What is in a label? What is a label? There are many kinds of labels. What we give ourselves often becomes our self fulfilling prophecies. Hurt, alone, scared, angry, single, married, we are what we define ourselves to be.

And then there are the labels that are not self subscribed, and often those are the ones we hold so close to our heart, even if it hurts. A bitch, fat, lazy, stupid, 'oh she's --single still'. They are often hurtful and mean, but yet we still let them become a definition of who we are.

And then even yet we have the littlest labels, the ones we wear everyday that can seem so simple--but mean so much. This morning I put on an extra small, a label that never in my life I thought I would wear--ever in a million years. That label meant more to me than anything has ever meant to me. Just 2 short years ago that label said 4x. Often that label didn't even stay on my clothes, it would be ripped off faster than you could say "fattie". That 4x label even though never seen by anyone else spoke volumes. I was judged, labeled by the first glance most made at me. I was dubbed "lazy" or that I didn't care about myself. So I let those labels become who I was, I accepted a label not meant for me.

I was not lazy, nor fat. In my mind I knew I wasn't that girl. But I accepted the label and the role that went with it. Today when I wore my xsmall, I accepted the fact that the fat girl was gone. She will always have a label on my heart, but never in my mind. I have cleared away the fat girl mentality and begun a new. My new label? Anything I want, ever I want it to be, and nothing unacceptable! So for now, label me, label free!

That was very beautifully stated, and I appreciate the sentiment and meaning very much. Thank you for writing this and posting it.

hi i still wear that 4x label.not band yet.hopefully in sept,but so far i,ve went from 324lbs to 297lbs as of sept 3rd.own my own. hoping to be where you are.well said .