Do people treat you differently after major Weight Loss?
on 11/25/14 9:10 am
I am interested in whether or not people (customers, co-workers, friends, family, etc.) have treated you any differently after a major weight loss? If so, does it ever offend you? I have read cases where it can actually anger some people because while they remain the same person, others treat them differently afterwards.
I can't say that I am treated differently. Those people who may have said something rude to me in the past were Inconsequential and did not know me as a person. I really didn't care as I know that the problem belonged to them. My friends and family have always treated me with love and respect for who I was, not what I looked like.
Lisa
on 11/25/14 9:22 am
Yes, I have been treated differently. My boss at work is now far more respectful of me and definitely regards me more highly. It actually hurts my feelings because I was just as qualified and capable before losing 165 pounds.
Men definitely show a lot more interest and are far more "helpful". I find that disconcerting because I don't really want the attention.
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"What you eat in private, you wear in public." --- Kat
People haven't treated me differently.
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Everyone in my life has been awesome toward me - I've been super open about my process and what I've been doing to lose the weight.
There are two exceptions. My best friend has been odd. He didn't comment about my weight loss at all until I'd lost about 100 pounds and then he only said, "glad the surgery is working for you." It's pretty strange. He's never supportive and he never cheers me on or anything. This is unusual, since he's been pretty supportive about other endeavors in my life. My other good friend, who happens to be my best friend's fiancee, is also sort of strange. She has started to ask me about weight loss all the time and complain about her own. She's got about 20 pounds to lose and she complains a lot about how I'm losing so much weight and how it's so hard for her. She also asks me for advice which is AWKWARD.
I think that is an unexpected thing - I have a lot of people who are now asking me for weight loss advice. I wasn't expecting that.
VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)
Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170
TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)
Yes. But I think that may be because *I* am different. I was always confident in my profession and probably appeared confident socially. But inside, I doubted myself. Added confidence has made interaction with others smoother for me and so people may well find it is easier from their side too.
Highest 290, Banded - 248 Lowest 139 (too thin!). Comfort zone 155-165.
Happily banded since May 2006. Regain of 28lbs 2013-14. ALL GONE!
But some has returned! Up to 175, argh! Off we go again,
I'm friends with the guy that works right next door to me. I was back to work for two weeks before he stopped in to say hi. I was really surprised, because I've known this guy for a long time. We weren't best friends, but we would hang out after work once a month or so. Before surgery, we weighed about the same, so I have a feeling that me having the surgery and losing so much so quickly is at the center of it. But he's really avoided me since I've been back. I'm not stressing about it, and if he's uncomfortable about it, oh well.
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150 lost and maintaining!
I think people treat me differently, but the person that treats me the most differently is myself. I have way more confidence and I think by me treating myself better, that makes others do the same. I dress with more confidence and way less "frumpy" than I did before. The ones that really matter though, my true friends and my family have always treated me well. I have noticed both women and men open doors for me and acknowledge me where I felt a bit invisible before losing the weight.
I have noticed that sometimes things do feel a little different at times....people that once were much closer to me when we were the same size, now seem more distant and sometimes even snarky (sp). I really don't appreciate that because I am still the same person I was just smaller but it seems like they can't deal with it or are jealous or I don't know. I am not saying that to be snobbish at all...it is a true "I don't know" or can't figure out why they act that way. It hurts my feelings a little bit but they do not make my world spin....my family and friends that don't do that are the ones that matter and are truly happy for me so that is ok with me. I think, just like many things in life, WLS can show you who your real friends are. Also, you have to know that you don't have as many things in common with some people anymore - like eating healthier, shopping in certain stores, etc... I don't know. I am a sensitive person and I cried about it to my husband a couple of weeks ago but he said who cares what they think you did this and are doing it for you! Gosh I love that man!