Daily Post--4/13/08

Interesting question. My doctor asked me if I felt like people treated me differently now that I have lost weight. I don't think they have. But I treat MYSELF differently now. When I lived on the "other side," I was the one who secluded myself from society. I had come to really hate myself, and I became obsessed with my body image. I never wished anyone to be in the same prison that I was living in, but at the same time I took comfort in knowing that I wasn't alone when I saw someone who was big like me or bigger. Now that I have reached this healthy point in my life, I want to do things. I want to go out. I want to dress up. I'm still the same person I've always been -- I've just let myself out of that self-imposed prison. Now when I see someone who is overweight, I want so badly to tell them about WLS (of course, I would never do that without being asked about it by them first). I've learned that some issues of the past are still there in my life. I used to blame EVERYTHING on the fact that I was MO. Now I know that WLS has taken care of some things, like my health and my appearance, but it can't cure everything. One other big change for me is my energy level. I just need to keep moving all the time, and if I can't make it to the gym, I do everything in my power to get some type of exercise in - otherwise I feel guilty!

I think I am the same - I feel that I've always been compasionate to those who are heavier and I still don't judge anyone by outside appearances - either MO or thin.

I think being on both sides of the fence keeps you grounded and more understanding of people in general. We have been the outcast and the social butterflys...maybe we can almost sense better when someone is feelng isolated and try to help them fit in with the crowd.

I am still new to loosing weight being a bit smaller and healthier than i was has definatly made me happier but i am still adjusting to my body changes and am still pretty quiet and more geared to hang in the back for a while.

I think I'm the same as before, maybe with a little more energy. So I asked my husband what he thought and he said he thought I was definitely more happier, at least that is how he took it. I smiled and laughed more readily. He said I was a lot more quiet before my surgery. Jules

When I was heavy, my self esteem was so low. I felt uncomfortable around people all the time. Now I have so much more confidence and enjoy being around people and am so surprised that they actually "talk" to me! Everyone seems to accept me more now. Is it because they really do? Or did they before but I was too wrapped up in myself to see it? Jolene

Well, being MO most of my life has helped me develop the qualities I like most about myself -- I'm open-minded, empathic, compassionate. I understand what it feels like to "not fit." At the same time it made me insecure and reclusive. Now I have the best of all worlds. I still retain my compassionate feelings for those who are "outside the mainstream" and now I like getting out in the world to see what I've missed.

for me, being obese is all I ever knew. Everything in my life was tied into who I was and what I looked like. NOW, after surgery, I'm feeling different. Not quite sure how different but I feel like I'm gaining a little more confidence and self esteem. It's weird though because I can feel the change but when I look in the mirror I don't see it clearly.

It really has not had that large of an impact on me.....I was always aware of my size when I was out with others, worrying about encroaching on others space, I did hate to travel then, and now I just hate to fly....but love to travel, and I do not feel like I am being stared at all the time.

My view of both sides has changed a lot...I am still more in tune with obese/fat ppl than I am with ppl who are naturally thin..I can just relate more to ppl who are dealing with issues I dealt with pre op and the emotional side I still deal with even after losing more than 160 pounds