How WLS Affects the Way People Treat You

After weight loss surgery, one thing you might notice is that you are treated a little differently by people. This is something that can take some time to get used to, especially if you start getting more attention from strangers. You might even be treated differently by your family and friends. This can be a positive thing or a negative thing, so it really depends on the situation. Regardless, it is important to be prepared for these changes that can come after significant weight loss. 

Society has a very negative way of looking at overweight individuals. I have seen shows where people will wear fat suits and go into a restaurant and are treated completely different when they take the suit off. To be honest, it is quite annoying to see this behavior. After you lose a significant amount of weight, it can feel really great to finally be treated with respect. However, I remember it was really painful for me for a while. When I really reflected on it, it made me sad that I did not realize how poorly I was treated when I was morbidly obese. After I lost 160 pounds, I truly did feel a difference with the way I was seen by the public. I noticed that I would have people come up and ask if I needed help more when shopping after I lost the weight. When I am heavier, I just do not feel like the customer service is as good. 

It takes some time to get used to the attention you might get after surgery. I remember the first time I was hit on by someone was a really strange feeling. I thought he was playing a joke on me and it took forever for me to realize that he was actually just trying to get to know me. When you are used to being treated a certain way, you are conditioned to believe this is just the way it is. You really do feel a positive difference from society when you are not as heavy, which again can be hard to fully accept when you have spent such a long time being overweight. 

Another way you might be treated differently after surgery is by your family and friends. You might notice that some struggle with your new lifestyle. It is important to remember that they have associated you a certain way for a really long time, so try to be patient with them as you transition into your new life. I will say, you will learn who is worth keeping around though. It is common to have some relationships change after surgery and that is completely fine. Just make sure that you always remember your worth. Do not let this define who you are and make sure you surround yourself with positivity and people who are going to encourage you to keep moving forward. 

At the end of the day, you will more than likely feel the changes of how you are seen by others once you lose a significant amount of weight. Yes, this can be exciting and also painful at the same time. Try your best to be positive about the situation though. One thing I have always tried to take with me is to ensure I treat everyone with love and respect, no matter their size. The last thing you want to do is become one of the people that treat someone different based on their weight. We can spread body positivity by making changes with how we interact with people on a daily basis. Never forget what it was like to be ignored at your heaviest. Do your part in treating everyone with respect and hopefully we can continue to move forward with this issue as a society. We all deserve the same treatment. Be kind and love one another, no matter what.