Judge, jury, and executioner

Wow America. You've really outdone yourselves this time, and it's all about a television show. I'll confess, I didn't watch The Biggest Loser this past season, although I have in the past. I just had too many other shows being DVR'd that TBL wasn't on the top of my list. Let's take a look at the winner, Rachel. This screenshot shows her at the starting weight of 260 lbs. and her finale weight of 105 lbs. Her height: 5'4" (this nugget of info is important).

Let's back up this up to a bit about me. I'm 5'4". OK, I'll be honest. I'm 5' 3.75", but that doesn't fit on my drivers license so I round up just a smidge. Growing up I was teased endlessly about being small. I was stuffed into my locker, a trash can, given undesirable "shorty" or "skinny" nicknames, and in high school the upperclassmen would jest about me even belonging in high school, "you need to go back down the street to the elementary school where you belong." I didn't even hit 100 lbs. until after I married at age 25.

I'm not anorexic nor bulimic, and this post is not a denial of either, nor is it a "poor me, I was called names" post. My friends know me, my family knows me. I'm not afraid of a bacon cheeseburger or a plate of fudge, though maybe not in the same meal. When I became pregnant I had morning sickness so bad that I had trouble keeping a glass of water down. I phoned my new OB and told her I had lost 12 lbs., and didn't have 12 lbs. to lose. I was hospitalized and pumped full of nutrients and fluids. We joke that our son is made of Wendy's Frosty's because I discovered that was the one thing that would stay in my system, and as a result I ended up gaining 70 lbs. The biggest I'd ever been.

Fast forward. After my son was born, I was back into my size zero jeans just two weeks later. All that weight slid right off and I had ankles again.That was 12 years ago, and today I weigh 125 lbs. and wear a size 4. Why do I tell you all of this? Because even at 125 lbs. and 5'4", I've got a little meat. I have a small frame, and it's clear to see that Rachel does too. As petite people, the 20 lb. difference between Rachel and I is noticeable.

If I were to post a photo from when I was 95 lbs. and my current photo at 125 lbs., and you didn't know me, you'd judge that in my current photo I was "heavy." I'm 30 lbs. heavier then the day I was married, but it's perception. Rachel's 105 lbs. is not an unimaginable size for a petite person. And America has perceived Rachel to be "too skinny" because you're viewing a photo of her when she was at her heaviest.

Stop being the judge, the jury, and the executioner. They weren't any elections and the night of February 4th wasn't declared "Judge Rachel Day". Team Rachel.