The correct answer is to accept this as a fact, and work harder to overcome it. It is possible. You can get fit, even if it is harder for you then the people around you. You can work on your social skills, to overcome your bad impression with a resounding character. You can even try to fix your appearance, whether that is plastic surgery or makeup or dressing up.

As a lady with a pretty noticeable disability/spinal cord injury that affects the way I walk, I respectfully disagree. No amount of makeup, getting fit, losing weight, plastic surgery, or anything else will ever compensate for the fact that I have what is as of now a totally incurable partial paralysis in my legs. Now that I'm in my mid-30's, I've learned to come to terms with the fact that sometimes good people end up alone. I've learned that even though I've done a hell of a lot to overcome so many things and be independent, that won't be enough for the vast majority of guys I meet, if they even notice me at all. All the social skills in the world won't make me more attractive to any guy who has the option to date someone without my physical limitations. It's just the way it always has been.

At the end of the day, getting where you want to be begins with accepting where you are. Once you accept that, and the ugly truths that go with it, you can set your life on the path to overcome these obstacles.

Or, you can just accept that there are obstacles, and move on, and work on the part of your life you actually can influence in a positive way. I no longer expect that I will meet anyone who doesn't judge me on my appearance. I no longer expect to be treated fairly when say, I go for a job interview. Is it based on my personality? Most likely not, but ok, that's debatable. It's generally about looks, though. It always was. And that's just it, you see, with things like weight, that can be changed. It's within your control to a certain extent. If you have circumstances that are legitimately beyond your control, it's a fallacy to say that you can overcome them if only you try hard enough. When you try, you really really try and do everything in your power (lose the weight, get the advanced degree, be financially stable, wear the makeup, be outgoing and friendly) like I did, to be someone that people want to be friends with/date/hire/whatever and they still don't largely because of your unchangeable gimpiness/physical differences, that sets you up for just a ton of self loathing and bitterness because well-meaning people tell you all the time that if only you try hard enough these things beyond your control shouldn't matter (and let's face it, most people will lie to save face and never admit that they judge you for how you look).

And it sucks. Because these things that you can't fix or hide? They matter. In our speshul-snowflake worldview, we ignore this fact. I'm learning that as one poster said, I just simply have to work with what I've got, work around it. There's nothing to overcome, just do what I can and let the rest take care of itself. "You do you," as the saying goes.

I'm going to look realistically at my sandwich, decide that maybe it isn't ideal, and eat the parts that are actually pretty tasty. This bologna and cheese isn't going to turn into a roast beef on artisan bread any time soon, if ever. I get that. The sooner you get that, the sooner you can start working on your self-concept and accept where you are.

So, I see your point, and I get it, I really do. In fact, we probably agree on many things. For the vast majority of people who have the luxury of changing and a way forward, I think they should take it.