Julie Creffield has been heckled over her weight ever since her first fun run in 2003, when a little kid said, "Run, fatty, run!"
So during a pre-marathon doctor visit, when her physician said, "Tell me about your weight," she knew what was coming. Check out this excerpt from a personal essay she recently wrote for The Huffington Post U.K.:
"The problem is you are just too unfit to run this marathon," [the doctor] continued. If rolling your eyes was a more acceptable way of showing your contempt, I would have done so—but instead, I simply replied, "What you mean is I am TOO FAT?" To which he just smiled and sat back in his chair.
You see, despite my size 18 frame, I am a runner. I have in fact been a runner for the last 10 years, running everything from 5-K fun runs to full marathons. I run because I love the feeling of running and I love the community of runners where I have made many friends; but I admit I also run to keep control of my weight and to help me lead a healthier and happier life.
As an obese woman—and that is what I am, according to my doctor—I of course have concerns about my weight. Most woman these days do, what with the media's obsession with thin. But after years of yo-yo dieting and obsessing about my weight, I am now at the point where I will not have my sense of worth based purely on my physical appearance.
I had pulled a muscle in my back whilst picking up my young daughter three weeks before I was due to run a marathon. The trip to the doctor to sort it out left me absolutely enraged because, as far as I am aware, fitness is not something that can be assessed via a quick look at me. And despite me trying to convince him that I was someone who exercised regularly, he was adamant about his original diagnosis.
Rather than getting discouraged by her doctor's visit, Julie continued with her training plan and went on to run a marathon three weeks later. Now, in an effort to inspire other plus-sized women to get moving, she's launched a Web site called Fat Girls' Guide to Running.
"I am sick of doctors telling overweight patients to try swimming or walking for weight loss when they are capable of so much more," she writes.
Here, here! The way someone looks or is shaped isn't necessarily an indication of her fitness level or athletic ability, which Julie (with her history of running) well knows. Of course, you should keep in mind that any beginner—regardless of size—needs to ease into a fitness routine to avoid injuries. (If you're interested in starting to run, check out these tips for beginner runners.) And if you have any medical conditions, it's essential to talk to your doctor about a plan for integrating exercise safely into your routine.
In any case, this story is a good reminder that, whether you're pounding the pavement or swimming laps, it's not just your weight that determines what you'll achieve; your outlook is a big factor, too. Mind over matter, baby.
More from Women's Health:
Can You Be Healthy at Any Size?
6 Reasons to Start Running
Is the Book Run Fat B!tch Run Motivational… or Offensive?
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