Reddy, i know how you feel. I have 5 kids too and Yes, I would love to hear "You look great" without the "for having 5 kids" part. It's been so long since I looked that good I about forgot what it feels like. Welcome and good luck. Nice to have you among us!

thanks, annette- we're just about at the same place! i was just under 195 this a.m. 13.6# in Five days?? WOW! good for you! i'm a slow loser due to a lot of health issues, but i try to just keep plugging along. i average about 1/2# per day in the long run.

i'm 5' 3.5" so i hear you there, too! i can finally tie my shoes without feeling like my eyes are going to pop out of my head.... i was 125# before my first back injury- and since i went past about 160 i have absolutely HATED my body. one of the things i hate the most is that people see the FAT, before they see ME. that's part of what is cool about this forum- it's so easy to make assumptions and judge people based on looks. on here, we get to "see" each other's hearts first!

amen to that.... dateline does pieces all the time about that- they take someone pretty and put them in a fat suit, and then send them on interviews. they changed her resume for each interview to look EXACTLY like what the employer wanted- experience, but not too much. then they took a thin person, and sent her on the same 10 interviews with resumes that showed NO experience for any of the positions. the thin person was offered the job 8/10 interviews. the fat person was not offered ANY. isn't that incredible?

i also speak from personal experience on that front. i'm a physical therapist (and a very good one, if i do say so myself!), and at one point i interviewed for a job that i was quite over-qualified for. they sounded VERY happy to get me, and i was assured the interview was only a formality. i was probably about 180# at the time. i will never forget the look on the director's face when i came into his office- shock, back-pedaling, long before i even opened my mouth. 2 days before i was supposed to start i got a call that they had changed the position to full-time and hired someone else. i was always fairly certain that my weight was a factor in that decision. you are right- it's very sad, because quite often that person has SO much to offer- but people can't look past the outer shell.

thank modom69 - today I was sad though as I went up one pound even though I stick to the diet perfectly. Only thing I can think of is too much salt so I'll cut it out today.

At least all of us once we're slim will be far more sympathetic to those who carry extra pounds. Being overweight is not something anyone WANTS. And we really work at losing the weight. Even on HCG - the diet is hard and yet we do it so we'll be heathier, feel more confident, and feel good about ourselves.