BIG Embarassing Moments - Fuel for Success

[skeeterbait8 0]

I love amusement rides. Just call me one big ole kid. Even at my age I still love them.

Was at Dollywood a couple years back. They had opened a new rollercoaster. I wanted to ride that thing so bad I could taste it. Stood in line for a LONG time. Got sat down and they couldn't fasten the safety bar down. I had to get off and walk away. IN front of hundreds of people.

I still want to cry my eyes out at the embarrasment of it. I'm planning on a reward vacation for myself in May 2010. Dang it I'll ride that one and everything else when I get there this next time!

[phthaloblue 0]

Count me as another roller coaster victim!

I'd always been heavy, but after meeting my (now) husband, I put on another 40 lbs of "happy fat". We went to Cedar Point to ride roller coasters shortly after my weight gain, and walked up to the latest roller coaster. There was an operator at the entrance who stopped me and said, in a loud voice, "Miss, why don't you sit down on this sample chair to see if you'll fit." I was mortified by his comment and the large crowd listening, so I made up a quick lie, saying that I'd already been on the ride and fit just fine. He gave me a doubtful look and let me proceed. In my mind, it hadn't occurred to me that at 250 lbs I might not fit.

After waiting in line for 2 hours, we were almost ready to be seated. The operator was loading a car with people, and I noticed him starting to argue with a man who was just a little too big to wear the seat belt. I looked at the man, then looked at myself and realized that I was about the same size as him. Surrounded by hundreds of people waiting, and with nowhere else to go but climb in the next car, I nearly panicked. When it was our turn to load, I pulled on the belt with all my might and barely managed to fasten it. The operator came over to check and I could tell he was about to argue that there wasn't enough slack on the belt, but I gave him a desperate look and he just passed by. Thank goodness. Nevertheless, it ruined the rest of the day, and I haven't been to a theme park since, to my husband's dismay.

A positive thing that's come out of this long pre-approval process is, for the first time, I'm starting to tell my husband about a lifetime full of these embarrassing and anxious incidents. He's always been thin, so he hadn't realized what a terrible head-game it is to be obese. He's more thankful now than ever that the band might be a way to end it all.

[FabBy50 0]

My wake up call was when my nieces grandfather saw me and made this comment WOW I remember when you were little and we were always afraid that a big gust of wind would blow you away. This was in front of about 20 people, needless to say I was very imbarassed. he just passed away a month ago, he was 93 I still loved him even though he broke my heart.

[Mamadot 0]

Just went to Disneyland for my Son's 6th birthday. We sat together in the 'Roger Rabbit' ride, and the bar barely came down due to my large belly. My Son is rather short. This ride is really Jerky and spins around, and my poor son was crying at the end 'cause he hit his head several times on the bar as it only went down to the level of his head. That is DEFINITELY incentive for me to commit myself to this process!

When I told my boys about my upcoming surgery to lose weight, they both said that I was pretty and they loved me just how I was. They didn't want me to change. I just love my little guys so much!!! I explained to them that I was doing it to be healthier and more active with them. I can't wait to have this surgery!

[sweatiepie 0]

Wow! For some reason I thought I was alone in the embarrassing moments department. I have experienced all these and have one more:

Playing softball for the company team but hating the thought of having to bat because that would mean I had to run to first base... I hadn't run in years.

The pitcher walked me, thank God for small miracles, but then the batter behine me hit the ball and I had to run the bases. -OMG - I made it to second base but was running so slow I had to slide into third base, just like the old days when I played sports, right? NO, I forgot I was fat and slide but ended up about 4 feet short of the base. UGHHH! I have not played sports since. But I plan to play again and soon.

[khayles 0]

Wow you have lost a lot already. I have not had my surgery yet, scheduled at the end of the month, how hard has it been? What do you eat?

Thanks for any info

[Mommad 0]

So many of us enjoyed the thread 'Things I Won't/Don't Miss About Being Obese'. I thought we could also share (laugh/cry together) our most embarassing moments :thumbup: due to our current/past large size. We can use these experiences to fuel our desire to succeed!

A few of my BIG embarassing moments....

:thumbup: Running into some old friends at a wedding, and having them congratulate me on my advanced pregnancy (I wasn't pregnant). I've had several people at work assume I was pregnant over the years, too. They must think I'm an Elephant with a 2-year (or in my case 20-year) gestation period!

:blushing: When my Husband mistakenly picks up my jeans instead of his, and two of him could easily fit inside!

:blushing: My young sons asking me about the 'waves' on my back, and enjoy running and bouncing off my big belly.

:blushing: When I was a child, my friends wouldn't allow me to ride their 'Big Wheel' bikes, 'cause they said I was too heavy and would break them.

:blushing: Being weighed (along with my luggage) and deemed overweight for a helicopter ride to Catalina Island, CA.

:blushing: Being weighed and assigned to the largest mule they had on a mule ride in Yosemite. This required everyone to wait while they got a step stool so I could get on the beast!

Wishing success to all - and no more BIG embarassing moments!!! :thumbup:

Mamadot

(1st surgeon visit scheduled 3/9)

Hello Mamadot

Your stories break my heart - good for you for taking this step, congratulations and good luck:thumbup:

[Mommad 0]

This one really stung bad, was at my pre-banding cardiologist apt and when it was time to be weighed the scale was not capable of weighing me :thumbup:, i was to large. I was so mortified.

Wow, congrats, you have come a long way

:thumbup:

[Mommad 0]

This was what I was going to write also! Once I had my shirt pulled over the unbuckled belt, and this princess of a male flight attendant asked very loudly if I needed an extension. I said yes...and took the damn thing with me! I hide it in my bra now when I board a plane.

When I was a sophmore in high school, a group of senior boys always picked on me. I was outgoing, and had lots of friends, and for some reason...I think I scared them. Fat girls weren't supposed to be happy. I was always in dance. We were getting ready to perform at half time of a basketball game and we were dancing to some James Brown song. We started on our knees, sort of balled up. In the formation, I was right in front of the student section...and the front row was full of the senior boys. The crowd was quiet and the music hadnt started yet. All of a sudden, the boys started chanting "two lunches, two lunches". That is what they called me...two lunches (implying that I ate two lunches). It was one of the most painful embarrasing moments of my life. I finished dancing. And that was the last year I danced for the school. It's the only time I let me weight affect me to the point that I gave up something I loved.

Dont worry now. I am sure that those guys are all fat bald losers, with small who who's! :thumbup:

what a bunch of ignorant pigs those boys are.....their own insecurities for sure - love your sense of humor....you go girl!

[StephOinAZ 0]

Wow, I so feel everyone's pain. :thumbup: It's just aweful. Here are SOME of mine (I have a ton, but will stick to these for now):

:thumbup: When I was only 12 my grandma (who I always thought was plump) bought a pair of jeans that didn't fit her. She gave them to me and said "Here, these are WAY to big for me, they should fit you just fine." I know she didn't mean to be hurtful, but that one stung.

:thumbup: At Sea World in San Diego my little (and skinny) sister wanted to ride the Journey to Atlantis ride. After spending like an hour in line searching up and down to see if there was anyone else in line even close to being as big as I am, I finally got to the cars. There were notices everywhere saying that you "must be in good health" to ride. And all I could think about is that that probably meant "you can't be fat." I didn't see anyone my size and I wanted to get out of line so bad, but the only option I would have had was to walk back down through the entire line, and I knew everyone would know WHY I was leaving. So I just prayed and prayed that I would fit!! Then the guy in the seat in front of me, he got in first and he slipped and pressed the saftey bar all the way down, so I couldn't even get into the seat and had to have some come release it. NO one would have been able to get in w/the bar down, but I felt like everyone who saw thought it was something to do w/my weight. Thankfully I got in, but it was soooo embarassing and it was was a TIGHT fit. I was sure the hydrolics would burst and I would go flying out of my car and die.

:blushing: Like everyone else, I've had airplane issues I've lied to the attendants and told them I was pregnant and needed an extender. One lady gave me a very attitud-y "Mmmm-hmmm." She knew I was full of it.

:blushing: Every time we go to the farm for Halloween we ride the trian, and we only have 3 small neices/nephews and we all "claim" a kid to sit next to so that we can fit in those tiny little pathetic excuses for seats.

:blushing: :blushing::bored::blushing: MOST EMBARASSING!!!! Every summer we go tubing down Salt River and this last year there was a patch of river that was SERIOUSLY low and there I was just floating along, relaxing, and then all of a sudden I feel rocks scraping my butt and then I just STOP. There I was...stuck in my innertube on a bed of rocks. I tried bouncing my innertube out of the shallow area and couldn't move an inch! Just then a huge tube-party of really hot guys passed by and all started laughing that I was stuck. I wanted to drown myself Then a group of really skinny girls in bikinis came by, and they were way nice, and they offered to grab onto my tube and pull me out of the shallow part but they couldn't get me to move :*( they finally let go and floated on down w/o me. So finally when no one else was coming, I had to ROLL myself off my tube and that just made my big belly fall out of my tankini and so I had to hoist up my bottoms again and then walk barefoot through these terrible rocks and cut up the bottom of my feet. Finally I got back to the deeper part and was able to keep going. THEN...as if that wasn't enough, at the final check-point where you have to get out of the river, the current picked up really fast and I tried to get off my innertube but the current was pulling me down river beacuse I was so "boyant" and I couldn't control it. I dug my feet into the sand, broken shells, broken glass, sharp rocks, and was desperately clinging to my innertube because it's like a $20 fee to replace if you loose it, and then I'm also trying to HOLD UP my bathingsuit, but it didn't work, my belly was hanging out and I was just trying to stand up!! Some guy came out and took my tube for me and threw it to shore and then came back out w/a towl for me to cover myself up with! In a way that was nice, but insulting at the same time. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG that was the worst. I cried all the way back to our car.

I can't wait to LIVE my life w/o having to worry about if I'm too fat for it. What a horrible life to have

[teachergirl 0]

For so long I tried to ignore all the discomfort and embaressment of being overweight. The rides at 6 Flags, or Disney World, the sore thighs, the airplane seats, not even mentioning the belts! To even begin to imagine life without these issues is just amazing! I get banded March 19th. I have so many emotions running through my head...scared, excited, nervous! To not have to go through any of these experiences ever again??? Bring it on...

[Mamadot 0]

StephO - The way you wrote/shared that last event made me feel like I was right there with you! I'm so sorry this happened to you!!! It reminded me of the time a few years back that I was canoeing with my husband and young neice. My husband and I were having a Water fight with the oars, and I accidentally fell overboard in the middle of the lake. I couldn't get back in, and my husband was unable to lift me back in, so I had to hold on while he rowed us back to shore. There was a lot of slimy, fresh-water 'sea weed' that I had to be pulled through before we got to shore. Several of my extended family members were nearby watching, as this was at a family reunion picnic at the lake. UGHHHHHH! I am SOOOO excited to live life as a thinner person without all of the physical weight issues!

Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories and words of support and encouragement - this is a GREAT group!!!

[TXAmy07 0]

Wow... it feels pretty good to know I am not the only one who has had these experiences!

Here are some of mine:

:scared2: Co-worker brought his 3 or 4 year old daughter up to the office and they were walking side by side as they passed me, and the daughter said "Daddy! Look how BIG she is!" to which the dad tried to play it off that she said it because he's short and I'm several inches taller then him but please... we all know what she meant by "big".

:crying: Just recently I went to a Water park with my daughter and her friend, a friend of mine and his brother, and my boyfriend. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt over my bathing suit but after a few hours the wet shorts rubbed the inside of my thighs completely raw and I had to take them off and go without, and play it off as "the shorts just started feeling gross being so wet for so long" when questioned as to why I took them off.

:heart: Haha, I thought I was the only smart one that did the jacket thrown loosely over the airplane seatbelt trick! I did that before I even knew there were seatbelt extensions - I thought I would get kicked off the airplane if I didn't fit and I was terrified since I travel for work... One day I got busted by an attendant who thank GOD didn't say a word, just walked up and handed me an extension. That's when I figured it out... But still, I HATE asking for one. Especially in front of co-workers. Humiliating.

Having my 8 year old daughter come home from a weekend with her dad (my ex) and tell me that Daddy's new girlfriend's sons said "your mom is FAT!" and laughed at me - in FRONT of her tall, skinny daddy and the gf, who decided not to defend me or correct the kids that were old enough to know better. While she told me the story she started to cry and said, "Mommy I told them you are working out and trying to lose weight but they just kept laughing and it made me so sad". It made me fall in love with my daughter all over again, and she is truly the reason I am on this journey.

I went for my 6th and final visit for my 6-month supervised diet this morning, and that is all I had left to do. My paperwork should have been put in the mail today (or Monday) for my insurance... So hopefully I will know something soon! I am praying it's a yes!

-A

[shellynnrn 0]

Wow... it feels pretty good to know I am not the only one who has had these experiences!

Having my 8 year old daughter come home from a weekend with her dad (my ex) and tell me that Daddy's new girlfriend's sons said "your mom is FAT!" and laughed at me - in FRONT of her tall, skinny daddy and the gf, who decided not to defend me or correct the kids that were old enough to know better. While she told me the story she started to cry and said, "Mommy I told them you are working out and trying to lose weight but they just kept laughing and it made me so sad". It made me fall in love with my daughter all over again, and she is truly the reason I am on this journey.

-A

Children are amazing.....

this one made me CRY!

[maestrita 43]

TxAmy, I am so sorry you had to deal with the ex-thing, and hearing it hit a nerve I thought had been long dead. I had some similar exchanges when I divorced my first husband, and it hurt like crazy. Later on, I got the satisfaction of him coming and begging me to come back several times during the years that followed. I never said yes, but I did get some satisfaction in that he finally realized he'd missed a good thing. To this day, he still accidentally calls his new wife by my name, and I got so tired of hearing him do that one day, I said "You wish" when he called her by my name.

Just think how bad it is going to sting when we are super hot and skinny! I hope in that moment you feel the satisfaction and relief I felt when I told off my ex. It is so validating when someone has treated you poorly because of health/weight issues...