For those who are 9 months to 1 yr + this is for you guys....

Do you think after having the surgery and losing all the weight that it has changed you mentally, like do you find yourself acting better than others?  Or is it more of just being a whole lot confident in yourself knowing where you came from and the journey you traveled to get where you are?

I ask because I've heard so many people say when a person have surgery and lose all their weight nine times out of ten they get to a point where they may leave their spouse or start talking bad about obese people...even though they were there themselves....etc.

Before surgery would you tell people that you will be the same person you were? But now you are not?

Honestly my friends have changed quite a bit. Long gone are the people I used to party with, they have no use for me now that I can't get drunk and be the life of the party.

I don't really think I have changed but I do think I am more outgoing and willing to try new things. For once in my life I feel normal. I still have a long way to go in my journey but I am no longer the fattest person in the room.

Over the past few months I have made it a goal to get out and meet new people. I have  made several new friends. This has caused some of my other friends to feel like I am too good for them, which is not true at all.

As far as how I feel about other overweight people.... sad to say I do feel like if I can do it they should do it.

My best friend has always been smaller than me. We have been friends for 16 years. In the past 8 years she has given up on herself and eats like a pig. I do notice myself snarling at the comments she makes about being overweight. She has every excuse in the book, the same ones I used. I guess I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to do something about it and I don't want her to feel that same way a few years down the road.  

My life has changed for the better so much that I want to tell my story to every overweight person that walks by, I have to stop myself from saying "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR"?/?? Do they know what they are missing??

So I guess you can say my attitude and confidence has made me open up a little bit but I am still the same me. I have the same morals and beliefs, just not as shy and feeling on top of the world! :)

Ok..I have to be honest since I lost my weight I have noticed myself looking at obese people in a different light. I don't know how to describe it but sometimes I catch myself saying "Wow they are so fat"or "omg why don't they do something about their weight?"
Its like now since I'm wearing size 16 instead of 26 that my attitude is better but I tend to  be more of a people watcher I see people in a different light.
I hope that people don't think I'm a bad person for feeling this way about obese people.
I know my mentality has changed since my body has changed sizes
.I know I'm more confindent than what I use to be. Before I lost all this weight I was invisiable.

But doesn't that make you like the people who made fun of you when you were heavier? In a way I know what you are talking about....but I think some people just like us want help but don't know where to start.  Then you have obese people who come out the house looking sloppy, stomach hanging out from under their shirt and they got a bear claw in their hands eating it....they don't care or choose to do anything about it!  Those are the ones who make my stomach turn and disgust me!

But I don't put anyone down or say "Why don't you lose weight or have surgery like I did!" Because it's not for me to say, it's their choice!  I'm not quite two months yet but right now I don't feel an attitude change....I might never have one or I will but it will be a good attitude change where I feel good about myself and like what I see.

I think looking at a person and thinking that they are fat or wondering why they don't do something to lose weight is very different than making fun of someone.  No one has to know what you are thinking, you can keep your thoughts to yourself.  If you are making fun of someone, they may hear you and other people will hear you.

I don't think it often but sometimes when I see someone really, really big I wonder why they don't have surgery.  When I used to do volunteer work with the juvenile court, there was one caseworker that was so heavy.  She had to weigh more than 400 pounds.  She always looked so uncomfortable and I felt bad for her.  When we were in court, she could not sit in the chair at the table where the caseworker and state's attorney were meant to sit because she couldn't fit in the chair.  She had to sit in a different chair at the side of the room.

But I didn't know if her health insurance covered WLS and I'm sure she didn't earn enough at children's services to pay out of pocket.  And I certainly didn't know her well enough to mention anything about WLS to her.

I know I have changed as far as being more confident in myself and outgoing.  As far as others, I kinda went thru friends when I lost the weight and also when I quit smoking and when I no longer drank a lot, we just didn't have that mu*****ommon anymore.  I no longer joined them outside for a smoke, so I no longer knew what was going on in their lives.  I don't go out to eat that much, so friends stopped asking me to go. Bars are just not my scene either.   I feel sorta like a recluse, not really knowing where I fit in anymore.  I am not quite with the athletic, get fit and walk groups but no longer with the sit all day and play on the computer group either.   Im still losing this weight, though I am very close to goal and I figure I better find something out there to do soon but I really don't know what yet.

I don't feel better then anyone else, just different from before. I do say stuff about peoples weight but I said that when I was heavy too. 

I don't have a problem with obese people but it drives me nuts when they don't dress appropriately!!!

^5, everything is not for everybody! I agree, I've seen big girls wearing stuff this summer that should be banned from the plus-size racks!!  We don't want to see your meat hanging out and your legs with the cottage cheese...that is not cute!  But they think it is!

I see obese people wearing tight fitting clothes and everything is hanging out.
Another thing that bothers me is seeing really obese kids..I know its none of my business but what are the parents thinking? I mean get the kids moving but this days and times have changed..I remember when I was a kid I was really active.
My weight issues started when I became disabled..less mobility does effect your weight.
Since I loss weight..even though I'm still disabled..I do get around alot easier.

I dont think it's changed me at all but I still wish I was thicker though.  I look at fatter people with envy/jealousy cause I MISS my curves almost to the point of depression.  In all honesty, I've done/doing a few things like:
drinking while eating
NO exercise
I eat fried foods/sweets and other things
to TRY and gain a few.