What's On Your Tuesday Menu, RNYers?

I SO FEEL YOU on the body "issues".  I mean I can SEE the number on the scale, so I know I have lost OVER half of myself....but most days I just cannot see it!

When I was a size (tight) 28, I'm pretty sure I would have ***** SLAPPED my new self for thinking and feeling "fat" at a size 12!  My brain is a weird and scary place most of the time.  yikes

I was just thinking about this on my way to work this morning.  Currently at size 6 I would never call myself skinny, but at size 20 I would have died to have this body (and thought it was totally unattainable).  I need to get over this "I'm not worthy of skinny" ****

Also, I used to have no problem calling myself "Fat" when I was overweight but now I call my previous self "heavy" or "large", I always try not to use "fat".  Does anyone have a clue why I do this?

I think it takes a long time for our minds to really see our new selves when they look in a mirror,especially if we've been heavy a long time. It took me about 21/2 years to see myself as skinny even though I knew I wore a size 1. I had to see lots of pi turns of myself in groups with other people so hubby snapped shots at lots of events so I could grasp my size compared to others. Mama, I also find I use the word heavy now too instead of fat. I think maybe because it a gentler word and I know how miserable I felt then now. I am always careful too now to make sure I don't make anyone else feel bad about their weight,probably because I remember a lifetime of being ridiculed because of mine.

I think you have a great point Karen, I don't want to make ANYONE feel bad.  It's so hard being heavy, trying to lose weight, and all the pressures that go with it.  I don't want to make it worse.

I go out of my way to not make people feel bad about their weight now, but I have no problem referring to myself as fat, even though I currently wear a size 2/4.  The mind games this surgery plays on you are crazy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I used to use fat before, because I was fat. I no longer use that word, because it would hurt those who are still obese, in the way that someone at 95 pounds complains about losing 3 pounds. For me, it seems insensitive now, where before it was merely descriptive.

Once in a while someone will describe me as skinny. I still don't see it. Thinking about myself as large helps keep me on track, I think.

Body image is a huge problem for me and I'm seeing a therapist to try and deal with it.  I wrote another post this morning about a jerk sales guy at a gym and how with one sentence, he sent my body image to the cellar.  It is an ongoing struggle.  As for your "fat" v. "heavy" distinction.  I'm just the opposite.  I never would have referred to myself as "fat" before my surgery (all evidence to the contrary).  Now, I have no problem referring to myself as "fat."  I regularly refer to myself as the "fat girl" or make reference to my "fat ass."   Interesting topic.

Maybe you looked too skinny to him for someone who works out a lot? I was told that one time... they did not call me fat - but too skinny..(yea , I am not there anymore - now I am just right lol)

 Next time someone  say anything like that - ask what they mean by that.. you may be surprised...

I actually refer to my former self as fat a lot.  It's a word I never would have used 160-something lbs. ago to describe myself; it was too "big".  har-de-har-har.  But now, the word has no power.  It's just another descriptor:  I WAS fat.  I AM fabulous.  LOL

Self image is a tough one!!  I really appreciate and like the comments here about not wanting to offend or hurt anyone.  I think some people don't even realize or take the time to think about how they make other people feel when they say things.

I don't like to use the word fat when referring to other people or myself any longer.  I don't think I ever referred to anyone else as fat before but I did myself.  I think the word is disrespectful.  I don't use it for myself now either and maybe its because since I took this step to care about myself physically and mentally better than I was I don't want to disrespect myself any longer either??  Its a thought.