Stranger Comment - Woooot!

I got my first "stranger comment" today.  Woo hoooo!  Until today no one who didn't know about the surgery has commented on my weight loss.  Certainly those close to me who know have been awesome about checking in on me and complimenting and encouraging my hard work, but never anyone not 'in the know'.  While every comment is exciting and encouraging, there is something about someone who doesn't know suddenly noticing - and commenting.

So, what happened?  I went to get my hair colored today.  The last time I was there was the end of April/early May.  I'd probably lost 40 or so by then (I'm now at 80+).  We got to chatting about the Summer and vacations.  She said something like "you look great" but it was in the context of talking about going to the Pool and I was like "oh yea I've had some time off, this is tan for me!" She's like "no, I mean in general you look fantastic.  Have you lost weight?"  I was so happy to be able to be like "Yes!  I have! 80 lbs!".  She couldn't believe it!

So, that felt great, but it was followed-up with "what are you doing...." and then it's like breaks grinding to a halt.  What do I share?  What do I say?  I know this is a common thing bariatric patients encounter, and people feel differently about how to respond.

I personally don't really want to share that I had bariatric surgery.  I think it's kind of no one's business and it also has a very negative "easy way out" connotation that I just don't want to deal with.  But, am I making that perception worse by "hiding" and not admitting it?  So, then if I just say "oh you know eating less and moving more" - which is also entirely true - I feel like I'm perpetuating another common misconception that fat people's only problem is eating too much and being lazy.  That's certainly part of it, but it's not the whole of it for everyone (myself included).  But, do I *need* to be an Ambassador for fat people everywhere?

I've decided that it's just a dumb rude question akin to asking a pregnant woman if the baby was planned or something like that.  It's not anyone's business and it's personal.  I mean, what do they think I've been doing?


So then this all brings me back to maybe that's why so few people actually comment in the first place!  Maybe they're afraid that merely commenting on the weight loss is too personal.  I get it.