good" in women's clothes.
Good In Bed - (Affiliate Link)
After losing over 200 pounds, I started to feel better about myself and began buying women's clothing, but only in drab colors like black, brown, and grey—NEVER anything with a pattern. After 10 years of alcoholism, I gained 50 of those pounds back, but thankfully I've been sober for a year now and times have changed. With the confidence boost from my husband, teenage daughters, and friends, I've started dipping into the world of bright colors and SOME patterns. I still try to publicly hide behind my “fat” by covering my arms, not wearing shorts, wearing lengthy shirts, etc.
Being a fan of entertainment, I appreciate the serious approach to the plus-size community. I'm tired of the over-exaggerated movies like The Klumps, Norbit, Shallow Hal (although a really good movie), Tommy Boy, Hairspray (I’m seeing a decade pattern here), and many others that make fun of plus-sized people. NBC’s This Is Us nailed it with all the emotions and did a beautiful job portraying what being plus-size is like. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner is a wonderful novel about the life struggles of a plus-size journalist (sounds familiar). Please listen to my discussion and experiences I had with this book.
—SherrysJoy—