"The moment I received my official diagnosis, I dropped all my assumptions about obesity. It was so freeing." -Member of MyObesityTeam

Living with a chronic condition can be difficult and even a burden, but also an opportunity to rid yourself of what you think you know.

Have you heard the saying, "People don't get it until they get it"? That is so true about obesity.

"I'm still a person worthy of love and acceptance." -Member of MyObesityTeam

An obesity diagnosis forces us to drop our negative assumptions about life with a chronic condition. Members on MyObesityTeam gain perspective from other members' experiences to become better informed about what it's really like to live with obesity.

Here are recent conversations from members of MyObesityTeam:

• "Today was an awesome day. Learning about better eating habits. And I found out that I am now losing weight for myself and my health - I am doing so much better."

• "My #1 life-changer was learning to talk or think ways about myself like a good buddy. We always have fun and say good things to others but often it is the opposite toward ourselves. This was a life changer for me. Be kind to you. No more bad talk or bad thoughts toward yourself."

• "I still eat everything I like just in moderation. Not always easy to not go back for seconds when you truly like something but I am learning that this is for the best."

What negative assumptions have you let go of about obesity? Tell us about it in the comments below or directly on MyObesityTeam.com.