Yeah for sure.
I used to be pretty chunky in high school. Thought it was normal to walk by people and never make eye contact, say “hi”, or acknowledge others - because no one ever did that for me. It wasn’t until I dropped from a fat 230lbs down to a lean 165lbs post-boot camp that I actually saw attention from ladies (including the girl whose jaw literally dropped at my coming-home pool party).
I didn’t realize that I was invisible as a fatass, until I wasn’t a fatass anymore. Suddenly - anywhere I go, people remember me (and I’m not talkative).
- Poke (sushi bowl, kind of) shop 5 mins from my work where I’ve been 3 times? The dude remembers my name, my order, that I want extra soy sauce and chop sticks.
- Girl working at the tanning salon I’ve seen 2 times over the course of a month told me that my favorite bed (the only one big enough for me) was out of comission. Couldn’t tell you her name, but she knew mine for some reason
- Random people at work who I’ve never spoken to call my name out of the blue and hit me up for gym advice, some of whom take it to heart.
So do people treat me differently now? Uhmm YEAH. I’m not invisible anymore, and I’ll never be invisible again.
Worth noting that people often think I’m a dumb meathead, but that’s hardly a bad thing. Always better to let them (‘them’ being literally anyone) underestimate than overestimate me.