Do I look fat in these jeans?

Every time I go home, I find myself secretly hoping my mom will tell me that I've lost weight, even when I um, haven't. She's always made me feel beautiful, but actually hearing the words, "Wow, you've really slimmed down!" gives me satisfaction and a feeling of approval that I think children are always seeking from their parents. 

Well, it was day three at home and while my mom complimented me on my outfits and told me how pretty I looked, I still hadn't heard the magic words. So what did I do? I asked her if she thought I had lost weight since the last time we had seen each other. Big mistake. Huge. (Can you hear Julia Roberts saying this in Pretty Woman?) Her initial response was, "You look great!" But then I pushed her for her honest opinion (again, mistake), and she said, "Well, you're not at your slimmest. Your face looks a little fuller, but everything else looks great!" Translation: You have a fat face. Sweet. (Juuust kidding, Mom!)

I got upset, but I knew how unfair it was for me to ask my mom that question. And at least she told me the truth. Lord, Jessica Simpson could have benefited from someone being honest with her when she wore this horribly unflattering outfit at a concert in Florida about a year ago. Yiiikes. If anything, this was a good wake up call for me—I need to get my ass in gear, man! I'm not going to wait until the New Year to get back on a healthy track—it starts now. 

Have you ever asked someone if it looked like you had lost or gained weight? What happened?