I recently attended a seminar and my first consult is 10/30. My insurance covers 100% after a small deductible (yay!). The program is 3 months long. I feel very fortunate. But what I would like to know from everyone out there is how many of u have NEVER been a "normal" weight? I have been huge since I was about 5 years old. I don't even want to be "skinny". I want to be a normal average person whose size starts with a 1 instead of almost a 3. (That's what I consider average. Others may not... Not trying to offend anyone). I just don't know what it's like to be able to go shopping in a store at the mall and actually be able to buy something from there. I don't know what's it's like to look in the mirror and not want to scream. Or to not have to walk sideways down the airplane aisles while people give the "oh god please don't have the seat next to me" look. I love to read people's life stories and am enjoying this forum extremely. I just would like to know how everyone feels/is feeling as their sizes are changing and has anyone been at their healthiest they can remember in their lives? And I'm very sorry this is very long...

I have never been a normal weight. Well I was a normal sized baby and toddler. The story I've been told was that I refused to eat and my grandmother convinced my parents to take me to the doctor. I was given something to make me eat and apparently I just never stopped. I have been heavy so long that I have NO memories of being "average" weight.

Is it sad that I truly don't know if I was ever a normal weight?? I was berated so much about my weight growing up, but looking back in some pics, I guess I was overweight. So for me, it wasn't about my weight, vs how people made me feel over my weight.

Picking a goal weight took a lot of soul searching, its hard to wrap your head around something that is normal, or acceptable when you've only ever been told you are neither.

And like you I want all that being at a normal weight brings... I.e. Shopping anywhere.

Congrats on the start of your journey.

Is it sad that I truly don't know if I was ever a normal weight?? I was berated so much about my weight growing up, but looking back in some pics, I guess I was overweight. So for me, it wasn't about my weight, vs how people made me feel over my weight.

Picking a goal weight took a lot of soul searching, its hard to wrap your head around something that is normal, or acceptable when you've only ever been told you are neither.

And like you I want all that being at a normal weight brings... I.e. Shopping anywhere.

Congrats on the start of your journey.

I was the same way, my family always made a big deal about my weight and forced me into sports that I hated and every night they would make me lay on the floor in the living room and do sit ups while they watched and counted. But looking back I wasn't actually that fat. Through high school I was a 14, that's not as big as they were making it out to be

I have always been overweight since I was about 6 or 7, I don't know what life is like at a normal weight and can't wait to see what the difference is.

I was a gymnast until my 2nd year of college. I was athletically built - never skinny but not fat. Had my first child at 20 - and pretty sure I still carry some of that "baby weight".

back in the early 90's I was pretty fit. Then I just let myself go. Time to get me back.