May 9, 2007
This message is for
the teenager who is
carrying around
more weight than is healthy.
Unfortunately when you are
heavy, overweight or obese;
some people will treat you
unfairly. The perception is
that you are lazy, smelly and
unclean—you don’t dress well
and all you do is eat, and eat,
and eat some more.
I guess “B” never heard
those things because this sister
had it going on. In her late
20s, this sister was about 5’9”
and a good 350 pounds. And
she was fine!
She dressed stylishly,
smelled good, was always
clean and neat and had a lot of
energy.
In college, there was Big
Mac. I called her “Mac,”
more because her last name
was McAllister, and not
because she was big. Mac was
another large sister who never
let her weight keep her from
taking care of herself and
taking care of business.
I could go on and on
naming people who carry
around extra weight, like me,
and how they didn’t fall into
the “fat trap.”
When people call into the
“fat trap,” they let themselves
go. They start wearing “fat
clothes”—elastic waistbands,
everything in black, knits and
spandex, and flowers—
anything they think will camouflage
the “fat.”
Some find it gets harder to
keep yourself clean and so you
don’t.
There are things that you
can do to deal with your
weight. First you need to go
see a doctor and get on some
type of healthy plan that will
add quality to your life. Your
heart can only take so much
and extra weight doesn’t help.
Learn how to eat to live.
And don’t tell me—like
some of these young sisters
are doing these days—that
you were meant to be big.
Yes, your momma and grandmomma
are big. I understand.
But I also know it has a lot to
do with what they are eating
and you are eating the same
thing.
Robin Dickerson realizes
this and so she is doing everything
she can to make sure that
her daughter, Kaswanna, loses
weight.
“I told her, ‘Baby, you
don’t want to be obese,” Ms.
Dickerson said, as she talked
about how she explored
several options to help her 14-
year-old daughter, who
weighed in at over 300
pounds, lose weight.
Ms. Dickerson and
Kaswanna attended the
Institute for Advanced
Journalism Studies at North
Carolina A&T State
University last month, where
the focus was on child obesity.
Fortunately for Kaswanna,
she has a supportive mother
who encourages and uplifts.
Ms. Dickerson knows what
her daughter is going through
because she too has had
weight issues for quite some
time.
Some people can eat
anything they desire and they
remain the same size. Most
people who remain the same
extra large size will tell you
they are not doing any exercising
or changing their diet.
Now about those cleanliness
issues.
Try using baking soda to
help with cleansing issues.
Get a large box and sprinkle it
generously in the water before
you get in the tub.
If you take showers, before
you get in, make a paste with
water and baking soda or
shower gel and baking soda.
Put the paste under your arms,
between your legs –in the
front and back, and in any
crevices (lift up your skin if
necessary), like the folds in
your neck or behind your ears.
Now, while you brush your
teeth and tongue, pluck your
eyebrows or shave, let the
baking soda do its work. You
might even put some on your
toothbrush (at least it won’t
have you calling the poison
control center if you swallow
it, like toothpaste).
When you get into the
shower, take a washcloth that
you have lathered up with
soap/gel and baking soda and
began working on your body.
Now nothing beats a good
bath from time to time, but
work this shower to your
advantage and frequently, like
twice daily.
And please understand that
the same goes for slender
people, as well.
Stank does not discriminate
and don’t think that just
because you are small that you
are exempt from funk. Some
of the funkiest people I know
are slim and trim. Some of the
most trifling and lazy people I
know are mediums.
So for the heavy people,
meditate, pray, listen to music,
do whatever you have to do to
get in the right frame of mind
–fall in love with yourself and
life—so that you can deal with
your weight.
Know that there are some
clothes--even if they make
them in your size--are not for
you. Buy things in your size,
not the size you want to be, but
the size that adequately covers
your body.
Lesson #1 – if you are constantly
adjusting your clothes,
what you are wearing is not
the right size.
Lesson #2—
whatever the color, even
black, if it is the wrong size,
you are still going to look big.
We have a lot more to talk
about on this issue. Stay
tuned.
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