What is your biggest surprise?

After this much time, what is the most surprising result of the surgery for you? My biggest surprise is that I find myself putting on makeup and taking pride in my appearance (dressier clothes, makeup, hair, etc.) I strongly believe that these things are not important in the overall scheme of things, and I don't judge others on appearance, but I find myself enjoying looking my best. I did not expect it to have that effect on me. I'm wondering if WLS has changed you in any unexpected ways? Joy

I'm a shopoaholic!!! I have bought about 20 pairs of jeans in the last month!! I never wore jeans before because it was so depressing buying them in a size 18-20 but in a size 6 WHEEEEEEEEE!!! And I wear heels alot more. I always really cared about my apperance and did the dressier clothes, makeup, hair thing, but now it's just obessive LOL ~Nicole

Joy, I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one who is taking pride in their appearance after this surgery! I have always done the makeup thing, but felt it never really did much for me....now I can't seem to do enough! The more I do, the better I look!!! Does that sound conceited? I hope not! I just colored my hair to a bright cinnamon color and am now playing with different colors of makeup to compliment this new me! I am really enjoying wearing funky heeled shoes. I can actually wear them without them hurting my feet! And clothes! I really only shop at thrift stores for cheap clothes until I am done losing weight, but let me tell you! The clothes are endless at thrift stores! Hope everyone has a fantastic day! By the way, the other thing that has changed?...my outlook on life! what an awesome life we now have and I hope each and everyone of us thank our higher being for this opportunity! God Bless!

My biggest surprise is that I have collarbones... LOL I never knew they were there and now they stick out and everyone comments! I still look in the mirror and cant believe its me! Hugs- Janine

I too find pride in dressing more. I find myself buying more jeans, cause i have not been able to wear them since college. I buy heels now whereas i could not walk in them before. I just feel great about what i see in the mirror now when i put on my clothes.

I think the biggest surprise to me is that I have weighed the amount I weigh now and wore a size 24 and now I am in a size 18 - its really strange. I guess I am more muscular now. -Sherrie

I have noticed this too! Either clothes are bigger now or I am smaller at a higher weight. I thought I was crazy. I don't know if it is our excess skin, our denser bones, in my case all of the metal in my hip, pelvis, and face(I'm pretty much the bionic woman!)

My biggest surprise has been the hopeful feeling I have about my health. I always had this philosophy that being healthy, excercising, and caring about making good food choices were for skinny people - I never felt like doing those things would help me, I guess because I could never do them at the same time for any sustained period of time. Once the weight started to come off quickly from surgery, I found I could excercise better, and of course my food choices and priorities have been permanently changed. So I guess I have this new optimism that I really CAN do it, I really CAN become healthy and fit. I had been resigned to misery before, to the idea that with each passing year I'd be more out of breath at the top of the stairs. I feel like a completely new person. I didn't know I would feel this way. I knew I'd lose weight and get smaller - I didn't know how fundamentally it would change the way I view my possibilities in life. Jen

The reaction of others. I honestly did not realize people treated me different because I was fat. It never occurred to me as I guess I grew up that way and it just grew up with me. Of course I have always had loving people around me and obese people so I was not rediculed by my family.

OK, I can admit this here to a couple of hundred of my closest friends. I'm the most surprised at the way I feel about obese people. My heart just aches when I see a heavy person. Before it seemed to me that the whole world was skinny and I seldom noticed heavy people. Now it seems like everyone is heavy and it breaks my heart. I know how miserable it feels to not be able to move easily and run out of breath. I so wish this surgery was available for everyone who wanted it. I'm just surprised at the intensity of my feelings about this. I've been moved to tears when I've seen very large people struggle to get out of their cars or have to prop themselves up on a grocery cart as they go through the store. Connie