Fly Skinny

Fairly regularly someone I know, usually someone who has always been skinny, will ask me if I feel so much better being thinner. Actually it isn’t usually posed as a question, but is more like a statement with a big assumption. “You MUST feel so much better now that you have lost so much weight.”

These well meaning people are almost disappointed when I tell them that actually I always felt fine and really don’t “feel” any great improvement. See, when I was fatter I did not notice how much I was carrying around because it was just what I did. Quite frankly I have more aches and pains now from some sort of torture exercise so I really feel worse skinnier.

I hate to discourage people from losing weight if they need it, but in my experience if I waited until I felt bad I might never have lost weight. There is one exception to that statement… The only time I really hated being over weight was when I flew on commercial airplanes. Since I never fly on private planes I guess I should say, when I fly.

American, and I mean all US airlines have done everything possible to fit as many people as allowed onto each plane just as every American getting on these planes has gotten collectively larger. When I was fat I hated disappointing the the poor soul who had to sit next to me because I’m sure that my thighs squished under the armrest over into their allotted few square inches. I never had to worry that my seat belt was not tight enough because I was barely able to buckle it. Leg room was not a real issue because there was no way I could cross my legs in the space provided.

So now I guess that when someone states that I must “feel” better I need to tell them, “absolutely, every time I get on an airplane.” I am certainly not thin in anyone’s book, but I am amazed at how spacious my Delta Economy Comfort seat is right now, with my seat belt resting loosely around me and my legs crossed. I guess I need to worry about developing deep leg thrombosis now that I can cross my legs. There is always something to complain about when flying.