One size fits all…NOT!

Have you heard the one about the plus size (love that term) woman who bought a “one size fits all” dress and took it home to wear to an evening dinner? Well…after trying it on, she returns it to the store (in tears, mind you) and wants her money back because who are they to tell her she isn’t to be included in the term “ALL”?

Yea…not one of my finest moments. But seriously, one size fits all? How can that possibly be true? Show me the dress that looks good on both me and Kelly Ripa and I will buy that sucker in every color available! That term just annoys me. Maybe because it didn’t fit me. Maybe because I am reminded of the fact that I am different. As if I need someone to tell me that.

These last two years of my life have been spent trying to “fit in”. Fit in booths, fit in pants, fit in seatbelts and yes, fit in with people.

As an overweight person, you are always aware of the fact that you stand out. You may not stand out to other people, but you do in your mind. How many times have you looked at a picture of yourself in a group and realized you are the biggest one in the picture? Me? ALL THE TIME!

We tell ourselves to love our body no matter what size and no matter what shape. But it is hard. We are more critical of ourselves than anyone else. Do you think anyone really cared that the “one size fits all” dress was waded up in a ball and returned to the store in a grocery bag (of course, they deducted for the tear stains)? No one cared, no one noticed. But I did.

I am a member of a weight loss support group that meets every week. We are all different sizes, we are all different shapes, we are all at different places in our life change. But we meet together with one purpose: to support each other through our difficult journey. When I walk in, I see a group of beautiful and loving faces bringing their own distinct contribution to our meeting.

It would be wrong for me to say each one of these women need the same thing. Some need assistance with meal plans, some need assistance with self-image and some (cough, cough, me) need help with the whole kit & caboodle.

One size does not fit all. I can fit in a booth now, I can fit in seatbelts and I can bend over to tie my shoes. But I still need support, I still need advice and I still need to know I can do this.

I don’t want to fit in, I am finally comfortable enough with my body to want to stand out.