Thought of an example.

Background: I've always been overweight, except for my time at the Naval Academy. After graduation I went back to my old sloppy ways, staying within Navy weight/height guidelines but not trying for anything much better.

Until I met this woman and we started dating, somewhat irregularly since she lived three hours away in western Long Island while I was stationed in southeastern CT. I was smitten with her (enough to do stupid things like go on a skiing trip with her, when I had never skied before and was terrified of heights) so when she dropped not-too-subtle hints about my fat, I took them to heart. I started working out daily and restricted calories, not tremendously, but after six weeks I could feel the difference in my clothes (didn't own a scale then).

We arranged for me to come visit her. I picked out clothing that showed off my new figure (with suggestions from a female friend) and drove out. When we went out for lunch I took my jacket off and she immediately noticed!

"You lost weight!" she said.

I got a big grin on my face. "Yup!" It had been worth it, the exercises, the diet—

"Still got a ways to go, though!" she added.

Grin frozen on my face. Bottom falling out of my stomach. Overall awful feeling. "Yup," I repeat. Because what else am I going to say?

Being called "fat" or "heavy" or "overweight" never bothered me, because I am. But "Still got a ways to go, though" was a total punch to the gut.