Joy Nash's Fat Rant

My name is Kate. My inconsequential number that we call weight (as of this morning) was right at 250 pounds. My BMI is 38, which places me well into the "Obese" category. Isn't that lovely?

I don't even know what size clothes I wear in womens. I don't generally wear women's clothing because I don't dig muu muus. I wear size 42 mens pants, XL mens shirts. The last time I recall seeing a number like 14 in my clothes was when I was 12. Yeah really. Let's face it. I'm fat. But that's okay because I have more to say.

What those numbers don't tell you is that I'm a triathlete. I swim, bike, and run. Sure I'm what they call a "Back-of-the-packer" but by gum, I still swim, bike, and run. It doesn't tell you that I'm built like a bear... stout. I have linebacker shoulders and probably will always need big shirts because otherwise I go all "Hulk" on them. I was a catcher in softball for a good reason. I could guard that plate with a presence. It doesn't tell you that my thighs are "big" because they're rippling with muscle. And that my calves have a sweet little divots where they're starting to groove. I even have the beginnings of biceps from swimming. And my back muscles are starting to gain definition.

It doesn't tell you other cool things about me either. Like how I'm pretty damn good at training dogs. Or how I can cook tasty things. Or how worthy I am for my husband's love. And that I'm a hot gamer chick, who just happens to be curvy. I have a kick-ass sense of humor that ranges from dry and British to hugely sarcastic to slapstick. It doesn't tell you that my favorite food of late has been fruit smoothies of my own making. Or that since I've been living on my own, I've lived primarily on lean chicken for protein. Or how much that I hate that our fridge kills fresh produce. I would love to have spinach green salad outside of a restaurant. It also doesn't tell you that I down at least 2 liters of water a day, most of the time it's closer to 3.

It doesn't tell you how hard I've worked to come this far. It's coming up to a year of training now. And even though I've gone up and down, I'm still right about at my starting weight from last April. The difference? Well, I know I've dropped at least 6% bodyfat. I'd wager closer to 10%. The numbers don't tell you about my PCOS amd insulin resistance. Or how I got scared shitless that I was heading for diabetes. Or how I passed out once when I was out at Konza because of incredibly stupidly low blood sugar. It also doesn't tell you that I have perfect blood pressure anc cholesterol levels.

It doesn't tell you that my 120lb, 5' 3" sister in law watched me do my last race. At the end, she said: "Wow sis! There's no way I could ever do something like that! You're definitely in better shape than I am."

And just think, when I started this, my husband told me that I "[was not] allowed to get stick-skinny" because he likes me curvy! It won't ever happen. It's not how my body's built. I'm built like a classic beauty. Like the women in Grecian times, with wide child-bearing hips. A figure more like Mae West or Madeleine Kahn than Kate Moss. And that's cool by me. I just don't want to get diabetes or any other icky disease because I have too much fat. There's no such thing as too much muscle though (well... maybe there is, but I don't take steroids, so it's all good)

Cross-posted to my personal journal. If the YouTube clip compells you, please pass it on. More people need to hear this message.

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