Hi there all! I was banded 02/12/07, as of today I have lost 96 pounds. Here is my problem, however I still see myself as being very fat. I look in the mirror and I see the 266 pound me. I am having trouble buying clothes that fit, and I am still wearing underwear from pre-surgery. I also don't understand why all of the sudden people want to be my friend and why when I am out and about people now smile at me and hold the door open for me. I am very confused! Anyone have any great words of advice?

Unfortunately I don't have great words of advice, but I do want you to know that you are not alone. I struggle with body image as well. In fact I think a lot of us do. I know for me that I have been fat my whole life. I was put on my first diet at 8 years old and until August 2007 yo-yo dieted my whole life. So for me being thin for 2 months is nothing compared to the 20+ years that I spent fat. So in my brain...when I picture myself that is what I see. Though now when I try to picture what I look like...I have no idea. I have no concept of how much space I take up or how I look compared to someone else. Throw that in with the 10-15 pounds of extra skin I am dealing with and I am a mess. I have realized that I deluded myself into thinking that I was a lot smaller than I was when I was fat...and now I am deluding myself into thinking that I am a lot bigger than I really am.

Do you have before and after pictures? I have found for me that when I put those pictures side by side on my desk at work that it helps me to constantly remind myself that I am not 250 pounds any more. There were days when I would be walking out of work and to my car and thinking. "Damnit Karri...if you could just lose 100 pounds you would be just fine." Then I would have to stop and realize that I had lost almost 100 pounds, and that I was trying to stop the weightloss. I don't know that we will be able to see ourselves as thin for a while. As a result it does set us up for other eating disorders. That is why I figure for a LONG time I will be counting calories...not just so that I know that I am not eating too MUCH, but also so that I don't eat too LITTLE.

So I hope that this message brings you a little piece knowing that you are not floundering out there alone. You have done a wonderful job on the weightloss and we should be proud of that.

You know I feel the same way you do. I didn't realize it until just lately, that people are more helpful, smiling, hold the door open also. I must have been in my own world, never the notice how people were towards me. I didn't care before what people thought of me. I always dressed nice, did my hair and wore make-up. But noe I have started to notice a difference in people.

I still need to loose 100 pounds to reach my goal. I'm now after one year haveing some problems with my band, Thursday I had to have my band unfilled, my band has slipped a little and need to wait four weeks, then recheck my band before going foward again.

I don't have any great advice, just look foward and keep up the good work.

Red - First of all girl, go buy you some new underwear! I'm serious...something sexy and fun. Sometimes what we wear under our clothes impacts our behavior. I'll throw on my granny panties at TOM - the white huges ones and am in my I don't care how I look comfort zone. However, if I have on great underwear I carry myself a little differently.

I'll bet shopping will be a little easier without those "diapery", and they have to be diapery after 100 pounds, underwear. Burn 'em honey - have a great, "I've lost a hundred pounds and am having a panties bon fire to celebrate my success"...

Congratulations your great weight loss! What an achievement. You've accomplished so much - show it off and keep your head up.

I agree too ! Guys at work talk and smile more , I notice guys looking at me when I drive by in the car or walk thru a store and it kind of creeps me out yet feels flattering at the same time. I still feel like the fat kid that people made fun of in grade school and I'm 43. TIME TO START LIVING THE LIFE WE WERE MEANT TO HAVE LADIES !!!!! We need to smile and accept the compliments 'cause we deserve them. We've lost 100lbs more or less and deserve the praise !!! have fun with it. I'm finally starting to. My underwear are shrinking pretty steadily and the granny panties are leaving. My girls think they were hillarious anyway. Has anyone seen the old pee-wee herman show where he make a swing out of them ? Talk about funny ! I'm in "onederland "now and lovin' every minute of it.We need to have fun this summer. I'm gonna ride some roller coasters that I never would have fit in , in the past 20 years. WHEEE ! Gotta go now - just wanted to say we need to get past our past. The past is gone, today is here , and tomorrow is a gift - let's enjoy !