Someone said this to me over the weekend and it was such a huge ego boost and sort of wake-up call. Even though I have been feeling great in general and feel like my normal self instead of my fat self (it's sad that 15ish years of my life were not spent feeling like me), I still feel like people can look at me and know that I used to be fat. Like not even that long ago. It made me realize that as much as I think I'm good in the head, I'm still totally transitioning.

Someone here said something that has stuck with me, too, though I can't remember who said it. About how being a little more reserved/shy/timid is endearing or looked at more kindly when you're overweight, and when you're thin it's looked at as you are a *****. I think this has happened to me a couple of times. Although anyone that knows me would laugh to hear me called reserved, I tend to be quiet when I first meet people and nervous, and at work my first interactions are strictly professional (though I am also not particularly professional with people I know well at work either, haha). Someone told me that their intern was scared of me and I was baffled until I realized that she never knew me fat an I am reserved and anxious sometimes and that might come off as *****y since I don't have the fat pity factor going on.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that stuff. Uh, talk away? ha.

Ha, this post is timely because a woman at the gym this past weekend said, "I can't picture you chubby". It was nice to hear. But of course I had to whip out my starting pics to show her.

But I completely agree about the fat vs. thin mentality and how people perceive personalities depending on what physical category you are in. I used to be approachable by women and not men. Now it's the opposite. The way I am treated by both has done a 180. It's hard enough for me right now to deal with the male attention and now I'm having to deal with how females are treating me.....especially my (so-called) friends.

That happened to me on Friday. I was at a new doctor and was explaining my history. I said I was formerly obese and she started laughing. I asked her what was so funny and she said, "oh nothing, it's just that I'm having a hard time picturing you as obese".

Maybe she thought I just had a "little weight problem" or something, but it was awfully dismissive from a health care professional!

I love this!! I agree, that when you lose the weight you feel like your normal self. I had lunch with my friend the other day that I hadn't seen in awhile. She asked if I was skinny. I told her yes, I had lost some weight and she was like oh, ok good. I knew you did something different but you still look like you.

I loved this! I like to think that my fat life was just a stage where my body was swollen and now that I eat the way my body is happy with, the swelling has gone down.

interesting you use the term "swollen"...I use this too and haven't heard anyone else use it until i came across this post. ...I looked "swollen" and felt "swollen". its amazing how alive I feel not carrying that 80 lbs around...i'm not sick anymore is how i see it, and i must agree- i feel like myself, though i'd never been thin before so its really the first time that i trully feel like me

good work ladies!