It's hard to walk and breath. Your back and knees hurt. You can't walk up stairs. You have to prop yourself up in bed in order to breath. Those are the problems I had just before I just recently lost 53 pounds. I still have a long way to go. I still have problems with stairs but everything else is better. vickie

Vickie... Good for you!!! Fifty three pounds is an excellent weight loss...

I wish you the best... and EVERYTHING you mentioned is so very true ! !

Jo :)

Gee, I can really relate but the two that stand out are numbers 6 and 7. I love when I go out to eat and people start telling me all about gastro-bypass and how I should look into having this done. I love the whispers and the side glances. Do people think we are dumb? As for the bypass, well my insurance does not cover this believe me I tried.

I don't live in a huge city and I personally know two people who died following the gastric bypass... Coincidentally, they were both nurses. One was my pulmonologist's nurse... He will NOT recommend the gastric bypass for anyone. Also, another friend of mine had the surgery a year or so ago. Since then, she had to have her gallbladder removed, has developed gastric ulcers... and get this... is suffering from malnutrition because she CANNOT eat. How very sad!!! Jo

Nobody told me that people don't like fat people just because they're fat and won't take the time to get to know them like they would with "normal" people. I wasn't really aware of the judgment that went along with the flesh.

Since I've 'always' been this way, I never had the opportunity of 'before I was fat'.
God Bless!

Janelle

I think I always thought I was fat, but there is a difference in fat and FAT. Now I have to wear a noisy darth vader mask thing that gives me acne at night because apparently fat people develop a lovely thing called apnea where the body just forgets to breathe :( Also a bummer is that anything that ever has or could possibly happen symptom-wise stops being a mystery. Doesn't matter if I contact my doctor about a twitchy big toe or watery eyes, it is my weight that MUST be causing the problem. I can't remember a time when I didn't know that fat people were laughed at and stared at and made fun of, but the reg. weight people that do know and love me, they have this "you poor thing" look all the time now, and get REALLY uncomfortable if weight or overeating or anything comes up. Didn't expect that, or getting so unable to move around to exercise or just to live, seemingly all of a sudden. There are lots about this morbidly obese thing that were a total surprise to me, and I am still discovering more all the time.

I have never really suffered "fat" discrimination. I have no idea why. Perhaps I am dense and do not realize when people are making fun of me or disrespecting me.

I have always concentrated on so much more than the physical aspect of a person. In doing so, I have presented MORE than my physical appearance for them to judge me on.

I remember as a child, people would say, "You are such a pretty little girl." Even then, I would say... "But, I'm smart!"

I felt that compliments should be directed toward my other strengths - not just "prettiness." I suppose I realized at an early age that beauty fades and that something else better be there for people to appreciate.

Also, borrowing a line from Dr. Phil... "You TEACH people how to treat you."

If someone is openly making fun of you or someone else, let that person KNOW how wrong it is.

I almost crawled over a table at Pizza Inn once when my friend's husband made a disparaging remark about our "size." She sat there silently because she was accustomed to his rude comments... I, on the other hand, implied that his brain was evidently as small as his penis. He was taken aback that someone would actually call him on his bad behavior.

I DO NOT back down. On a level playing field, I can hold my own in a battle of wits. If someone insults me, they better be able to BRING IT... because I will take them down like the little minded people they are.

I used to say that I wanted a bumper sticker that reads:

"Back up A-Hole... ALL fat people ain't jolly!"

If only I could be with you guys when you encounter rude and crude people.

Jo :)

Jo,thank you for that post. I have to be stronger like you when it comes to hitting the ball back to the server, if you know what I mean.

People assume that fat people don't get hungry or arn't in need of food. When I was a child and we would go some place to get food because we had none, people would look at us as though we had no right to be in line waiting for food.

Ummm another one would be that its really expensive to diet. No one ever told me home much money it cost to eat health food.

Also, that being at the gym and being overweight would be so awkward.

WHen you are obese, it brings out the honesty in people. HOw many times did I hear at the nursing home "you have such a pretty face, if you werent so heavy..."

how about your sitting around a tiny person and they say god im so fat meanwhile there a size 2 sigh

Sometimes I wonder if people might think 'fat' is contagious. They avoid you. You become invisable. Going into an upscale department store, no matter how well you're dressed, makes everyone turn the other way, especially the clerks. I alway feel "less than".

I think i've also experienced all the things listed in this topic.
"Such a pretty face, except for the weight..." That has to be the one i hate the most.
The snickers, the whispers, glances, and outright stares...that makes me so mad. As a child i was taught not to acknowledge a persons difference and stare, but has that gone out the window?

One thing that I've noticed as I've packed on the pounds is that if I drop something on the floor, it's not as easy as it used to be to bend over and pick it up. If I drop something while I'm out in public I just about want to die. Oh, and how about tying your shoes??!!! That's always fun. One thing that I did want to respond to is Butterfy's statement about it being embarrasing to go to gym when you're overweight. I've definately been there, but it all depends on finding the right gym. Luckily the one I go to is filled with people who are there because they need to be (in other words, no Barbie & Kens running around). So dont give up hope about a gym - there are lots out there that are comfortable.