I just had to laugh the other day while spending time in a local clothing store. My daughter was in the fitting room while I was sitting outside waiting for her and I just happened to notice that another mother was doing the same thing. Ahh, yes... those lovely fitting rooms, we've all been "there," haven't we?

Anyways, as we both were sitting there patiently hoping that the “fitting session” was going successfully with our teenage girls, I heard a big “Yuckkkkk!” from behind her daughter’s door.  It was the same “Yuckkkkk!” that is heard from a young girl in the radio and television ads expressing her “opinion” as she taste-tests two brands of canned spinach… and I couldn’t help but laugh!

The mother’s question, “What’s wrong, doesn’t it look good?” followed the daughter’s comment, and it obviously wasn’t hard to figure out what that answer was going to be!  A loud “No!” was shouted and both of us “moms” just looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders as we smiled, remembering how we’ve felt in the past when trying on something that we expect to look amazing only to find that we look terrible in it!  I will admit that when I was a size 24, close to 300 pounds, that was basically EVERYTHING I tried on!  Oh, how I hated those stupid dressing rooms!  I made the comment: “I have said that so many times!”  And that was how the conversation began as this mother, who was morbidly obese, explained that she hated dressing rooms herself.

But then she made a statement to me: “How in the world could YOU hate dressing rooms?  You probably fit most of the stuff sold in this store.  Look at me, nothing fits; and if I find something that does, I look like a “cow in clothing!” 

Well, you know I had a lot to say about that!  I’m still not sure if she believed me or not, but when I told her that I was once a size 24 and weighed close to 300 pounds, I just got “that look” – you know, the look of disbelief as if I was one of those pathological liars who just wanted some extra attention or something!  But I did my best to inform her of how I lost the weight once she asked me what I did to become thin, and when I explained that WALKING was the key to shedding the pounds and keeping them off, I truly don’t feel that she thought I was telling the truth.

Yet I know why because I was the same way years ago.  When you hear about ways to lose weight that sound TOO SIMPLE, then you find it difficult to believe.  I guess that society tries to make us feel as though losing weight – especially losing over 100 pounds – is complex, that you must “purchase something” in order to succeed.  That isn’t true… and I know that now, but I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t done it myself.  Yes, before you ask me, “Didn’t you change your eating habits too?” – I did.  But I still enjoyed food that I love, just smaller portions.  We ALL have the ability to make healthier choices when it comes to eating… but YOU are the only one that can make it!   I can’t do it for you…

And I can’t “walk for you” either – you are the only one who can make the decision to tie on those walking shoes and head out the door, or onto that treadmill!  Hey, if you want to love the dressing room like I do, then DO IT!  The word “Yuckkkkk!” will be replaced with “Yessss!” and you can shout it from that dressing room as loud as you want, just like I do!  It’s your turn!