Too Fat to Fly!!!: TFTF #8..."Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's Signs"...

I want to begin by asking...

WHO STARTED SINGING THE TESLA SONG?
(you're welcome!!)

SIGNS:

I find myself watching a lot of losing weight "reality" shows lately. Anything from The Biggest Loser, Extreme Weight Loss, Fit to Fat to Fit, My Diet is Better than Yours, etc. I've been thinking about all of these people / contestants and here is some of my randomness...

"...they are so lucky to be doing something like this to change their lives..."
"...that looks hard but nothing I couldn't handle..."
"...how can they stay away from their families for that long..."
"...I could do it too if I trained for 6-8 hours a day..."
"...what's going to happen when they leave and go home..."
"...I wish I had the courage to send in an application...but if I ever got picked, I would have to take my shirt off on national television. NOT A CHANCE!!!..."

This season's winner of the The Biggest Loser made a speech / rant that really hit home with me. I have the same feelings and issues that he did before he lost 100+ lbs. Here's some of what he said...

"We live in a country where we are the fattest country in the world...and this is to you America. (or "Jay" as I heard it)

I sat on the couch and I let my little boys play by themselves. They didn't have a father because I was so fat.

If you just get up from that damn couch...and walk a little bit...and if you make it one block...then the next week, you're jogging...the week after that, you're running a mile!"

-Roberto Hernandez

I was thinking about all of this and I realized that I have spent WAY too much time watching these people. As I was watching, they were doing. It may not be "real life" but at least they were making an effort to change.
It was a sad / ironic realization. I've been saying I didn't have enough time to exercise yet I was wasting time watching people get healthier, instead of actually getting healthier myself.

Example:
A few weeks ago, Andy just randomly started doing sit ups while watching TV. I asked him what he was doing, he said..."I don't know, I just felt like exercising."
Did I join him? Of course not... I just sat their and counted for him..(actually showed him a video of how to do a burpee...how pathetic is that)

That situation has bothered me ever since, but it wasn't until Roberto's speech that it really hit home. I sat there while my 5 year old son exercised and I did nothing but be a spectator.

more SIGNS...

I LOVE all kinds of roller coasters. I have loved them for a very long time. That being said...I miss them immensely. A long time ago, I had an experience where the safety bar wouldn't close all the way, so I was asked to get off the ride. The walk of shame was so embarrassing that I haven't ridden any since. That was probably 17 years ago.

Fast forward to this past summer. One day in particular. We were at an small amusement park for my niece's birthday. Another niece, from the other side of the family, was in town staying with us and we brought her along. She loves roller coasters and wanted to ride them. I got enough courage to go with her. We got in the seat and the bar was about an inch and a half away from locking. The guy pushed down and I pulled and it still wouldn't lock. I had to get out...again. I tried to play it off like it wasn't a big deal but it just about killed me...AGAIN.

On the way home my niece asked if we could call her dad so she could talk to him. I said sure and called and had it on speaker in the truck. She and Andy were in the back seat and my brother answered. He asked how everything was going and she said she was having fun. He asked what did you do...she said,

"I went on some roller coasters today...Uncle Jay was too fat, he couldn't ride with me..."

Now, in her defense, she never holds anything back. She calls it like she sees it. I never focused on the fact that what she said was pretty rude. All I focused on was, "UNCLE JAY WAS TOO FAT". Sure, I've said it to myself 37,000,000,000 times but this time, someone else said it...

...OUT LOUD...
...TO MY BROTHER...
...AND MY SON HEARD IT TOO...

I actually started to tear up. It was a rough ride home followed by an even tougher couple of days...I think about what she said all the time.

TRUTH HURTS...(even the unintentional hard-core truth from a 7 year old)

The reason I brought up this painful memory was because there was a dad, on another show, that has only tried to get on a roller coaster once. He couldn't fit and was asked to get off and he had never attempted to go again. During this show, he and his wife and 2 boys were given a trip to Disney. He got on a ride with his oldest son. I felt my anxiety building. I felt those same embarrassed feelings over again as they started to pull down the safety bar. This time, for him, it closed and his reaction was amazing.
I actually started to tear up because I was so happy for him. I would love to take Andy to an amusement park and ride the rides with him. The fear of having to get off and explain to him that I can't ride because I'm too fat...KILLS ME.

So...here we are...(insert quote here..)

"What you DO speaks so loud that what you say can't be heard..."

I've looked back at the last few years and especially very recent events and one main point keeps coming through. Life is too precious and too F'N short to let embarrassment keep me from doing the things that I love. I have an amazing family that deserves a dad and a husband that does more than just sit and watch life pass him by...

#GetOffTheCouchAmerica
(thanks Roberto!)

CLOWN SHOES FITNESS IS BACK

and

WE'RE TAKING OVER THE WHOLE...

HOUSE!!!

(bet you thought I was going to say the WORLD)