Kids tease me, a mother, at the playground

The first teasing my 3-year-old daughter experienced on the playground was seeing a little boy barrage me with questions: "Why are you so big? Your bottom needs exercise."

He kept on until his father called him over and gave the little boy a good talking to, "You don't say those kinds of things to strangers. You don't know their story."

I was mortified, at a loss for words. I was so embarrassed in front of my daughter. She's only 3, but I'm sure she recognized it in some form.

Still, I have to admit, I am terribly frustrated by my pear shape, especially because it seems to drop weight last in the places that need it most.

It is frustrating when I know I am making great progress, but you wouldn't know it by my hips. I melt from the top down, so even though I can finally notice my cheek bones again. I feel like sand bags are straped to my thighs, making it even harder to do the heavy-duty workouts required to drop pounds.

I needed to remind myself that even a month ago, I couldn't do the kind of rocking interval training that I do to get in shape for Kilimanjaro. My hikes are now a breeze, when last July I was huffing and puffing my way up the shortest trails. Every day is a step forward.

Working out and active play with my daughter is the most important thing that I can do. So there is no way I'm backing down...



The truth is, I probably won't see any noticible difference in my hips until June or July. I need to be OK with that and respect my body for all it has done for me over the years. I need to remind my daughter that it is important to be healthy and strong -- and I am headed in that direction.

Next time I will come up with a better response, because kid, I am exercising this bottom EVERY.SINGLE.DAY to make it up Kilimanjaro a third time.

To learn more about my story, visit: www.fatwomanonthemountain.com