Jenn the Recruit has 87 comments 
Christina the Novice has 28 comments 
Every Man is An Island
Apr 10, 2011
Or at least that’s how it seems for me. Why you ask?
Simple. I’m unlike those around me. For the most part I am surrounded by friends and family members trying to lose weight while I am fighting a battle to try and gain weight.
I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard and it’s lonely and each time I’ve started this journey I’ve given up because I haven’t had anyone who could relate or anyone I could turn to that could sympathize with my plight.
You think it’s hard trying to lose weight? It’s even harder when you don’t have the support of others fighting the same battle you are. Harder still when there aren’t many places you can find online or anywhere really to find support. Short of forums dedicated to those with eating disorders1, I’m all alone on this journey and it sucks!
I feel like I’m that kid on the playground who is a little too weird for the other kids and spends her time during recess wishing she could be someone else. I realize that’s an over exaggeration but it doesn’t lessen how I feel or the reality of my situation.
Sarah has been exceptionally supportive of me every since I decided to start this trek and I just have to say I appreciate her so much. I know she’s fighting a similar battle, though on the other side of the spectrum, which is why it means so much more to me when she tells me, “Yay!” after I’ve told her that I’ve met my daily goal.
The truth is it hurts to see how easily my goals are disregarded because I’m not trying to lose weight. I constantly see friends who have mutual friends get congratulated because they lost weight and yet when I talk about my goals and how well I’m doing, it’s like I never spoke or mentioned it at all.
So for those of you who sit there and whine about how you’re treated badly because of your weight or size, at least you have the support of your peers and a HUGE community that you can turn to when you’re down and out. You have a family, a network of people, whether you know it or not that you can lean on.
What do people like me have? An island…. and maybe not even that.
- Which I am no means comfortable posting on. ↩
I now you would do the same for me, and you do!
Apr 13, 2011
I understand that but I don’t think it’s a valid reason. I can’t sympathize with losing weight because that’s NEVER been an issue for me and yet I empathize with the frustration of people in that situation and give my support regardless of the fact that I don’t know what it’s like.
Just the other day, a friend admitted that she laughs at those like me who struggles with weight gain because she can’t relate which hurt, though I know that wasn’t her intent as she was just trying to tell me how she felt.
The thing is even though I can’t relate to people who are struggling to lose weight I don’t make light of their situation because for them it is frustrating– just like gaining weight is frustrating to me and it’s even more frustrating that it seems the majority believe I don’t need the encouragement since my battle is a battle not many people fight.