This past week I watched Ruby: My Australian Adventure on the Style Network. If you follow my blog regularly, you know that I really identify with the struggles that Ruby has on her show (as shown here and here). Thankfully, my weight struggle hasn't been as extreme as hers (with her having been at over 700 pounds at one point), but there is always a thread of commonality in her struggles.
The special edition of Ruby had her and her best friend Georgia traveling to Australia to promote her book, which I reviewed here. She talked about it being the first time she could have ever attempted to fly that distance because before, she couldn't fit in the airplane bathroom, which I unfortunately completely identify with.
Anyway, I won't recap the whole episode, but did want to point out one thing that completely resonated with me.
Ruby had met up with a support group of sorts at a gym, where she gave a pep talk about their journeys and sticking with it and such. Pretty kum-ba-ya.
One of the participants asked her, “what is your goal?”
I wondered this as well, so I paid close attention to her answer. First, she said her doctor wanted her to be around 150, which seems low to me for her bone structure, but whatever. Then, she said something like, “for me, it's not a number. My goal is to live life without limitations, to not have this thing holding me back anymore. When I feel like I can do anything, I will be at my goal.”
All I could think was, “Amen sister!”
Is it great to hit a certain number on the scale? Hell yeah, so don't get me wrong on that. For me though, the hardest part about being big is not being able to participate in everyday things. I've ranted about these things before, so I know you get the point: hiking, jet setting, skydiving, going out with friends and feeling comfortable- you know, basic things! What would it be to live a life where its not your body that limits you, only your mind can do that. What kind of freedom would that feel like? Amazeballs, I'm sure.
At the end of the episode, Ruby went on to complete the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, which is amazing. I read somewhere that it took her over 2 hours longer than normal to complete, but who the hell cares? She did something she never thought she'd be able to do, and for that, I applaud and bow down.
What does no limits mean to you?
