I want to hear some of the pure daily pleasures of your transformations!

whether it be fitting in a chair you couldn't or climbing a hill without stopping to catch your breath. I want to hear all about it:-)

I experienced a nice NSV the other day. I went to watch my niece in a dance recital which was in a performing arts theatre. When i sat down I was so pleasantly surprised to see that I did not touch the arms on either side of me. There was space between me & the sides of the seat & I was more comfortable than I've been for a very long time in those kinds of seats. I didn't feel like I was encroaching on someone else's space. It felt so good - gave me validation that I am getting smaller as when I look in the mirror, I often still see me at a higher weight. It was a great night :) Down 30 lbs since surgery & 118 overall. Also, yesterday I bought a pair of size 18 pants & a Large T-Shirt at Old Navy - Yay!!

I got checked out today by an attractive man! It's the first in a while. I felt pretty good because I am up .75 lbs and was bumming. I know it's ridiculous to bum over that little. I need a scale break. But this was a nice pick me up.

Also last week I got a pedicure and the chair didn't creak when I climbed in!

I had no idea how much easier life is/was for typical-weighted people (thin privilege). I was so used to being super morbidly obese, that I didn't recognize how much more motivation, energy and stamina it took to do just the normal routine things in life.

Some examples are that I can walk seemingly forever now without getting tired or my feet hurting. I can ride my bike with my son without hurting, becoming out of breath or losing my balance. I don't look for the absolute closest parking spot -- because I won't be out of breath trotting across the lot. It's not a big deal carrying baskets of clothes up and down flights of stairs -- and I can skip stairs and actually run up them. Yard work, cleaning the pool, tidying up the house -- all still suck -- but they don't take all my fortitude to muster up the energy to do. When I am done, I will still have boundless energy to do other things -- fun things -- and not need to sit on the couch for the rest of the day recovering.

When I get sick, I can go to the doctor and not have my cold, sore throat, headache, etc immediately blamed on my BMI. I never have friends or family approach me with the "I am just worried about your health" routine. If I should get injured, and have to use a wheelchair or motorized cart, I will elicit sympathy and not destain for being obese and "what's wrong with America."

I can go to a grocery store and buy any food I want without anyone judging me for what is in my cart. I can go stand in line at a crowded ice cream shop with my family, and not worry that people are commenting that "the last thing she needs is a sundae." I can pick up pizzas for a party and not worry that people conclude they are all for me. Servers don't automatically decide I want diet soda.

I can go to any theater and sit next to any person -- and fit in the seat with room to spare. Additionally, I don't worry that I am invading the space of the patron next to me. I can use arm rests rather than cursing them as hip smashing torture devices. I can fly on a plane and not see glaring eyes revealing silent prayers that I am not their seat mate when I walk down the aisle. I don't have to sheepishly ask the flight attendant for an extension while hoping no one else has heard me. I can use the tray table and not have it rest on my stomach. When I need to use the restroom, I can walk down the plane without my hip****ting people in the aisle seats.

I can be seated anywhere in a restaurant without worrying that the booth is too narrow or the chair too close to the table next to me. I can go to picnics and not dread the plastic resin chairs or worry that I will sweat so much that my clothes stick to my back. I can squeeze through crowded places. I don't have to plan my path by whether I can fit or not.

On vacations, I can go to an amusement park with my little boy, and never worry that I will have to take the "walk of shame" because the ride cannot accommodate me. I can decide not to do things such as parasailing, zip lines, helicopter tours and horseback riding on vacation because I actually don't desire to -- rather than being unable to since I am over the weight limit. I can carry a small overnighter bag because my clothes hardly take up any room. What's more, if I forget something, I can walk into any store and buy something cute and fashionable for a reasonable price that fits me.

There are so many more things, but here are just a few.

This actually made me tear up. Yes, all of this. I forget sometimes how many little things have changed. I forget how people treat me differently now. Thank you for sharing.

The eating of food in public without shame is a HUGE thing for me. I was telling my DH about this. Usually I would be looked at like, oh that fat girl is eating ice cream. Now - nothing.... it is an amazing feeling

Very well said!

Wow Kat!

Thank you for this post. I am pre-op and all of the things you "can do" made me cry as I still suffer the embarrassment and limitations of obesity. Next year I will be ticking off the "can do"

You are so worth it.