interesting experience- true story

So a few days ago I had lunch with my aunt who lives about an hour away. I hadn't seen her since probably April or March, or since I was skinny. I love my aunt very much but she is a fairly judgmental person. Or more so she just has a tendency to VOICE her judgments, especially in regards to appearance. I met her at the restaurant and she took one look at me and goes "Good lord Tracy, what have you done to yourself." She said that my mom (her sister) had told her I'd gained weight but she didn't expect me to be "THAT fat" as she put it. It made me self-conscious but also strangely rebellious and proud. See I come from a typical well-off traditional southern family and appearance is huge. I was always taught that a lady is supposed to have a thin figure and that men were disgusted by fatness. After lunch we went shopping, and the first place we went to was a store that used to be my favorite. They carry primarily designer, high-end brands and I hadn't been in there since getting back from NJ. I have been growing so fast that I go through clothes at a rate that makes me reluctant to spend a large amount of money on something I probably won't be able to wear in a few weeks.

One thing about designer clothes is they run in "vanity sizes". This means that a regular size 6 is probably a size 8 with these labels. So anyways, we were browsing and my aunt found a button up cardigan that she thought would be "perfect" for me to wear to work. I personally didn't love it but tried it on anyways because I know how stubborn my aunt is and that sometimes you just have to suck it up and do what she says to appease her. I was wearing a sundress so she grabbed a camisole and a pair of pants for me to try on with it. They were size 12. I knew they wouldn't fit but was too embarrassed to tell her because the salespeople were standing there chatting with her. I went into the dressing room and tried on the cardigan (size "XL"- which is really more of a Large in normal size clothes). It didn't button over my belly and I didnt want to stretch it out. The pants didn't fit over my thighs which suprised me because usually a size 10 or 12 fits everywhere but the belly.

My aunt knocked on the door and asked if she could come in to see it. I told her the pants didn't fit and could I request a size up. She brought them for me and they wouldn't button. I asked for a size up in the cardigan, thinking it was a Large and when she goes to ask, I hear the salesgirl say "Umm, we don't carry bigger sizes. Sorry." My aunt comes back and insists on coming into the dressing room to verify for herself that they do not indeed fit (she was also in denial, much like myself). I had finally gotten the pants buttoned and was standing there with the cardigan not buttoned and my fat belly spilling over at least 3 inches over the waistband and my love handles and back fat barely covered by the camisole/tank top. I had my arms folded, trying to hide my midrift but she insisted I button the cardigan. When I tried she just stood there and gasped as she stared at the roll of fat poking out from underneath the cami.

So we left, both equally embarrassed by the whole ordeal. The best part was she called my mom while I was changing back into my clothes and I could hear her saying "I'm really worried about Tracy. You said she was a little chubby but she looks more like obese to me. Her belly HANGS for gods sake."

So long story short, she made me come with her to a consultation she set up for the next day (Friday) at Jenny Craig. I found out I need to lose about 70 pounds. Good to know. So yea, interesting experience. Just thought I'd share it with ya'll