Stories of validation

sbrandt37

I had a nice experience yesterday. I have lost about 45 pounds over the past 10 months and I am now within about 5 pounds of my goal weight. I recently bought all new clothes after it reached the point where I looked like a clown in my old stuff. Interestingly, people didn't really start to notice until the last 5 or 10 pounds.

Yesterday, I took a guest to lunch at a nice restaurant. While we were there, the female restaurant manager, who I know slightly, swung past, bent down, squeezed my arm warmly and whispered into my ear, "I don't know what you have been doing, but you look fantastic! Keep it up!" It was both thrilling and a really nice validation of all of my hard work.

Does anyone else have any nice stories of validation they would care to share? I would love to hear some more.

candythorns

That is awesome!! My coworker told me I look more fit. But that's it. In time...

CarlydogsMom

I lost about 70 pounds over the course of a year (60 in the first 6 months, 10 in the next 6 months). There were people who had seen me off and on throughout the duration but there were a handful of acquaintances who did not see me during the main part of my loss. I loved the look on their faces when they'd see me for the first time. Some would walk right by me, not recognizing me at all. Then when realizing, their reactions were pretty validating--especially since my mind took awhile to catch up with the loss. It helped to see that there was a huge difference. I was a lucky one--I never had people sabotage me or whatever; the support I've received has been tremendous.

I've also, inadvertently, inspired others to lose. One work colleague dropped 25 pounds after seeing me lose some weight. Later on, he had a terrible fall, broke an arm and hip. He credited his relatively smooth recovery and rehab to his weightloss and thanked me for that!

A few other friends have joined MFP due to my promoting it, and have lost weight here as well.

While I love the validation on my efforts I get from others, I think my favorite aspect is how whatever I did for myself inspired others to change their lifestyles; that truly is a testament.

Oh...more...I started weightlifting after I lost my weight (wish I had started it during, but it is what it is). I hired a trainer at our gym to work with me, and one day we concentrated on deadlifts. I'm not nearly as strong as many women on this site (also in my 50s), I was deadlifting maybe sets between 125 and 145 pounds. Anyway, after a few short sets, with rests in between, some guy came up to us (my trainer and me), and gave me some really positive praise about how impressed he was. THAT was really cool.

sbrandt37

Inspiring others to lose is pretty great validation! I have had a couple of people ask how I did it and one or two have actually started using MFP themselves. It's too soon to know if they will stick with it long enough to have an impact, but I sure hope so.

And @candythorns, I think "You look more fit" is careful please-don't-get-me-fired coworker language for "Holy smokes, you look hot!" At least, I encourage you to assume that.

Chadxx

A few times now, I have had people not recognize me at first. I have to admit that was pretty cool.

kgirlhart

Yesterday when I was at the park for my run a couple of ladies that I know who were there walking asked me how I had lost my weight. I told them about mfp and they asked some questions and I told them that I don't restrict anything just calories and they told me how great I looked. It really made my day, but then a little while ago one of them actually stopped by my office because she wanted to make sure she downloaded the right app. And she asked me a lot of advice about how to set things up. It made me happy but also kind of nervous because I don't think I am very good at explaining things. I never really thought I could be an inspiration to others, but I have known these ladies for a while and I have seen them walking at the park a lot in the last several months so I guess they think what I have been doing has worked.

__TMac__

Background: I'm 46, have been indoor rowing for just 4 months, and am training for my very first race in February.

I was at the gym yesterday and was talking to one of the other regulars. We are usually there at the same time every day but had missed each other the day before. He told me there had been a new woman on my usual rowing machine, and they chatted. She is a collegiate rower with Olympic ambitions. He says to me, "So I told her all about you because you have SO MUCH in common!"

LOL! I laughed, but he was serious. It seems that my life-long desire to be seen as an athletic person is actually happening.

sunnysunny88

So yesterday I was getting coffee at my usual cafe in my apartment block and the girl who was working there came up to me and said " I have to say something, everyday I see you run past this cafe and I have to tell you, you are looking more and more amazing! I keep telling myself I really have to start running" that was really nice as I didn't think anyone notices!

sbrandt37

These are awesome! I hope we get some more.