Yesterday, cousin sisters, Koel and Bittu had come for dinner. We ordered food since they had come on a very short notice. Koel is quite fit while the Bittu constantly struggles with her weight. Koel is very choosy about what she eats while the Bittu eats anything and everything that she finds.
When we were having dinner, I noticed Bittu eating everything that Koel left on her own plate. She would gobble up her food and then keep looking at Koel. The moment she finished her course, Bittu would pick up her plate and eat the leftovers. I offered Bittu that I could order more for her. However, she refused. She looked at our plates which had no leftovers for her to take.
This has been an ongoing issue with Bittu since no amount of counselling has helped her till now. She does not like to ‘waste food’ and prefers to eat it rather than throw it even if it is old or mouldy. Her husband and children have stopped attending any family gatherings with her since they feel embarrassed by her behaviour. No one really likes to speak to her except Koel who keeps boasting about her own accomplishments to her. I have noticed that whenever Koel starts bragging about her achievements, Bittu seeks food as if she is using it to create some kind of shield around her.
There was a time when Bittu was the topper of her class. She was plump but not fat. She was a voracious reader and loved to eat. However, her relatives kept taunting her about her weight. Koel had a lean built but was an average student. On every occasion, girls were compared and nobody paid attention to the fact that Bittu was one of the most intelligent girls in the family. No one helped her to understand and appreciate her own beauty and intelligence. As a result, Bittu started seeking comfort in food and gained weight. She got caught in a never-ending vicious circle of eating and the resulting frustration.
Why do we judge girls by their weight or body structure? Yes, being fat or having excessive weight is not good for the body, but so is drinking, smoking or other vices. Why are overweight girls subjected to ridicule? Why does every Tom, Dick, Harry or Susan offer them unwanted and unsolicited advice? Why can’t we offer this advice to smokers or alcoholics or other drug addicts?
My Fat Loss Journey 