I started gaining weight in high school, and my family was pretty rude about it. My grandparents came to see me graduate, but made fun of my weight. I responded by not going to any family functions for the next seven years.
My mom, who has always struggled with her weight, was furious with her folks and when I did eventually assent to coming to a Thanksgiving, she told them to keep their traps shut or they wouldn't see either of us for another seven years. They kept quiet and the rest of the family has been quiet since. It helps that some of the family have gained as they aged, though I'm 95% sure I'm the heaviest and I'm still extremely conscious of what little I eat whenever I'm around the extended family.
As for friends, I haven't heard a peep about my weight since...well, ever. I guess it helps that a lot of my friends growing up were and still are fat. But even if they weren't, I doubt they'd say anything, even in a concern trolling context.
The only time any stranger has commented on my size was when my wife and I were in Tokyo a few years ago. I was out getting breakfast for us about the time kids were walking to school. A kid passed me, looked up at me and said, "Oohki gaijin desu!" ("That's a big foreigner!" To be fair, I'm 6' & 290 pounds, and I stood out a mile in Tokyo.) My Japanese is basic but I still understood, and gave them a smiling 'I know what you said, kid,' look. 'Oh crap, they know' flashed across the kid's face and they hurried off.
My mom, who has always struggled with her weight, was furious with her folks and when I did eventually assent to coming to a Thanksgiving, she told them to keep their traps shut or they wouldn't see either of us for another seven years. They kept quiet and the rest of the family has been quiet since. It helps that some of the family have gained as they aged, though I'm 95% sure I'm the heaviest and I'm still extremely conscious of what little I eat whenever I'm around the extended family.
As for friends, I haven't heard a peep about my weight since...well, ever. I guess it helps that a lot of my friends growing up were and still are fat. But even if they weren't, I doubt they'd say anything, even in a concern trolling context.
The only time any stranger has commented on my size was when my wife and I were in Tokyo a few years ago. I was out getting breakfast for us about the time kids were walking to school. A kid passed me, looked up at me and said, "Oohki gaijin desu!" ("That's a big foreigner!" To be fair, I'm 6' & 290 pounds, and I stood out a mile in Tokyo.) My Japanese is basic but I still understood, and gave them a smiling 'I know what you said, kid,' look. 'Oh crap, they know' flashed across the kid's face and they hurried off.
3 years