I'm almost certain that if M. had noticed I'd lost weight, she'd have mentioned it. Truth is, if you're wee and dumpy at 225, you're still wee and dumpy at 200. I was only disappointed because it obviously isn't that evident yet - but it will be, believe me, I'm keeping at it.
I think that beyond a certain level of fatness, people just don't notice. Of course no-one would call me that skinny woman but people don't look at me and pass out in horror. It's just me that feels that way about me sometimes.
Last year in Germany I went to a concert up a high tower. It was a small elevator, maybe only 8 people at a time. Eventually it was my turn, and I was head of the queue and walked in as far as I could go. 7 people followed and then another woman got on. The lift refused to start until she got out. She was not big at all, just the extra person tripped an overload. So they're all standing round going, well we're none of us That big.... and I'm dying inside in case they notice me, the elephant in the room or at least the big gal in the lift. Like they could have missed me, there were no nooks and crannies! but no, they're conversational gaze just roved over me and didn't register anything untoward.
What I'm saying is a lot of us are so self-conscious about our weight and our looks. For the vast number of the population, they don't really notice. Not in every day life anyway. That's one of my reasons for not telling folk I'm dieting, it's almost like I don't register as beyond normal until I make it so.