A Weighty Subject

Okay, here's the deal. I'm thin. I've always been thin and I am constantly reminded by people around me about my body size. Aside from the genetic factor, the main contributor to my twig arms and legs used to be my overactive thyroid.  My metabolism was kicked into high gear for who knows how long. Once my thyroid was removed, one of my fears was that its absence would cause me to gain weight. While I didn't gain a substantial amount of weight like other thyroid cancer patients I had read about, I did gain some.  This is not uncommon for patients who have undergone a thyroidectomy, especially those who have a difficult time getting their medication regulated.  Not to mention so many patients who are completely taken off their medication for weeks at a time before their treatments and scans. Talk about a roller coaster ride!

After my diagnosis, I decided that as soon as my recovery and treatments were done, I wanted to try and find ways to be a much healthier version of me. I wanted to take control of myself and my body back because I felt so out of control for so many months.  When a co-worker offered the chance to sign up for a weight loss challenge, I saw it as my inspiration to try and reach my goal to be more conscious about my health. And you know what? I'm glad I signed up. Did people question my intentions for joining the challenge? Yep! Have I had to dodge comments about my weight? You betcha! Am I going to win the challenge?  Not a snowball's chance in a CAT scanner (ahem - Sheldon).  But for me, that's not the point at all. In fact, I don't WANT to win. My $10 entry fee was a total donation to whomever the amazingly dedicated person is that loses the most weight. I wanted to shed the pounds that I gained after my thyroid was removed...and I'm proud to say that I did! I am slowly working my way back to being stronger and healthier, and that's all I really care about.

Let's all just stop and think about this for a minute: How many of us would ever consider telling a woman how fat she is or that she should really work out more? So, why is there a double standard here? I hear comments all the time about how skinny I am or how I don't need to work out because I don't have any weight to lose. This makes me feel incredibly awkward and guilty for wanting to do something that makes me feel good about myself. 

None of us want to feel judged about our bodies, regardless of what size we happen to be. Can I get all hands in now as we agree that we will shower each other with encouraging phrases like, "Wow! You look so great today!" or "Diggin' the new scarf! It really complements your eyes" or "I hope you are feeling as good as you look today!" Who knows? Maybe it will help us all feel a little better about ourselves!