Fat Brain
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I know we talked about clothes and wearing them until they are falling off but what about undergarments? I have bra's that I'm on the last hook and I only half fill the cup but I can't seem to throw them out. I've even stood over the garbage can with them but I always rationalize why I need them.0
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Take a pair of scissors and chop away....then you have to throw them out!0
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Keep trying. I don’t have any solution but this is my experience if it helps.
By the time I hit GW, down 100 lbs, I had a closet full of clothes that covered the entire 100 lb range. And a big help to me had been learning to dress and take pride in my appearance. No way was I going out in clothes that didn’t fit right.
And I did a lot of closet purges. It was never enough. I’d start going through it, making a discard pile, but before long, things that were “questionable” all became keep. This lasted years. It wasn’t until we packed to move that I think I finally got it right.
Maybe pitch just 1 and see how it feels.1 -
I know how that feels! And unfortunately, unlike pants and shirts, you can't exactly hand-me-down old bras..... lol
I'm going to have to go through all my pants again. I very reluctantly gave up a pair of my avenue jeans I bought last year. I absolutely loved those jeans as they were at my waist as apposed to below it and were very, very comfortable, but when you put them on and can hold them 3 inches out from your belly, its time to admit they are too big. I gave a pair to my aunt, and I'm going to see if my sister can get into the other 2. Both my aunt and my sister are barely 5 ft so those jeans will have to cut down and hemmed, so once I give the pants to them, I definitely won't be able to ask for them back unless I want to use them as capris! (I'm 5'8")
My best friend was up this weekend for my birthday. She has a key to my front door and wanted to come up after she got off work at midnight on Thursday, so I told her come on and let herself in, so she didn't see me until that morning. The last time we had gotten together was at Christmas and she said the weight loss I've had since then is very noticeable - she couldn't believe I couldn't see it. She told me to start taking selfies to compare to; I have a selfie from Christmas, so I suppose I could try to take one now and see how it looks. I just can't see it myself.
*sigh* and my mother.....my mother is good at making assumptions for things that she doesn't know about at all, especially when it comes to me. I think its how she avoids dealing with things in reality she doesn't like to deal with. She and the best friend were talking on Saturday about kids, and my best friend commented that she had hoped I'd have kids that she could treat like nieces and nephews and will her estate to (she's single and intends to stay that way). My mother's comment to that was that it wasn't going to happen because "Bridget doesn't like men".
*sigh* I suppose that's her answer for way I'm 40 years old as of yesterday and still single and have never dated or even been asked. I told her it wasn't that I didn't like men; its that men don't like me!
My best friend did back that up because she looked at my mom and said "trust me; Bridget and I have talked about men and she likes them just fine!" I appreciated the backup, though I cringed a little because I could just imagine what my mother thinks those conversations were like - I'm sure her mind went straight to the gutter when those conversations were never that way at all. Maybe a little PG-13, but never beyond being R rated.......lol
The best friend thinks I'm still single even though I'd love to not be because I don't have any confidence in myself and that I'm too picky. I personally would just like to know where you're supposed to go to find decent, available men at my age and 2) how is wanting someone who is hard-working and a nice, decent man who'd treat me well supposed to be being too picky?
Though I suppose this is a "grass is always greener" thing because I have a lot of acquaintances who are divorced or who are always complaining about their husbands and kids and going on about how lucky I am to be single and "free".
This relates back to the fat brain thing because at 380 lbs, I knew I wasn't the least bit attractive - nice personalities aren't usually considered the key factor in getting a date in my experience. I work with men mostly and went to college with almost all men and the impression I always came away with is once they were sure I was just there to be a work colleague, they became a little more comfortable around me. I'm down to 258 lbs now, but my head still thinks of me as being that unattractive 380 lb person I was before5 -
talking about fat brain:
I know my brain still, after 3 years, has not caught up to the fact that I'm no longer 380 lbs. Even though I can now wear pants 20-22W, am flirting with 18's, wear 2X shirts, my brain still sees me as being the larger person I was. Perhaps its because of the lose skin, but I don't see the difference at all in the mirror.
Especially the last 4 months. I've lost a little over 20 lbs since December, but I don't see it myself, especially since when I first started losing weight back in 2017, I had to lose 50 lbs before people started noticing and before I even dropped the first clothing size. My brain is still thinking in those terms; it doesn't understand that its going to show up sooner now because there's less to move now.
I should have known that it must be showing up if my mother of all people comments on it, and my best friend thinks I"m crazy because I can't see it. She tells me its a huge difference.
So Sunday, I took a selfie (I bought that dress for Easter, dang it, and I wore it for Easter! lol) I took the pic at the same place I took the pic at Christmas and then did a side by side. And I was shocked - a picture is really worth 1,000 words, and what I can't see real time in the mirror really does stand out in the photo comparison, especially in my face.
My brain doesn't want to compute it still, though. Just like it really hasn't sunk in that I"m down into the 250's now, and nearing the 240's. I see the numbers, but the reality behind them can't penetrate. I'm not sure how long it will take for it to really sink in; a life time perhaps.
I haven't tried it on since Christmas, but I'm betting that black dress fits way better now! lol
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@bmeadows380
There is a very noticeable difference. I am so pleased you have joined the group and sharing your story and progress. Amazing.
On fat brain it make take a lifetime for some of it. I don't know. In some ways I have adapted in other ways I still struggle. I imagine it will always be some percentage of full awareness and some percentage of historical baggage.
An example for me is tight spaces like a car in the garage parked close on one side. At one time even when i was able to get through my first instinct was that I would not be able to fit. Now I have stopped seeing it as an obstacle but I still see it as something new. It is still not ordinary.0 -
@NovusDies Yup; getting behind a stearing wheel, I still expect the wheel to rub my tummy; the room between me and it now is amazing. NOw if I could just get out of low slung cars without having to crawl out......(I hate my best friend's Corolla, but that's a long-legs problem, so can't fix it by losing weight lol)
On the humorous side: When someone is looking for hair cuts that fit best, many sites will talk about face shape and suggest cuts based on oval faces, heart shaped faces, round faces, etc. I never was really sure what my face shape was before because it was so round; I am starting to see that oval shape, though, in the recent pick. So perhaps I can now get a flattering hair cut when I can get back to the stylist after the shut downs are eased up!
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I am currently sporting my corona haircut because I didn't think to get one before everything shut down. I took my trimmers I use for my beard and went to town. It is a horrible job but I cannot stand it long.
I was enjoying letting my hair grow out some. I am experiencing a bit of a (late) midlife crisis minus the adultery. I want the next chapter to have a different style to it I suppose. Clothes and hair have been first even though my hair is back to super short at the moment.0 -
I know we talked about clothes and wearing them until they are falling off but what about undergarments? I have bra's that I'm on the last hook and I only half fill the cup but I can't seem to throw them out. I've even stood over the garbage can with them but I always rationalize why I need them.
I feel your pain, I cant get any to fit as nicely as my old ones, and they all have wires in my new size, which I dont like. I'm inbetween sizes, too small (!) for my usual style and too big for fancy nice ones. Very frustrating.1 -
@bmeadows380 that is a noticeable difference, you go!
@jackie9003 right?? I'm anxiously waiting to shop for fancy bras instead the the industrial strength ones.2 -
I like the fat brain topic, so I thought I'd chime in. I have a weird combination of fat brain and slim brain. Sometimes I feel like I haven't lost weight at all, and other times my brain suddenly feels like it has a really tiny body and starts bumping into things... Those are the days I am really happy with my progress (only about 22 lbs down so far).
@bmeadows380 The difference IS visible!! Congrats!!
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I like the fat brain topic, so I thought I'd chime in. I have a weird combination of fat brain and slim brain. Sometimes I feel like I haven't lost weight at all, and other times my brain suddenly feels like it has a really tiny body and starts bumping into things... Those are the days I am really happy with my progress (only about 22 lbs down so far).
@bmeadows380 The difference IS visible!! Congrats!!
There should not be an 'only' in your statement about how much you have lost. 22 pounds is a lot of weight. If you do not believe me go find something that weighs about that much and try to carry it around for awhile. It is a significant change in your body. We are all guilty of it but I encourage you not to think about the road you still need to travel anymore than needed. Those thoughts tend to cast a shadow on what you have already accomplished.3 -
Good point! Yes, I should remember to give myself credit for keeping on track and exercising for the past few weeks. Consistency is key to controlling my weight, and I've been doing good. Thanks for the reminder!1
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Here's a funny fat brain story, I didn't reconize my own under garmets the other day. I bought new ones, all in a smaller size and put them in the laundry. My husband takes the laundry to the laundry mat once a week and of course the new items weren't thought about. Well he returns and I'm folding the clothes and I was like whose underwear is this? It took me a moment to realize they were mine!
I also keep thinking that the clothes I'm about to put on simply won't fit. I tossed or donated all my bigger clothes because I would be so convienced that I would pull out the bigger ones. Trust me when I say wearing 3x mens shirts when you fit xl mens, is not a flattering look. I still don't believe the clothes will fit, but at least I can't pull out something I think will fit and I'm "forced" to put on clothes that fit.2 -
ConfidentRaven wrote: »Here's a funny fat brain story, I didn't reconize my own under garmets the other day. I bought new ones, all in a smaller size and put them in the laundry. My husband takes the laundry to the laundry mat once a week and of course the new items weren't thought about. Well he returns and I'm folding the clothes and I was like whose underwear is this? It took me a moment to realize they were mine!
I also keep thinking that the clothes I'm about to put on simply won't fit. I tossed or donated all my bigger clothes because I would be so convienced that I would pull out the bigger ones. Trust me when I say wearing 3x mens shirts when you fit xl mens, is not a flattering look. I still don't believe the clothes will fit, but at least I can't pull out something I think will fit and I'm "forced" to put on clothes that fit.
That is funny.
There were times I saw my undergarments and my first thought was that they could not be mine because they looked liked they belonged to a kid.
On shirts I am still wearing one size too large for myself and with my latest round of loss they are starting to look kind of ridiculous again. I think mine is a combination of fat brain and claustrophobia. I get antsy putting tighter fitting clothes on like I will be trapped in them.1 -
To Put things in perspective:
How much weight have you lost?
0.5 pound / 0.2 kilo = 2 blueberry muffins
1 pound/0.4 kilo = a Guinea Pig or a loaf of bread
1.5 pounds / 0.7 kilo = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds / 0.9 kilo = a rack of baby back ribs, an IPad, or the Imperial State Crown
3 pounds / 1.4 kilo = an average human brain or a can of crisco vegetable oil
4 pounds / 1.8 kilo = an ostrich egg
5 pounds / 2.2 kilo = a Chihuahua or 1,400 gummy bears
6 pounds / 2.7 kilo = a human’s skin or a 4 slice toaster
7.5 pounds / 3.4 kilo = an average newborn baby
8 pounds / 3.6 kilo = a human head
10 pounds / 4.5 kilo = a bag pf russet potatoes
11 pounds / 5 kilo = an average house cat
12 pounds / 5.4 kilo = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds / 6.8 kilo = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds / 7.3 kilo = a sperm whale’s brain
20 pounds / 9.1 kilo = an automobile tyre
23 pounds / 10.4 kilo = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds / 10.9 kilo = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds / 11.3 kilo = an average 2 year old
30 pounds / 13.6 kilo = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds / 15 kilo = a cinder block
35 pounds/ 15.9 kilo = an average sized car battery
36 pounds / 16.3 kilo = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds / 18.kilo = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds / 20 kilo = an elephant’s heart
50 pounds / 22.6 kilo = a small bale of hay
55 pounds / 25 kilo = a 5000 BTU air conditioner or 11 five pound bags of sugar
60 pounds / 27.2 kilo = an elephant’s penis (yep, weighs more than his heart!) or the antlers of a bull moose
65 pounds / 29.5 kilo = 260 sticks of butter
70 pounds / 31.8 kilo = an Irish Setter
75 pounds/ 34 kilo = an average sized chimpanzee
77 pounds / 34.9 kilo = a gold brick
80 pounds / 36.3 kilo = the World’s Largest Ball of Tape or 40 two pound bag of carrots
90 pounds / 40.8 kilo = a newborn calf
100 pounds / 45.4 kilo = a 2 month old horse
110 pounds / 50 kilo = 22 average sized coconuts
117 pounds / 53 kilo = an average fashion model (and she’s 5’11”)
118 pounds / 53.5 kilo = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds / 54.4 kilo = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds / 59 kilo = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds / 62.6 kilo = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds / 63.5 kilo = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
145 pounds / 65.8 kilo = 8 average Thanksgiving turkeys
150 pounds / 68 kilo = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
185 pounds / 83.9 kilo = Hugh Jackman
200 pounds / 90.7 kilo = 2 Bloodhounds or a typical refrigerator
235 pounds / 106.6 kilo = Arnold Schwarzenegger
250 pounds / 113.4 kil0 = A male cougar
300 pounds / 136 kilo = an average football lineman
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@cremorna1 so that means you've lost 2 house cats or the equivalent of a car tire! Or SEVEN human brains or FOUR chihuahuas!3
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ONE time when I lost weight oh Phen-Phen I was down to a size 13/14 in jeans....by mistake I tried to put on my teenage daughters size 9 jeans....I got one leg half way up and thought OMG what has happened?...then I realized they were not my pants!...but getting those size 9s halfway up made me feel so good!3
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So I lost a male cougar that ate 7000 gummy bears.
A refrigerator with a chimpanzee on top seems like a more appropriate image though.3 -
apparently, I've lost a 2 month old horse with 4 chihuahua's sitting on it or a newborn calf standing on a cinder block
So I lost a male cougar that ate 7000 gummy bears.
A refrigerator with a chimpanzee on top seems like a more appropriate image though.
that brings images to mind Ought to find a meme and use it as your pic lol 2
