Meeting people I have not seen since my highest weight

that is awesome!!!

lately, tho (3 yrs post op) i meet people who NEVER knew me when i was heavy, and i wonder what people must think when people tell me how good i still look... its odd.

Just wait until you're long enough out that you have friends or coworkers who never knew you when you were bigger. That's been interesting. I haven't had a whole lot of that yet since I'm only a year and a half out, but I've had different positions at work where I've met a number of new folks along the way who didn't know me when I was bigger. They are shocked if they see a picture of me before surgery!  For instance, I got married three years ago. My wedding picture is of me at about ten pounds below my highest weight. People can't believe it's me if they didn't know me then.

I have had people who haven't seen me since before surgery not recognize me a few times, yes. And another thing that is interesting is how soon people who have known you all along forget what you used to look like. My husband occasionally does a double-take when he sees old photos of me. (There aren't a whole lot of those since I hated having my picture taken before surgery.)  In fact, I do as well - sometimes I forget what I used to look like as well!  During the weight loss, it was strange seeing a different looking face and body emerge, so it felt weird looking in the mirror. Now I am used to what I look like at this weight and the old pictures make me do a double-take as well.

I can't wait to get used to being smaller.  Before this surgery I was up and down so often I still feel that I will go up in weight and don't register my new weight until 1 week at that weight!!  I look forward to getting 1 year out and feeling like my highest weight was so long ago!!!

bask in the glory and the amazement it truly is wonderful and I am sure that you look a lot different...smile and accept the KUDOS

....but just remember you don't owe anyone an explanation unless you choose to do so.  I changed my hair colour a year before my RNY (5 yrs) ago, so I spent 40+ years a brunette, now when people see me, that haven't since my weight loss, they say "you look so different" I say yes it's the hair~!...LOL

Enjoy it! I had the same thing happen to me on the long weekend. Many people from the cabin/cottage that I haven't seen since before my surgery. They were all so happy for me. Helps make me realize how far I have come.

Congrats!