The Double-Edged Sword of Being Treated Differently After Losing the Weight

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFacing FatphobiaDealing With “Skinny Privilege”Managing Social ChangesSelf-Care Strategies for CopingMoving Ahead in a New BodyNext in GLP-1s and Mental Health GuideQuieting the Food Noise and Managing Your New Relationship With Food

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Facing Fatphobia

Dealing With “Skinny Privilege”

Managing Social Changes

Self-Care Strategies for Coping

Moving Ahead in a New Body

Next in GLP-1s and Mental Health Guide

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Losing weight can bolster confidence, but it can also impact how others treat you. Knowing how to manage relationships and social changes after weight loss is vital to protect your mental health as younavigate the maze of feelings associated with having a “new body.”

Taking a GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1) medication has the potential to impact your weight in profound and sometimes unexpected ways. These revolutionary drugs often provide rapid results that can make you slimmer within mere months. While having a smaller body can certainly help you feel more confident, there are also some downsides, namely, the way other people start to treat you in your everyday life.

If you’re overweight, there’s a high likelihood that you’ve been forced to deal with a social stigma called fatphobia at some point in your lifetime. This inherent bias from others has the potential to affect people throughout their entire lives. Sadly, fatphobia often starts in childhood and continues well into adulthood.

The “symptoms” of fatphobia vary depending on the person experiencing it, but it might include things like:

This awful, and quite frankly, immature behavior toward those who are overweight can have significant consequences on your mental health, and could even negatively affect your experiences when dealing with healthcare professionals.

This anti-fat bias orfat shamingcan have serious impacts on your physical health as well. A study from theCanadian Medical Association Journalfound that fat shaming has the potential to increase weight gain for those already struggling.

Dr. Robert F Kushner, MD, a doctor and professor of medicine (endocrinology) at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine with a focus on nutrition and obesity, acknowledges that people with obesity deal with a range of social stigmas. “The stigmatization and discrimination of people who are overweight is rampant in health care, the media, and society at large,” he said.

But what happens when you lose the weight and become smaller?

The stigmatization and discrimination of people who are overweight is rampant in health care, the media, and society at large.—DR. ROBERT F KUSHNER, MD

The stigmatization and discrimination of people who are overweight is rampant in health care, the media, and society at large.

—DR. ROBERT F KUSHNER, MD

The term “skinny privilege” or “thin privilege” refers to instances where you’re treated differently (usually better) when you’re thin than you are when you’re overweight. Some examples of this unique form of privilege might include:

Since fatphobia refers to people avoiding or mistreating those who are overweight, think of skinny privilege as the complete opposite. You’re like a magnet that suddenly attracts all types of people to you whether you like it or not. When you’re thin, it’s as if you’ve become a bright light that has swarms of moths hovering near you any chance they can get.

Danielle Kelvas, MD, a doctor who specializes in treating eating disorders, writes, “Because society values thinness, people in smaller bodies may experience social benefits, like making friends more easily and accessing structural advantages.”

Being Pretty Is a Privilege. So, What Happens If I’m Not?

Regardless of how you’ve lost weight, dealing with a brand-new world of unrealized relationships and social changes is challenging. It might even make you ask yourself,Do people only value me based on how I look? What about who I am as a human being on the inside?

It’s important to note that skinny privilege can impact anyone regardless of their status or background.Omar Bazza, a Toronto-based clinical therapist, lost 45 kilograms or nearly 100 pounds and documented his experience. He wrote, “As I lost weight, somehow, people started seeing me as more competent and more hard-working, which was not true at all, given that I had to reduce my workload to better care for myself. People started engaging in conversations more and wanting me to be around.”

As I lost weight, somehow, people started seeing me as more competent and more hard-working, which was not true at all, given that I had to reduce my workload to better care for myself.—OMAR BAZZA

As I lost weight, somehow, people started seeing me as more competent and more hard-working, which was not true at all, given that I had to reduce my workload to better care for myself.

—OMAR BAZZA

Fortunately, you can proactively dismantle the difficulties you may face while dealing with this double-edged sword of being thinner while also being treated differently than you were before.

Focus on Self-Love

Caring for yourself as a whole human being, not just your outward appearance, is vital before and after weight loss. Regardless of how people treat you now,only youhave the power to determine your worth.Self-loveand self-care are always important, but it’s particularly important now. Remind yourself that you’re worthy of love and respect all the time regardless of your size.

Don’t Engage

If someone is body-bashing another person, do everything you can to avoid joining that discussion. Even better, situations like this allow you to be an advocate for someone else (only if you feel comfortable taking a stand and speaking out). It’s also crucial to avoid body-bashing yourself and focus on your accomplishments and how far you’ve come instead.

Most importantly, accepting compliments from others about your weight loss in a way that redirects the focus on your hard work or yourself as a person rather than your appearance and size alone is key. This simple shift in mindset reminds others that your weight loss is much more than just shedding pounds – it’s also about your strength, determination, and resilience.

Avoid Harmful Media Narratives

Understanding the Male Gaze and How It Objectifies Women

Make Your Physical Health a Priority

Whether you’re still on a weight loss journey or you’re happy with your results,keeping your physical health at the top of your list of prioritiesshould always be the focus. Listen to your body and make sure you’re getting vital nutrients from whole foods, plenty of good sleep, and adequate exercise. The healthier your body is, the healthier your mind will be, too.

Being treated differently after losing weight is tough, but it’s not impossible to deal with. Ultimately, only you can determine your self-worth andhow you perceive yourself. Shift your focus on what’s most important to you, and do your best to block out negative influences as you try to navigate a new world as a thinner person.

Dr. Matthea Rentea, MD, an internist and obesity specialist, sums it up beautifully: “Every day you get to decide who you want to be.”

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.KFF.org.KFF Health tracking poll May 2024: The public’s use and views of GLP-1 drugs.Vogel, L.Fat shaming is making people sicker and heavier.CMAJ.June 10, 2019; 191 (23) E649; doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-5758Kite, J., Huang, B., Laird, Y., et al.Influence and effects of weight stigmatisation in media: A systematic review.eClinicalMedicine. 2022; doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101464

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.KFF.org.KFF Health tracking poll May 2024: The public’s use and views of GLP-1 drugs.Vogel, L.Fat shaming is making people sicker and heavier.CMAJ.June 10, 2019; 191 (23) E649; doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-5758Kite, J., Huang, B., Laird, Y., et al.Influence and effects of weight stigmatisation in media: A systematic review.eClinicalMedicine. 2022; doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101464

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

KFF.org.KFF Health tracking poll May 2024: The public’s use and views of GLP-1 drugs.Vogel, L.Fat shaming is making people sicker and heavier.CMAJ.June 10, 2019; 191 (23) E649; doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-5758Kite, J., Huang, B., Laird, Y., et al.Influence and effects of weight stigmatisation in media: A systematic review.eClinicalMedicine. 2022; doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101464

KFF.org.KFF Health tracking poll May 2024: The public’s use and views of GLP-1 drugs.

Vogel, L.Fat shaming is making people sicker and heavier.CMAJ.June 10, 2019; 191 (23) E649; doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-5758

Kite, J., Huang, B., Laird, Y., et al.Influence and effects of weight stigmatisation in media: A systematic review.eClinicalMedicine. 2022; doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101464

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