I am just curious if there are many folks on here that had the extra weight since childhood like I did or has most everyone known at one time what it was like to be thinner? I know people will gain weight for different reasons whether it is illness, having kids, just not taking care of themselves, whatever. As my story tells, I am facing my 30th birthday in a few months and I have had weight issues for at least 2/3 of my life. I have no idea what I might look like without the round face or rolls of fat I try to hide with baggy clothes. To be honest, I am almost terrified to meet her. I may not have always liked my looks while being big but by this age I have at least made peace with what looks I was dealt. Not only that but everyone in my life knows me like this and loves me despite how I am. How will they react to the new person they will be seeing once I start taking off the weight? Has anyone else had to wonder this? How did you deal with it?

I have been overweight since about third grade and was around size 16-18 in high school. I have never been smaller, so I am unsure of what I will look like. I know I have a good figure, but other than that it's really unpredictable. I am worried about the life that comes along with being thinner- I've been with the same handsome man since I was 16, so he's loved me close to my smallest and at my large, but I don't know how to deal with attention or take compliments well... It will be a learning curve.

I've gone down a few clothing sizes since being banded, and even though I'm wearing my new pants, I keep finding I am wearing my old, too big shirts because they are more comfortable to me, which I think has something to do with my need to "hide" myself.

I too have been overweight my whole life. I remember wearing "husky" sizes in first and second grade, 5th grade I was 120 lbs, went into h.s at 200 lbs...at age 22 when i met hubby i was 260 lbs...tipped the scales the day I met my LB surgeon at 357 lbs..im now age 39. I have no clue what it will be like to be "thin". My goal for this surgery is to be back at 200...less would be great..but to be back to what i was in h.s for me would be a miracle..and tho I wont be "thin" I know I will be much healthier than I am now.

as for how others will react...i pray they wont react different...but i do know of friends who have had WLS and they themselves have changed which changed how those around them have treated them...so as long as my personality doesnt change, i dont think those around me will act any different, and if they do and its in a negative way..(I have read stories on here of this happening) then they were never meant to be in my life anyway.

I was overweight since puberty, do 5th grade. 6th grade was when a boy at school said I shouldn't wear shorts and I haven't in 17 years.

I was a preemie when I was born but shortly after I became overweight and was up until high school when I lost weight then got pregnant right after high school and my weight sky rocketed from there. With my daughter I gained 100 lbs and with each of my sons the weight just kept adding up. I could maintain my weight for a while but I have had extreme stress since my sons have gotten a little older due to them being bipolar, odd, and ADHD. My stress relief has been eating so just changing my mindset has been an emotional roller coaster along with the changes my body is undergoing. At least these are welcome changes.

I have been overweight my entire life; except for for when I lost significant weight at 13, and over 100 pounds at 18, and 30. There was a British study done a while back that showed in families where the men are alcoholics the women are obese. That is certainly true in my family. I think it shows a propensity toward addictive behaviors.

I had to attend mindfull eating sessions as part of my preop. These sessions were really helpful to me. I have to actively decide not to eat fatty/high calorie foods; probably like an addict has to actively decide not to have a smoke or a drink. This is why my diets never worked in the past because it is mentally exhausting to constantly be chosing only healty foods. With the band if I do make poor choices it helps me eat less of them.

I too have been overweight since childhood. I think the least amount I weighed in high school was 166. It may seem like a silly question but I was wondering if it's harder for someone to lose weight who has always been overweight compared to someone who was thin at one point?

I have also been fat my whole life. I have no idea what it is like to be thin, but I can't wait to find out!

I have been overweight my entire life; except for for when I lost significant weight at 13' date=' and over 100 pounds at 18, and 30. There was a British study done a while back that showed in families where the men are alcoholics the women are obese. That is certainly true in my family. I think it shows a propensity toward addictive behaviors.

I had to attend mindfull eating sessions as part of my preop. These sessions were really helpful to me. I have to actively decide not to eat fatty/high calorie foods; probably like an addict has to actively decide not to have a smoke or a drink. This is why my diets never worked in the past because it is mentally exhausting to constantly be chosing only healty foods. With the band if I do make poor choices it helps me eat less of them.[/quote']

That British study makes total sense in my situation! My mothers side of the family is just this way!!!!!!!

Several years ago I had the opportunity to get my medical records from birth to early teens. I was diagnosed as obese at age 3. I have known nothing different .

fat.all.my.life

120 in the 4th grade. That's when I went on my first diet, which consisted of a "new" MD supervised prescription pill/ADA diet exchange type diet.This was in '88, I think. Lost 30 pounds over the summer. Thought I was hot **** going into the 5th grade, turns out I was still the fattest kid in the class. *shrug*

I've steadily gained weight since then. Never known what it was like to be thinner, especially during those very formative teen/young adult years. My psyche is probably permanently damaged.

Funny thing...I like to ride a scooter for fun and transportation. I was out tooling around the neighborhood the other day, and a Mustang pulls up on my tail and starts playing the ice cream truck music super loud. I went home and cried to my husband about it. I totally felt like a 14 year old girl getting picked on.

great question !! i honestly dont know, i never even thought about it . Hmmmmmmmmmmm.............If this is any help i never had a weight problem until around 30 years old (Im almost 54) i was a skinny muscular kid right through late 20's. Im 5'3, always weighed about 120-125. When i got married at 29 I weighed 143, had a child 18 months later and thats when i started having trouble with my weight. My metabolism slowed way down around late 20's, and I think i inheirited my 1 grandmothers and my 1 great grandmothers weight problems. Both were between 4'11 and 5'3 and were heavy. My mom and dad and brother are all normal weight. So i dont think losing weight is easier or harder, as im going through the same struggles as everyone else (dieting, weight watchers ,etc, with poor results, hence, Ta-da !!!!! The Lap Band ! So far , so good !! Down from 225 to 184 and hope i can get back to 143 !

One of my earliest memories is of my pediatrician telling my parents to put me on a diet and reward me with toys when I lost weight. FYI, don't put your kids on a diet or you will screw them up for life...trust me, I know. I've been up and down ever since (mostly up), but right now I'm at my lowest weight in about 15 years. For the first time in my life I feel that I'm winning this battle and I couldn't be happier!

I too have always been heavy. I was normal weight up to about 2nd or 3rd grade. That's when I started noticing that I was the chubby kid in class. From then on, it just escalated and got worse each year. In HS, I was 180. I felt horrible and got teased constantly. I tried numerous diets but they only worked in the short term. When I was 22, I weighed 267 and decided to join Curves and try dieting. I had never went on a date, never had a boyfriend, and never had my first kiss. I was fed up and wanted a boyfriend. I was able to lose 35 pounds and felt awesome. Then, a year and a half later, I met my future husband. We started dating (i.e. going out to eat and lounging around watching movies and eating ice cream). I quickly regained everything plus some. I got pregnant in 2009 and at my first pre-natal appt. I weighed 297!!! I was floored. They really preached to me about only gaining 20 pounds with my pregnancy because of my obesity. I didn't really get to enjoy my pregnancy because you couldn't tell I was pregnant. I never really had a round belly. My Water broke early at 33w +4. I was kept in the hospital on bedrest for 10 days and induced at 35 weeks. Though the doc denies it, I blame it on my obesity. When I delievered, I weighed 318. I did well with only gaining 21 pounds. However, it continued getting worse after delivery and before I knew it, I was at an all time high of 326. I was so disgusted with myself.

I looked into Lapband and decided it was right for me. I had to do a Dr. supervised diet for my insurance for 3 months and my surgeon required me to lose 30 pounds before he would do the surgery. I had my doubts, but I got started. In 3 months, I lost 28 pounds!!! I was so happy. I got approved and booked my surgery right away. I was banded on Oct. 2011 and after my 2 week liquid diet, I weighed 280 the day of surgery. Since then, I have lost another 47 pounds and have started getting compliments on my weight loss. It feels awesome. I'm starting into unchartered territory with my weight. As an adult, I've never weighed less than 235. Today, I weigh 233. So, everything will be new from here on out and I can't wait!!!

I was just over 10 pounds at birth, and it kept going up from there.

i was put on a diet before kindergarden and another one in 3rd grade....i have dieted ever since!

at age 27 I decided to stop dieting altogether and I just went on an "eat everything in sight" binge for about a decade. i gained only 30 pounds from that which i am thankful for.

I have never known what it is like to be thin or skinny. I am in a size 16/18 for the first time since probably 5th grade when a size 16 was considered husky. i feel brilliant in my size 18, though i know i'm not thin. for the first time in my life i know what it is like to mentally feel kinda skinny....or what i think it must be like.

I was always a little bit larger and taller than most girls, but didn't become fat til puberty kicked in. From then on the weight kept creeping up. I remember having to wear a swimsuit in gym class in junior high, and how humiliating that was. My dad tried to get me to join every sport under the sun to lose weight but it was embarrassing and didn't last. I was over 200lbs by high school and started trying Weight Watchers and starvation diets. I would lose 50lbs in a few months, gain 60, and so on.

I don't really have any memory of ever being average size, much less "thin". It will be interesting to experience life on the other side once I reach my goal.