He Called Me A "Skinny-Fatboy," My Friend "266," and Speaking In Tulsa
I really need to either get back to daily posting—or start taking notes throughout the day. I'm sitting here, trying to recall Thursday and all I can remember is one experience that really wasn't that pleasant. OK—so, what happened? Give me a second...
I'm broadcasting from the 51st Annual 101 Wild West Rodeo Thursday through Saturday. I was really feeling good out there Thursday night. Sure, it was 100 degrees, but I can handle the heat so much better as a normal sized man. I can move around that arena without any problems whatsoever...moving and grooving, feeling amazing, and then somebody says something—and what they said consumed me the rest of the night.
What was said, came from a listener who was trying to compliment me: “Well, there's the skinny-fat boy.” The “skinny fat boy?” It didn't hurt my feelings really, I mean seriously—I have thicker skin than that---but he struck a deeper nerve with the word combination he chose. He had no idea that I would spend the next two hours thinking about how I look normal in so many ways and still feel fat in so many others. I've learned that the brain really needs extra time to catch up with the body—and little remarks like this, although not intended to be anything deeper by the guy who said it, do not help that cause. OK—You know what? I've spent way too much time dwelling on this nonsense. This guy knows nothing of this blog, this transformation, anything. All he knows is, here's Sean—the radio guy---who was once over 500 pounds, and now he's looking “skinny.” This guy was complimenting me. Really—his “skinny-fatboy” was his version of “you're looking great man.” OK—I'm better now.
Every now and then, a blog post from someone just blows me away. A blogger by the name of “266” has done this to me on several occasions. Her writing along this road has sometimes hit me square between the eyes, so much—that I've written about it before. This isn't the first time she's left me with feel good tears streaming down my cheeks. She's lost over 100 pounds and recently posted a video slide show on her blog that takes you from her heaviest to the most current pictures. The music selection, the transitions, the amazing transformation, the happiness on her face---I feel that too!! She's put together a masterpiece---and I had to share it with you. Please, drop what you're doing and take four minutes to watch her video slide show. You want to be inspired? You love before and current transformation pictures? Yeah?---Then check out my friend 266: http://266-twosixtysix.blogspot.com/2010/08/anniversary-presentation.html
I love featuring new bloggers too. This blog has helped me in so many ways—and it thrills me when someone else discovers the amazing benefits of writing along this road. I recently asked for blog links—and I've received several!
Dr. Fat to Fit is a family physician and new weight loss blogger, she writes:
I’m new to blogging and I’m yet another in a long line of people inspired by you and so many others. I’ve enjoyed blogging so much more than I ever thought I would. www.drfattyfindsfitness.blogspot.com Thank you for all your inspiring posts. Keep on writing and I look forward to those possible podcasts. How cool!
Jay has lost over 80 pounds and is new to the weight loss blogging community:
I would love to share my story with other people that are in the same situation that I have been in. That is the reason that I have started blogging. My blog is: www.jaypatelweightloss.blogspot.com. I know that if I could just make a difference of one person it would be so worthwhile. I know that if I had a role model like myself I would be more encouraged. Once again, thanks for listening to my story and hopefully you will enjoy my blog and share it with your friends. I have actually been following your blog(its on my "blogs I follow") while I have been on this journey. I love to read it daily.. Once again. Thanks..
Shrinking Goddess writes:
Just thought I’d drop you a quick line...I’ve been blogging myself now since January this year. During the initial few months I subscribed to a number of blogs, including your own. Fast forward to now...I find myself regularly reading ONLY a handful of them, including your own. Why? Because, in my humble opinion, only a few people actually work on their head space. And that is where I finally am now. I have done this weight-loss thing numerous times and have had various levels of success for varying degrees of time. BUT it was never sustainable because the underlying issues still remained. Having used every therapy known to man to identify some of my issues, it is only this time since I’ve been writing, that I feel that I am finally conquering my issues and me. I finally see that the weight-loss will be the icing on the cake and that the REAL reward will be truly accepting and loving me and my past and who I am, deep inside. As of yesterday, I have lost 15.5kg (34.26lbs) which is exactly 10% of my original body weight. I have a long way to go yet have already learnt so much about me and know that this time it’s for real and forever!!
Thank you for your continued inspiration.
Warmest regards,
Shrinking Goddess
http://shrinking-goddess.blogspot.com
Sharon writes:
Hi Sean. Just came across your blog and all I can say is WOW! Your journey so far is just so inspiring. After dieting for 35 years and hitting my all time high of 280 lbs, I have spent the last year and a half dealing with the reasons I overeat..... I am finally ready to really start working on the outside and lose the remainder of this weight (40 lbs gone so far). I have quit smoking, been working with a personal trainer at the gym and in the last year have run a 5k, climbed 1,779 stairs for a fundraiser (the CN Tower in Toronto ), and recently completed my first try a tri (mini triathlon). I have now found a new love of boxing and Muay Thai and working towards stepping into a boxing ring for a fight before the end of the year(even writing this still sounds a bit foreign to me). Keep in mind I am 44 yrs old and currently weight 240lbs. I gain much of my inspiration from others blogs, like yours, so if I can inspire you or any of your readers, please add me to your list. I look forward to following your journey, you truly are amazing and I wish you well. Regards, Sharon http://journeytofindtherealme.blogspot.com
I hope you have the time to check out these amazing people! If you would like your blog featured, please send an e-mail to seanboy105@hotmail.com with the word “blog” in the subject line. Thank you my friend!
Friday night I have a date with Kenz! We're going out to an exclusive restaurant after my rodeo broadcast. I'll write more about that and Friday on my next post!
My next speaking engagement is scheduled for Tuesday the 17th in Tulsa at the Broken Arrow Business Womens Luncheon. It's open to the public! So, if you're anywhere close to Tulsa---Come on! I would love to meet you in person! Kenz will be there too, and I know she feels the same! You must RSVP at www.babwa.org Click on the “next meeting” tab at the top—then follow the directions to RSVP. The cost is $15 at the door. The event starts at 11:30am. Shane G, man—you coming from NW Arkansas? If you can't—I totally understand---But I would love to meet you! Someday we will, I'm sure.
Thank you for reading. Goodnight and...
Good Choices,
Sean
Not sure if I like me in this photo. Makes me look older, I think. Hmmmm...Drinking water after doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.
Kenz looks shredded you look like it was a breeze..lol...Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteSean,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry your listener made the comment he did. Although he meant well, I have never been fond of "labeling" and the choice of words were not coming from someone who is sensitive to other's feelings in my humble opinion.
My niece and I watched the transformation video you posted and loved it! Thank you for sharing, and I loved the song, very uplifting. Now I need to go out and do something I will be proud of today:)
Take Care and God Bless!
PS...I would tell you why you think you look older in your pic, but will bite my tongue:)
ReplyDeleteDude, that was what I would call a back handed compliment. Probably not meant to be, but some people just don't have that mechanism to think first, edit, then speak. I would have held on to it too.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny the first thing I thought when you said Tulsa is, huh, I could go meet Sean in person! But the checkbook is not in agreement with my zeal at this time. But make no mistake sir, I do plan on meeting you one day! I want to go to Frontier City and maybe I could come see you along the way if that would be ok.
I'm bummed because I can't make your Tulsa engagement...work :( But I know you will do a great job. How about the bike for an entrance again? So glad you and Kenz are having more time together. You all seem like a perfect fit = )
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! Thank you, Sean!!! I'm so touched by everything you said; I just read out your post to my husband! :) Thank you SO much!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd "...thinking about how I look normal in so many ways and still feel fat in so many others." Yeah, I very much understand this. It's been a couple of months since a really close friend made the comment that "hey, you look great; now I can make fat jokes" and I still think about it once in a while. The mind takes a long time to catch up and I think the feelings will probably always be there...
I wish I could come to your speaking engagement as well. I just can't get away from work.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can't wait to check out some of the other blogs you've posted about. Thanks!
Oh thanks for the feature, Sean. This is obviously why I have a few extra followers (*_*). I find your take on the skinny-fat-boy comment interesting. Without the weight as *protection* you/we obviously need to learn new ways to *protect* our sensitive selves from comments like this. No doubt it's all part of the learning curve.
ReplyDeleteThanks again (*_*)
I have recently become a follower of your blog. It has given me the courage to start my own blog. I have no doubt that along the way, I will find strength in your words and your ideas. I have struggled with my weight since I was about 9 and well, as I write on my blog, I'm sick of being the "big kid at the party". I have been working on me for a while now and have seen some results. This roller coaster ride is about to come to an end for me, and I wanted to tell you that you have helped me to see that it is possible. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm sure you hear it all the time, but you really are an inspiration to so many...including me.
ReplyDeleteStay positive...be true to you
Do you remember Bonnie?
ReplyDelete"The whole blog, all 242 post, every single day---you read it all in less than 24 hours? That's very cool!"
You wrote it in a post back in May last year.
I've been following your Blog for a while but not really up to date because I have too many Blogs on my Reader list and I'm reading yours from the start. That's the way I work. If that's weird, well I'm weird. No way could I read your Blog in a day let alone a month. There is so much I want to mull over. I don't want to miss a word or it's impact.
I want to thank-you for posting daily and your energy. You put 120% into this yet are very modest about it. You never give in to days when you feel slack. You always find a way when the going gets tough. I like the way you handle things and that your family are with you. Your enthusiasm rubs off ... on me and others too.
Being a much older person than is usually found in the weight loss blogging arena I don't have the energy I once might have had but I have never given up. Now thanks to the on-line community I've found a support network that works for me and unlimited inspiration.
Getting rid of the "Fat-Boy" mentality is going to be an interesting journey. I've noticed many people who have lost significant amounts of weight struggle to accept that their new size and shape is real.
I'm still trying to work out why a casual comment, meant to be a compliment, made by my husband threw me. His words were something like this. "There won't be anything to wrap my arms around soon." It totally freaked me. It wasn't true I was still 25kg/50lbs overweight. I proceeded to put on all the nearly all the weight I'd lost. It no longer upsets me and I'll handle it differently next time. There are probably more reasons than one that I was upset but one of them was a response from the 'Fat-Lady' inside of me.
I haven't always been overweight and although it's a while ago I can remember how it feels to be "normal range." Never the less I've had issues and struggles and I have to work, stay on focus, get up when I fall down, be single minded and generally be tough/strong about this.
Sean, I can totally relate to the "compliment". As you know I'm up to 191 pounds lost so far, but when I was at about 100 pounds gone, alot of people would say to me.."I can really see it in your face!" -- How big was my head before I started my journey?? I at that point lost 5 or 6 sizes and they could see it in my face. LOL!
ReplyDeleteNow I posted a pic on my FB page of my 191 pound loss and I got a few comments like "Who is this skinny girl?" and "Man Jodi, you lost a ton of weight?" - I know they are compliments but??? I mean I know they are trying to be nice, but I'm still thinking like Jodi almost 200 pounds ago!
Jodi, please don't make excuses with all due respect. You just don't make comments like that if you have a heart. I don't care who it is. Those kind of comments will never be compliments!
ReplyDeleteTake Care and God Bless!
Hey Lisa, I'm glad that a "third-party" could see it too. My friends just think, "Oh that's just the way they are, they don't mean anything by it". I worked so hard to get where I'm at and honestly, those "compliments" were like 2 knives digging in my side. You know?
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving me your opinion. I appreciate it and your honesty! Take care too & God bless :) :)
You're so right when you say that the guy didn't realize how much his comment would affect you. And he probably did mean it as a compliment, but it was insensitive at best. And I'm sorry that it bothered you for even one moment.
ReplyDeleteAnd I take it as a compliment that Ang said I looked shredded because that was the whole point. ;) I rocked every minute of it. hehe
Looking so forward to tomorrow. Just saying.