Born2lbfat

My life with Lipedema & Lymphedema...destined to be fat.

Winner! Living Bold With Lipedema

by 2 Comments

healthcentral

“A picture is worth a thousand words, this picture turned out to be worth $500…

“I’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game…

I never imagined a day at the pool with an underwater camera would lead to my story of living with Lipedema being featured on HealthCentral, nor that the contest would be an experience in itself. There are several stories to be told, the story of being fat shamed while at the gym when the picture was taken, the story of why I entered the picture for the HealthCentral #LiveBold contest, and the story of the connection I made with fellow contestant and second place winner Gabe Howard.

I became aware of the contest through the Obesity Action Coalition, I have been a member since 2012 and am known for being a strong advocate against weight stigma and bias. Upon seeing the contest guidelines, to share a picture of how you live bold with a chronic condition, I immediately thought of this picture. While I initially thought the picture made my butt look big, I quickly realized the powerful message captured in the moment. I crafted my words to fit the image and submitted it for the contest. I did not set out to win the contest, my only intent was to share my story. However, as voting continued I saw I had the potential to win and ramped up my social medial campaign to solicit votes.

One day I decided to check out the #LiveBold hashtag on Twitter to see which other contestants were promoting their stories. I came across Gabe’s posts, I had read his story and really connected. I began to follow him on Twitter and sent him a Tweet. I liked his story so much, that I started requesting that my friends and family vote for both of us. It turned out Gabe lived only two hours from me. Small world indeed, his father is actually from my hometown. Win or lose, I had made a new friend.

So then the announcement came and I won! My story was going to be featured on HealthCentral.com. This was huge, not only for me, but for the Lipedema and Lymphedema communities. The prize was well timed also, as I was preparing for my trip to Washington, DC to attend the National Lymphedema Network Conference and Lymphedema Lobby Days. I used the $500 Visa Gift card towards my hotel expenses.

Me with the HealthCentral Staff

Me with the HealthCentral Staff

So it turns out HealthCentral’s offices are located in Alexandria, VA and when they heard I would be in DC they invited me over to meet the staff, tour the offices, and lunch. I also filmed an interview with them to be included with my blog post, Living Boldly With Lymphedema and Lipedema

Lesson learned: Never underestimate the power of your story…or a picture of you in your swimsuit.

 

Dear Abby, My Mom is VERY Proud of My Weight

by 3 Comments

This morning I saw a post about Dear Abby on The Anti-Jared. Appears a young woman was told by her mother she couldn’t wear her bikini to the family pool gatherings. At first Abby suggested the woman should follow her mother’s wishes as it is her home and her rules.

But then Abby crossed the line and made assumptions related to the woman’s health and ultimately about the possibility her mother would be more proud of her if she “if you were less complacent and more willing to do something about your weight problem.”

If you have read my blog you know I have no issues with wearing a swimsuit, or about the face my mother instilled in me a sense a pride and self confidence.

So here is my quick response to Dear Abby that I left in the comments section. I plan on writing direct correspondence to her, also.

Dear Abby,

I have a medical condition called Lipedema, it’s an advance stage that includes Lymphedema. I currently weigh 400lbs and I proudly wear a swimsuit in public, on cruises, I’ve never been interested in wearing a bikini but that’s a personal preference nothing to do with how I feel about my body, because honestly I have plans on visiting a nude beach the next time I visit Florida.

And let me assure you my physician feels my HEALTH is fine, other than managing my lymphedema, all my other health statistics are in normal range. See I used to weigh over 500lbs, so while 400lbs is still morbidly obese being 100lbs less is still quite an accomplishment. As is the progress I’ve made in reducing the lymphedema in my legs. You should not be so quick to make judgmental assumption about the writer’s health based on her sharing her weight. It’s that type of stereotyping and stigma from society that keeps many people affected by obesity too ashamed to get out and enjoy life like this young woman is doing. Tell me would it better that she is so ashamed of her body that she doesn’t go swimming? Swimming is being active after all so it’s great that she is confident with her body and lives her life.

momkeywestAs for her mother, it seems the mother needs to be proud of her daughter no matter what size she is. I will tell you my mother is extremely proud of me and all my 400lbs, I have two college degrees and am working on a Masters in Health Law. Despite the challenges I have faced with my lymphedema and fighting weight stigma and bias in accessing healthcare and employment I continue to be successful and my mother, family, and friends are all very proud of me. And I am very proud of myself. Fat only describes me, it does not define me.

Sincerely,

Sarah

 

How I #LiveBold To Fight Weight Stigma

by 7 Comments

I entered the HealthCentral #LiveBold anti-stigma photo contest.

(voting is open until August 8th! Click on the link and VOTE for me, vote daily!)

I share my story of how I #LiveBold with Lipedema and Lymphedema and overcome weight stigma.

Picture of me in the pool

The story behind this photo fits well into the anti-stigma theme, because I experienced weight stigma just before it was taken. The photo was taken during a trip to the gym to get pictures of me doing various water exercises for my FitBloggin’ Ignite Fitness presentation. As soon as I stepped into the pool this woman motioned to me and began talking to me in Spanish, I thought perhaps she recognized me from water aerobics class but when she realized I did not speak Spanish she quickly switched to English and her intentions were made clear.

“My daughter is as big as you are and she goes to this clinic and has lost fifty pounds. They don’t make her workout, they just speed up her heart to help her lose weight.”

Well that sounds safe…
Why the hell would you tell someone EXERCISING AT THE GYM about a clinic where they don’t make you exercise?
Wait…why the HELL would you approach a stranger about their weight…at the gym no less?
 

I’m not sure why I try to be nice in response to people who are so rude to me, but I tried to explain that I have Lipedema and Lymphedema and that I have a great medical team that monitors my overall health. No, she still continued. I explained that I no longer live in the area, that I was just visiting so going to a local clinic was not even an option for me. No, she still kept talking about it….I finally just walked away and continued my exercises and photo shoot.

She caught me again at the other end of the pool, she obviously noticed I was annoyed by the conversation so she attempted to suck up.

“You’re very beautiful and have a nice shape.”

Seriously? Yes, I know.

I know that I am fat AND that I am beautiful. I don’t need to be informed of either by a stranger.

I said “thank you”, but that’s not a compliment when it comes AFTER fat shaming. Her initial reaction to seeing me was to approach me about my weight, only after she saw that I was pissed off did she compliment me.

Back to the picture, my boyfriend said he wanted to get a creative picture half in and half out of the water. Upon reviewing the pictures I gave a sarcastic “thanks babe”. I joked about how “objects under the water may appear larger than actual size”, and I soon realized how very powerful the photo was and how it really captured the moment and my story. There is more to me and my story than what appears on the surface. The people who take the time to see past my surface appearance get the benefit of knowing me and my story, and in exchange I get to know them and their story.

We all have a story.

How do you #LiveBold? Share YOUR story of how you #LiveBold despite a health condition.