I've dealt with both. I was obese for a good portion of my childhood, then went through a stage of anorexia nervosa (or "manorexic," as they put it) as a result of the constant ridicule. Within a few short months, I lost 75 lbs. (35 kg.) as a result of severaly limiting my caloric intake and over-excersizing. Several people have tried to reassure me that my body appearance is perfectly fine, but I have either pushed them out of my life entirely, or simply disregarded their advice. This includes a few members of my own family, who I no longer speak to as a result of all the conflict. Still, I feel that I need to push myself further. I have managed to calm down in recent months, but the bad images always linger when I come close to a mirror. To make matters worse, I've been anemic these past few years as a result of my poor diet. There are times when I can't even stand up for fear of passing out, as my blood pressure is just too low from iron deficiency.

I wasn't happy when I was plump. I'm not happy now. I've concluded that either way, you're just doomed to be miserable with yourself. Even if you overcome something, the mental image of it is still a part of you for a long time to come. So, I guess the answer is, "it doesn't matter."