Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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December 6, 2007

Change the World: One Pound at a Time

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 10:00 am

Hey, Karen, How Can We Change the World?

Change the World!
This guest post was contributed by friend and SOB, Karen Hanrahan. I had the joy of meeting her in October. What an inspiring and delightful person she is! Karen writes of an incredible change in her own life. –ME “Liz” Strauss

One Pound at a Time

by Karen Hanrahan

‘ Tis the season for eating!!! I can hear my indulging commentary “Oh why fight it”, isn’t the holiday season all about the food? “ I’ll be really good after the holidays” (in holiday forked tongue that really means 6 weeks of being bad) “I’ll binge now and worry later” (sort of like I’ll shove it in faster than I did before because in January I am going on a diet)

Welcome to my world. One year ago I was a whopping size 24 or XXX (not the steamy sexy kind of XXX either) It’s one thing to hit 200 lbs, it’s another to go above and beyond 200lbs. At 240 lbs how could any weight loss make a difference – 230 lbs now what? 100 lbs to go?? Forget it.

One brownie became 3 brownies simply because what difference did it make. In the bigger (ha!) picture of things – I was already big.

How did I get to be so darn BIG? Some of it was circumstance (car accident — 2 years of pain), some of it was chosen sedentary-ness (if I didn’t move then it wouldn’t hurt) and most of it became utter and pathetic apathy (it’s just too darn hard.)

For those of us who have been of size, there are details to being fat that are never discussed. Those of thinness take for granted the horrors we of girth endure.

In my minds eye, meaning without ever looking in the mirror, I was skinny. My true self (or the person I could seemingly relate to) would walk down the street see the reflection in the glass window and completely ignore who she saw. What I don’t acknowledge won’t hurt me

I could never sit neatly in my chair. Those of thinness kindly observe that when you sit in a chair, volumes of you don’t roll over the side. I affectionately called it sitting in the round.

After a recent 60 lbs of weight loss, I got on a plane and buckled my seatbelt – without even thinking I sat in the middle seat, something I could never do as a woman of size. I burst into tears when I realized that my thighs were not invading someone’s personal space. Nothing worse than sharing thunder thighs with a stranger. (I then had to explain to 2 strangers why the heck I was crying.)

Ever go in the Woman’s Plus Department? See anything hip you’d care to wear? See any natural fabrics? Can you say S-T-R-E-T-C-H, synthetic land? Can you see that the #1 color choice is black? Can you imagine the feeling of black synthetic stretchy fabric on a balmy humid summer afternoon? Thunder thighs wrapped in plastic. Lovely huh?

I once had to walk through a crowd. A young man in front of me – a thin young man pushed his way through the crowd shouting “WIDE LOAD coming through”
WIDE LOAD. I thought I would simply die.

How bad does it have to get to shift from hefty to healthy? How horrible did it have to be?

For me, I got scared. I also got embarrassed. I looked in the mirror. I faced my skepticism, took on some products that helped the process, but mostly I allowed myself room for being real. What monster had I created and was I willing to look at that creep face to face.

5 things made a difference for me

Not rocket science and not something that everyone doesn’t already know.

I had 2 immediate goals. Kick the 200 lb mark, and get out of the plus department.

I celebrate today my size 16 - ness. (not age 16 goof, SIZE 16!) and officially I am so out of the plus department!

In the world of thin-ness and ultimate BMI I have about 30 lbs to go. I lost 60 lbs in 12 months – slowly and steadily. No up and down yo-yo stuff, and the best part is I feel really swell.

Do we hear weight success stories all the time? Sure. Perhaps you see a bit of yourself in mine. More than anything perhaps you find a bit of inspiration to give yourself that kick in the size ah-hem pants and get on the path to health. Best yet if we all took on weight loss, we’d alter a frightening epidemic issue. One lb at a time.

– Karen Hanrahan

_______
Thanks, Karen! You’re an inspiration.
We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss





Filed under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |




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16 Comments to “Change the World: One Pound at a Time”

  1. December 6th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
    SunnySchlenger said

    Karen — Congratulations! Success — heartfelt and real.
    I lost 30 lbs. ten years ago and then gained back 50. Partly through menopause-related stuff, partly inactivity, and of course the “if I don’t look it isn’t there” mentality. I’m slowly getting active again and it feels good. Thanks for the inspiration. Sharing stories is how we help each other. :-)

  2. December 6th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
    Mother Earth said

    Why thank you Sunny - it’s been an insightful journey and one I believe many (way too many!)are on. I am so glad I can provide inspiration. I couldn’t agree more with you - it’s the sharing that makes a difference for others. Nice to know we are not alone, eh?

  3. December 6th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
    jon said

    deciding that small things matter is a huge thing. We are so trapped by percentages (1 is a huge percent of 2, but a small percent of 2000) that we forget that 1 is still 1.

    thanks for the honesty, the personal pain, and the practical steps.

    Jon

  4. December 6th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
    Mother Earth said

    Gosh Jon - it’s truly my pleasure.

  5. December 6th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
    Mike said

    Karen,

    I popped over to your blog and you don’t look a day over 16! ;-)

    Thanks for showing what will power can accomplish!

    Mike

    P.S. “size ah-hem” - classic

  6. December 6th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
    Mother Earth said

    oh my gosh Mike I am blushing now - 16 indeed!!

    It’s actually interesting with the whole eating healthy thing - you don’t need as much will power, you just crave and want the good stuff vs the bad

    It’s a lot of human chemistry 101

    so I shared my “ah-hem” pants size… will you??

  7. December 6th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
    Derrick Sorles said

    Karen Darling (and Liz) this is fun chatting with both of you here! Having grown up as a PLUS size boy my life was hell. I was ashtmatic and had to have weekly prednazone (sp?) shots to breathe. Alledgely, they increased my appetite and automatically made me hold weight, but it was necessary to survive (don’t buy it at all today!).

    All I know is I ate like crazy and my Grandmothers words still ring in my ears today “If you keep eating 2 sandwiches you’ll always be big as a house.” I think I reached a 32 inch waist in 3rd grade, all I remember is each fall back to school shopping at Sears with 4 colors of “Husky” pants to choose from. And the ridicule from everyone (including siblings who called me “tubby”) was a HUGE load to bear-no pun intended.

    I think the shots stopped around age 10, and by 12 when I entered junior high (and was interested in being “hot-or hotter”) I chose “tab” and starving myself to take the weight off. It worked, but was the beginning of a lifelong roller coaster with size and lifestyle changes.

    I did end my school years on a high note-not voted “most likely to succeed” but instead, ‘best dressed” and “best hair” (any flags here I might have been gay and ultimately built for Italian couture?) - obviously never to have been seen in another pair of huskies once slimmer.

    I’m definitely caught in the churn of body dysmorphia and am never happy with my physical self, still always feel “heavy.” What I love about you and your story is it too represents there is no quick fix or pill, but its a lifestyle and journey that will realistically have ups and downs.

    One of my favorite lines I recite often in my head is “Its not what you eat between Thanksgiving and New Years you need to worry about, but instead-what you eat between New Years and Thanksgiving.”
    Hugs xoxoo
    Thank you again for always being you, so honest and authentic-
    Derrick Sorles

  8. December 6th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
    Mother Earth said

    Derrick I had no idea about this detail of your childhood. I think you are so handsome and thin!! You work at it too which is wonderfully admirable.

    The entire childhood obesity scene these days is so out of control. Plus sizes in most youth clothing departments are a reality. Certainly far more choices than the ewwww sears huskies!

    Your comments remind how that feels when you are young and amongst the evils of teen peers.

    Worse yet is the addictive nature of most main stream foods, making it alluring and challenging. If the family isn’t modeling healthy eating - you end up doing silly things like drinking TAB ( Oh my god - i remember TAB!) and starving yourself.

    Love that you are here with me - always a support and a dear.

    Hugs Back

  9. December 6th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Wow Karen, quite a powerful story. Good for you for losing the weight. 2008 is my year to do the same! You are a true inspiration!

  10. December 6th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
    Mother Earth said

    Let me know if I can offer you assistance Phil - I’d love to help!

  11. December 7th, 2007 at 12:51 am
    JoLynn Braley said

    Great job Karen! Like you said, you didn’t do anything outlandish or amazing, just used some common sense…..ate healthy foods, drank lots of water, got walking, and changed your habits. Weight loss really isn’t a secret, unless the secret is applying the steps that will get you there. Now that’s a secret that each of us that struggle with the application have to uncover within ourselves….you’re not having a problem with that, though. :)

    Congratulations on your success and your new lifestyle! :)

  12. December 7th, 2007 at 5:39 am
    Amin said

    Karen, a lovely frank discussion of what it’s like to be overweight. Your point about sitting in the middle seat on a plane was particularly illuminating because I’m sure it’s not something slim people would ever even consider.

    Nor would they think how difficult it is to get out of a car, for example.

    And your point about seeing yourself as different from how you actually were is a good one. It’s the same thing that anorexics do, but in the other direction.

    A very honest and brave post: well done.

  13. December 7th, 2007 at 8:35 am
    Mother Earth said

    Why Thank you JoLynn, I appreciate meeting you — looks as if we do parallel work!!

  14. December 7th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
    Deb Call said

    Karen - you write so beautifully from the heart. I admire your courage and guts. You ROCK!

  15. December 9th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
    Mother Earth said

    Amin — I appreciate you taking a moment to comment

  16. December 9th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
    Mother Earth said

    Deb - thanks for the kudos!!!

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