Question:
What was the number of pounds you lost before you on all counts called YOURSELF thin?

I'm a doing a psychology paper on massive weight loss (i.e over 75 pounds) and I want YOUR feedback. Tell me how much weight it took for you to look at yourself and consider yourself thin or thinner. I have lost 112 pounds (post-op Feb 03) and still don't 'see it'. Please help! -Tracy T    — Tracy T. (posted on September 15, 2003)


September 15, 2003
I was just thinking about this subject earlier today. I have lost 70lbs and I consider my self "thinner". Thin to me is in about -30lbs. It's not the loss that has my mindset on what is thin... but body shape and total weight.
   — M B.

September 15, 2003
I thought I was "thin" at 125 pounds. I felt rather boney.
   — ZZ S.

September 15, 2003
Great question! I am five pounds from goal and still don't consider myself thin - thinner, yes but not thin. Everyone keeps on telling me I look thin but I don't see it. I started out at 238 at my first consult, dieted down to 215 day of surgery and am now at 135 (surgery 2/10/03). I'm only 5'3" so may change my goal to 120 if I feel I still am not where I want to be - not sure about that yet - I'll wait and see what my body has in mind. But I definitely don't consider myself thin - especially when I look at myself naked in the mirror and see the excess skin! Take care. Kathy
   — kathyb

September 15, 2003
I started at 248 and I didn't consider myself thin until I hit about 121. Then after really looking at myself, I realized I was a little too thin and I put on a couple of pounds. 125 is just right for me and I feel thin at this weight.
   — Patty H.

September 15, 2003
Ok maybe I'm a little different. I started at 460 , I've lost 124 down to 336. And I'm skinny as hell. And no one can tell me any different. I'm just too cute for words. Skinny for me was getting under 350!
   — Kimmie C.

September 15, 2003
I don't feel "thin" in the same way that an alcoholic is never really "cured." I have an arrested case of fatness; it's in remission but it could come back anytime. I'm responsible for keeping the fat from returning. I know that I LOOK thin, but I know that I am not thin. I am currently not fat, with a thin-looking body. Does that sound crazy enough for you? LOL. hugs, Ann RNY 9/10/99 260/124
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 16, 2003
I started at 396 and am now 189. I don't "feel" thin and know that if I ever consider myself having "arrived at thinness" that I'm in BIG trouble and know that this has to be a lifelong journey to keep myself at a lower weight.
   — Cathy S.

September 16, 2003
Hi Tracy- It's funny your question should come up now as I was just thinking about this. I have lost 101 pounds, going from 284 to 183. I am still 33 pounds from goal. I realized that everytime someone asks me how much I weigh I say 283 instead of 183-everytime! Obviously, my head had not quite caught onto the concept that I have lost this much weight. I see that I have lost a lot of weight (I started noticing about 70 pounds down) and I have come a long way, but I do not consider myself thin yet. Will I think I am skinny when I get to 150? I don't know. On a side note: A cool trick that I do when I am feeling depressed or thinking I am having a bad day (image-wise) is put on that size 26 pair of jeans that I saved or going to the store and trying on something in my old size-HOLY COW! There is no doubt (no matter how deluded my body image may be) that I am thinner.
   — Kristen S.

September 16, 2003
When you find the answer to this question, please forward it to me. This is a very mind numbing process of the surgery that no matter how much you study and prepare yourself, you are not quite ready to deal with. I went from a size 26 to a size 8 jeans (some 6's) and size 28 tops to size 4/6 small. And I still feel as though I don't look thin. I see the shirts in the store, thinking the whole time that it will not fit me and it always does. I usually still grab the larges and have to tell myself that it will be to big. For twenty years, I convinced myself that I wasn't as large as I was (it's called D-E-N-I-A-L) and now I have to convince myself that I am a much smaller person. But I still don't SEE it in the mirror. My sister-in-law is the same size as me and I just don't see it. I still feel large and clumsy around her. I am seeking professional help for this and it is helpful, but I think in the end it boils down to time, the process happened so fast, it will just take time to adjust and mentally AND physically the changes will take place as needed. I have just found that just as others are having a hard time dealing with how fast the changes happened, we too, need to give ourselves time to heal and adjust. I think that's why they encourage us to wait for two years for plastic surgery, because the first year the loss is quick and the second year, things settle and you have some time to adjust to your new lease on life and then you are then able to make the decisions medically rather than emotionally. Make sense?!
   — Dana B.

September 16, 2003
I don't feel thin. I have a normal BMI, and wear a size 8 at 5'7", and I wouldn't say I'm thin. If someone else were my size, I would probably think THEY were thin, but I'm not! Other people think I'm thin, but they're all wrong.
   — mom2jtx3

September 16, 2003
You mean we might actually 'feel' thin one of these days? Like you, I'm down 113 pounds in 71/2 months, and 15 pounds away from my 'goal' of 147 and when I look in the mirror, all I can see is flab. And the gal who posted about going for a size Large (or XL in my case) is so right. I see the clothes on the hangers and think they are so tiny that they will never fit....but, they do. Then, all I can think is that some sort of 'miracle' must have occured between the rack and the dressing room! Part of me knows I must be 'thinner', but I definetly don't see myself as thin. Good luck on your paper!
   — eaamc

September 16, 2003
I am only 2 months post lap RNY, and I have lost 45 pounds. I was trying on old clothes this weekend, and I found that I have lost 2 sizes. I don't feel thin, but I definately feel thinner than I was. I see that I am getting thinner, and I am exstatic. I can't wait till I can look in the mirror and think of myself as being thin! but for now, "thinner is better!" :-)
   — Katrina K.

September 16, 2003
When I hit 199 #, I started at 260. at 5 feet tall It was morbidly obese by the charts but it felt sooooo good!
   — **willow**

September 16, 2003
What an interesting question with interesting answers...I can totally relate to what everyone is saying...I finally reached my goal (157lbs., size 8, though they are getting baggy, and I fit into a six this past weekend) but do not feel "thin" at all. And it's freaking me out...will I NEVER be happy? They kooky thing is that 15 years ago when I was this size I felt to trim and hot...I am hoping I get over this, cause I want to be proud of what I've acomplished..not traumatized : )
   — rebeccamayhew

September 17, 2003
I am 10 months post-op and have lost about 105 lbs. from about 300 to about 195. My waist size for pants is now about 40 (which is a little loose) down from 52, and my neck size for shirts is now 16.5 down from 22. People tell me I look very good, but personally I do not feel thin. When I look in the mirror I still see a protruding stomach. I would like to lose another 25 lbs, but the weight loss has slowed down (as expected). Also, as some other responders have written, I feel like the weight loss is temporary and will have to be monitored indefinitely. Sam
   — Sam E.




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