My Weight Loss Journey, The Beginning

The Beginning

I weighed 6lbs-2ozs when I was born. I was a picky eater, thin, and active as a young child. But for some reason, family and friends equated fat babies as healthy babies.

To make me "healthier," my immediate family rearranged the seating at the dining table to put me next to someone who intimidated me into eating. Their plan worked! After several times of sitting at the table until hours after the meal because I didn't want to eat something, I finally got the message and ate everythying. After a while, I not only ate everything -- I liked everything -- except beets and pickled pigs' feet. Oh, and Limburger cheese. These were favorites of my grandfather, and he tried to get me to eat these. But no matter how big or mean he tried to be, he couldn't get me to eat those.

My German grandmother was one of those who equated fat with healthy, so she had lots of goodies for us to eat. We helped her bake cookies, pies, and cakes. Of course, we helped her eat them as well. I can't tell you how many times we sat in front of the TV watching Bugs Bunny eating powder sugar or brown sugar with a spoon. So, needless to say, it wasn't long before I jumped from too thin to too fat. The summer I turned 8, I stepped over that line.

Then, before I knew it, I was being called "Fatty" by everyone. Talk about confusing!

The struggle started.