You are NOT Defined by a Number
I saw a commercial yesterday that struck me as pure awesome. As a girl that has had "Trouble with the Curvy" my whole life, jeans shopping has pretty much always been a nightmare. I have rarely tried on a pair of jeans and felt like they were made with my curves in mind. The only exception in recent history are the American Eagle jeans that I found at Label Shopper for $20. Score and Score. But that is the exception, not the rule.
The non-score of this sweet jeans find is that they are size 18. It hurt a little inside to try on a size 18 that fit me like a glove. Further more I have never once found a size 18 in an actual American Eagle store (they probably have them online but they won't be $20 so I just don't want to know for sure). That feels to me like American Eagle is a little like Abercrombie and they don't want "chubby" gals wearing their brand and giving people the wrong impression about their brand.
In the dressing room at Label Shopper when I put these jeans on I thought "Damn! I don't care if they are size 18, they look amazing! Check out the sexy I am bringing back" and I literally did a little dance in the dressing room. I told myself I look amazing and now every time I put these jeans on, I feel like I am a sexy little chica and I'm rockin' it.
So this commercial I saw, wasn't for jeans (though Levi's should really pay attention), it was for Special K cereal. I do recommend watching it if you've ever had a "Dressing Room Meltdown" but the overall idea is that this jeans shop doesn't have sizes. They measure you and don't give you a number, rather, a word. Radiant. Beautiful. Stunning. Charismatic. Fabulous. The point is that you are not defined by a number. You have the ability to define how others see you by embracing the attributes that make you the kick-ass curvy lady you are. I loved it.
In preparing to write this blog entry I researched (which means I Googled...) and found a blog by Yoni Freedhoff called "Weighty Matters." He is a doctor and founded a weight loss center and the topic of the entry I found was this Special K campaign and this commercial where the point is that you are more than a number. This commercial was all about how numbers "define" us from the day you're born and that it gets progressively more harmful to our self image the more we let society sway our perspectives on what an ideal number should be. Being a man, I imagine that Mr. Freedhoff has never had one of those "Dressing Room Meltdowns." I bet he has never gone prom dress shopping, or worried about whether a shirt was just a little too tight to be flattering, or stopped wearing a favorite piece of clothing because he saw himself wearing it in a picture and didn't really like what he saw. Simply put, most men simply don't get it. Special K does. They nailed what it feels like to be an average woman that has "Trouble with the Curvy."
He railed on Special K in his blog because he feels that they are telling people who are obese that they can't possibly have self worth or confidence or all of the other things that fat people are perceived not to have. I know I am beautiful and smart but that doesn't mean that I feel beautiful and smart all the time. The Special K tagline is "What will you gain when you lose?" The graphics that support this tag line include words like "Confidence. Sass. Guts. Peace." etc. Mr. Freedhoff, let me say that this is a different journey for everyone. I have confidence now but I will have more when I lose the weight because I'll know I can do anything. I am proud of who I am now but when I can look at myself in the mirror and see me at a healthy weight for me I am going to be filled with even more pride. The one thing I don't have now that I will gain when I reach my goal weight is the ability to go clothes shopping and try on anything and everything I want and actually be able to zip it. There is a lot to be gained by losing but that doesn't mean that your glass is starting empty, no matter what weight you start at.
To close tonight, I want to send the Marketing Team at Special K a big thank you. Thanks for recognizing that size is just a number. Thank you for caring enough about ME to consider what I go through. Thank you for caring enough to put thought into the product you market. I have the protein Special K and the chocolate delight Special K in my cupboard and they are helping me stay on track by keeping my hunger at bay until lunch time. That is not nothing. What will I gain when I lose? Thanks for asking. I will gain the knowledge I need to live my life in a healthier, happier, way. Thanks for joining me on my journey.
<3 Katie
Day 86
202lbs (Ben Certified)
Feeling positive
PS Special K... where do I get one of those tape measures??
The non-score of this sweet jeans find is that they are size 18. It hurt a little inside to try on a size 18 that fit me like a glove. Further more I have never once found a size 18 in an actual American Eagle store (they probably have them online but they won't be $20 so I just don't want to know for sure). That feels to me like American Eagle is a little like Abercrombie and they don't want "chubby" gals wearing their brand and giving people the wrong impression about their brand.
In the dressing room at Label Shopper when I put these jeans on I thought "Damn! I don't care if they are size 18, they look amazing! Check out the sexy I am bringing back" and I literally did a little dance in the dressing room. I told myself I look amazing and now every time I put these jeans on, I feel like I am a sexy little chica and I'm rockin' it.
In preparing to write this blog entry I researched (which means I Googled...) and found a blog by Yoni Freedhoff called "Weighty Matters." He is a doctor and founded a weight loss center and the topic of the entry I found was this Special K campaign and this commercial where the point is that you are more than a number. This commercial was all about how numbers "define" us from the day you're born and that it gets progressively more harmful to our self image the more we let society sway our perspectives on what an ideal number should be. Being a man, I imagine that Mr. Freedhoff has never had one of those "Dressing Room Meltdowns." I bet he has never gone prom dress shopping, or worried about whether a shirt was just a little too tight to be flattering, or stopped wearing a favorite piece of clothing because he saw himself wearing it in a picture and didn't really like what he saw. Simply put, most men simply don't get it. Special K does. They nailed what it feels like to be an average woman that has "Trouble with the Curvy."
He railed on Special K in his blog because he feels that they are telling people who are obese that they can't possibly have self worth or confidence or all of the other things that fat people are perceived not to have. I know I am beautiful and smart but that doesn't mean that I feel beautiful and smart all the time. The Special K tagline is "What will you gain when you lose?" The graphics that support this tag line include words like "Confidence. Sass. Guts. Peace." etc. Mr. Freedhoff, let me say that this is a different journey for everyone. I have confidence now but I will have more when I lose the weight because I'll know I can do anything. I am proud of who I am now but when I can look at myself in the mirror and see me at a healthy weight for me I am going to be filled with even more pride. The one thing I don't have now that I will gain when I reach my goal weight is the ability to go clothes shopping and try on anything and everything I want and actually be able to zip it. There is a lot to be gained by losing but that doesn't mean that your glass is starting empty, no matter what weight you start at. To close tonight, I want to send the Marketing Team at Special K a big thank you. Thanks for recognizing that size is just a number. Thank you for caring enough about ME to consider what I go through. Thank you for caring enough to put thought into the product you market. I have the protein Special K and the chocolate delight Special K in my cupboard and they are helping me stay on track by keeping my hunger at bay until lunch time. That is not nothing. What will I gain when I lose? Thanks for asking. I will gain the knowledge I need to live my life in a healthier, happier, way. Thanks for joining me on my journey.
<3 Katie
Day 86
202lbs (Ben Certified)
Feeling positive
PS Special K... where do I get one of those tape measures??
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