After losing close to 100 pounds (for the second time in my life -- I gained it back last time!) I can say that losing weight carries its own problems that dieters don't really anticipate...

I've written before on this forum (can't remember the thread) that people treat me like I'm smarter when I'm thinner. Like for each pound of fat I lose, I gain a couple brain cells (wouldn't that be nice -- with all the weight I've lost, I'd be in mensa! ) I get treated differently when I shop (it's subtle, but it's there). And frankly, I am treating others a little differently. When I'm fat, I'm less confrontational than I am now. My attitude right now is "You WILL treat me with respect -- or else!" When you are thin, you don't feel as self-conscious ordering caloric food as you would if you were fat. You don't feel as though you have to apologize for your presence...

Those are some of the good things. The bad things would be feeling uncomfortable when men notice you (this isn't a huge problem for me...I like male attention!) or feeling weird when people bring up your weight loss. I've had people blurt out stuff like "my God, you look great! How MUCH did you lose, anyway?!" And they mean well, but it makes me uncomfortable. I don't want to be the topic du jour!

As we all know, maintenance is the hardest part of the journey...I am hoping that in the future, people will just notice me for who I am (my weight loss won't be an issue forever, I hope!) and I will "wow" them on my fabulous personality, and not on my lack of thunder thighs!