I understand what you're saying. From friends I can handle it, but when people I barely know start touching me, that's just too weird. I guess the weirdest one though was from a minister. He put his arm around me one day at church and whispered in my ear, "You're looking really good." Kind of gave me the heebie jeebies.

I had the DS, they tell us to add more sugar when we get to where we want to stop. If you are not a dumper you could try that.

That is GREAT!!! I had my gastric bypass on November 24th and I have lost, according to my scales, 98 1/2 lbs. I started at 240 and now weigh 143. I feel so good, I want to tell everyone about it. I walked in Dallas in a walk called "Walk from Obesity" which I want to start here in Texarkana next year. I have also started training for a half-marathon in December in Dallas. Oh, a half-marathon is 13.1 miles if you were wondering. My goal is to do it in less than 4 hours.

I know that a certain amount of attention is expected following weight loss of this magnitude. Especially from people that I see everyday. In my job, I am at the hosptial where I had my surgery almost daily. So all the employees comment on the change. That part doesn't really bother me. I have a problem with people that I really don't know very well who feel they need to touch me or hug me. A simple WOW would suffice...lol. I have near strangers putting their hands on me, or making me "model" for them. "Turn around so I can take a good look at you." I my mind I'm saying, "Do I know you?" I don't want to be rude or anything, and I am proud of my accomplishments, but this goes a little beyond. Any suggestions?

You know, it can all get very confusing. As I was reading the posts, I decided to check out a few sites for calculating my ideal body weight. I used four separate calculators and came up with four different "ideals". They were anywhere from 130 to 150 lbs. I am 5'7" tall, and as of today I weigh 154 lbs. For the last month or so I have been fluctuating from 152 to 158. I also have very muscular calves, thighs and arms from the lifting I do at work. According the the calculators, I am still slightly overweight, although one site did say that my BMI is 24.7, which is in the normal range for me. So, you tell me, am I overweight or not? Right now I am between a size 12 and size 14. I feel comfortable and healthy at my current weight. Next month I am having the abdominoplasty, mainly because I have an abdominal hernia. That should take off a couple of pounds and take me down another size or two. It would be nice if everyone could be on the same page.