Treated Differently?

Have any of you noticed that you are being treated differently since you've lost weight? I have heard & read that overweight people are discriminated against a lot, but never realized it so much because I've pretty much been overweight my entire adult life. Now that I've lost weight I am beginning to notice subtle things that really bother me. For example today I was at a business luncheon at a hotel and was approx. 20-30 steps behind a "bigger" girl. The bellhop standing at the door ignored her as she walked in and as I approched the steps he stepped down to where I was grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs. He even got in front of me to open up the automatic door before I entered and tried to guide me after I entered the hotel. After the luncheon was over I was eyeballing the desert kart with an associate and a hotel employee walked up to me and said "you need two of these"....I have to admit I was blown away....I need 2 deserts???????? I've always been the big girl and have always been led away from deserts. Anyway, I'm just curious what types of things you guys have experienced as your weight continues to drop. Please share.

Oh yes, I was just telling my girlfriend the exact same thing. It's amazing how much better you are treated. I am shocked by all of the attention I get. Not just from men, but from women too. It's like they pay attention to you, talk to you more and look in your eye when you walk past them. I am so not used to that. It is discrimation against the obese. It makes me real sad to be honest with you. : (

Yep...sadly I have noticed a marked difference in the way people react to me, talk to me, and treat me. I can't really give you a specific example, though I have noted it happening in several situations lately, But, to be completely honest, I think that a fair portion of the "better" treatment comes about because I feel better about myself, hold my head higher, look people in the eye rather than avoid their attention, and frankly, I personally am out in public a lot more than I used to be. I used to avoid people and public areas at all cost...still do to a degree since I am diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. But, when I am out, I don't feel quite the same degree of dread and fear that I used to. The rise in my own self-confidence and self-worth makes a world of difference in the way I carry myself...maybe we now put off a vibe that we are worth being treated well...and perhaps while we were heavy and had a lesser opinion of ourselves we put off a vibe that we were less worthy of that same good treatment. This theory seems to fit me at least . ~Suz

I agree with Suz. Not that I don't think weight discrimination exists, I do. But if you look at people's before and after pictures, it's amazing how sad everyone looks in their before pictures compared with the bright shining faces you see in the after pictures. If that's what the world is seeing, that's what the world is reacting to. Jen

I agree that you project a more positive self image. But I have noticed a very definate difference in the way that people act towards me. I notice it more with woman, standing around conversing they seem to include me more or seek me out where before I wasn't really there. My husband on the other hand has noticed the attention of men - I don't really notice that. I am used to being with younger, thinner woman (teenage daughter - sister) and I always noticed the looks that they got so I guess I still assume they are looking at them or past me.

I definately agree. I am a little puzzled by it too though and am not sure if it is the way I look or my positive attitude because I have noticed that over the phone I get better results. I have been battling a sinus infection and virus the last couple of weeks--my first time being sick in many many months. I have called the primary physcian's office and had them tell me to come right over three different times and they got me in immediately. Come right over? Who ever hears that from a doctor? But they have commented about how they enjoy seeing me and how pleasant I am. I never walk through a door anymore without someone opening it and looking me straight in the eye. Last year I remember making the comment that no one opened doors anymore. People are more friendly and seem to go out of their way to be helpful. I have many new friends and most of them I have met since losing weight that have no idea that I was ever fatter than my plump self. And today at Starbucks they told me that I didn't need to order my drinks sugar free and nonfat milk. I said that I did because I had lost a lot of weight and wanted to keep it off. Are you ready? I am a regular and the checker said that she noticed that I had lost a little weight. She was trying to be complementary. It was at that moment I realized that she hadn't seen me when I was at my biggest. Somewhere along the weight loss journey, I had become visable to her. Was it the personality change in me or was it the weight loss? Who knows. Add to that, I am thrilled that I weigh what I do now but I distinctly remember thinking how awful it was to weigh this as I was headed up the scale. Coming down, this size looks pretty darn good! Katy B aka Caters