WOW!! 18lbs is fabulous!! Good for you girl! you must be so proud! And your friends better be telling you how awesome you're doing! You don't lose 18lbs without it noticing!! hehe
but isn't it funny how your friends don't comment! I don't know if they're trying to be polite or not! I went out to my friends last night, and I got dressed up and was feel all like, 'yeah, i totally look different and hotter' , and they didn't say anything! boo! but you know what, it's not about what THEY think, it's about what WE think! that's what is important! it's about feeling good about yourself and having confidence! That's all that matters!
I love that you go a new hair cut! sometimes that's what we need to feel completely new!!

I hope you post pictures! i would love to see it (although, i understand if you don't want too!!
I'm just like you! I use to hide away from the camera! there are very few pictures of me before I started my weight loss! pictures were like the worst thing someone could do to me!! I hated seeing myself because I wasn't willing to accept that I need to lose weight! But now that I'm losing, I'm all about the photos! You should take some just for you, so that you can see the changes! it's great to see! Because sometimes we don't notice it when we look at ourselve day to day!
Keep up the fantastic work girlie! And keep lifting those weights! You're putting on good muscle, getting toned, and burning more fat than the non-weight-lifting gals!! putting on muscle weight is key!!!
You're doing awesome!!!! And congrats again on the fantastic job so far! -18lbs is AMAZING!