You can tell a lot about a person by the uniform they wear. Whether a nurse, a fireman, a chef, or a basketball player—clothing reflects who we are—our identities, personalities, and values. 

In a sense, we all wear uniforms. The clothing we choose makes a statement. Whether it’s the teenager in a self-discovery phase, the preppy college student, or diligent homemaker, our own personal “uniforms” say something about who we are and what we value—that is, unless we are obese.

If you wear any size above a standard size 12, you’ve probably had difficulty finding clothes that fits your personality. As my size increased over the years, I struggled with shopping. It was both frustrating and depressing. I hated the limited, unstylish larger-sized options. Those XXX-sized clothes revealed more about my size than my personality. As a result, I had just one shopping rule—if it fit, and somewhat covered my body, I purchased it. 

But those big, bulky clothes did more than just cover my body. They actually hid me. They allowed me to camouflage my true self. They became such a security blanket that I struggled to let go of them when I started to lose weight. You know, just in case the surgery didn’t work, or I gained the weight back. I begain to realize that I was also holding on to the old identity of the person I used to be. I needed a new identity to go with my new body image. I needed to reveal the "me" I had hidden away inside for so long.

I quickly realized that I had to let go over the old me and start embracing the new one. I knew if I kept those old clothes, they would serve as a crutch to fall back on. I had to learn to take responsibility for my success; I couldn’t hide behind excuses any longer. I had to shed more than my old clothes, I had to shed the old identity that didn't fit me anymore.

Recovering from obesity means more than getting to wear new, smaller and more stylish clothing. It’s also about what not to wear.  As we shed the pounds, we also need to shed our "old out-dated identities" of our former selves. We are not who we were, or who we think we are....we have changed.

I think one of the most important things I did after losing weight was to find my new identity. The one who had been hidden away for so long. I encourage you to do the same. Let go of those old labels of your "old" self and find a new identity - the one that you've been hiding behind all those years.

So as the weight falls away, lay aside those plus-size security blankets. You'll reveal more than a thinner you, you will uncover your dynamic personality, your new found sense of self-worth and truck loads of self-confidence—be yourself—the one you really are!