Hey there

Well, it's been awhile - I'm thinking 6-7 years since I've been on here. It's great to see people still use this service- and by the few post's I've read- it's great people still help each other on here.

My one piece of advice is surgery is a tool, not the complete solution. A lot of it is mental, you need to be able to get your head around the new you. You need to accept the fact that 3 full pizza's a week is still possible (eventually) and is still NOT the answer. Lean on your friends/family and those on here.

One of the biggest problems for me was, well - accepting who I was becoming. Meaning I felt very uncomfortable walking into a bar and having women look at me.... strange but true. Having women run from me in a bar was a little more comfortable (joking). Be careful of the players - don't accept second best because it's what you have always accepted.

Good to see you posting. Great advice. Stick around, we can always use more help from vets.

Great advice,,,,, I never really thought of the social aspect like that but will keep that in mind.

The people here are great and very helpful to newbies like myself!

Such a good piece of information!!

No one talks about this..

In the past I lost 100lbs through diet and exercise, men check out, flirt, hold doors open, kind acts in general.

Women treated me differently too, smiled when passing, more respectful/engaging.

More people wanted to hang out with me, have me around in general.

It is a mind f*ck!! (Excuse the term) I found myself very resentful of all the kindness and consideration from strangers, co workers, my child's school. Even family and friends can treat you differently.

Now that I'm at my heaviest, I have this constant simmering anger at being "invisible" again, being treated perfunctory by people again. Society reacts very differently to average vs. obese.

While it's nice to be a part of the real world (what it felt like) it can often stir up more negative than positive within yourself.