I feel like no matter how hard I try to fit in or get along with others, especially other female friends, I am always the odd one out. We will have similiar interests, experiences, a lot to talk about and share, but I am still the outsider. I am beginning to wonder if it is my excess weight that sets me apart from my "normal sized" friends. Does anyone else ever feel this way?? :help:

Hey guys,

Great topic to chat about.

The really interesting thing for me was that I never realised the reaction of my actual friends to my obesity. It has only been since I commenced on the road to weight loss that I have seen the true feeling of my 'friends'.

The couple of girlfriends that I thought I was closest to have been behaving really strangely since I had the surgery and started loosing weight. It is almost like they wanted me to stay the way I was. Why would a real friend want someone they care about to be effectively killing themselves. the only thing I can think of is that I made them feel better about themselves - you know - made them feel thin and attractive!

I have to admit that this is only a couple of close girlfriends all the rest of my close friends have been great.

On the upside - since the surgery - I have found that a bunch of people that I thought of only as acquaintances have stepped up and shown incredible amounts of support and encouragement.

It is really quite strange - even one of my sisters is 'indifferent' to the whole process even though she always would admonish me for my weight because she was 'worried about my health'. I saw her the other day (she lives overseas) and she just said 'Hi!' - please note that I had lost nearly 35 pounds or more since she had last seen me. Interesting response I think!

It really is a very interesting journey.

Good luck to everyone working through the 'social' issues associated with being obese and loosing weight!

Amanda

Banded 26th September 2006