I have noticed since I have lost 60+ pounds people DO treat me differently. I have had people who have seen me before and after (maybe a year and some after) they scream. They didn't know and didn't know what to say to me when they saw me. It is weird. I get a lot more attention from men. I can wear pretty much whatever I want, I make friends better now, and I have a bit more confidence. I have always been shy so the confidence is never going to come easy. I still can't look people in the eyes. I can't even look my own boyfriend in his eyes, lol. But I think that is just something different all together.

But I have noticed people will talk to me or go out of their way to. People are more curious and don't brush me off so much like they used to. This, though shows me how shallow some people really are. You know the people who wouldn't give you the time of day if you were overweight. I am always skeptical of people, so it's me always having my guard up. Either way, it is true that I get treated differently and people are always looking at me. Not to mention I dress better (differently) so maybe that gets attention. I don't want anyones attention, I just want to be happy with myself. So does everyone else, right?

I haven't noticed people treating me any differently since I lost weight. People do ask how I lost and kept off the weight even after having a baby, (currently pregnant again) but I just take it as a compliment and go along my merry way.

Of course, the flip side is my prespective. I am now overly critical of my appearance and have lost self- confidence since losing weight. Before I started dieting I felt I looked just fine and only started in the first place to fit into my wedding dress that I had to order in a size smaller than I was at the time.

Yeah, same here, my confidence is messed up. I mean, I had zero before, that was just me, my personality. Now, it's odd. I don't feel I am good enough at all. Even though I only weight 110 pounds, I still feel like a huge, fat cow. It's terrible. I know I have about less than 5 to lose but it seems like so much and it looks terrible, so my confidence is pretty low, just because of that. I mean, if I can lose like 60 pounds why can't I lose 5?

Yes, when I was real thin my ex husband would yell at me and tell me I need to eat......we were divorced at the time, now he tells me I am getting fat, what a jerk, I cant wait til him or others see me when I lose the weight, I am just going to say thx I feel great!!!! Gina

In the past I lost 55 pounds and people definetly treated me different. Guys at work talked to me more and wanted to help me with stuff when before they really didn't pay that much attention to me. After I gained 100 pounds I was definetly treated different.It was like people didnt notice I was there anymore.

Wow, what an interesting thread. And yes, I am treated differently now....but I do like it. I feel great and it shows. Men trip over themselves to talk to me....never happened before, and yes, again, I love it . I am recently divorced and have a wonderful new boyfriend...I lost 100 pounds and life is good!!!!
I am planning on having a tummy tuck in June....my skin is loose and I don't think it will shrink back at 38 years old and being fat all my life. So I am looking forward to that.
My friends and family tell me I am too thin, I still can't believe it..never thought I would hear it in this lifetime....LOL.

Tanya

I dont notice the respect issue much. But one thing I did make mental note of the other day. I went into a store and I had on a jacket that I had taken in from a larger size I go into this tore every day see the sales woman every day and never once did she say a word besides thanks you to me. BUt now she not only remembered how I took my decafe coffee she asked where I bought my coat from.

Also I get lots more looks from men, than before. I even had one guy wave me over to pull over the other day ( much to my DH's dismay)

I have noticed that girls now often smile at me or make small-talk whereas before I didn't seem to exist. This is sometimes upsetting because I have heard so many women saying "I just want to be loved for who I am!" Yet through my experiences I have learned that as many women as men are superficial, something I have never been. It's hard to know who to befriend since many times I think gee, this person maybe wouldn't have even talked to me 100 pounds ago!

Heck yeah, you get treated differently

Also, it depends on the person and how much they've lost. For example, I've noticed a few members around here have said they have to lose a full 15 lbs. Of course other people won't notice much of a different, if any - perhaps they may assume that person is just wearing smaller clothes. On the other hand, someone like me who has to lose almost 1/2 of my entire body weight will be treated different once that goal has been fulfilled.

When I low-carbed back in 2001 (I'm making myself sound old), I lost 75 lbs - going from 235-155. I was curious as to how my classmates would react to my physical appearance because I lost this weight all over the summer, so I was excited about being thin my senior year. Well, the first day was great. A snobby blonde friend of mine, who eventually warmed up to me in that you-can-look-but-can't-touch kind of way, was so thrilled to see me and she was like "you look great," she later took me out to lunch... at her house. Girls flirted with me now and then. I had a hot date for homecoming but when stag with my friends to prom where I danced with three hotties. Even my German teacher was amazed at it. Not to mention general inquires of my life, goals, interests and just chit chat were at it's highest, but I was shy and reserved (still am), so in some ways, they might has well have been talking to my old (larger) self. Losing weight didn't give me the confidence socially, but helped me get my health back in control.

Now, as I'm in the middle of another Battle of the Bulge, I've lost 40 lbs and have realized that I am being talked to much, much more than when I was 40 lbs heavier just 2 1/2 months ago. When I was my heaviest last Christmas/Fall Semester, I wasn't very social, so I cannot gauge how people treated me. But I do realize that it is a vicious cycle: I gain weight => People don't talk to me => I become less social => I eat more => I gain weight => etc...

My marriage seems to be tanking, and in case I choose to play the dating game again, I'll be much more prepared. Now that I'm more outgoing and going to Germany this coming fall, I know that losing weight will let lose my more social side, enabling me to make more friends.

People treat me alot better, with more respect and more attention then I use to! Which is nice, it makes me feel better when people notice that I have lost weight other then having there respect, I had it when I was fat, it no big deal, just cause I am smaller is what makes the difference!

Ok, I don't know if it's me or not but lately a lot of girls have been talking to me in class. I have noticed almost 40 lbs gone but am still a little self-conscious. I think my classmates are noticing quicker than I am, even though they won't recognize it consciously.

Recently my boss gave me a raise, and one of the reasons specified was that...
I appear to be very disciplined.

When he told me that, it took me a few seconds to figure out why it sounded "odd". Then I realized it's because I'm still used to people responding to me like a fat person, and therefore ascribing me fat-person traits like stupidity, incompetence, and laziness. Being called capable and disciplined and actually having people notice and reward me for my talent & effort is a very new, and welcomed experience.

It's sad, but true. People really do treat you much better when you're thin.

I've been up and I've been down. (No these aren't song lyrics, just my experience.)

What I find is that when I'm up-two things happen. I'm either ignored by a guy I wish would notice me, or I get hit on by guys who want to assure me that they like "big women". Is that supposed to compliment me? I know that these guys mean well, but what they fail to acknowledge is: I don't want to be judged based on my physical appearance, be it fat or not! Having a guy come on to me because he likes BBWs is no guarantee that we'll be compatible. He can only give my ego a temporary boost---but hey I need a man, not a cheerleader.

When my weight is "decent" to my standards---which is thick but sexy---a flat tummy juxtaposed with a lot of hips, I get very paranoid. Guys are looking but, MAN!!! Should they have the right to look at me THAT WAY? I don't know how poor Beyonce gets through the day! Sure the attention is cool and I understand biology. I just prefer a gentleman who is cool about it.

I relate to the other ladies who are trapped between feeling good about being noticed but not welcoming attention that is rude. This must be true of all women at any weight.

Sigh. Sometimes being fat is a great "barrier" against the world. However, I just have to get into a pair of: pink leather jeans, neon hip huggers, and some sequined and feathered cowboy boots before I die.

After I lost all my weight the first time (2003), people remarked on the loss, and said I looked good. After that, they treated me just the same as they had before. I've always been oblivious to interested glances from both sexes, so I didn't notice any difference in that regard.

I have always been within a normal weight , so for me there is no difference...although I feel better!!!
I did however want to share about a friend who lost alot of weight (over 100)...She is very young (26) and always heard the "you have such a pretty face BUT" She was absolutely adorable and had the personality to match...Anyway, she had Gastric Bypass and lost the weight....She became much more confident in herself and learned how to be more assertive ...Do you know what she told me "Alot of her friends turned out begrudging her weight loss and became somewhat jealous of her" She lost "friends" because of it (if you can consider them as such)...and believe me she is a REALLY sweet girl...But anyway, much more guys notice her now,,,she sees guys show her more attention and respect (holding doors and ect) ...she seemed to have the problems with the People she knew well ...not the strangers,,,
I am so proud and happy for her,,,,I do not know why anyone would begrudge someone that right to be healthier and happier...they just wanted her to stay in the same "box" as she was before...They cool, sweet HEAVY girl.