I Grew Up a Fat Kid
- 4 minutes ago
- 5 min read
By Frank Weber
Copyright ©2026
I grew up a fat kid.
I was a fat adult for the majority of my adult life – so far anyway.
I tried every-which-way to lose weight and keep it off, and I fought and suffered that rollercoaster ride for years.
I was lucky, though…right in the middle of everything, I was finally able to drop 100lbs and keep it off for the better part of 8 years through a ‘Spartan’ diet and incessant running and workouts. It was a lean and difficult existence, but the results kept me focused on it.
Then, things started to slide.
The physical abuse I put on my body over the years finally came around to collect its due and the weight started to come back – no matter how hard I tried. I began to realize just how MUCH it really took to break away from the ‘fat’ world, and I finally understood exactly ALL that I had sacrificed in the process.
Then I had to have BOTH hips replaced. 25lbs were suddenly packed back on because of the two surgeries – only weeks apart – and the nutritional plan I HAD to follow to strengthen and rebuild muscle fiber.
It was ALL out of my control at that point.
Then I developed blood clots in my leg – most likely from the two, back-to-back surgeries – and another 25lbs loaded back on my frame. This time, primarily due to the meds and nutritional requirements needed to clear the clots.
Again, it was ENTIRELY out of my control.
But in those days of weight re-gain, I came to realize just how far I had gone in hurting myself just to break away from the ‘fat’ life. And once again, even though it worked for a few glorious years, it could never stick, and I was right back where I started.
What’s the point of all this?
After all, this is no new revelation to anyone that knows me.
Point is…
NO ONE THAT HAS EVER BEEN A FAT KID OR FAT ADULT SHOULD EVER – AND I MEAN NEVER – RIDICULE OR BELITTLE ANYONE ELSE WHO IS FAT.
IF YOU’VE LIVED IT YOURSELF THEN YOU KNOW ALL OF THE PAIN AND ANGUISH THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT AND YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONSIDERATE OF THOSE THAT ARE FAT.
PLAIN AND GODDAMN SIMPLE.
Then I see this Jelly Roll person, and I heard what he said, word-for-word, all the time so amused by his own words.
My first reaction was a total and thorough disgust toward this person.
AND IT HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS SPECIFIC ATTACKS ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
While I do believe that there should always be some level of respect for The Office of The President of the United States – whether I agree with them or not – I also believe that every last one of us has the inalienable right to say whatever we want (short of illegal defamation, of course).
I also understand that he was acting out as yet another mouthpiece against the “horrible orange man” just as so many of the past-their-prime celebrities have done before him.
Sadly, I was actually surprised that it was not sooner and not more vitriolic than this, but ok.
I get what he and the whole late night TV world is trying to do by this, in particular given the current FCC investigations concerning the free-air networks and their programming.
I get that the network employees have a want and feel a need to discredit and draw out incendiary comments by way of these attacks.
I get that these people in particular are going to be as abrasive and offensive as they possibly can – while they are still on the air – all in the hopes of eliciting return fire from their exercised free speech.
I get all that, but this is NOT about Jelly Roll’s politics or anyone else’s need to be relevant.
I WAS DISGUSTED BY A ONCE-FAT MAN ATTACKING SOMEONE ELSE FOR BEING FAT.
In all my years, and with every word I’ve ever written, I could never conceive of such a thing simply because I WAS there and I AM BACK THERE again.
It’s particularly distasteful given that this person lost all of his weight by chemical means.
I don’t believe the claim – not for one second – that “Ozempic is the one drug he never tried”.
Call it Ozempic or call it by ANY other name…
I CALL BULLSHIT ON THAT ONE!!!
I call bullshit because I KNOW FIRSTHAND how hard that kind of drastic, monumental weight loss truly is to achieve. Keep in mind, we’re not talking about losing only 10lbs here.
Every last one of us ‘fat folk’ understands what lies beneath it and we are all so painfully aware of it.
To attack someone for being what you yourself really are, is just plain despicable to me.
And I’ve got news for you…over my many years, there have been more “fat loss” methods and “programs” and “miracles” to come and go than I can even remember.
I have no doubt that this one will pass as well.
But what worries me so much about this one is that it is all chemically induced through injections or pills.
You are quite literally injecting foreign substances into your system to alter how your system naturally works.
I do sincerely hope that I am dead wrong about this, but I’ve seen it unfold before – and in just this way, and in some cases, followed by tragic results.
What will the comments and attacks become if he puts ALL of his weight back on?
Or if – God forbid – his body cannot – or will not – support the changes he’s forcing on it?
No matter how you cut it, he’ll be right back where he started.
Hopefully, he won’t end up physically hurt or damaged by it.
I hope I’m wrong about all of this, but history sure suggests that I’m not.
With everything that people scream they hate about THEIR President, The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, I would think they’d be able to find ways to verbally attack him other than bullying insults.
Sadly, it’s deteriorated down to this – playground-bully name calling and insults.
But even worse, playground-bully name calling and insults coming from one of our own – an original fat kid!
It’s truly childish.
Not one of us enjoys being the fat kid or the fat dude or the fat chick, but here we are.
It’s no fun being the target of glares and stares and crude remarks and insensitive “jokes”.
This individual should have known better from his OWN life experience.
The thought SHOULD have at least entered his mind, but apparently it never did.
If it did, he allowed someone else to push it far enough away for him to ignore it all so easily.
What does THAT have to say about the world in which we live?
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