I saw your comment on Diane’s site (fittothefinish.com) and the title of this post intrigued me (so I had to come read it!) As you can see by my “handle,” I had weight loss surgery and lost 170 pounds. We bariatric types have a saying: “Surgery doesn’t make your head thin.” I, too, went through a honeymoon phase; something which is inevitable when you’re losing 20-30 pounds IN A MONTH. But that eventually stops, and you’re left with….well…yourself — just a thinner version. And that’s when the work begins. I had to completely transform my inside to match my outside. I had to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be. I had to learn to be ME — all over again. And you know what? It’s been an amazing and empowering experience. I LOVE the new me — even though my mom always says I’m the “same Cari,” I realize I’m not. I think we’re both right. She says that the basics are still there. I was always loving, caring and loved to make people laugh — I still do. BUT, I now FEEL loved and FEEL cared for — and, oh yeah, I love it when people make ME laugh.

So, I guess what I’m saying is, you’re absolutely right in your assessment that weight loss won’t change the essential “YOU” — however, it will create opportunities to change the parts of YOU that you’ve always want to change, but never had the power to affect. As Diane said today, people respond to you differently when you’re thin — it’s only natural. It’s what you do with that new power that matters most.

Good luck to you on your journey — I know you’ll make it.

I like your attitude and I think understanding that there are positive and negative times during the weight loss journey is really smart. Not always easy, but definitely smart!