Seeds
Having spent my entire life overweight, I’ve had a number of people encourage me to lose weight: family, friends, doctors, and even strangers — in their own strange way. My aunt Lenora went so far as to offer me money as an incentive to shed the pounds.
There were times when I was downright irritated by the suggestions, times when I truly considered the suggestions, and times when I actually attempted to lose weight and was unsuccessful.
In retrospect, the number of people who offered me advice throughout the years were planting seeds. Seeds of encouragement. Seeds of hope. Seeds of change. It wouldn’t be until I finally hit MY rock bottom that I was willing to make the necessary changes to lose weight, but these people impacted my change — indirectly or directly. Some crops sprout and grow in a few weeks, others take months, and some take years. But with patience and care the crops will grow.
Thank you to all the people who planted seeds in me.
“Plant a seed and watch it grow.”
Chrisetta Mosley
I am a product – and now a survivor – of childhood obesity. As a child, my family always told me that my extra weight was merely baby fat and I’d eventually grow out of it. I never did. Instead, my childhood is filled with memories of not being able to ride a bike, flattening its training wheels from being over the recommended weight, and avoiding P.E. classes by any means necessary. For years, I wore my fatness like a wounded soldier wears a Purple Heart - with pride. I owned the look. I dressed it up. I worked the room. There wasn't a skinny girl who intimidated me. I made sure my hair was laid just right. Nails polished. Outfits coordinated to the tee. Accessories to compliment every outfit. But everyone has a breaking point, and mine came in the spring of 2004 when I tipped the scale at nearly 400 pounds 388 to be exact. I was MISERABLE trapped inside of that body. I no longer wore my Purple Heart with pride. Rather, I was ashamed and frightened. Ashamed that I had allowed food to become my everything – frightened I would die because of it. Drastic times called for drastic measures... Today, I’m bound and determined to live a better, healthier, active lifestyle. I realize I’m no longer a passenger in my life, I’m the driver. I’m overcoming my inhibitions and I’m slowly but surely saying farewell to my old childhood nemesis, obesity. For once and for all, Farewell Fatso!