You are the biggest loser

        I am so tired of people who take body issues lightly. In their world obesity is just another hurdle one needs to get passed in life and the only reason fat people don't make it over is because they're too lazy to get up from the couch. What they don't know is the psychological prison someone can develop from being fat. I'm going to be honest. I have some meat on me and not all of it is white. So pardon my pathos in this post because I'm tired of the hypocritical nonsense I get from people regarding my weight. First to any mean spirited person who might want to reply to this post, I know that I'm fat. I know that my weight isn't healthy and my body image isn't where I want it to be. I also understand that I potentially put myself at risk by not lowering my body weight. I also know that I have the physical capability to do so. I say this because I honestly get tired of people who are in good shape harping on about how getting back into shape is just a mindset that needs to be developed. Sometimes it's a little bit more than just a switch of determination that needs to be flickered. There are habits and insecurities that have been ingrained in our minds that a quick motivational speech and training montage theme song (left on rerun) won't fix. Often it's a struggle because with every single pound you drop you feel like you're negotiating between two selves: one that you hated but wanted to love and another that you love the idea of, but find yourself hating. Society gives us a skewed sense of body image, which makes it impossible for us to ever trust our own evaluation of our body. It's funny because some people claim that the media shows images of people who have chosen a certain lifestyle. ; a healthy, able bodied one. Of course when news of anorexia and bulimia come out, they begin to talk about rehabilitation and therapy, as if their lifestyle needs to be repaired with the utmost care, while our lifestyle simply needs a gym membership card. And what's worse is that the most insecure in our ranks are recruited to drop a ton of weight and compassion. Then they're given a microphone so that way our newly reborn brother or sister can lead us back to the promiseland, while regurgitating the same dismissive crap we've always been hearing. They are the worst because they honestly believe that because they were able to do it, then we're able to do it as well. They are completely ignorant to the fact that everyone's weight problem is different. It's not even only a weight problem. It's a body problem. We're not happy with our bodies and those who say they are tend to be among the most insecure. I have no doubt it's a natural part of self improvement that drives our slight dissatisfaction with our current body. But the media and culture exacerbates that small insecurity we all share.
  I recognize that my body issues, while at times very tough for me,don't even come close to some of things I've seen my friends deal with. I recognize that my sister and mother have it so much harder than I do because fortunately my body doesn't always need to be a prime asset to prove my manhood. But that doesn't mean I can't be supportive of the people around me. It doesn't mean my struggle is any less important than theirs. It means that we need to collectively tell those who are quick to judge to shut the fuck up. It means that our weight problems, from just a few extra pounds you regret to severe obesity, need to be treated with the utmost care. So no don't tell me to just lose the weight. Don't tell me I'm lazy either. Just don't say anything until I ask you. Then give me your sought after opinion, while remembering that we can walk in each other's shoes, but not each other's bodies.