What nobody tells you about losing weight
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Wysewoman53 wrote: »That when you reach your final goal, you won't feel like part of the MFP community any more. That you won't feel like you have anything to contribute anymore. That after all the time spent losing the weight, you don't really have a plan for what to do now other than just keep doing what you've been doing for the last 580 days or so. That you will be afraid to go into maintenance (higher calorie count) because what if you gain some of the weight back? That now, you don't feel like you have a purpose anymore without that weight loss goal to keep you motivated every day. That you would be terrified you will end up where you always have in the past...putting all those pounds back on...being a disappointment to yourself and others whose opinion is important to you...even tho' you have changed every thing about the way you eat and will keep that change in place. That it would be difficult to move on, celebrate and enjoy your accomplishment. That you know you should be extremely happy and proud of yourself but you just feel lost.That you have to change how you think when you reach your goal weight. The compliments of how great you look stop coming, the thrill of losing another pound is gone, and you have to learn how to maintain what you've achieved. You have to decide to be proud of and happy with who you've become.
This is the reason I lost 100 pounds and gained 100 pounds back. I got right back to my original start weight and said "oh crap- what now?" And I had to start again. I never learned how to maintain, and that's why it took 3 years to go back into losing weight. It feels like "why even try?"
How do you all feel about fitness? I'm not talking about "decide to become strong enough to do pull-ups. & go CRAZY" :-D nothing over the top. Just you setting goals for you.
It could be simple and tailored to what you find enjoyable. (Or complex!) I know lots of people who after reaching maintenance switched their goals to something more fitness related. The constant push to see what your body can do (and then meeting these goals) often replaces the thrill that often came with weight loss.
For me, I have some dumbbells at home and I use free YouTube videos (fitnessblender.com) to workout. I found what I like and what works for me. Especially now that I've built up my strength more I LOVE the thrill, challenge, & feeling of squatting 50lbs during a workout. Haha I may need to figure out how to have my husband at home to spot me so I can squat more! I LOVE that I can now actually perform jump squats! Or I can keep up with an abs workout semi-well. I started with their low impact workouts and just kept doing what my body could do to the best of my ability and as I progressed it was super encouraging to notice "hey! My body weight squat is lower! My form is better! I held that plank for a few seconds longer! My form is SOLID!" I strove for good, clean form and then pushed to add weights and increase over time. Me against me.
Basically, maybe try switching the focus to fitness related goals? The goals you can set and achieve that focus on seeing what your body is capable of are almost limitless in that it is only you vs you. Your limits, your accomplishments, your goals. Test out lots of things, switch it out often so you don't get bored, try what works for you! Figure out what gets you excited! Maybe you try Zumba workouts at home because you feel awkward in a class and your goal is to be comfortable enough with the movements to try it in a class with people? Often there's no gym membership required though! YouTube is a great place for ideas for this! Maybe try the couch to 5k program? Or maybe you'd enjoy listening to podcasts and going for a walk?
Anyway, just trying to help and thought sharing what I and others have experienced may be helpful!31 -
That when you work out, most of the time (at least in my case), you have less urges to eat or less desire too after your workout
i think it's a good thing but sometimes i have to force myself to eat after a hard workout! I was always afraid if i worked out hard I'd be super hungry and go overboard eating afterwards but that's not usually the case! 20 -
sarahjojoc wrote: »That when you work out, most of the time (at least in my case), you have less urges to eat or less desire too after your workout i think it's a good thing but sometimes i have to force myself to eat after a hard workout! I was always afraid if i worked out hard I'd be super hungry and go overboard eating afterwards but that's not usually the case!
I feel super hungry, but it goes away quickly. I usually make a large portion of food because I am super hungry and then end up eating only half and taking the rest to work for lunch the next day. This is even part of the plan on some of my workout days.6 -
MissMaggieMuffin wrote: »
"What are they thinking?''
That they lost 5 or 6 pounds on a keto diet one time and now it's a miracle diet that works for everyone.
I get this alot and keto does work if you can stick to it, but I love bread and will not give it up.
Also have 2 people from work who do Keto and then when they go back to a regular eating gain it back....I cant live that lifestyle12 -
MissMaggieMuffin wrote: »
"What are they thinking?''
That they lost 5 or 6 pounds on a keto diet one time and now it's a miracle diet that works for everyone.
I get this alot and keto does work if you can stick to it, but I love bread and will not give it up.
Also have 2 people from work who do Keto and then when they go back to a regular eating gain it back....I cant live that lifestyle
And that's why I gave up the low carb way of trying to lose weight- I know that I can't go the rest of my life without a piece of Birthday cake or a sandwich or whatever it is... everything in moderation!14 -
I no longer worry about spaces I can't fit into. Booths, bathroom stalls, weak chairs. They no longer scare me.
Loose and saggy skin. I've lost 90lbs (80 on MFP) and there is sooo much skin.
I HAVE to be active. I used to be a heavy gamer, but I just can't sit for that long anymore. My house stays cleaner because I have to always be doing something.
I still hate the gym.
I've spent a lot of money on smaller size clothes. I've gone from a 24 to a 14 in the last year.
I LOVE seeing my collar bones!
Everyone will ask you HOW you lost the weight... it's not rocket science and I don't have an easy cure. Losing it isn't hard, but it's emotional. Very emotional.
Some days, I still see the 324lb woman I used to be. I don't think that will ever completely go away.41 -
BabyBear76 wrote: »You de-age, especially with weight lifting. I have no idea why but your skin tightens up, everywhere and I've been told I have a "youthful glow" now.
This! I've been training with weights for about nine weeks now, and a co-worker recently told me that I look 10 years younger and about 100 times happier than when I joined the company last spring. I did NOT expect that.22 -
Everyone will ask you HOW you lost the weight... it's not rocket science and I don't have an easy cure. Losing it isn't hard, but it's emotional. Very emotional.
Some days, I still see the 324lb woman I used to be. I don't think that will ever completely go away.
So much this! I try to explain it's really a simple formula - burn more calories than you eat - but people think calorie tracking is complicated or requires hours and hours everyday. When I try to tell them its more a mental and emotional hurdle than a physical one for me, they look at me like I'm crazy. But seriously! The emotional component to redefining how you think of yourself (not the size, shape or presence I was 80 lbs ago) is hard to explain to people.
I still don't think I will fit or am too heavy to do something and the SO will just shake his head and say "You're more than able to fit" and he's usually right.17 -
@peyton80 I think I'm just going to start telling people I lost the weight using Nutella and waffles, and a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning. That's what they want to hear.78
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LauraInTheWater wrote: »@peyton80 I think I'm just going to start telling people I lost the weight using Nutella and waffles, and a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning. That's what they want to hear.
Love it!
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How quickly your body its your boobs. 1
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LauraInTheWater wrote: »@peyton80 I think I'm just going to start telling people I lost the weight using Nutella and waffles, and a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning. That's what they want to hear. 2
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We all have our core reasons for loosing weight be it (Over all Health, Mobility, Looks, Sex etc)...that being said I have bounced up and down the scale +-70 lbs. I can honestly say the reward of truly Feeling Great and looking Fit\Healthy really is the Greatest Drug I have ever been on. The exercise is still just as HARD but the content feeling you get putting yourself and your Health 1st is the Best.
Ok .....What no one tells you is that ...
For starters.
(You may encounter resistance from your Spouse even though you want to go through this Journey Together)
You may end up loosing your relationship especially if it was centered around Food and Drinking & Alcohol.
1. Your Sex Drive goes UP ! along with your Stamina :- )
2. Your Back, Feet and Joints Stop Hurting.
3. You no longer want to eat foods that put you into a Food Coma.
4. You no longer want or like Big Baggy Clothes.
5. You sleep really Good cause your so tired and in a calorie deficit !
6. How expensive Vitamins and Protein are !
7. How much time it actually takes to work out (Pre, During, and Post) Lets say I get up at 3:30 am to work out from 4:30 - 5:30 then to get cleaned up and hit the road for work. My one hour work out really takes about 3 (may just be me).
8. How much you regret gaining the weight and wish you started taking care of your self earlier !40 -
Being in the middle of my journey...
It feels good, but never enough
How your body adapts and although you've cut down on your calories, you see your weight loss stall and you have to cut more
How you become more proficient at little things: climbing stairs, moving quickly from side to side, getting dressed, picking things up from the floor, getting chores done
Fear of missed exercise and gaining back what you lost
Dehydration can really mess with your head when you drop 4 pounds in a day and then gain it back the next day because you remembered to drink enough water
How obsessive I've become about getting enough rest because not having enough can mess with the scale, your attitude, and your workout
Clothes you really liked now annoy you because of the weird way they hang off your body
How ecstatic it feels to be comfortable in smaller jeans
71 down, 58 to go, 2 years into my new lifestyle37 -
This thread was exactly what I needed today ❤️13
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how obsessive I have become of hanging skin concerns but elated to have lost so much weight...14
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technicalmeow wrote: »BabyBear76 wrote: »You de-age, especially with weight lifting. I have no idea why but your skin tightens up, everywhere and I've been told I have a "youthful glow" now.
This! I've been training with weights for about nine weeks now, and a co-worker recently told me that I look 10 years younger and about 100 times happier than when I joined the company last spring. I did NOT expect that.
It's also something I see in the success threads with pictures: I would usually take the after pictures for "before", because nearly everyone looks distinctively younger. (Even though they are 3-5 years older in the after, actually.)
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When people ask how I lost so much weight so I tell them through nutrition and exercise. They then ask "no, seriously, what are you taking?". So I then detail my eating and exercise plan and still they insist I must have had surgery or am on some sort of magic pills. It's frustrating.20
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That I feel better consuming now below 3,000 calories than going over and feel my digestive system stall and burdened by the amount of food after being used to eating on a deficit.7
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You get tired of the attention you get from people that you don't see on a daily basis, because they notice the dramatic weight loss. Those you see daily don't say as much, or they'll say "you seem to be losing weight- are you?". Those that you only see every few weeks just gush over how much you've lost and how thin you've become. It gets tiring and nice once they stop.11
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Someone said to stay off the scale and let your loosening belt be your guide. But I'm down 20 pounds with zero reduction off the middle. It's all coming off my hips, so my pants are falling down, but my gut hasn't lost a centimetre yet. I know that will happen if I keep it up, but for now, for me, the scale is the great motivator.33
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LauraInTheWater wrote: »@peyton80 I think I'm just going to start telling people I lost the weight using Nutella and waffles, and a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning. That's what they want to hear.
I always quip Coke and Mexican diet pills, then follow on with the truth if they are actually interested. It saves a ton of frustration.19 -
BabyBear76 wrote: »When people ask how I lost so much weight so I tell them through nutrition and exercise. They then ask "no, seriously, what are you taking?". So I then detail my eating and exercise plan and still they insist I must have had surgery or am on some sort of magic pills. It's frustrating.
It's actually quite insulting as well, IMO, as they either a) think that you're lying or b) don't think that you are capable of losing weight without some sort of assistance.
I now ignore people who ask how I've been losing weight. They don't really want to know that it's down to hard work, dedication, re-education and changing habits.17 -
Also, my vanity has gone up. While I was happy to leave the house in joggers and a baggy shirt before, I wouldn't dream to do that now. Now I take time to dress nicely, and even sometimes wear makeup during the day for no reason in particular.30
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I've noticed that strangers are nicer to me. It might be due to my confidence level being higher or that I tend to be happier too (not sure), but nonetheless random people smile, wave, and store clerks, for example, are much friendlier.20
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Down 80lbs, at 266. My next goal is 200. I haven't been this weight since my late teens. Its nice to feel more youthful in everyday activities again. My energy level is BACK and its simply amazing!!39
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I know earlier in the thread someone mentioned this, but I'm going to mention it again; I can't take off tops (especially tshirts) without taking off my glasses now.
Before my tops were so large, the holes used to be wider, and I could take them off and leave my glasses on and now if I don't, they end up coming off or smooshing into my face whenever I change (or my top gets stuck).33 -
mangrothian wrote: »I know earlier in the thread someone mentioned this, but I'm going to mention it again; I can't take off tops (especially tshirts) without taking off my glasses now.
Before my tops were so large, the holes used to be wider, and I could take them off and leave my glasses on and now if I don't, they end up coming off or smooshing into my face whenever I change (or my top gets stuck).
This, plus if I lean forward with my glasses on, they fall off. I had no idea how much fat was on the sides of my head And they are forever slipping down my nose . . .time to get them adjusted, methinks. 17 -
When sitting, I can lean forward and my elbows rest on my knees again!
Your head plays tricks on you! Holding up a pair up pants and thinking "aw Hell no!... They ain't gonna fit, much less even make it past my knees." Then when I try em on they're falling off of my waist.
AND how good it feels to buy underwear now.. have to go to a totally different aisle because my size isnt in the "WOMEN'S PLUS" anymore. (I had to fight off tears in Wal-Mart when that one happened.)37
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