One morning last week I sleepily fumbled to switch off my very annoying and loud alarm and as always, I turned on the TV news to help waken me up.

However, after a few moments I wasn’t quite sure if I was awake or still half asleep.

And the reason was, the story capturing the headlines was that a well renowned weight loss hypnotist had come up with the ingenious idea of tagging overweight NHS staff to help them lose weight.

Yes, you read it right.

Tagging!

Not with electronic ankle tags like criminals wear, but a tag all the same, only his version came in the form of a badge staff would wear on their uniform which read “I’m fat, but I’m losing it.”

The weight loss expert reckoned that by wearing a badge with the words, I’m fat but I’m losing it”, somehow NHS staff and patients would be inspired and encouraged to lose weight.

I relayed this initiative to my pals at our weekly catch-up, and like most of the group, Mae just couldn’t get her head around this novel idea.

“So overweight NHS staff have to walk around the hospital with a badge that says they’re fat?”

“Yep, that’s the gist of it,” I confirmed. “It’s called fat shaming.”

“But anyone who is fat,” Mae pointed out.

“Usually knows they’re fat and surely wouldn’t need to have it literally spelt out!”

We all nodded however, I regaled the night my overweight (now ex) husband eyed himself from all angles in the mirror and attempted to make a joke about how much weight he had put on.

“Janice, I reckon I must be anorexic.”

For once I was speechless as he added.

“Yes, because nowadays every time I look in the mirror I can only see a fat person.”

He thought he was hilarious but I said nothing as I scanned his portly profile.

“Maybe the badge idea is because some people just don’t see themselves the way they really are.” Christine added.

“And also, it’s very difficult to subtly point out to someone that they have put on a bit of weight without upsetting them.”

“Subtle!” Fiona got her bit in.

“I remember the night my good pal Susan, who is on the large side, came home with me after the cinema, and when she followed me into the living room my dad smiled at Susan and said.

“Come in and sit down hen.” Apparently he turned to the others in the room and instructed.

“Three of you get up and give Susan a seat.”

We didn’t know if it was appropriate to laugh, and according to Fiona, neither did she or her humiliated pal Susan.

I then went on to tell the group about a guy I used to work with who could cut you to the bone without giving it a second thought as his mouth acted before his brain.

“I’m in the dog house again Janice.” He moaned.

“Again John.”

“What for now?”

“To be frank it was the last thing she needed, but I offered to take the wife out for her birthday meal.”

Having known John a number of years I shuddered as to what might come next.

“You try your best to be honest Janice.” He puffed.

“And where does it get you?”

Well obviously it hadn’t gotten John very far over the years as he added.

“The wife asked me to help her zip up her dress, but as much as I pulled and hauled the zip was barely past her waist, so I just told her the truth.”

“You’re too fat for this dress hen so you’ll need to find something else to wear.”

Not surprisingly John’s wife told him where to stick his meal.

I went on to explain to the girls that according to the hypnosis health expert he was quoted as saying:

‘It’s about honesty, fat shaming people is absolutely honest and not being in denial; but at the same time it’s very important to give aspiration.’

“Aspiration?” Christine, like the rest of us absolutely hated the very idea of fat shaming anyone.

“What’s next I wonder?”

“Skinny shaming, height shaming, or even age shaming.” She ranted.

“Where does it end?”

And she did have a very valid point as I explained that there are much more subtle and kinder ways of pointing out to friends and loved ones that they have put on a pound or two.

“My editor Graham happened to mention recently that his good wife Katie had given him a set of scales for Christmas.”

“Kitchen scales?” Mae asked.

“Nope, bathroom scales.” I confirmed.

“OMG, actual weight scales?”

I nodded as she asked.

“Did she gift wrap them?”

“I didn’t have the nerve to ask.” I replied.

“But looking on the bright side……….. At least she didn’t tag him!”