As I was thinking more and more about my dramatic weight loss five years ago, I remembered I noticed how people treated me so differently than when I was seventy pounds heavier, though I felt the same. My focus, at the time, was totally on the numbers on the scale to hit that 30 BMI maximum for lung transplants. I didn't shop for clothing until the end when I really didn't have anything to wear. At that time, I bought a pair of black pants and a pair of jeans. That was it. My workout clothing was loose but doable.
It wasn't until I began to wear my new pants, even with larger jackets or tops, that people began to realize that I had lost a lot of weight. I started to buy a few other items once I hit my goal. Then, the attention really began.
People who had rather dismissed me began to ask about my weight loss. Sales people in department stores clamored to help me find the perfect clothing in the right size. (Formerly, I would be told that if I needed help, let them know.) Women began to opening up to me about their weight issues. Every single person told me they wanted to lose 10 pounds or more.
And I had thought everyone was happy with their weight because they were so thin in my eyes. Thin = happy.
I began to so regretted not taking the drastic steps to lose the weight years earlier. But, maybe I wasn't ready to face it and it took a major life-ending disease to get my attention. Now the real work is to keep the weight off. It is the focus of everyday.
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