Has this happened to anyone else...?

Don't be that guy. No one likes them.

Absolutely!!!

How many times have I watched obese people cram their faces full of Burgers and Fries and had to refrain from saying 'do YOU really NEED to eat that?'

And how many times have I stopped myself saying 'have you any idea how many calories are in that?'

I am obsessed, yes. But at least in a way that's healthy FOR ME.

Don't be that guy. No one likes them.

AGREED!
To be honest I try not to judge. I do what I do for me and not for others. Obviously the healthier life style isn't for everyone. However, you can't help how you feel either!

Being a re-formed smoker I'm very much on my high horse condemning all those that smoke.... I do it all in my head but I can't help myself!

LOL! Yup, this is me as well.
For me it is my family. I see my Son bringing home horrible fast food and I want to scream!
I am hoping that as I stay with my healthier choices my family will slowly join my quest to live and eat better.

Nope I can honestly say I don't. I don't know what their battles are or what journey they are on and I don't remember anyone appointing me expert on taste or health

That happened to me the other night. I was out with 3 friends, two others of whom are also MFP members. The fourth was eating substantially more than we were, so we said something. (Remember this was a group of friends!) Right then and there he pulled out his phone and joined!

We were all the other person at one point- the one people looked at and thought to themselves "Do you really need to eat that 3rd cheeseburger?", so we can sympathize. We know how hard it is to put down the fork and pick up the weights or the running shoes or the exercise DVD. While it's not our place to tell others how and what to eat, if we lead by example, others will come to us and ask how we're losing the weight. Once they come to you, it's OK to evangelize just a little!

For me its about a lifetime of eating like "everyone else." Then, after joining MFP, learning about calories, portions, and net calories; I discovered an inner voice speaking to me about eating right. Like you, I went into "people watching mode" and started noticing not only what I ate, but what others ate.

However, I have not become a food nazi (yet, maybe need some more time); nor did I hear my inner voice wanting to yell at people, "GOOD GOD, DO YOU KNOW WHAT ARE YOU EATING?!?!?"......
On the other hand, I admit noticing a correlation between size of people and venues of restaurants. Let's face it when you look around at your favorite pizza joint or fast food burger restaurant, majority of the folks (like me) are big people. My inner voice was wondering, "Are we all like this? Where are all the skinny people? Why don't skinny people eat here." That was when I started making my own pizzas, grilled my own burgers, (both very infrequently) and watched what I consumed.

For me, I realize am not a strong enough person (yet) to go into a burger place and choose to eat a salad, or at least substitute fries for a fruit bowl.

I have lost quite a bit of weight already (more weight than my, 7-year-old, nephew weighs). However, I am still a big guy and feel for those who struggle...and sad for those who have given up. I wish I could give a word of support or encouragement, but don't know how to approach.

On the lighter side, folks at work and family members are witnessing the transformation. I attribute the success to MFP and many have joined. Has that happened to anyone else...?

I hate to say this, but yes I do too. I hate it because I feel like I'm being so judgmental. I also get embarrassed when I think back to when that was ME. I'm sure people looked at what hubby and I ate and were grossed out. The other day I was at Starbucks getting a black ice tea, and there was a woman in front of me who was probably close to 300 pounds, and she walked away with a large frappacinno with whipped cream. Probably close to 1000 calories, but she probably will think she didn't eat much today. "I just had a coffee" many will think. I have great sympathy though too, as I know it's a struggle, and no matter how confident they look, I'm sure they are feeling bad and self conscience, and I'm sure for many there is an emotional trauma that has caused the gain. So I kind of start off judging/and then end feeling sympathetic and sad.

I am a lifelong athlete with a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology. All I judge, to their face, are my clients and that is because they are asking me for help and want to change. Otherwise, I refuse to expend energy on the way other's live their lives. It's a personal choice everyone makes for themself. I've work with athletes to improve their already stellar physical fitness all the way to obese clients who are over-eating while they are the caretaker for their dying mom or dad ... or because they were sexually abused as a child ... point being - you really don't know their struggles. Let's wise up folks.

* I really liked some of your responses back! This is only to the initial topic starter post, no one else's.

The only time I get judgmental is when I see parents pushing loads of sugary soda and large portions of junk food to their young children. It bothers me as the kids are still at an age where they're learning examples from parents and that's just a really crummy example.

Once saw a mother giving her infant a bottle Coca Cola. WTF? Are you mental????

If you're of age to have a say what goes into your gullet, then whatever you're eating is YOUR choice. If you want to down a liter of soda on a hot day, again, YOUR choice, your body, whatever. I may not agree with your choice, but I'm not going to judge you for exercising the freedom to make that choice.

I went to PF Changs with a friend for dinner. This friend works out and is skinny; and is in much better shape than me. I watched her put down over 3,000 calories. Two dinners and one appetizer. I was sick. It took all my might not to say anything and just laugh.

Yes. Not as much as my husband would say, but yes, I am guilty of that sometimes. But I only say it out loud to those I care about. But I'm sure they appreciate it. It's not nearly as annoying as when they do it to me when I eat something unhealthy.

Sometimes, but only in my head, I never say anything to anyone about their eating habits.

I don't judge people by what they eat or their weight. Unless they are close to me and I'm concerned ofr their healt. In my head or outloud, it not my business OR my place to judge.