Unexpected results of weight loss

FCFitness75

I've not lost much weight yet (6lbs so far, been doing this for about 3 weeks) but I've loved going to the gym for a while now. The past few weeks I've realised how smoking really affects my ability at the gym, so I've decided to quit, or drastically reduce how many cigarettes I'm having. None yesterday, none today so far. Diet and fitness are definitely responsible for that.

JediMasterNaw

Congrats FCFitness75! Quitting smoking can really help your overall health. Good luck!

kshadows

The biggest surprise to me is how... vain I am now (for lack of a better word). I'll walk past the mirror while getting ready in the morning and stop to check myself out. It's a little embarrassing but it's also a nod to how much hard work I've put in.

Out_of_Bubblegum

bri170lb wrote: »

Ok this is weird. I'm 52. I have never exercised or been into playing sports of any kind, but now I am finally starting to enjoy exercise and even feel antsy if I have to miss a day.

I started at 300, I'm down to 233 and I am shooting for 170.

So today after swimming my husband said let's go into the gym a play a little basketball. My immediate response was to say no and make up an excuse but
then I went ahead and took a few shots.

Then we started actually playing and when my husband started to block me I got really angry and punched him. Hard. Then I got teary eyed. I was terrified! It was just bizarre.

I realized that the reason I don't play any sports is because I was always the chubby kid in our neighborhood and everyone was mean to me. If I joined the basketball game my brothers and the other neighborhood kids would elbow me and trip my and even step on me when I fell. I have a cousin who would pitch the softball at my head on purpose. If I got on base they would trip me when i started running. There are lots of other examples and I had blocked them all out til now. I'm 52 years old!

It never occurred to me that there was any psychological reason why I was heavy. I'm realized today that I am actually afraid of "jocks", really terrified and that has been controlling my choices for a very long time.

Thank you for sharing this @bri170lb ! You could replace "chubby kid" with "awkward skinny kid" and it's my childhood almost word for word. For many years I have completely avoided most mainstream sports for this same reason. I now practice basketball with my daughter - to support her in the sport - and had to literally force myself to do it, as just thinking about it gave me this irrational fear in the pit of my stomach. What is amazing me is that once I got past that, I've actually enjoyed it a little... something I NEVER imagined happening.

LorraineZinn

FCFitness75 wrote: »

I've not lost much weight yet (6lbs so far, been doing this for about 3 weeks) but I've loved going to the gym for a while now. The past few weeks I've realised how smoking really affects my ability at the gym, so I've decided to quit, or drastically reduce how many cigarettes I'm having. None yesterday, none today so far. Diet and fitness are definitely responsible for that.

Hooray for you! You will be amazed at how much your gym performance improves. AMAZED.

bri170lb

[/quote]

Thank you for sharing this @bri170lb ! You could replace "chubby kid" with "awkward skinny kid" and it's my childhood almost word for word. For many years I have completely avoided most mainstream sports for this same reason. I now practice basketball with my daughter - to support her in the sport - and had to literally force myself to do it, as just thinking about it gave me this irrational fear in the pit of my stomach. What is amazing me is that once I got past that, I've actually enjoyed it a little... something I NEVER imagined happening.
[/quote]

Reflecting on this today(before I read your post) I realized I had to force myself to support my son playing baseball. I hated going to his games. He was very good and one year he played on 3 teams. We were at a hotel at a tournament and one of his teammates must have gotten ahold of my phone during a pizza party and fixed it so my home screen had a ugly message about how fat I was. After that I pretty much stopped going. I have never told anyone about that, not even my husband.

I was terrified of my elementary school gym teacher and his brother who taught drivers ed and was our highschool football coach. Also my 12 grade English teacher and my guidance councilor, they both doubled as coaches and just seeing them in the hallway made
me sick to my stomach. They all were cruel to me.

This is a really unexpected result of weight loss. I am writing about these experiences in my journal and working through my emotions about it all. I really am enjoying exercise for the first time and I am going to continue to challenge myself to try new things.

artlover47

Here's one I haven't seen yet...I felt I had really accomplished something when I could see bones in my feet. I probably saw them as a child, but had forgotten. I just thought I had thick feet, so when I lost enough to see bones on the top of my foot, I felt so happy!

Alidecker

sheknocksonwood wrote: »

I sit differently - I can now fold my legs under my body, and lean over my knees and rest my head on them (in that way I was always jealous over other people being able to do).

Hip thrusts with barbell is getting increasingly uncomfortable, as padding decreases and the weight on the bar increases.

Heavier weight on the bar, with less padding....I bought a foam barbell pad, it was getting painful.

aaroncirilo

i can "duck walk" around a room painting the baseboard without coming up for air..such a time saver

WranglerMichelle

wateryphoenix wrote: »

WranglerMichelle wrote: »

They're actually part of the reason I was motivated to lose - didn't want to have the horses carrying any more weight than they need to!

I have not been horseback riding in a long time because of being overweight. I'm looking forward to when I lose enough to be able to ride again.

What an awesome goal! I'm cheering for you. And just like chokeslam's motorcycle going faster, your horse will, too. Had some fun zipping around this weekend at speeds I didn't know my horse had when I was heavy.

ibamosaserreinas

I've reached the point where tucking my shirts in looks better than leaving then out.

megcorey

sssgilber wrote: »

Ooci wrote: »

davis_em wrote: »

Lack of thigh rub was a huge one for me. I actually like wearing dresses now. LOL!
Another is how much I'm freezing all the darn time.
And how much I love physical exercise
And how incredibly grumpy I get if I don't get my exercise in.

And for the TMI - I have endometriosis. The pain during my periods was insane, but now that I'm normal weight, the pain is gone.

Snap snap snap. If only the doctors would really strictly say "lose weight and we won't need to be seeing you", rather than skirting round the issue as they do. However I blame no one but myself for the state I got in. It's fabulous to read another endo sufferer is managing it with weight

After the first 25 pounds of my 75 pound journey, my doctor called me "low-hanging fruit", then explained that I was doing all the right things for my health and not to come back for a year! Low-hanging fruit is what the docs call the patients who don't need follow-up.

Nooooo its a jack black song

megcorey

get_fit2009 wrote: »

Boobietrap1337 wrote: »

The one that surprised me most was the look on my boyfriend's face when he first saw me 45 pounds lighter. He's a marine and I only get to see him about once a year. I of course was expecting a positive reaction...but the emotional reaction he had to seeing me after 8 months and being a lot lighter then I used to be...literally made him cry. And he's a marine...they don't cry. Shhhhh don't tell him I said that!

He then proceeded to pick me up like a caveman and carry me off to the bedroom...another unexpected perk! [

So jealous

Out_of_Bubblegum

bri170lb wrote: »

This is a really unexpected result of weight loss. I am writing about these experiences in my journal and working through my emotions about it all. I really am enjoying exercise for the first time and I am going to continue to challenge myself to try new things.

Agreed! I had no idea how much of a soul search this would be, and you made me realize that a huge part of my life - one of the defining things of how I see my self - is due to the shaping that these type of events cause. It is a little disturbing.

Altagracia220

uugh I would love to have smaller feet like some of the people here have been noticing. lol 44 pounds gone and nothing yet. Who knows maybe it will happen soon.

Lourdesong

jazmin220 wrote: »

uugh I would love to have smaller feet like some of the people here have been noticing. lol 44 pounds gone and nothing yet. Who knows maybe it will happen soon.

Me too. I've lost over 90 lbs and my feet still fit comfortably the same in all of my size 10 shoes. Maybe it will happen as we get closer to our ultimate goal weight or something. Though, my feet aren't fat in the length, so not sure how that works.

bri170lb

Hey! The fronts of my calves and knees got sweaty while exercising. I don't think that has happened before. It felt strange.

Lola3009

janisvin wrote: »

Having people refer to me as small or petite?!??
Have you met me? Oh I guess you have. Also actually having the option to wear a 'skinny pant' and not looking like an idiot doing it. Also all of a sudden I feel like I want to wear a dress....sooooo weird for me!

Same here, my aunt called me her skinny cousin last week and I turned around to look for my other cousin. I know I've lost the weight but I'm still not used to being called skinny.

DianaLovesCoffee

Had to ask the hubs to look at a pair of pants at the store with me because they were the right size tag but just seemed too small in appearance. He said yep those will fit you. My brain can't eyeball what will fit anymore. Still unconsciously see the fat me.

fmpro

My ring size has dropped 2 sizes since losing 124 pounds.