Some time last year (not that long ago) my personal trainer was discussing weight loss with a girl who had just joined the gym in the change rooms. She must've been giving her my example because as soon as I walked in she said "See, this is Tulsi. She's the one. Talk to her."
I figured what they must've been talking about and waited for the girl to speak. Her expression was so familiar. I had been that girl so many times earlier and so I knew exactly what she didn't want to hear.
The girl looked at me and hesitantly asked, "how did you manage to lose so much weight?"
I replied, "because I really wanted to"
Her expression just switched. "What a snob!" is probably what she must've remarked in her mind 'cause that's what I read on her face. I had her attention and realised I shouldn't waste the opportunity.
I asked further, "Why do you want to lose weight?"
She looked at me surprised. Like I'd asked the most stupid(est) question on earth. By now we had company in the change rooms and one of the ladies interrupted.
"She is so fair and has such a lovely face. If she looses a little weight she will look so beautiful. She will get a good husband."
(Suddenly noticing that this girl was in her early-mid 20's) I was very quick to reply. Maybe because I had anticipated the end of that sentence and had heard it a million times before myself.... "She IS already very beautiful."
I suddenly felt I was in a more responsible position to ensure this girl didn't feel any less of herself. No one had the right to make her feel like that. I took a seat next to her and told her, "See, if you are going to try and lose weight because your parents or aunties or uncles or anyone else around you feel that you should, don't do it. If you feel that losing weight is going to get you a good partner, don't do it. If you want to lose weight because you believe it is in your best interests, do it. It means better health, do it. It means more energy, do it. It makes you happy, do it. Make sure you're doing it only because YOU want to do it. If you feel you don't want to, don't do it. You'll only end up wasting valuable resources that could've been used doing things you actually enjoy and that make you truly happy."
Honestly, I haven't seen that girl in the gym since that day. I'm hoping she gave some thought to what I said. Maybe her parents hate me. I'm sure my personal trainer does. She lost a prospective client!
I guess whether its weight loss or anything else for that matter, its important to do it because it makes YOU happy. Its what YOU want to do. At the end of the day, a happy soul is a healthy one.
Hope you know why you're doing it....:)
I figured what they must've been talking about and waited for the girl to speak. Her expression was so familiar. I had been that girl so many times earlier and so I knew exactly what she didn't want to hear.
The girl looked at me and hesitantly asked, "how did you manage to lose so much weight?"
I replied, "because I really wanted to"
Her expression just switched. "What a snob!" is probably what she must've remarked in her mind 'cause that's what I read on her face. I had her attention and realised I shouldn't waste the opportunity.
I asked further, "Why do you want to lose weight?"
She looked at me surprised. Like I'd asked the most stupid(est) question on earth. By now we had company in the change rooms and one of the ladies interrupted.
"She is so fair and has such a lovely face. If she looses a little weight she will look so beautiful. She will get a good husband."
(Suddenly noticing that this girl was in her early-mid 20's) I was very quick to reply. Maybe because I had anticipated the end of that sentence and had heard it a million times before myself.... "She IS already very beautiful."
I suddenly felt I was in a more responsible position to ensure this girl didn't feel any less of herself. No one had the right to make her feel like that. I took a seat next to her and told her, "See, if you are going to try and lose weight because your parents or aunties or uncles or anyone else around you feel that you should, don't do it. If you feel that losing weight is going to get you a good partner, don't do it. If you want to lose weight because you believe it is in your best interests, do it. It means better health, do it. It means more energy, do it. It makes you happy, do it. Make sure you're doing it only because YOU want to do it. If you feel you don't want to, don't do it. You'll only end up wasting valuable resources that could've been used doing things you actually enjoy and that make you truly happy."
Honestly, I haven't seen that girl in the gym since that day. I'm hoping she gave some thought to what I said. Maybe her parents hate me. I'm sure my personal trainer does. She lost a prospective client!
I guess whether its weight loss or anything else for that matter, its important to do it because it makes YOU happy. Its what YOU want to do. At the end of the day, a happy soul is a healthy one.
Hope you know why you're doing it....:)
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