COLUMN: ‘I was once fat’

Jul 03, 2010

By: Andria Carter

By ARTEMIS COUGHLAN

TRENTON – The first time I realized I was fat was when I was in third grade sitting outside the nurse’s office at Cornwells Elementary School in Bensalem, Pa.

I had just had a physical and the doctor told my mother that I was obese. I didn’t know what obese meant and had to look it up in the dictionary. It meant I was fat.

My mother told me I was fine and not to worry about it so I didn’t. After all, she was my mom and mom was the authority. My older sister was obese and my mother morbidly obese.

Mommy, who came to this country from Germany after World War II, always fried food – potato pancakes, breaded pork chops, breaded flounder and more – in lard. We always had sticky buns, cookies and the like around to eat. It tasted great and I continued to eat and eat and eat.

My clothes, mostly hand-me-downs from my sister, were always too tight. The nylon stockings, at that time one size fit all, only came up to my knees and forced me to keep my legs together and skirt down. I was always very uncomfortable, self conscious and would try to find loose-fitting clothes to wear.

As I grew older, I continued to eat the same way and I got bigger, I couldn’t do gymnastics and was embarrassed to play sports or go to gym class. Academically I did very well, the only way I could excel.

After college, I was still obese, but managed to get jobs and perform, but as I grew older and after I had my child, the pains started as I topped out at 310 pounds at five feet eight. I continued to cook like my mother.

My back hurt to the point where I couldn’t walk and was stuck on the couch. I couldn’t walk on the beach, or enjoy outdoor activities and the heat killed me. I dreaded stairs, got winded easily and had to make my own clothes because my size wasn’t in the stores. Got pretty good at it. There are so many health risks associated with obesity, I can’t begin explain all of them.

My mother’s death was clearly obesity-related.

Then one day about 15 years ago, when my daughter started having weight problems, I said to myself I couldn’t hurt her and this must all end.

Quietly, I stopped frying and started baking food. Fat was kept to a minimum, but not eliminated. I dropped meal portion size for both myself and my daughter. I gave her fat free lunch meats, and other foods. I explained to her that she must for the rest of her life control what goes into her mouth just to be healthy.

I would never deny myself or her anything. If I wanted ice cream, I would get a small cone but would take one or three bites, and – this was the hard part – threw the rest away. I did the same with other tasty treats.

Over the years, the fat melted away. I went from a size 30 to 24, 22, 20 and lower. It became easier and easier to do things. The heat no longer tormented me. No more back pain on a daily basis.

People, like me, who tend to be fat, must make those lifestyle changes to be healthy. Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and the like can’t do it for you.

There’s no magic pill to take. Just cut your portion size, reduce fats, and don’t deny yourself anything.

That’s just my advise, and it worked.

I can now buy clothes off the rack, but have skin issues. I’d rather have them than be obese.

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