I spotted a comment by NorthGuy in the gallery about how people treat him much differently now he has lost weight and the more respect that has been given to him because of this.

Is this a general trend? I remember when I first lost the weight, I didn't feel as much a physical presence as I did before and in my mind I'd lost the grudging respect people give to someone who is bigger and stronger. My funniest memory was when I got body checked and at my previous weight I wouldn't have noticed but at my new feather weight I went flying! Literally! To say I was a bit shocked would have been and understatement!

Of course there is the flipside to this i.e. a lot more casual glances from the opposite sex

I'm curious what are other peoples experiences of this?

I have noticed though that I am the one that treats others differently. It's like, I won't let anyone take advantage of me or put me down anymore. Almost as if I've put up this wall to protect me. I'm more outspoken then I use to be, not that I ever wasn't, I'm just not afraid to speak my mind now more then ever.

When I was heavier, I felt like I had to be careful with what I said so I wouldn't get fired or bitched at.I wasn't respected for who I was, they figured cause I was fat I didn't deserve to be I guess. Not anymore!

I get treated with more respect now because I demand it!

I have to agree somewhat with AF - I tend to be more confident as a result of losing some weight - I am still at only 30 or so % loss, so I have a long way to go yet, but I can already feel my confidence growing. I think that's why others ultimately treat you differently....its because you approach THEM with a different attitude....you're not down or looking away in case they think you're a fat pig, and so they pick up on that.
Just my oppinion.
Emma xx

Less respect. Men on the street are a lot more likely to blatantly stare at my chest or make rude comments. When I was bigger, I had a lot more anonymity.

I've been asked if I'm getting taller..... (as if I'll have a growth spurt at 35 ) but other than that I haven't felt or noticed a change in how I'm treated.

If there is any difference it is in my own self confidence in approaching others not in how they treat me.

I've noticed that I get way more eye contact than I did while I was overweight. I feel much more noticed and respected. I'm no longer "invisible."

i feel i get more respect from women but the extra attention i get now from men is unnerving.

i recall from youger days being ogled by men but after 15 years at least of being overweight i got used to being ignored and it is kinda scary to get all that attention.

When I was fatter, I didn't care how bad my ass looked.

Now I think about it more - doesn't make sense. Maybe because I know it's getting looked at in size 14s v. size 18s.

The several comments about unnerving looks from men really scares me. The very reason I became overweight in the first place was an adolescence of men trying to molest me in some way, nasty comments, trying to cop a feel, it NEVER ended until I became overweight, now that I'm on this road again to lose the weight, this really bothers me, I know I'm older and can probably handle it much better than a 16 year old, but it is really scary.

This is probably also the reason when I get going really good on a better way of life, I go and sabatoge the whole thing and give up after a month or two...........

Scary.........

LL

I think people do treat you differently. Granted, it may be that when you have more confidence, you treat those around you differently and that it's being reciprocated. But there are a lot of stereo types about people who are overweight being lazier, having less control, etc...

Also, when you LOSE the weight, you suddenly get a lot of interest, everyone seems to be out to lose some weight - You did it. So they want to know how - and they admire you for being able to do something they can't, or haven't been able to do. Losing the weight shows you have inner strength and discipline (granted, this may not be true...lol) but its the perception. I had a friend who went from 215 to 135 pounds...it was amazing to see the difference in how she was treated!

I have both guys and gals "check me out" now, that never ever would happen before. Its scary in a way, but still fun.

whether you gain a lot or lose a lot people will pay more attention to you. how you take that, gives you your expierence with it. did that make any sense?
i like the attention sometimes. it's the rude or jealous attention that some people pay to me that i don't like.
i know peopleb that have tried everything to lose weight, except lc, and criticise me. i just smile and go on because i am proud of myself and there fat butt can keep on walking!!!

After spending more than half my life overweight I can tell you there is a very definite difference in the way I'm treated by people.

I find people are friendlier to me now than when I was at my heaviest, they look me in the eye and don't try to ignore me or worse yet, I don't see that judgemental look in their eyes.

You didn't have to tell me I was fat, I was well aware of the fact, seeing the disgust or disappointment reflected in their eyes always hurt me, which usually led me to turn to food as a way to soothe my hurt pride.

Someone mentionned earlier about feeling uncomfortable with the looks they got when they were young and in shape, but that didn't happen when they were overweight, I can relate to that, being looked at like you're nothing but a piece of meat leaves a really bad feeling too, so what do you do....when you aren't overweight they look at you like they want to eat you alive and when you are overweight they look at you like you're nothing but a big lazy assed dirty piece of s... and don't want to have anything to do with you.

Looking at it from both sides....I would rather put up with the wolf whistles and ogling than having people dislike me because I'm fat.

It isn't because of people's view of me that I finally decided to lose the weight, it was finally realizing that I was slowly but surely commiting suicide by being so morbidly obese. The limitations on my life because of my lack of mobility had become too depressing, if this was the way I had to live the rest of my life, I'd rather not live.

I've got too much stuff I haven't done yet to end things now, I want to be able to do these things in a healthy, happy frame of mind, losing weight makes me feel healthier and way happier than I had been in a long, long time.

Yes, I do think that I'm treated differently but I don't know if it's because I'm getting to be a more "acceptable" size or if it's because I'm more positive and outgoing because I'm happier now that I'm working on losing weight rather than being depressed about it. I've always been a positive person and my cheeks hurt by the end of the day from smiling, tho.

I totally agree with the people who said that getting looks from members of the opposite sex can be unsettling and disturbing. I'm not used to it anymore since I've been overweight for several years and it's surprising that rather than being flattered I'm almost offended. Weird. I think that I've used eating and my fat as a way of protecting myself as a result of negative things from my childhood and teen years. I tend to sabotage myself when I'm doing well with my weightloss and there's got to be a psychological reason for that, IMO. Finding out what it is and how to get past it is another matter....

Interesting thread

Hi there I am new around here! I think the worst part of my loosing weight is I have a thin face (unlike the REAL miss Swan!) anyway there is a girl at work who has known me for years and hates the fact I have lost weight (I had lost 75lbs several years ago then fought with this last 28 until I started Atkins now it is coming off thank goodness)..anyway no matter how good I feel when she sees me she makes stinging comments about how "sick" I look. Most days I think it is funny ...but SOME days I just want to wamp her on the head! She is 4'11 and extremely overweight (so I know where it is coming from) she has developed diabetes. Has trouble walking and complains all day about her illness. Snacks all day on a bag of cheap white bread ....it is so sad really ... As I said ...most days I am fine and just tease her but some days it feels awful!...