Any really big people (or ex-big people)...

For me those shows help me. It reminds me what can happen if I don't do something about my weight. Although I do have the same fears as you. I hope that once I get the weight off I have the strength and self control to keep it off.

You have such a positive attitude I have no doubt you will be successful in your quest for a smaller and healthier you. 

The thing is you have an excuse for being over weight...you had a horrible accident.  Other people have medical issues.  I litterally just gave up and stuffed myself for a few years.  I was tired of diets and diet pills that didn't work.  I hope that awful self destructive attitude is gone forever!!! 

YOU inspire me...you have such a "I won't give up attitude"!!!

I have to admit the accident did help me gain 200 lbs. But I wa already in the high 300s before the accident. And for the same reasons as you. I tried every diet and even some pills. Then I too gave up and just didn't care. I didn't feel I had the self control to lose weight. You have come a long way and you are doing great. I can't wait to get to the weight you are at.

Kate you do look fabulous!

Airhead, I'm sorry that you have had to experience such negative looks,stares & talk.  At my highest weight (pushing 285 almost 5 yrs ago) I remember once when I was out shopping, 2 women shoppers acted like I wasn't there...they pushed (yes, pushed) by me never once looking directly at me..argh! I was so angry I wanted to scream: "surely you can see me!"  I sometimes wonder if people look & stare because they may be afraid that someday they, too could become big in size. I wish you much happiness in your weight loss journey with many nsv to come!
..joy

I know what you mean. It seems that when you are bigger you sometimes feel invisible. Or people look at you like you're just a waste of space instead of a person with feelings.Thanks for the encouraging words.

Love that new picture Kate!

I have a severely morbidly obese brother. He is currently around the 500 mark. He was previously heavier than that, but dialysis from untreated diabetes has taken some of the pounds off of him. It is difficult for him to walk. He has had fat necrosis on his legs and he was considered disabled because of his weight. In my lifetime, I do not remember him ever having a job. My siblings insist that he did, but it must of been when I was a child (he is significantly older). The comments that people have always made when he was out in public were horrible. And for his wife and children to hear the comments was even worse. Unfortunately he was never a candidate for weight loss surgery because they didn't think he would ever survive it.

When I tipped the scales at 335 I knew I did not want to go down the same road as him. It was time to make a change and promise myself that I would never get that way.

I wish the best for your brother. I hope that one day they will find a way to safely help him.

I had my baby March 7 2009 and weighed 499 lbs the day I went into have her. I had band feb 16 this year at 420 lbs now today I weighed 390 lbs. When I was pregnant no one noticed. I was almost knocked down a few times in stores and ran into several times by carts, kids, people because I was so big I had a hard time getting out of peoples way. I have had so many things said to me it has become second nature. I thank God I was able to still walk. I'm tring to put the hurt of it all behind me.

For some reason it seems that people look a larger people and think they are better because they are "normal". Like we disguist them. Like they are superior because we are obviously out of control. I don't like to judge because I know how that feels. But When I see people like that I think to myself she has to appear to be perfect because on the inside she is not.

OMG!!!  what a great way to look at it.  I unfortunately always felt inferior