To tell you that if you're overweight and worried about going on holiday, don't be!

[SpeedbirdSquawker]

I'm almost 24 stone and a size 24. I'm lucky enough to be able to get away a few times a year, but my weight has always held me back doing things. I know other overweight people have similar fears, so I was hoping to alleviate those with this post.

Firstly I worry about the flight and if i'm going to fit into the seat. I always need a seatbelt extender (with Ryanair, not so much with other airlines), but I fit in the seat absolutely fine! I use the toilet onboard and have room to manoeuvre.

When I have been away, the beach is always full of the people with perfect bodies, as is the complex pool and i've always avoided the beach (for fear of looking like a beached whale) and i've only used the pool when it's empty, first thing or just before sunset.

I don't eat out at restaurants because I thought people might judge me scoffing my face.

Well, this holiday, I thought to fuck with it all. I ate out in restaurants. I went to the beach and even stripped off to my swimwear and went in the sea. It was liberating! I sunbathed on the beach. I went in the pool at busy times. You know what, people didn't bat an eyelid? I got friendly hellos and people were more busy with themselves and the people they were with to even look at me and if they did, to give me a second glance.

I know that being overweight can put some people off living life to the full, but please just do it.

So much so that you're even angry when it didn't happen.

I think I've worked out the one thing that makes these people angrier than when a fat person impacts upon them.

It's when a fat person doesn't impact upon them and therefore gives them nothing to complain about!

OP, Im glad you had a lovely holiday and got out there and enjoyed yourself, even if you were out of breath on the hills.

Ive been morbidly obese and one of the most freeing things that helped me get back to being fitter and active was realising that most people are focused on their own concerns, and arent sitting round passing comment on others. I wish I had learnt that earlier and been less restricted in my activities/beach/clothes when I was younger - I was always afraid of embarassing myself/looking silly/being judged and the effect was that I restricted my activity/felt less confident and had a self perpetuating cycle of weight gain and underactivity.

I moved abroad and realising that the German and Dutch tourists dont give a toss about their weight when they are swimming /on the beach/cycling - they are there to have fun with their families. So I tried to get some of that attitude and get back to being active, and be a better role model to my DCs. Combining that increased activity with a change in meds and good diet I lost weight and was able to get back to enjoying sport and active stuff again. Im now in the normal weight range for the first time in about 15 years. I dont look perfect/will never look perfect but really dont care, and am determined never to go back to being neurotic about how I look or perpetuate the sort of judgy culture I had been surrounded with.

As a previous poster brilliantly remarked, someone has left the gate open at the cunt farm again!

Saying something is true over and over again doesn't negate unpleasant intentions.

Sorry but no one who weighs 24 stones is not crossing the edge of their seat. Totally impossible.

I'm glad you had a lovely holiday OP. Some posters on here think overweight people don't deserve a holiday until they have lost weight! Life is for living everyone deserves to be happy and have fun on holiday.

You weren't there! Why does it bother you so much
The OP's weight doesn't in any way affect you

@JenWillsiam

Absolutely 100% possible. The op wasn’t, size 24 people all over the world are busy not spilling over their seat right now!

So pleased to hear you had such a wonderful holiday. A lovely uplifting post.

Not in economy they aren’t.

It’s weird that you all want this thread to be uplifting yet are repeatedly quoting me and drawing attention to what you appear to think is the worst thing on mumsnet today.

No, the thread is uplifting. You, however, are not.

You've made your point many, many, many times. So why are you still here, making it again?

I love this post!

I am really conscious of my body after gaining a lot of weight after a couple of surgeries one being a hysterectomy. A couple of years ago we went to Cornwall in the height of summer. I was so self conscious BUT I actually sunbathed on Fistral Beach in a swimsuit and walked around with just a cover up on. No one batted an eyelid at me and I actually felt really good. Laying on that beach in the sun is now one of my happiest memories and I have booked to go again next June (I’m terrified of getting on a plane so Cornwall it is). I have even been looking for nicer swim wear!

Why are you repeatedly quoting me if you want it to disappear? I’ve ignored a pretty high number of the replies but you’re all still going. You realise if you stop quoting me it will literally stop right? At the moment everyone I open my phone someone else has quoted me.

What’s funny is that to believe that it’s impossible for someone who is 24 stone not to encroach on the seat next to them, you have to believe 100% in your ability to tell how much someone weighs just by looking at them sitting in an aeroplane seat

Ha! I hadn’t thought of that. What a useless superpower that would be.

Ah so fat shaming demonic but casual ableist slurs are fine.

I didn't even need a belt extender at 23 stone on an easyjet flight, and both arms and the tray came down.

Im on my hols right now. Im a size 6 to 8. I feel absolutely awful abput my body. Everyone else has less stretch marks and smoother skin. Im wobbly not toned. I have big hips and bum for my size. I feel enormous. So to the pp, its not about weight or thinking being overweight is ok, its about how you feel. I have missed out on so much with my dc due to feeling rubbish about my body.
I have never looked at anyone in my life and thought anything other thsn wow, i love their swimwear, hair, smile etc. Everyone looks beautiful to me.
I was the only lady wearing a one piece swimsuit today. There were people of all shapes and sizes and no one gave a crap.

Well why don't you stop it? You've said your piece, what more is there? You've said that you fat-shame. You obviously enjoy it. Job done. Slow handclap for you with your massive 'achievement'.

Whatever is wrong in your life that you do this sort of thing? I'm not interested in the answer but you should be.

Just stop embarrassing yourself. How much more do you need to advertise how little you know about women's bodies?