I have a number of "most embarrassing moments" They all were turning points at the time, of some sort. A few of the "highlights":

When I was a mere 180 lbs. and went to get on one of those swing rides that go around in the air at a local festival with my best friend. I got in the swing and had myself all locked in and the little carny kid who ran the ride had to come over and tell me I couldn't ride cuz I was too heavy! UGGGHHH To my best friends credit, she got outta her swing too and walked away quickly with me.

:scared: When I got divorced and was going through some terrible self loathing I actually hooked up with a horrible abusive musician guy that I had dated for two years when I was in my senior year in High school and starting college. We were laying on his couch in his looser apartment one morning and he actually was singing "Why am I sleeping with a cow"...I just got up with as much dignity as I could muster and put on my jacket and walked out the door.

:faint: My one and only attempt at internet dating was when I arranged to meet a guy that I had been talking too for quite awhile online and we really seemed to hit it off. We decided to meet at a local watering hole and I told him what I would be wearing so he would know me when he saw me. (this was about 8 years ago, before the advent of the digital camera and stuff so most people still did not have their pics all over the place like they do now). He knew from chatting with me that I was "chubby". I was about 210 and a size 18 at the time. Well I went into the bar and ordered a drink and tried to ize up the people in there to see if he was there yet, I heard a few guys laughing at the end of the bar and they all seemed to be sneaking glances at me. They all got up at the same time and left. I stayed for another half hour and never saw a guy come in who fit the description. I left and went home in shame....little did I know of theshame that awaited me online! The guy emailed me and told me that he and his budddies went in to check me out together and that I was crazy to think that anyone would want a fat ass like me.....OUCH.

Anyway, any one of these should have been a huge turning point for my weight loss efforts, but, if anything they made me worse. I think back on them now and I still feel the sting, but I am also much stronger now and I know the band will help me too.

Elementary - I couldn't have been older than 4th. grade. There was this boy named Raymond who was the bane of my existence. As I remember it, he was a nerd & picked on by other members of the class. He must have seen me as an easy target or something, because I was shy. When our class lined up to go somewhere he would always be right behind me. Going "BOOM, BOOM, BOOM" in time with my footsteps. I hated that kid.

Middle school - 7th. grade I think. Shop was required that year and for some reason the teacher was out of the room. There was one of those weights (like from a barbell). Anyway, somehow a strength contest came about between me and this boy. He couldn't manage to pick it up, but I did. I felt all proud of myself until he said "fat people are always strong." I still think of that whenever somebody tells me I'm strong.

There are probably more instances, but I tend to try to block them out. Its my coping mechanism (other than pizza, potato chips, Wendy's)...

How sad - boy I hate guys (at least the typical guy, anyway)

Here's mine, similar to one of yours, but funny!

I was at a fair with my extended family and we were riding the "extreme" rides. The one were getting ready to ride was like a mixer. It flipped you upside down, sideways, backwards, frontwards, every way you can be flipped! Well, I got on, and the carnie came over to lock me in (this ride had the two shoulder harnesses that come together in the middle), and he couldn't get it to latch over my boobs! I was breastfeeding at the time, so I was a bit engorged from spending the day out (I was a closet breastfeeder). Soooo, I had my niece come push my boobs so he could lock me in!!!! Well, after a thrilling (albeit embarassing) ride, I came off the ride exhilarated and soaked in breast milk!!!!!! I have not been on another thrill ride since...although I hope to ride them this fall when we make a trip to Six Flags!!!! No breast issues though, since I have gone from a 44DD to a 38D!!!!

OMG, this one still brings tears to my eyes.

Last year, my DH and I were at my 5th-grade daughter's school open house. She was playing outside. When she didn't come back in, my DH went to check on her and found her sobbing hysterically. A boy had said to her, "Your mom is so FAT!":think

I told her I may not always be fat, but he will always be a jerk.

This thread hurts my heart. I hate it that so many of us have been humiliated like this. But reading it has been cathartic, too. I'm not the only person who's been hurt. Thanks for starting this thread, Chameleon.

I'm new to this board, and just establishing connections with people here.. Reading this lets me know this board is safe. I'm accepted here.

I took a drop-in dance class at a local bar in Portland. The women make a circle on the outside and the men make a circle on the inside. Every five minutes or so, the teacher tells the men to rotate and they all move one woman clockwise.

Anway, I was partnered with a tall, blond, "I could be on Baywatch" Australian guy and all of a sudden, he just walked away and went and stood in the corner of the room because he didn't want to dance with me, even for a few minutes.

I didn't know what to do...couldn't dance by myself and it was clear to the hunderd or so other students what was going on.

To this day, even when I read posts about dancing again when we feel more confident in our bodies, I can still feel that shame washing over me in waves from that dance class.

Fat people aren't the only ones who get humiliated in this society. My 11-year-old daughter is in & out of a clique at school (wants to be accepted, doesn't like how they act. She left because the girls made fun of the only black girl in school, now her friend.)

My daughter told me another friend had been crying at school. The leader of the clique had said that only girls who were "developing" could still be members -- the flat-chested ones no longer were part of the group.

I wanted to kill this kid.

Man I can relate to about all of these!

Ive been big for as long as i can remember.. always had to hear.."youve got suck a pretty face why dont u just loose weight" god if i had a quarter for everytime i heard that i would be a trillionaire!

Ive heard the remarks about guys wanting to see what its liek to be with a fat girl..for instance..i was dating this guy in hs and one of his AHOLE friends came up to me at a party and asked why i didnt break up with him so that he could date skinny girls??? I told him well thats not my decision he CHOSE ME! I didnt pursue him! ..he got his ass kicked at that party by 5 guys LOL

I was always popular in school cause i always was jokin around it was easier to make them laugh before they could find a reason to make fun..but there was always the aholes that had nothing better to do..

One of the worst times was my nephew whom i love dearly! My brothers wife is very fit and he came up to me in front of everyone and informed me i was FAT! I looked at him all shocked and said" Really im glad you told me ..i would have never known!"

Small kids and teenagers are the enemy! LOL they always have a remark for ya! Ive raised my daughter to treat everyone as an equal and that if they are making fun of you that they have something wrong with them and that making fun of others makes them feel better!

I was in line for a ride at six flags and got in the ride and it wouldnt close so the guy comes and gets me and takes me to the front of the ride and askes a mother to move so i caould sit with her small child in a double seat..they buckle me in and i look down at the child and she is crying HARD..the mom says to her from behind...its ok honey mommies right here just sit with the fat lady youll be fine...

I tried to calm the child throught the ride and by the end of it she was fine and laughing with me..when we got to the stop the mom ran up to get her and the little girl hugged me good bye...

i could go on and on all day!This thread as sad as it is:think it is true and i think it rocks to be able to share some of the bad times!!:clap2:

You know, I'm reading all this and I certainly have had my fair share of embarrassments, too similar to some that have been posted to bother sharing them. This is making me remember something, though.

I can remember when the "Cosby Show" started, and reading about how Bill Cosby had a psycholgist on staff to ensure that there was no sexism or racism presented on the shows. Then there was an episode where one of the little kids was having a birthday party and all the kids were taking turns having a "horsey ride" on his leg. When it came time for the fat kid there was much eye rolling and grimacing and audience laughter. I was disgusted that he would consider obesity as fair game for laughs and even more disgusted that he would use an actual child to do it. Consequently I never watched the show after that.

Once I must have been like 12, I was really motivated with a diet, and decided to sit out in the porch to eat an apple (one of my snacks for the day).. this neighbor comes along driving with all his family, stops the car right in front of me, opens the window and says: " That's the reason why you are so FAT, you are ALWAYS eating". They all started laughing.. he drove away.. I stopped eating, and went in my room and cried for hours. This happened to me several times with different people, no matter what I ate.. So my question is... how do they know this is not the first thing you've had to eat all day? How are they so sure that you have been stuffing your face all day? :angry

It is amazing to me still that we have all had such similar experiences! I want to tell you one that's kinda funny too...On my fateful trip to Myrtle beach this year I was so excited to get to the beach...even though I am mortified by showing up in a bathing suit and I was going with my size 6 friend, I love the ocean too much to stay away. Of course I wear a sarong thingy over my one piece basic black suit and to my dismay there are these two buff tan 18 or 19ish boys sitting on either side of the walkway to the beach and as I prepared for some horribly embarrrassing fat remark said in an almost under their breath way as I waked past. The remark I heard was one I had never even considered....as I walked by and was just a few feet past them the one guy said to the other..."did you see all thoses spider veins...eeeww" Well needless to say I was overjoyed at this stupid observation and then it made me think...Guys like that will be assholes no matter what the imperfection is about someone....so ya know what...screw em!

I love all of you for your courage and for helping me to find some humor and love for myself too!

I was coming home on a commuter train and the station was packed to the max. May I say here that I was dressed in a classic pantsuit and was about 60 pounds lighter than I am now!

Seems there was some problem and all the trains were late. You could barely move. I am very short and I couldn't see the track signs when they lit up so I started to make my way towards them, saying excuse me, I'm sorry, excuse me. This business man in a really expensive suit said really loudly to his friends-its always the fat ones the think they deserve all the space. His friends laughed and he made another comment that was way worse. I was livid, absolutely furious. But I acted like I didn't hear them. They finally called my train. These idiots turned around, now I was in back of them. I let out a big cough and under the camoflage of the cough-spit on the guys expensive suit. One of his friends saw me. He didn't say a word but started to hustle them all through the crowd away from me! LOL! Probably thought I was crazy. It wasn't the best most mature solution but I had had it. I probably could have arrested for assault. But I stopped being humiliated and started getting angry at this sort of thing.

I had gone through this before-comments in malls, being yelled at from cars, blind dates actually telling me I was too fat to date even though they knew ahead of time. This guy was the last straw.

The next time I got a comment from some teen guys in the mall I went right up to them and started looking them over-told them I may be fat but I will lose weight-what are they gonna do about their (then I pointed out each of their flaws) What are you gonna do about your pimply face? What are you gonna do about the size of that nose? What are you gonna do about being the shortest guy in the mall?-They then turned on each other. I know it could be dangerous but sometimes you reach the end of the rope. And I have reached mine. Be aware I don't scream or make a scene or yell or curse or swear. I do it real quietly and smile sweetly-scares them even more-they do not expect an anwer back. Maybe they'll think twice next time.

The stories make hurt inside as they do for all of us. And I've cried as I read them. But they piss me off too.

And I vow as you all are witnesses-I will never ever let someone humiliate a fat person in my presence. Never.

One that I remember from about 75 pounds ago... I was walking through Dilliards Dept store, and this 'white trash' looking 'lady' made some rude comment about how fat I was. For once I was on the ball and came back with a fast retort of " I can fix the fat, but you can't fix how ugly you are". I walked on with a smile, but when I got to the car, I burst into tears.

The incident over Memorial day this year still wasn't the last straw but humiliating just the same. Bunch of the family all went to the lake, had a picnic then was going to go fishing. I settled into a folding beach chair, and after about 10 minutes, it just collapsed. (what was that movie with Gweneth Paltrow?) Then I couldn't get up. Everyone (my family) just turned away and pretended nothing happened while I rolled over to my knees and attempted to get up.

My turning point was just before the 4th of July weekend. We were going to fly hubby's plane to Atlanta to visit my daugher and her husband. Hubby hadn't seen the numbers when I stepped on the scale since last summer. Ends up I had gained enough that we would NOT have been able to take any luggage with us for a 5 day weekend! S--- hit the fan, and we drove to Atlanta (it was rather quiet in the car on the way). Hubby told the kids that we didn't fly because of the weather.

I started dieting July 1, went to the seminar July 8 and am waiting on insurance for a date.

Most of the times a grown man has told me that I'm fat, its been immediately after I refused his advances. Sour grapes!

People can be soo cruel! It's so sad but it is actually hard for me to pick a fat moment that was the worst, there has been so many. =( This one ranks right up there though so my cousin (who is also big) came up for a dinner out with my family. Before my cousin got there it was decided that we would take two cars so we wouldn't have to be squashed in the back (Both my sister and I are big) When it was time to go to the resturant my nana declares that we would be taking two cars because me and my sister are too fat. I was horrified how could someone i love be so cruel. What made it worse was that my cousin is bigger than both me or my sister so she must have been embarassed too. Another thing that really cuts deep is that my dad will take me shopping but then refuse to go into plus size sections or plus size stores he tell me i don't go into places like that, he says it with such disgust in his voice that it is just overwelming. Then when we go into "normal" stores he makes comments like don't you wish you could shop here. Needless to say I tend to avoid shopping with my dad. Yup I can't wait to be banded.

My son (who is now 24 yrs old) got in a fight at school when he was in the 3rd grade. He was sent to the pricipal's office and ultimately got "pops" for it (Corporal punishment was legal at that time.) When I confronted him at home about the fight, he told me a kid had called me fat and he was defending me. Brings a tear to my eyes even now. :faint:

Another time was on vacation about 2 years ago. We were at DisneyWorld having a wonderful time, UNTIL...I got stuck in a turnstile getting on one of the rides. I've always hated those things!