I've been wearing the same clothing for 46 pounds of weight loss -- and I've never worn anything close-fitting. To make them fit better, I've been putting them in the dryer on hot. So, for people who don't know me that well, I guess I don't look that much different. The other day I wore a fitting button-down shirt (that I held onto for 15 years), and whoa did I get some compliments -- so I think that was the ticket.

On the other hand, another time when I lost about 90 pounds, I thought I looked quite a bit different from my niece who weighed at least 200 pounds more than I did. My sister's mother-in-law kept calling me by my niece's name and said, "sorry, you look so much alike." (OK then, there are only two weights in this world: fat and not-fat. You can lose 90 pounds, but if you aren't thin, you are still fat -- even to people who know you.) That one really took me aback.

Anyway, I really understand the invisible thing -- it was bad when I was younger and fat, but now that I'm older -- I truly, truly don't exist when I walk in a store or a room sometimes. I'm used to it now, and just demand attention when I need it.