I was a big girl from toddlerhood up.
I'm very muscular and big-boned, as are the women in my German family. When I was younger, there was much more fat than muscle. I was a kid in the 80s and 90s and was tortured for being large by my peers and even adults. There weren't many other big kids, no one I could relate to and turn to for support. No internet at the time. Medical professionals just gave useless advice I already knew. I just got bigger and bigger in my sadness and bad habits. At first my Mom was to blame, as she instilled bad eating habits in me early, but as a teenager on, the fault was my own.
As an adult, I have come to value my muscles and my sturdy build. I've learned that I enjoy the gym, yoga, pilates, outdoor sports, and physical fitness in general. I can walk 5-7 miles at a time, I can run a bit as my asthma allows, I can hike. I LOVE weight training and am not ashamed to lift with the men and the female bodybuilders. I enjoy wearing tight-fitting clothes to show off the body that American society says is gross. Took me 30 years, therapy, and online encouragement to get to this point! I still have an unhealthy amount of fat on me, but I am happy with the way nature made me, and my doctor is very optimistic about my health and future, as am I. :-)
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