I'm a bit taller then you, I got down to 155 or so three years ago - and I'll admit I was getting too skinny for my bone structure and larger shoulders. My clothes were starting to hang. I haven't followed your posts but have you tried strength training, it helps when you get a little too skinny. This is a huge change, especially for those small minded people to take... your huge weight loss. Maybe just go about your own business and don't talk about it anymore? I was a semi public figure in a small town, just learned to keep my private life a bit private. You can be friendly, but just politely change the subject and they'll get the point - perhaps. Most people can't do what you did, I'm sure there's jealousy too. To heck with them, just be happy and proud of your accomplishments.
True, spread the word, encourage others, be a role model. I'm doing Body for Life and that's part of the program, to encourage others to life a clean healthy life!
All the comments you've mentioned sound like projecting. People accuse you of having an eating disorder because it fills them with jealousy that you've managed to use self-control and good choices to lose weight in a sensible way.
From what I can see of your avatar, you look amazing at the moment, definitely not like a 'starving Ethiopian' but just lovely and lean and slim. Don't let anyone take away this victory from you.
I would definitely take on Schumeany's "I've lost weight, not my hearing" comment for when you next hear someone being so rude.
Oh honey...I feel for you, those small town people can sometimes be small minded. I speak from experience!! The nearest town to us has only 40 people!!! I am no where near being called anorexic yet, but I know all about the rumor mill and accusations. I just recently found out I had gastric bypass...LOL (I have not by the way, and have nothing against it for the obese person who has tried everything).
There will aways be jealous people, and judgemental people, and mean people and even nice people...The trick is to take what you like from these people and leave the rest.
You know, I wasn't a very gracious fat chick for a long time. I admit I became jealous when friends or relatives lost weight and I was sitting there like a fat toad on a log. I know I was never rude to someones face before, but I was ALWAYS curious at their methods of weight loss and *sometimes* speculated their motive. It all changed for me though when I was sitting at the local cafe having coffee one day. I over heard 2 guys talking. They were talking about a friend (who I was jealous of) who had recently worked very hard at weight watchers and lost 50 or so pounds. I knew she was doing it because she and her husband were planning a baby, and she wanted to be in good shape for her pregnancy. But these guys were ruthless, they started talking terrible lies about her. They were saying that she was trying to hook-up with another man, (not her husband)...and her motive to lose weight was to get...well...um...laid. I was just floored. I realized at that moment that most everyone who loses weight are damned if they do and damned if they don't. It was a real eye opener at the power of weight loss. It's a gift.
People always want to have a reason to justify their jealousy, fat or thin. Because you changed and you look great! They want to think that there's something wrong with you and the person that they could feel "good" hanging out with is suddenly "the cute one". (You know, like how people hang out with persons that they believe are somehow uglier than they are in order to make themselves look better?) Besides, they probably make the same fun of naturally skinny girls who really can't do anything about their weight. Don't take it to heart, but I like these snappy comments, you should try a few
Really give them something to talk about. When you overhear an inappropiate conversation about your weight, interupt the perps and say "Oh, no! You have it all wrong. It's much worse than you thought."
Give them a second to think of what that could possibly be, then say in a quiet voice "Witchcraft." Let that perculate for moment. "I've sold my soul to Lucifer." Look sad. "I'm doomed to burn in **** forever for this..." put on your happy face "But I look great now!" Laugh like you mean it.
Maybe best to make sure you're not at a church pot luck when you do this.
I've had comments like this recently as well (although not as bad as it sounds like you're getting). I just patiently explain that I lost the weight very slowly, 15 pounds over the past 10 months. I did it by eating healthy and exercising. And that I feel great and I'm maintaining my weight loss.
It is partly jealously, partly paranoid concern, and partly that people just plain don't notice weight loss until you've lost a LOT of weight and they assume that you did it recently because they only just noticed it recently.
