So how does it feel to be skinny?

My mother asked me that this morning.  Saturday my former bosses husband asked "so is your life completely different now or what?" The skinny question? My answer was - it feels just like it always did. Completely different? No, Im just me only new and improved. Its not really what people want to hear but its my answer. I know for many the surgery is a complete 180 life changing experience. For me, I feel the biggest changes are more mental - my relationship with food, no longer being obsessed with food, being able to physically do things I couldnt before - cant really say that to people who arnt obese they just dont understand. Of course the outside has changed greatly - but I feel it now matches how I always felt on the inside.  Wanted to see some of your thoughts on this - I think being younger we have a different view then those who have been obese many more years than us. I can see how different I would see things if I stayed obese into my late 30s, 40s, 50s. I guess because I have so much life left ahead of me to live that the perspective is different. There are things I missed out on in my younger years - but I have a lot of time left to do everything I want. How would you answer the questions?

I feel the same as you do on this issue. I never saw myself as the "big girl or morbidly obese" I felt skinny, I felt as small as the size I am currently in. I never truly saw myself as the big girl until I saw a picture of myself after my surgery and then it really hit home. I feel 100% better physically, I have plenty of energy, can do excercises and yoga poses I only dreamed of pre-op. so physically the change is dramatic to me but mentally I still am the same girl just with a better looking, healthy body.

I think this also might be different for people who haven't been obese for long.  I was obese, and knew I was obese, since the 3rd grade.  I remember the revalation that I was much larger than my classmates and that this would not be okay.  From then on I felt like I didn't belong, but these days I feel like I fit right in (in more ways than one).  It is nice to blend in. So yes, now that I am "skinny" my life has daone a 180 in a lot of ways (with food, with exercise, with what I am able/want to do, what I feel like I CAN do), but mostly I just feel like "Me in High Definition" - "Me in HD". 

Yeah... I didnt start gaining until right before high school. I was in a magnet program at my high school so my core classes were with the same people for all four years, I was also in band so it was a lot of the same kids year in and out.... I was a little more 'sheltered' in high school due to the fact of being in the two programs so I didnt deal as much with the harshness many have to deal with. While I was overweight in high school I didnt hit obesity until my adult life... I slowly grew larger and larger over the years.  Definately interesting!

Good topic!  I know I'm not as far out as many of you but...here's what I *think* I might be feeling. I think I will also feel "new and improved" but not like a different person.  Like y'all have said, I have never felt as "large" as my size indicated.  Pics are also what drove it home to me.  That and having to buy larger sizes.  I will enjoy being able to shop in normal stores, and fitting in rides and booths and all that fun stuff.  But those are kind of like positive side effects of the surgery.  I'm simply thrilled not to feel hungry.  I'm glad to have had the opportunity to re-think my relationship with food.  I'm also excited to finally see results from my weight loss attempts. I've also been overweight all my life and hit "obese" in 9th grade.  I, too,  think that people who have never been overweight will have no idea where I'm coming from in my responses.  Actually, I think the question "how does it feel to be skinny" is kind of patronizing.  I mean, I know it's meant with good intentions.  But it's like...you wouldn't ask someone how it feels to be fat.  Or intelligent, lol.  I dunno, I may be hypersensitive to questions about weight so it might just be me lol.