Why are you doing this?

Jun 26, 2014

That was a question the nutritionist asked my group at meeting 5.  I heard all the standard answers: "to be healthy", " to look better", "to feel better", "to be around for my kids"...  I really thought about it the other day at the opera while waiting for the overture to start.  Why are you doing this?  My answer: I want to function in a regular sized world.  I work in the theatre world. Theatre seats are notoriously small. Theatres and opera houses built in the mid 1800's have seats that no sane person would ever consider remotely bearable. I want to not feel like a sardine or have my legs contorted in a way they fall asleep in five minutes. I want to audition and be back on the boards instead of working behind the scenes.  I want to be able to live in my house.  Like most of the houses in historic neighbourhoods of Baltimore, mine was built in 1875, things are smaller than normal.  I want to be able to walk into the bathroom head on instead of sideways with my gut sucked in. I want to go to the basement and not feel like a pinball bouncing back and forth while navigating the steps(it's even more fun carrying a basket of laundry).  As a six foot two three hundred ninety pound man having to do laundry in a five foot five inch deep basement is bordering on the ridiculous.  I know I can't stand up straight, being fat has nothing to do with it, but having to be hunched over my weight becomes an issue.  I want to ride roller coasters again, fly in an airplane with out needing an extender. I'd love to be Miss Daisy but alas I have to drive my Tahoe instead of riding in my friend's Fiat.   I want to go to a restaurant and not have to ask for a table because I'm not sure if I'll fit in a booth.   I don't want to be stared at because of my size or treated as an imbecile because I'm heaver than most(you know fat people are supposed to be dumb).    I want to be able to travel and not have to pinpoint the location of the closest big and tall store to my hotel before leaving in case I'm out and need to buy a pair of pants or shirt on the fly.  Why are you doing this? 

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