Bullied over my weight – now I help kids fight back
A WOMAN taunted about her weight as a teenager is now helping youngsters tackle “body image bullying” after losing six stones.
The abuse Rachel Thomson, now 23, got when she was young has made her determined to help others beat the bulge.
“Your teenage years should be some of the happiest of your life and should not be marred by bullying,” said Rachel who has become a fitness teacher.
“I just want to help teenagers become fitter and healthier. I want to give them the confidence to do it for themselves.”
Scotland is facing a mounting obesity health crisis with younger people particularly at risk. Just last week it was revealed teenagers drink the equivalent of a bathtub full of sugary drinks every year.
Rachel herself was seduced by bad eating habits as a youngster, especially when she was being mocked by others.
“Embarrassment over my size robbed me of confidence and I would seek comfort in another bar of chocolate,” she said.
“It’s only now that I realise this is happening to many teenagers who are picked on because they carry extra weight.” Rachel, of Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, was teased and humiliated when her weight soared to 15 stone. “I would pretend I wasn’t bothered but inside I felt humiliated,” she said. “Then one day I woke up and decided to do something about my weight.
“I knew it meant cutting down on rubbishy food that was loaded with calories. I also started exercising and walking everywhere.
“I am a huge fan of callanetics and feel it has helped shape me up.”
Now Rachel gets a buzz from sharing her new-found body confidence with people in the same place she was just a few years ago.
“I am healthier and happier. My confidence has returned and I’m really happy I’m able to spread that love and knowledge around,” she said.
Incredibly Rachel has even been approached for help by people who bullied her in the past.
“They want to know how I lost the weight,” she adds. “I just smile, think of the abuse they gave me and tell them to get on with it.”
Weight is one of the most common reasons teens are bullied, according to a national charity.
Research by the NSPCC – which runs the Childline help line – reports that 51% of young people are bullied because of their appearance. More than a quarter of those, 26%, are bullied because of their weight.
A spokesman for NSPCC Scotland said: “Bullying can have a devastating impact. It is the top cause for concern for kids aged between seven and 11.”