Flying Thin/Normal

At my heaviest, I would get anxious about flying. I never needed the seatbelt extender, but I was always worried it wouldn't click and when it did, it just barely fit.

I would also worry about what other flyers thought about sitting next to me. I was afraid they were disgusted by me. I would have to push and hold the arm rest down and my legs spread across the entire seat and more.

Now there is plenty of room and I can even change sitting positions within my seat. I even crossed my legs on my last flight. I'm still tall, so I can't really say flying is comfortable (especially if I'm behind a recliner....ouch), but its much improved.

On a recent flight, I sat across the aisle from a MO woman. She was unable to click her seatbelt and struggled with it for several minutes. In the end, she put her jacket across her lap and did not wear the seatbelt.

It was an odd feeling for me. My current reality is far from hers, and I felt just weird. For some reason, I wanted her to know that I understood, that I had similar struggles. I even thought about asking for an extender for myself and slipping it to her, but I knew it would be an odd request in my current body.

In the end, I said nothing and she used the jacket to cover the buckle.

When I was MO, I didn't befriend every other MO person I saw, but now that I'm a normal weight, I feel oddly excluded from people. Like I don't naturally fit in with the thin people or the MO people (unless they know about my surgery).

I don't really know how I can explain the feeling better, but it was odd. Maybe someone here understands.

Lindsey

While I havent flown in over 9 years..(ahh the life of a stay at home Mom..but wait I digress) YES I understand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have recently become fast and furious new friends with a naturally "skinny" person. Like a freaky skinny chick who like really struggles to keep weight on. Like the kind of ***** I would have hated or never understood or been able to have candid and open converstations about food, and weight and societies issues around all of this if I were still a struggling MO woman. But now we are two "skinny *****es" who actually eat about the same and are now viewed and judged and looked at by society as the same...except inside I feel like a fraud..well at least some of the time.

The interesting part about getting to know someone so far on the other end of the spectrum to to see and witness the prejudice that she deals with from being so thin. She deals with a lot of hurt and frustation from being *****ed at for being too thin and now I can actually understand that.

For me personally for a while I was so frustrated that I wasnt a normal BMI and now I find it lovely ammunition for those people in my life who feel I am too thin! Impossible I can retort..I am a SOLID 160! But at the same time I dont think I should hold onto extra weight because of anyone elses issues..and I dont feel that I am..I just actually really like where I am at this weight, how I look and feel, and how I am able to eat and maintain. Plus I have a lof of cute size 8's so Im good to hang out here for a bit!

I guess this is sort of a ramble but what Im trying to say is that yes..It is hard to figure out where and who I am. I dont think Im a fatty or a skinny ***** or any of that. I really just want to be Elizabeth..as cheesy as it sounds. It is my desire to be happy heathy and whole..not to be defined by a diet or my weight or any of that anymore!

What a journey this is....

"I guess this is sort of a ramble but what Im trying to say is that yes..It is hard to figure out where and who I am. I dont think Im a fatty or a skinny ***** or any of that. I really just want to be Elizabeth..as cheesy as it sounds. It is my desire to be happy heathy and whole..not to be defined by a diet or my weight or any of that anymore!"

You know, I think I experienced just being "Lindsey" a little this week. I am starting a new job and met all new people. I don't believe I encountered anyone who would have known me at my former size. It was an interesting experience. I'm not saying anyone would have treated me differently if I were larger or anything like that, but there were just so many new things to discuss and learn that for the first time, obesity took a backseat in my mind. I wasn't uncomfortable in my clothes, I wasn't worried about eating in front of other people, and I just felt...normal.

I guess this is where real life takes over. I'm happy about that, but also a little worried because I do still feel like I could stand to lose 5-10 lbs in my legs and I think that as "real life takes over" and I travel more and get more into the business world, that it may be hard to find my focus to fight those last pounds off.

Ah well...

 And I hate to break it to you but we dont get to pick and chose where the weight somes from...you may want it to come from you legs and you may lose it from your boobs or face...

Im glad you got to just be YOU! I think it is something we can all hope to acheive as a goal..I know at least for me it is certainly become more and more important that my identitiy be less tied to my weight or my size. FINALLY.

Congrats on the new job..I hope it goes well for you!

 
After losing 190lbs.

Coach feels like First Class.....and First Class feels like a Barcalounger.......

I'm always looking at Obese people and determining if they are going to need an extender or not....and thinking.... Poor (dude-chick) I feel your pain....I was you.....

And I'm not proud to say this.... I'm that person now thinking.... I hope that person isn't sitting next to me as they are walking my way bumping into people looking at seat numbers....

A few benefits:

- No seat belt extender
- The tray doesn't land on my belly
- I can put the arm rest up and curl up in a ball and sleep in two seats on long flights when the seat next to me is empty.
- Airline meals are to big....even just protein and veggies.
- Airline restroom doesn't feel like a phone booth.
- My arm isn't hanging out in the isle getting smacked by the rolling carts.

This post reminded me I still have a Seat Belt Extender that I "Forgot" to return. (Obesity leads to Crime!)

frisco

   

 Frisco - what airline do you fly where they feed you anything other than pnuts or pretzels?  

 
Any flight over the pond is still required to feed you(I think).....Domestic.....another story.....6 peanuts and 4 pretzels. I always travel with some food items so I'm never stuck....

frisco