What nobody tells you about losing weight
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I didn’t realize I would have loose skin and that it would be different than what I’ve seen on others. I’m 38, and I lost just over 30 lbs. I have wrinkly skin on my elbows from the backs of my arms sagging plus some minor wrinkling on my abdomen when I bend over and on my upper thighs when I sit certain ways. I also have some looseness in my neck. All of it is very subtle, so no one would notice but me. I just didn’t realize I could end up with loose skin at my age when I was barely in the obese category to start.
On the plus side, weight lifting consistently for the last nearly two years has improved my overall figure and functionality tremendously, so I’ll take the bit of loose skin over my previous lack of fitness any day.
@EliseTK1 one of the Amazing ladies on here is in her 60s and spent most of her 40’s obese. I think she’s been at or under her goal weight around 2 years and says even now, 2 years later her lose skin is still tightening up! So hang in there, as over time it might become more firm again 😊8 -
Nobody said that Maintenance was not one static thing which you just did forever after losing weight. Nobody said that it will keep changing on you forever as YOU and your circumstances change. I always assumed that after I lost weight it would be BOOM now I do this and it works.15
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Currently ~70lbs down. Here's what I've learned:
- Don't rush to buy clothes if you have a lot to lose, as you'll end up not being able to wear them as they'll be too big (I'm looking at you, unworn expensive brand new SuperDry coat that's passed it's return date...)
- Replacing all your clothes is expensive
- Diet food is generally more expensive than ultra processed food
- You'll probably end up doing more exercise - walking is the secret to losing weight
- You'll lose fat from random places, like your forehead or the back of your neck before you lose weight from the places you want to lose it from, like your love handles
- You'll start feeling the bones in your bum when you sit down
- You'll start worrying about stretch marks and excess skin - moisturize with vitamin C serum and bio oil in the morning and night - not just where you think you'll have marks or skin, everywhere - like your neck and inner thighs too
- You will lose both fat and muscle when you diet, as you get older losing muscle can add age to your looks (see the next three points!)
- Losing weight alone will make you look good, but to look great you'll need to do weights/resistance training. Cardio won't tone you up
- On the above note - doing weights/resistance training WILL NOT make you look huge, growing muscle mass that increases your size takes a lot of effort, without trying to grow your muscles it's not going to happen
- People will start telling you "You've lost enough now" despite you knowing you're still in the overweight category and still have a lot of fat on your body
- You might have issues with your wife/family about meals, be prepared to do all the cooking so you can make sure your food is what you need to eat
- Diet and exercise isn't the thing that will get you to be where you want to be, commitment is
- BAD THING: You'll start looking at people you love and worrying about their health with regards to their diet, drink and lifestyle - not in a bitchy way, but in a way that you've become more educated about bodily health and out of concern
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AndyMcCall wrote: »Currently ~70lbs down. Here's what I've learned:
- Don't rush to buy clothes if you have a lot to lose, as you'll end up not being able to wear them as they'll be too big (I'm looking at you, unworn expensive brand new SuperDry coat that's passed it's return date...)
- Replacing all your clothes is expensive
- Diet food is generally more expensive than ultra processed food
- You'll probably end up doing more exercise - walking is the secret to losing weight
- You'll lose fat from random places, like your forehead or the back of your neck before you lose weight from the places you want to lose it from, like your love handles
- You'll start feeling the bones in your bum when you sit down
- You'll start worrying about stretch marks and excess skin - moisturize with vitamin C serum and bio oil in the morning and night - not just where you think you'll have marks or skin, everywhere - like your neck and inner thighs too
- You will lose both fat and muscle when you diet, as you get older losing muscle can add age to your looks (see the next three points!)
- Losing weight alone will make you look good, but to look great you'll need to do weights/resistance training. Cardio won't tone you up
- On the above note - doing weights/resistance training WILL NOT make you look huge, growing muscle mass that increases your size takes a lot of effort, without trying to grow your muscles it's not going to happen
- People will start telling you "You've lost enough now" despite you knowing you're still in the overweight category and still have a lot of fat on your body
- You might have issues with your wife/family about meals, be prepared to do all the cooking so you can make sure your food is what you need to eat
- Diet and exercise isn't the thing that will get you to be where you want to be, commitment is
- BAD THING: You'll start looking at people you love and worrying about their health with regards to their diet, drink and lifestyle - not in a bitchy way, but in a way that you've become more educated about bodily health and out of concern
Dude, get out of my head!!!!! Are we twins or something? 😱
Love this post!!!13 -
How cold you get when your in a pool, less fat to insulate!
Your clothes are way to big, so just keep the sewing machine out!
The disappointment from your grand children when they find out you fixed deviled eggs not cookies!
But then when you get your Dr. Report and your A1c is 5.2! No meds. Blessings19 -
-Those "suprise" days when you haven't lost weight all week and then suddenly you are down 3 or 4 pounds! Weight loss is not constant or linear in the day-to-day, you may fluctuate and feel like you are going in circles. Then your body decides to "release" and you see the results overnight.
-Looking at your progress graph and seeing that definite decline and just how high it was before. Awesome motivation!17 -
How cold your hands get at below 60
That you have to dry your belly button out after a shower9 -
giggitymallard wrote: »-Those "suprise" days when you haven't lost weight all week and then suddenly you are down 3 or 4 pounds! Weight loss is not constant or linear in the day-to-day, you may fluctuate and feel like you are going in circles. Then your body decides to "release" and you see the results overnight.
-Looking at your progress graph and seeing that definite decline and just how high it was before. Awesome motivation!
@giggitymallard - thanks for this post. I really needed to “hear” this today7 -
Currently down 37.2 lbs...and what surprised me that I completely forgot...is just how curvy my body is when I take away the curves that shouldn't be there. I never wear women's cut tees because they're always too tapered, but I put one on today and could not believe how curvaceous I was. Hearing my husband tell me how good I look (he's been out of town for 5 weeks) was the icing on the cake.20
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lemonsurprise wrote: »Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..
- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!
- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.
- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!
Your turn!
My biggest observations in changes to my body were; much less back pain (almost zero) when standing in place or running. I am able to perform more pull-ups. Most importantly, I stopped breaking my office chair hydraulic chambers, which was annoying and costly. (smile).lemonsurprise wrote: »Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..
- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!
- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.
- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!
Your turn!lemonsurprise wrote: »Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..
- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!
- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.
- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!
Your turn!lemonsurprise wrote: »Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..
- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!
- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.
- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!
Your turn!
My biggest observations in changes to my body at age 69 (started intermittent fasting at age 67) were, as follows: 64 lbs lighter now with too many stretch marks and loose skin on belly, however, much less back pain (almost zero) especially when standing in-place or running. I am able to perform more pull-ups. I can touch my toes and I can actually see my feet again. My blood pressure is much better. Women smile at me??? OMG, I stopped breaking my office chairs' hydraulic chambers, which was annoying and costly. Never even thought it was because I was way overweight. I like your post, even though it's a few years old. (smile)5 -
My biggest observations in changes to my body at age 69 (started intermittent fasting at age 67) were, as follows: 64 lbs lighter now with too many stretch marks and loose skin on belly, however, much less back pain (almost zero) especially when standing in-place or running. I am able to perform more pull-ups. I can touch my toes and I can actually see my feet again, Hah!!!. My blood pressure is much better. Women smile at me??? OMG, I stopped breaking my office chairs' hydraulic chambers, which was annoying and costly. Never even thought it was because I was way overweight. I like your post, even though it's a few years old. (smile)3
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I didn’t realize how bad I felt before losing some weight. I had no idea my thin friends felt so much better than I did.
I didn’t realize that I would get cold so much easier. I am down from obese but still technically overweight. And I am cold. It is going to be a long winter.
I didn’t realize how different my body would feel with less fat. I am frequently amazed by how different my face and arms feel when I touch them. Not sure why that surprised me but it did.
I didn’t realize that my shoe size would go down. I never thought my feet were fat.
I didn’t realize how much my belly button would change. That one is just strange and hopefully it will work itself out one day.
I didn’t realize I could learn patience. But this process has taught me not to rush it and to be consistent.
I didn’t realize how much my confidence would improve in areas outside of my appearance.
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Pros:
People noticing you a lot more and treating you with more respect.
People wanting to talk to you about nothing and strike up convos out of the blue now.
Looking much better in most clothes from the store.
Less snoring.
Running and walking long distances with no little / no heart rate increase.
Improved hormone related bodily function (I'll leave that one there)
Cons:
Dull aches from working out a lot.
Hunger pangs and belly growls from eating less.
Missing out on drinks and food options now you're serious about the journey.
Less social inclusion now you're not doing what most people do which isn't healthy.8 -
Your shoes may no longer fit.
Don't be too quick to resize your wedding bands, most jewelers won't do it more than twice.
Find and make friends with your local consignment shop, don't splurge too much on clothes until you reach (and have stayed for a while at) goal.
Some of your friends and family members will not be supportive.
It's not a linear process (especially for us girls)! Some days/weeks you will not lose anything and that's okay. Stick to your plan.
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Each comment resonates with me
. Very insightful. My thighs have been hurting during the weight loss journey and I have been wondering if it is my fat cells complaining that they are shrinking inside my body...lol. I am beginning to love myself vs. loathe myself and that is very exciting. I have a husband who doesn't have any weight issues and in this short process of improvement, I can tell our chemistry is starting to change. Somewhat for the better, but somewhat for the worse. I am trying to be humble but this has been such a big deal for me that I think he is actually at a loss for words - when I comment about my improvements, he says things like "well, you need to do xyz to lift your butt". I suppose it is because I said I feel I am starting to sag, but all the same, I wish he would have said, "yes, you are looking amazing and I am happy that you are happy about it, but obviously I never changed the way I loved you at any weight." As I type this, I realize there is no good answer that can't be criticized because nobody can be in your head to respond perfectly to a transformational insight except myself. And I feel good about me, which is what this has been all about anyway. 21 -
It boosts your self-confidence, especially around dating and/or making new friends. I've been through this road before and when I successfully lost "all" my weight I needed to lose, it changed my social life immensely.8
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nolongergordo wrote: »Less social inclusion now you're not doing what most people do which isn't healthy.
Mine changed. I lost some, but I gained those to talk about things like triathlons or swimruns.8 -
Nobody told me: in my situation (little to lose and a starting way of living/eating that was already healthy), the real issue is losing slowly, and then I suppose it will be maintaining. I'm struggling every day to find the right balance.9
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RhondaLAugustine wrote: »Each comment resonates with me. Very insightful. My thighs have been hurting during the weight loss journey and I have been wondering if it is my fat cells complaining that they are shrinking inside my body...lol. I am beginning to love myself vs. loathe myself and that is very exciting. I have a husband who doesn't have any weight issues and in this short process of improvement, I can tell our chemistry is starting to change. Somewhat for the better, but somewhat for the worse. I am trying to be humble but this has been such a big deal for me that I think he is actually at a loss for words - when I comment about my improvements, he says things like "well, you need to do xyz to lift your butt". I suppose it is because I said I feel I am starting to sag, but all the same, I wish he would have said, "yes, you are looking amazing and I am happy that you are happy about it, but obviously I never changed the way I loved you at any weight." As I type this, I realize there is no good answer that can't be criticized because nobody can be in your head to respond perfectly to a transformational insight except myself. And I feel good about me, which is what this has been all about anyway.
My wife and me, we both managed to lose about 30kg (66bls) each. I'm in the rare position to have seen the injustice in nature between women and men when trying to lose weight. And still I can't imagine how unfair this must feel. So how could he? Be proud, stay committed.10
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