Today I was looking for a skirt in JC Penney's. An employee offered to help. She was an older woman - could probably lose a few pounds but was not heavy. I found a great skirt but they had it in a size 2 and size 6 but not a 4 - my size.

The employee held up the size 6 and said "Why don't you just get this and eat a cookie?!" I was a little shocked. Not sure if she was just trying to be funny or what!

I'm sure she was just making a joke. It's not like she has any idea of your weight loss, previous weight, etc.

Jeez that's a little rude. It's not like size 4 is necessarily famished or anything (maybe to some American standards, I don't know...) Sounds like she was just jealous.

Being an associate at a department store myself, that is TERRIBLE customer service! I would never, ever comment on a customer's weight. One, it's none of my business anyway, and two, why the **** would I do business with someone that insults me, joking or not? It's not her place as an associate to make those kinds of comments -- she should be complimenting you and helping you find something that actually fits so you'll actually buy the product you're looking for. Bad move on her part.

Actually Im thinking she probably meant it as a compliment. I've noticed that people have a hard time just giving genuine compliments... I get that comment all the time "your so skinny- eat a ______" whatever it is. I'm sure that if she had known about your weight loss or any of your journey she wouldnt have said anything... But as featherweights I think people just assume that size isnt an issue. Maybe I'm way off, but I'd just take it as a compliment at best and a thoughtless joke at worst.

I think that it was rude. But I don't think that it was a compliment/insult to your size, I think that she meant "eat a cookie" to increase 1 size up, so if you were looking for a size 6 and wanted an 8 she might have said the same thing.

Isn't it funny being on the other side? I find it interesting how people tell us to eat now.

Well, interesting and annoying.

This!!! ^^^

Most of the time I just don't know how to react.

I was talking about bloat (context: dresses!) the other day and one of my colleagues said something about me being so small that if I eat a piece of sushi I'll bloat because there's nothing else in there. I was just completely bamboozled by that comment because nobody has ever said anything like that to me before and I don't know how to take it.

The shop assistant sounds rude to me, not about weight- I think it's was an ill thought out joke, but about trying to tell you to buy something that doesn't fit!