Well it finally happened ......

[fat_free 463]

Today I was told from one of my staff....you are sooo teeny...you are almost too skinny.

Really, I'm 5'2" and 159 lbs. I am pretty toned from all of the Pilates and yoga, but I am FAR from skinny. Gotta say, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would hear those words. Have to admit, it did make my day! ????

[MichiganChic 3,262]

Good for you!! Congratulations on your success! You might look smaller than you think. We are about the same size, and I also get told that. I can tell you, at three years out, it does not get old hearing it!!

Even more gratifying is when strangers innocently comment on it. I was in a furniture store the other day, and the sales lady said something like "you are a small woman" in reference to what size furniture to buy. For some reason when I weighed 325 pounds, people thought I was tall, too, lol!

[M!@ 320]

Congratulations on your success! Can't wait to join you.

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

Same here ...hooray!Love it!

[bellabloom 2,467]

Happy for you!!!

[fat_free 463]

@MichiganChic. It's crazy to think that I am considered teeny. I really don't see it, not sure that I can ever visualize ME as a teeny person.

I was once sitting in a waiting room and saw a reflection of a confident, well dressed average sized lady in the window across from me and thought. If only I could look like her....to my surprise it was me. That was still 35lbs ago....and I still have difficulty grasping that I am not the person in my head. I hope I never get accustomed to hearing it because I do feel pleased and love the sound and thought that others now see me as normal. Keeps me on track (well for the most part). 18 months out only so I need to have my check points as a constant to keep me on the straight and narrow (or teeny - my new word of the day).

For everyone else, I absolutely never thought I could get here. Through all the stalls and mini gains (+1 or 2 lbs) I was convinced that as long as I got below 200lbs that would be a major accomplishment. Guess what, it just keeps getting better! I love, love, love the fact that I pursued this decision and went through the almost two year wait (in Canada) getting all of the medical, nutritional and psych support to get me to the right mind set that I personally needed before my surgery.

Keep on getting "teeny" everyone - it's a great feeling

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@fat_free I was just like you at 18 months out. I posted here a thread call Am I fat? because I just really struggled with the number on the scale. I had some crazy all or nothing sort of mentality that made me think a BMI that was in the overweight range was equal to a fat me.

In truth, I still really hate that my BMI isn't a normal range. However, I've seen some newer BMI charts that have a higher normal range for my age. Either way, I'm pretty sure a size 8 or medium isn't fat. It took me a long time, a lot of discussion, and time to come to peace with my final weight, and also to enjoy my success. I don't think I had body dysmorphia exactly, because what I saw in the mirror was probably an accurate reflection. What I couldn't reconcile was that BMI number - like maybe I had dysmorphia because I didn't see a fat person even when the number said I was fat.

It helps to have others - especially strangers - confirm our new normal size!

[bellabloom 2,467]

A size 8/ medium is FAR from fat!!!! I was a size eight all through college and I was not fat at all.

[fat_free 463]

@@MichiganChic I just read your Am I fat? Thread and we could be twins - exactly the same thoughts AND the same age too. I get what everyone is saying and I need to start seeing what I really look like now rather than what my brain says. I too used to think when I was heavy that I looked good. Looking back I had the same issues back then.... I just couldn't / can't see me for what I really look like. Something I need to work on. When I look at your photos we really do have the same body type and I would say you are teeny! So I guess I just might be too ????

Tkx!!!

[Yammi 94]

The other day I was discussing BMI with a co worker who is 6' 2'' and 200 lbs. I am 5' 10'' and 187. I told him to consider that I am big boned. He looked at me like I was crazy. That was the old me talking. At 14 months post op, I still don't see myself at the size I am currently at. I have been told that this takes time for the Brain to catch up with the body. Awesome on the compliment.