I was recently asked if I knew anyone who had received comments on her weight from strangers.
My answer was, “Who hasn’t?” I have heard comments about my weight and size for as long as I can remember. When I was in kindergarten, I was the tallest kid in the class. Naturally, my nickname was “Jolly Green Jennifer.”
Then, right when I hit puberty, my weight obsession began, and it was a total rollercoaster for at least ten years. But about ten years ago, I changed my life and lost over 125 pounds. Still, the comments keep coming, no matter what I weigh.
I remember times when strangers asked me when I was due and I wasn’t even pregnant. Once, when I was grocery shopping, a little boy asked me if he could rub my belly. His mother just laughed and said, “Never mind him, he thinks you’re pregnant.” I was much younger, and super-sensitive back then, so naturally I was shocked at her response to him.
Still, to this day, almost daily I encounter someone commenting on my weight! The ironic thing is, while some interpret me as being thin, others may think I’m not thin enough. It’s actually quite funny.
Just yesterday my husband and I took our baby out to buy some plants. The cashier asked me how I stay so thin. Later in the afternoon, I went into a clothing store, and the sales girl said to me, “We have great tops that will hide your waistline!”
And I hadn’t even changed my outfit.
I’ve learned you’ve absolutely got to love yourself no matter what shape or size you are, and then the comments don’t matter! It’s not about weight—we are so much more than numbers. It’s about nurturing our bodies, spirits, and minds while practicing self-care. Once I loved myself I was better able to take care of myself, because after all, if you don’t love something you definitely don’t nurture it the same way.
Thank goodness I don’t take people’s remarks seriously anymore. Now I just smile back at them. It’s not easy at first, but I promise once you truly love yourself from the inside out, you’ll smile back, too. In the meantime, here are some tips for dealing with this type of thing:
