Dealing With The Aftermath of Rapid Weight Loss

[Kobi]

From posts here, I know some members have had procedures to help with weight loss whether it be gradual or rapid.

I am looking to hear some of their experiences and wisdom in dealing with the aftermath of rapid weight loss.

My weight loss was the by-product of a medical/surgical issue that resulted in a 120 lb loss in 8 months. During that process, I was more focused on survival and making sure I had a steady influx of multi sized clothing to minimize looking like a clown. Now that I am well into the healing process, I'm discovering things about weight loss that I just wasnt expecting to have to deal with.

While there are many interconnected aspects to this, some of the more challenging ones are as follows.

The biggest thing is self image. There is a disconnect between the image in my head and the image in the mirror. It doesnt feel real. In some ways, my body feels like a stranger to me. I do double takes in mirrors now. I know it will take time to adjust to and establish a new reality. I'm wondering if there are some things to do or not do to help with this reconciliation, and how long the process might be.

Another thing I noticed is I now have weight gain panic. My weight was holding steady within a 5 lb range for a couple of months. Then in one weeks time it spiked up 8 lbs. After ruling out a medical problem and muscle mass gain, I had to resort to a food journal to figure out what I was doing for this to happen. I'm wondering if anyone has some suggestions for recognizing stress/binge/boredom eating before it shows up on the scale, or how to rework your relationship with food (even on a restricted diet) without driving yourself nuts.

A third thing is the reactions of other people. Some dont even recognize me. Others, knowing the history, are complimentary in a you look healthy again kind of way. Some give the backhanded kind of compliments which smack of hey you're not fat anymore. Im trying to figure out a way to deal with the backhanded compliments while the internalized negative societal preoccupation with weight and women's bodies plays automatically in my head. I dont know if one can ever shut that off but I'm quite sure one can modify it over time into something healthier without wanting to verbally smack people upside the heads. Wondering what worked(s) for others.

Lastly, the obsession with clothes and grooming is making me nutty. It is not something I ever gave much thought to, or spent much time on. However, I now understand why some folks need so much closet space and bureau drawers, and why it takes so long to get ready to leave the house. I'm sure this will eventually level itself out but there has got to be a way to help it along.

Any insights or suggestions would be appreciated.