You're gonna look horrible for a while...

[Cmsumom 5]

Oh MY! lol

My kid calls me an old bag too, but he did tell me I was starting to look more like a Gucci bag instead of something of the rack at Walmart.

[jovigrl62 2]

Oh MY! lol

He's a funny guy.:-)

[Ms Lady in NC 1]

Girl I have been home a couple weeks now and already had many similar statements. At first it was bothering me, not because of what people think, but because I did not prepare myself for the attention. They know I did something to better myself and like always, a lot of people I know are "partypoopers". They are the ones that always talk but never act aqnd once again, Gina is doing something she said she would. I am not a hip hopper but am now using the term "HATER" more than ever. Don't even waste your time replying to the drama. I now smile and say if I get too small or never lose another pound, it is my biz and nobody else's.

[LESLIEH 68]

I'm going through the same thing at work, their just haters!!!!!! They say I'm too skinny now and I'm gonna look sickly if I lose anymore weight, umm hello I'm around 181 are you serious??? Now my family on the other hand they all say I look good and cheer me on. I just ignore all the "haters" and keep on trucking with the weight loss, actually they fuel my desire to lose more weight just so I can prove them wrong, hee hee

[Cmsumom 5]

LOL- that reminds me of a time when I was "thinner" I weighed 175- Im 5'4 - and I remember my parents - saying if you loose any more your just going to blow away- lol- ya- I don't think so lol- needless to say I did make it down to 158- but only for like a month- and I didn't blow away lol- although I had a lot more attention in the male dept. lol

[ILKrista 36]

I've found that some people have really genuinely been supportive of my journey... and I've been surprised by who they are. I've also found that some people really are 'haters', doing everything from telling me it doesn't look like I've lost any weight, to competing with how much weight is lost because they don't want to be the fat friend. Again, I've been surprised by which people in my life these people have turned out to me. Whenever someone tells me I don't want to get too thin or I shouldn't lose more weight, I just tell them that I am going to follow the advise of my doctor who has been doing this for more than 20 years... and if I'm feeling bitchy, I'll usually ask them how long they've been practicing medicine for. Remember, you are doing this so you can be the person YOU want to be, not the person your friends want to be!

[wishes 125]

I feel like I am going to be in for a rollercoaster. I am leaving the only town and friends I've ever known to go to another college in the fall and none of them will be there to comment. Is it worse when the people you know won't be able to see it at all except through Facebook? You ladies are really good at keeping me positive. Good post!

[Nicole W 0]

I hate that so many people like to spread negativity as if it was a disease and if they, the carrier, didn't spread it, it would overwhelm them! People become threatened by others when they become a little less predictable. Since they do not know you at a smaller weight, this threatens them. I hate also, hearing the whole "why cant you just exercise" comment. Uhm, Obviously I can (since i've lost 50+ lbs in the past doing so, but it comes back!) But, I need a tool to help me maintain and lose weight for GOOD. Many people were less than supportive when I originally told them about the surgery. Some of them have come around- complimenting, encouraging- and some have even considered getting the surgery! However, there are still those people that just love to try and put some negativity into my life. Hold your heads high, sleevers! If we allow people to affect our happiness, then everything we went through in working for it is kind of a waste!

[jovigrl62 2]

Girl I have been home a couple weeks now and already had many similar statements. At first it was bothering me, not because of what people think, but because I did not prepare myself for the attention. They know I did something to better myself and like always, a lot of people I know are "partypoopers". They are the ones that always talk but never act aqnd once again, Gina is doing something she said she would. I am not a hip hopper but am now using the term "HATER" more than ever. Don't even waste your time replying to the drama. I now smile and say if I get too small or never lose another pound, it is my biz and nobody else's.

Right on!

[jovigrl62 2]

I feel like I am going to be in for a rollercoaster. I am leaving the only town and friends I've ever known to go to another college in the fall and none of them will be there to comment. Is it worse when the people you know won't be able to see it at all except through Facebook? You ladies are really good at keeping me positive. Good post!

I live with my mom, but all of my family and my friends are all over 100 miles away and they are my main source of encouragement, so I understand, and facebook is wonderful for keeping you connected. It makes it all the better for when I get to see them and they are hit with the difference it helps me see it too.

[jovigrl62 2]

I hate that so many people like to spread negativity as if it was a disease and if they, the carrier, didn't spread it, it would overwhelm them! People become threatened by others when they become a little less predictable. Since they do not know you at a smaller weight, this threatens them. I hate also, hearing the whole "why cant you just exercise" comment. Uhm, Obviously I can (since i've lost 50+ lbs in the past doing so, but it comes back!) But, I need a tool to help me maintain and lose weight for GOOD. Many people were less than supportive when I originally told them about the surgery. Some of them have come around- complimenting, encouraging- and some have even considered getting the surgery! However, there are still those people that just love to try and put some negativity into my life. Hold your heads high, sleevers! If we allow people to affect our happiness, then everything we went through in working for it is kind of a waste!

Tru that

[Tiffykins 672]

I feel like I am going to be in for a rollercoaster. I am leaving the only town and friends I've ever known to go to another college in the fall and none of them will be there to comment. Is it worse when the people you know won't be able to see it at all except through Facebook? You ladies are really good at keeping me positive. Good post!

This was my exact experience. We are stationed 800 miles from all of our family. My family is in Texas, my husband's family is in West Virginia, and they were in "shock" as they watched me via Facebook drop pounds. At one point several of my long term friends started questioning the whys, hows, whats, on my changing appearance. Even some friends thought I was drinking or using illicit drugs as they all knew that I was quite the partier a couple of years before meeting my husband. I "had" to come clean via FB about what I had done in regards to my decision to revise from the band to VSG. They already knew I had the band, but they were not aware that I had revised, and since I was dropping weight so rapidly, the questions and messages, phone calls/texts started rolling in.

They were genuinely concerned. When we traveled to WV just 5.5 months after my revision, I was down about 100lbs, and my MIL decided to tell my husband that I looked way too skinny. Mind you, I'm only 5'2", and still weighed 165-170lbs. Least to say, when I dropped down to 125lbs, the comments really became harsh. I heard "you look like an Ethiopian child, you look like a cancer patient, your bones are showing" and for people that had never seen below 200-270lbs for over 20 years, it was a big shock. The last time I weighed 125lbs, I was around 12yrs old and in the 7th grade so of course my younger brothers don't remember a "small" sister.

I broke down and told my brother to look up pics of 115lbs-130lbs celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, Sandra Bullock, Miranda Lambert, Dana Kirkpatrick, and remember those chicks are 3-7 inches taller than I am, and that he could see bones on all those women. That really helped put my "size" into perspective for him.

I wanted everyone to Celebrate my success, and be elated with my results. Unfortunately, worry and concern really took over and they couldn't see that I was still healthy, and thriving. One thing that did help was when I traveled back to Texas in March 2009(almost 10 months post revision), my family could watch me eat, and see that I was eating a well-balanced, and nutrient diet every day. They saw me eat enchiladas, fajitas, steak, chicken, all veggies, and it really helped ease their fears. The whole "eating like a bird" is the perception they had, and it's just not realistic long term, and they needed to witness it firsthand.

Just be prepared, and acknowledge their concern, but do not allow anyone's comments to steal your joy in all of your successes. It's easy for me to say that now, but back then, it was very difficult for me to convince my loved ones that I was still healthy. One thing I did remind them of is that I was under close monitoring by not 1, but 3 medical professionals. My surgeons, my PCM and a nutritionist therefore they are not going to allow me to wither away or die because I "caught" skinny.

[snowfie9 6]

I'm already assuming I'll look horrible (at least for a while). I am going to look like a deflated balloon. And you know what? I'm perfectly okay with that.

I'm not doing this to LOOK better. I'm doing this to FEEL better and to be able to DO more.

and if I do end up looking great, well that's a bonus.

[samantha209 19]

So many great responses! Thanks guys

[Jane_J 117]

I didn't look horrible, I just looked better and better from a pretty low start point! I don't understand this comment at all?!