Tanya, no need for a soapbox! I understand your feelings, and I cannot discredit them. You are wholly entitled. But if your message was partially to me, I would like to elaborate on it so that I make myself more clear, since it may have been what I posted that upset you.
You are a member of TDC because you had over 100 pounds to lose. You do not now, but at one point, you *did*. I'm not 100% sure, but I think Anti M meant more along the lines of people that are wanting to lose only 30 pounds from the get-go. I know that's what I meant. And I certainly don't mean every post by someone who is smaller!
Please don't get me wrong.
Losing weight is hard - I think I have been trying to lose weight since I was 10! But there are special challenges that only people who have had 100 pounds or more to lose face. Just like there are challenges for people who have a smaller amount to lose, I would not profess to know what it's like to lose only 30 pounds and be at my goal weight, nor should someone who only needs to lose 30 (from the get-go) pounds know what it is like to be us - at least 100 pounds from our goal weight, and with a longer road ahead of us.
I don't think I have 'reverse-sizism', as Anti M has said, because I believe that I have received nothing but positive vibes from
everyone here. That said, I believe that IF (and only if) someone professes to know EXACTLY what we are going through, having not been where we are, it is not helpful, and sometimes us obese people need to hear from others fighting the same battle (or who HAVE fought the same battle, like yourself - wonderful stats, BTW!), not just from the ones who have very little to lose. I believe that there are other serious issues that surround heavier people that smaller people do not face - food addiction or not. I was bulemic, and I suspect I have Binge eating disorder, and large or small, they are the same issue, and we can all unite on that common ground.
However, when reading a post, worded something like: "I'm SO FAT AND ASHAMED!!" only to look inside and see that the original poster is 115 pounds is very upsetting to us. Because if she is SO fat, we are horrifically fat, and disgusting. At least that's what I get from it. Could be only my issue, but it's there nonetheless.
Reading and gleaning info from the (once again, example) SO FAT AND ASHAMED thin girl does not seem as important (although I read them anyway, LOL!) to us larger folks as reading that post: "What is the one thing you want to do when you reach your goal?" We posted about being able to sit in a 'normal' sized seat, not be stared at incessantly and called names, or to be able to wear things smaller people take for granted, like a simple pair of jeans, or be able to tie our shoes without a huge effort. We can relate to that a lot easier. I for one am leaving that person behind, but I will ALWAYS remember what is was like to be her. That is my fount of wisdom: understanding the plight. I'm sure you are a cornucopia of info in that area too!
Anyways, maybe I misunderstood the point of this post, and maybe I just like going on and on. (LOL!) But at the very least, I hope I have clarified
myself better.
And if I didn't, PLEASE let me know.
Diana