Adele Is A Phenomenal Woman

As a woman that has spent the better part of her life yoyo dieting, I applaud anyone who can sustain the rigors of diet, exercise, and potential health issues, due to lack of follow-through. It has been four years since I started my weight loss journey, and I am happy to be the size, shape, and fitness I am at the age of 63.

That is why I was interested in watching Adele give an interview with Oprah Winfrey before her concert. Like Oprah, and many women in the world, diet and weight loss have been a hard battle to overcome and achieve. I think Adele's transformation is phenomenal, coming out of a nasty divorce and facing her life head-on to make not only another fabulous album but change herself physically.

However, the community that once identified with the plus-size woman, considers her to be a traitor of sorts. I found it difficult to believe until I walked into a plus-size store looking to replace my favorite faux leather jacket, which I purchased there a few years back. I entered the store on an early Saturday morning, and there were three salespeople in the store, one behind the register ringing up a customer, one greeting the customers as they walked in, and one at the fitting room.

The salesperson greeting customers was a young plus-size woman wearing a trendy outfit from the store. She breezed past me without acknowledgment, but I didn't pay too much attention at the time because I was on a mission to see if they had the coat in stock. I wandered around looking as this same salesperson passed me several times and not once asked if I needed assistance.

As more customers entered the store, she managed to greet each of them. Why did I feel I was being snubbed, well to begin with all the other women in the store were plus size? I am no longer in need of the plus-size they sell, but I was hoping they might have the coat in the smallest size and if not could order or locate it was in another store in the area.

I lingered around the register for a few minutes waiting for the salesperson behind the counter to look up, acknowledge my presence at least. Did not happen, so I walked out, and they lost a sale. I was willing to pay top price to buy this coat. I receive compliments every time I wear it.

When Adele made that state, it is not her job to make people like their bodies, she is has hit the right button. Body shaming is not acceptable no matter what size a woman is. I never expected to be snubbed and I can only assume it was from lack of training on customer service. At least I want to believe that they didn't see me as some sort of interloper that entered their world of plus size and I didn't belong. Nobody knows the journey it takes to transform yourself; nobody should assume that your weight or size is who you are as a person.

Thank you, Adele, for being that strong woman that has no judgment for a person's size and was doing what she did for herself because that is the only person that matters in the life of a struggling dieter.

If you don't choose for yourself, you will not succeed. Yes, I have felt the backlash of being a plus-size woman, my family, friends, and co-workers. Their friendly advice and comments about my eating habits or lack of commitment over the years were debilitating. For the many that have succeeded to lose weight and keep it off, it like any other illness is all about strength and continual self-awareness.