fat shaming... ew and UGH!

So in the last year I was pregnant, delivering my 4th beautiful and healthy baby. And unlike the last three - this time taking off the weight has been much harder and the kicker is I gained the LEAST amount of weight with my little guy. Im not sure if its been that he is number four- the tubal that I had after or just not putting myself first... But I do know I am still trying, still lifting and still working out -- which is whats leading me to this blog. 

I HATE people who fat shame. Fit or Fat - thick or thin, I cannot stand that anyone thinks they have a privilege or right or even carries the audacity to tell say negative things about people.

Last night at my church's VBS, while playing dodge-ball tag, a fellow volunteer tagged me with the ball. Now, I have had a target on my head with the kids, and of course the adults all play - but the words that came out of her mouth cut me and hurt bad - Im still struggling to shake it. She followed up with "I wanted to pick a slow person."

I don't know this woman very well, and Im not even 100% sure she meant it malicious or not, but what I do know is I wanted to yell at her all of my stats

- I have done more 5k runs than I can count on my hand.

- I ran a mud run with my fitness coach at SIX MONTHS PREGNANT

- I have increased my weights by 15 lbs since my baby's birth

- I can run faster, longer than pre baby

and so on and so on

I wanted to say why do you think I am slow, because I am bigger? My heart felt like the fat girl I was in elementary who never got asked to play sports first and who the kids taunted on the playground in a game of chase. My heart relived the countless moments when my mom would tell me how I was just like her now (fat) and how my older sister is just like her when she was younger (very thin) and then would follow up with how much she hated herself. Which I thought meant I should hate myself. It brought me to the 8th grade girl who started throwing up so I could fit into my sisters size 2 (and i did it) and struggled all of high school to maintain a size 7. 

So to the person who snickers in the gym at the "fat" kid, to the person who doubts your ability to run, and to the person who thinks they are better. Shame on you for not giving credit to the person who is just playing with the kids (who dont notice fat... we teach them that... keep that in mind) or who is trying to get fit and who may just be running a little slower than you. 

Bottom line. If you are not encouraging, laughing with, and being positive with other people, your negativity is not wanted, warranted or desired. If you have nothing nice to say - SHUT. UP.

-Kayla-