too "small" for encouragement?

I also find that because I am not technically "overweight", but simply at the top of my weight range, people scoff at the notion that I might feel uncomfortable, and when trying to have a productive discussion about eating better and exercising, I am often seen as "anti-fat" or a "fat hater" because I would like to make sure I never gain more weight, and cross the line back over into "overweight" again.

I know how you feel.

I work with a lot of people that never saw me when I was 220 pounds. Most of these people are at least overweight if not obese and are completely delusional.

They look at me and say "What do you need to lose weight for? Your so skinny already. Do you really think you need to lose more weight? Is that all your going to eat for lunch? Are you anorexic or what?"

And they won't hear it when I try to tell them that according to my BMI i'm still overweight and that maybe I do look pretty small when i've crammed my fat pouch into my pants. They do not understand that I do not look like that in a bathing suite or naked in front of my mirror.

People project their own hate onto others. Or insecurities. Whatever you want to label it. I think when we lose sight of our own goals and actually NEED others' input we forget where our power lies.

thank you to everyone who posted! i started to reply individually, but it got overwhelming! seems to be a hot topic - nice to know i'm not the only one:)

What I get from co-workers is "You can eat a donut, cookie, piece of cake, candy and you won't die! It won't kill you! Go ahead and do it! You're so skinny anyway -- it'll be good for you!"

Look. Eating that junk is what got me to 203lbs -- so while I may be "skinny" now, I wasn't always skinny and eating junk isn't the way to keep it this way!

*shakes head*

I get this all the time, too! I don't need loose more weight, I'm eating to little, I'm obsessed. What they don't know is that now I'm at my healthiest, and I actually was eating too little and was obsessed quite a while ago, but I was too fat for people to suspect anything.
What I hate the most is a fact that nobody around me doesn't seem to see any other reason for eating healthy and exercising than weight loss.
Sure, I want to loose six to ten more pounds, but that doesn't mean I'm planning on eating like I used to or watching TV all day by then. I want to stay healthy and when I bring a healthy lunch, or don't eat a free doughnut or mention exercising, they say I don't need to do this anymore, I'm anorexic, and so on. I just don't get it, why is taking care of my body suddenly considered wrong?

I have a friend who is smaller than me and she complains she's fat all the time. Then when talk about my weight loss goals she says "But you look great like you are right now!"

Seriously, what's up with the inconsistency there? -___-

I find "you don't need to lose weight" encouraging! It means my work so far has been successful and if I keep it up, I'm bound to reach my target.

My signature ticker used to state my weight but people wouldn't reply to questions I posted so I changed it and now I get more responses. Wonder what would happen if I removed my ticker all together.

This is very interesting, I too changed my ticker from showing my weight although haven't posted much since. Kinda felt embarrassed that i *only* want to lose 10lbs when there's people on here losing hundreds of lbs.

I too haven't told anyone apart from my husband that i'm wanting to lose weight. I'm 5'8" and was 140lbs about 4years ago, I stopped going to the gym and my weight went up to 154lbs. I noticed the gain but my friends didn't and they all seemed to think I was very healthy, always exercising which wasn't the case and used to get me really annoyed when they would say things like 'well you're ok at least you excercise' (no i didn't! lol) so now I just don't tell them I'm losing weight as I think if they never noticed the 14lbs gain then they probably won't notice the (hopefully) 14lbs loss.

yup dfefinately i only need lose 20-25lbs my hubby needs to lose 50lbs his is dropping off i struggle to lose 1lb and he is supportive other people are well i can see he need sto lose but ure fine as you are
i just ignore them i know i need to lose some and im doing it for me so thats all that matters

Oh you don't know how happy I am to see this post and I hope you don't mind me adding a few as friends as I've been looking for motivation and people in a similar boat.

I'm 43 with 5 children and my weight was always between 126 - 136 IB's

My weight crept up to 144 before my 5th child (4 years ago) and then has been between 150-154 since.

I'm currently around 144 which although I might look good in clothes compared to most people my age, I am only 5'4 and this is far too heavy for ME.

I only want to lose another 8 - 11 ib but finding it quite hardwork. It doesn't feel like I eat that much but I do try to eat a lot more when I'm rowing (indoor rower).

Friends always say how slim I am and although I realise as a nation we are getting bigger especially the younger generation, I do not want tight clothes or be at the far end of a 'heavy' BMI

I want to be slim, toned and really healthy because of my children not because of any other reason. My partner is happy with the way I am and even I am to be honest which makes it harder, I just need the scales to read a slightly lower weight so I know I am of a healthy BMI.

Debbie

Totally agree with the original poster!! I have always had a problem with this.

People can be so rude. I know how much I used to weigh before kids, and I want to get back to that. I know my body won't be exactly the same, but my weight can be the same. I have lost 22 lbs so far and have 4 more to go. These last 4 seem to be harder than the first 20! So, yes it is a struggle for us "smaller" people just as much of a struggle as it is for anyone else, regardless of size!

All of my friends irl are bigger than me and I never feel comfortable talking to them about weight loss. My best friend and I started trying to lose at the same time, but I don't think she really followed through on it all. I have told her about mfp a few times, but oh well. They have to want it, and get it set in their minds that they are going to do it before anything changes....that's how I was anyway.

I have found wonderful support on MFP - in real life, at first not so much. I got the "you don't need to loose, blah, blah, blah" but I have always hidden weight really well - now that I have lost most of it, and mind you I run at work on my lunchbreak so people see me in all my spandexed glory which doesn't leave much room for hiding anything, people are starting to say that I look really good but these are the same people who said I looked good before so I'm not really taking them too seriously. I feel wonderful now, my husband loves it and I'm fitting into clothes that I thought I would have to donate. And still it's not over - now I want to have more muscle tone so thats the next part. If you have healthy goals for weight loss then do what feels right to you. I reached my goal weight and then said, nah, I need a bit more - its your goal not theirs so just do it. And if you really get fed up, just give them the mental finger!

I know exactly what you mean! But luckily mine is usually from work folks... They don't know what I look like under my baggy uniform! Most of my friends are male so it's not usually topic of conversation with them!

Luckily my husband and parents know what my goal weight is and agree it is right for me!