Page 28 of Set on You

RITCHIE_SCOTTY7

1) I’m really not conceited. It’s all an act. Part of my façade. But don’t tell anyone.

2) It’s only a date. Not a marriage proposal. If the date doesn’t go well, we can just be friends like mature adults.

3) Just wait for it.

RITCHIE_SCOTTY7

Do you like raisins? How do you feel about dates?

CURVYFITNESSCRYSTAL

RITCHIE_SCOTTY7

Oh, come on. That’s a great one.

I can’t help but notice he still hasn’t addressed reason number four. The glaring reason. The real one that’s authentically keeping me from taking him up on his offer.

CURVYFITNESSCRYSTAL

It’s not the worst I’ve ever heard in the history of awful pickup lines.

RITCHIE_SCOTTY7

Alright. Challenge accepted.

chapter eleven

9:34 A.M.—INSTAGRAM POST: “SIZE POSITIVE CAMPAIGN—MYTHS ABOUT BEING CURVY” BYCURVYFITNESSCRYSTAL:

Nothing grinds my gears more than the stigma against people who are curvy. Here are a few myths I’d like to address.

1) Curvy people must be unhealthy—Even health professionals get this one wrong. I can’t tell you how many times doctors have blamed an injury on my weight, even though my twisted ankle had literally nothing to do with it. Did you know you can have a BMI in the “healthy” weight range and still be unhealthy af? My sister (sorry, Tara) is a size six and her personal diet consists solely of potato chips.

2) Curvy people are lazy and unmotivated—Whether someone is “lazy” and “unmotivated” has nothing to do with size. Anyone, regardless of size, can struggle with binge eating or could be going through something that causes them to lose the motivation to live a healthy lifestyle.

3) Curvy people are sad, lonely, and have low self-esteem—Sorry, but size doesn’t define who we are. I don’t live my life thinking about my weight all the time. People of all sizes have varying degrees of confidence. Look at my girl Lizzo.

4) Curvy people only exercise to lose weight—I hold this one near and dear to my heart. Just because you see me in the gym doesn’t mean I’m there to burn a calorie deficit and lose weight (and no, I’m not saying that shouldn’t be someone’s goal). But I personally hit the gym to lift heavy things. Period.

Comment bytrainerrachel_1990: PREACH GIRL

Comment byrileyhenderson: Agreed. I get weird looks at the gym and people always offer to help me, assuming I can’t do things because I’m fat.

Comment byCafi80: Your platform is totally great! Don’t get me wrong! But I feel like it’s targeting us skinny girls. I work so hard to achieve my abs and my body... I work harder than people who are overweight, because I’m seeing resultsand obviously others aren’t. I feel like your platform discounts all my discipline.

Comment byArthur.Dilstraa: lmao kk keep kidding urself

•••

I STUDY THEgeneric fruit bowl painting above Grandma Flo’s head. It’s bland, understated, and uncontroversial, the ideal décor for a medical clinic where emotions tend to run high.

Case in point: we just witnessed a scary lady with a bleached blond pixie cut verbally assault the receptionist for not having her updated home address in the system.

“Grandma, are you sure you don’t need me to drive you home after this?”

Grandma Flo waves me off, casting a disapproving stare at Pixie Woman, who is now mumbling vague threats under her breath as she stomps to a seat across from us. “Oh, honey, I’m fine. Martin is picking me up,” she says flippantly, as if this had been the plan all along.

---