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| Left: High School Graduation May 2004 Right: Nashville Marathon April 2015 |
In college, I began really investing in myself and journeyed from a dark place of doubt and real self-loathing to reach a place where I am finally happy with who I am today. It took me a long time, lots of clothes in between, and even a bout with near-anorexia (I was shopping in the kids' section as a 20-year old, y'all) in between, but I am thankful for the journey I have been on and where it has taken me. The real reason you're here though is for this next review.
Another powerful weight loss memoir is Weightless by Gregg McBride, a screenwriter who used to weigh over 450 pounds. Through hard work and exercise, Gregg now weighs 175 pounds and has been at that weight for over a decade! Kudos, Gregg, for real! McBride never backs down from what got him to where he was when he was at his heaviest - disappointment in his own life (a sexually abusive babysitter, an absent father, a mother who told her male suitors he and his sister were adopted?!?) and even details his typical binge meals, leaving me in shock most of the time. He describes the horror of his big-as-they-come pants cutting off his oxygen supply, his belt hanging on by a thread, and the look on potential employers' faces when he showed up for an interview not at all looking like the person they interviewed on the phone. He visits a lot of really deep places emotionally, and boy have I been there. I remember when my belt buckle would literally cut into my belly and cause me to bleed. I remember never being able to get a girlfriend in high school because I was deemed too fat. I remember being scared that I could no longer shop at the mall because the stores didn't carry clothes in my size.
Thankfully, Gregg decided to better his way of life and dropped over 200 pounds in a year - a feat most people thought was due to some miraculous surgery but was in fact all due to healthy eating and increased exercise. He eventually found his ideal weight after a gain and subsequent loss of 100 pounds, but still struggled with his new body. McBride accurately describes finding clothes to hide all the excess skin, the mortification he felt when he heard it all flapping around as he danced for his friends, and his painful decision to have surgery to remove his excess skin. He describes the glee he felt when he was able to shop in the average size section at Gap (cue water works over here - I seriously still remember the first time a small shirt buttoned for me; it was life-altering). Even though he lost over 12 pounds of excess skin from the surgery, I can say with certainty upon hearing about how painful it was and how the scars have affected him that I am glad I haven't had my excess skin removed - it makes me me. While we both struggle with still seeing the fat kid when we look in the mirror, we both know we are in a better place than we were before. While I, like Gregg, know that I will always have to monitor my eating and be mindful of the exercise I get and realize that's a sacrifice, I know that it is one worth making because I am investing in what matters - me.
McBride also includes a bonus section for anyone who is interested in starting his or her own journey of self-transformation. It includes his 4 keys to success, tips on what worked best for him, and recipes for healthier meals to be included with his eating plans. You won't be sorry that you made the sacrifice to better yourself.
4 (of 4) dusty book jackets.
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