Here's a poll question for you........

What would you say, if anything, that weight has held you back from in your life? I'll start. I'd definately say weight has held me back in my career. I've always been interested in doing something within the entertainment field. Not exactly being an entertainer, but anything w/in that lifestyle. I've always dreamed of doing something glamorous & exciting, but since I've always been heavy I "knew" I wouldn't fit in in that lifestyle & therefore never pursued that path. Now that I see a light at the end of this tunnel I have made the decision to go back to school. I'm looking into the Public Relations field, I would love to do something interesting & fun. PR person, talent agent, anything in that field. I feel like my average life has been forced on me by my weight & I hate it, I'm sick of settling, I just hope it's not too late, sometimes 31 can feel so old, you know? So, there ya go, what about everyone else? What has your weight held you back from? Candi

my weight is holding me back from life. I'ts not enough for me to be alive...I want to LIVE!! I am a skinny girl trapped in a fat girl's body. The mind is willing but the body is obese.

I can't really think of anything that my weight has held me back from. I mean except doing things that I loved to do when I weighed less. Like horseback riding, hiking, riding rollercoasters. I do know that several jobs I applied for I didn't get because of my weight. Yes I know that is discrimination but, the jobs weren't worth all that fuss. I told my mom once I get to my goal weight Im gonna apply at those places again and when they offer me a position Im gonna tell them exactly what they can do.

No better yet, when they offer you the position, just keep going up on the salary that you'll accept, that'd teach 'em! LOL

I'm not too sure if my weight held me back from anything, but I can say I have felt uncomfortable partaking in a lot of activities that I wanted to do. Airplane rides, bus rides and amusement park rides are very difficult for me.......

Hi Candi! That's a really good question My answer: I think my weight as held me back in more ways then I'm actually willing to admit. How sad is that? ~I let my college classes slide because I wasn't comfortable in the seats and dealing with the other students.... ~I stopped driving because I was uncomfortable behind the wheel. ~I have very little friends because I'm pretty shy in person or I think they just wanna use ya then forget my name. ~I can't open up to a guy that I like, adore, whatever - Because I'm afraid of my size, so I hide inside... Oh the list could on and on.... blah. -Katie

Yep, I hear ya. I think you hit the nail right on the head with your first comment. I think sometimes overweight people are not only not willing to admit it to other people, but they can't even admit it to themselves. Sometimes I think people that are overweight love to live their lives as if being overweight was only a cosmetic problem when it is so much more than that & they are just living in the land of denial. But, I appreciate your answers & hopefully they will help other people out there who feel the same, which I bet there are a lot, whether they're willing to admit it or not. Candi

You know Candi.... I really do think most people having this surgery, need to come to terms and be alot more open with there problems towards being overweight. I, for one, hide behind my weight for so long and when I finally talked about it openly - It felt like a load of bricks was taken off me. I always thought for some reason it was my fault I was fat but in fact it was a medical problem (for me at least!) Also being over weight brings alot of the negavtive stuff - That was mentioned below. You really need to work on that stuff before the surgery too, Funny thing is - I read Dr. Phils Weight Loss Book, as much as I dislike him, that book helped get pass the negative attitude I was having towards a few people in my life and now I'm able to have a healthier outlook which is also easier for me to deal with food.

My weight has been the major cause of me doubting my abilities. I have tried to sabotage myself in college so that others will see that I am not as intelligent as they think I am. Unfortunately, the self-sabotaging has not worked. Whenever I turned in an assignment late or did not attend classes, professors overlooked it and I got full credit for everything. This has led me to question if the professors have been overcompensating for my weight. Giving me the benefit of the doubt because I am so fat. Also, as a future school psychologist I am interested in researching eating behaviors and obesity in school children, but am leery of pursuing this field of research because of my weight. I do not believe I would be taken seriously because of my persona weight issues-that others will view me as a hyprocrit. There are so many other things I could list. Good question, Candi! Susan {!}

Candi, are you the same person that was asking about the medic alert bracelet? You guy's can ask some great questions. Maybe my brains to old and tired or something. Maybe its just the pain meds. that make me foggy. Because of my wt# doing stuff with my youngest child has been difficult. I wasn't quiet as heavy when my oldest (daughter) was younger. I lost down to about 155# and my DH and I were very active in her life we stayed busy with her all the time. He was her soft ball coach for several years and I'd get out there and practice with all the little girls. They thought I was fun&cool but crazy. Then when my youngest (son) was born I quit smoking gained 60+#. Although my wt# has held me back for most of my life, except the few times I was able to loose a little. At those times I was always so much more confident. I've been blessed with a loving family all my life. Thank goodness. The older I got and the more I gained, my body started becoming damaged. An now the paincontrols my life as well as the wt#. But not for long. 7/28/04 my rebirthday I'm alive, I'm alive. I know somewhere in this fat body is a skinny woman just trying her best to get out. I know just how you feel Jennifer. Everyone needs to ck out this web site http://www.e-dreamerz.net/JULIE_WEIGHT_PAGE.com if you haven't already. Her name is Julie Hedges she's from GA. ck out her profile first. Then you can go to her site. Talk about living, she is a butterfly just out of the ****oon. She is an inspiration to anyone, but especially you younger girls, guys you'll like the pics. I was amazed after reading her journal. I'm always amazed at the success stories. I just hope, I do as well. Later Barb