What was your fat-based nickname as a child, and how did it make you feel?

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

This thread breaks my heart!

Maybe it is healing, a way to share what we all went through, to know we were not alone, and how the words and names affected us. Maybe it teaches us to pay it forward if we ever see another child calling someone a name. If you wore glasses, you were ridiculed. I remember in junior high my best friend had larger breasts than I did, and she was tormented by a group of boys. At the time I was thankful it was not me because I was very timid and shy.

[jems 36]

I don't think I ever had a "fat nickname" but my dad (step) and mom always had me on whatever diet they were on from middle school on. I was the middle of 5 kids including step siblings and was the only "fatty", and was constantly reminded of it. I would get sung to.. "this magic moment" whenever I would actually enjoy my food in front of my family.. which led to closest eating and emotional eating. I was also told that I had to chose between being "fat and happy" (which could never really happen when being constantly told you are overweight) or " gorgeous/thin and a bitch" (from being hungry all the time). Looking back I was heavier than my siblings, but by maybe 10-15 lbs. I still have a distorted body image.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

This thread breaks my heart too.

You know what else? Newbies show up on this forum with screen names that sound like the list of insults we have been sharing. It's not my business so I seldom say anything but I hate the screen names that are some version of piggy, fatty,fatso etc. I notice those names never stay around though....is it because people change their screen name or is it because they leave? I don't know.

I ride horses and one of the things I have learned is to think and look where you want to be, your goal.Do NOT think or focus on what you are trying to avoid. Horses are not smart like dogs but intuitive...and they seem to know your mind so if you think about the negative they are much more likely to share that fear or whatever and the bad thing is more likely. If you consistently visualize success they seem to"read" that too. I have learned from it so I do things like have passwords that I type frequently be positive. I would never have a user name that reminds me of a negative.

Words matter.

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Good post CowgirlJane!

[Texasmeg 568]

Love that analogy CowgirlJane!

Edited September 9, 2014 by Texasmeg