Lost a lot of weight? How different are you?

JulieF11

Having lost a hundred plus pounds, I think I have transformed more drastically on the inside than I did on the outside. That's pretty scary seeing that so many people don't even recognize me.

If you've lost a lot of weight (60, 70, 100+ pounds)... I was just wondering... How different do you think your life would be if you had never been heavy? I was just thinking about my own life, and wondered if others feel the same.

Now that I am no longer overweight, and luckily in good physical health, I think I'm more confident, outgoing and even more daring. I am much more willing to try new things (like various amusement park rides, or kayaking, or paddle boarding, etc.) Now, I enjoy going to the pool or water parks with my kids. I think I'm less vain! Isn't that crazy?!?! I'm no longer worried about what I'll wear or whether or not it makes me look fat, or if someone sees me without make-up, etc... I think I am more relaxed and enjoy life more. Although I still volunteer a lot, I have also cut down volunteering drastically. I realized I didn't make time for a healthy lifestyle. (Workouts, grocery shopping and making meals takes a lot of time... and I was too busy helping others.)

I just wonder how much more carrying around an extra hundred pounds affected me. Would I have made the same career choices? How about the same relationship choices? I'm not sure. I guess it doesn't really matter, since I am who I am, and I can't go back anyway (nor would I want to). But still, I was interested in getting others thoughts on how life may have been different today if they had never struggled with weight in the first place.

fridayjustleft04

I'm not much different at all. I'm slightly more outgoing (but unless you know me really well, you'd never notice). Other than that, I'm pretty much the same ol me.

Ravens4197

bump!

kklindsey

way more outgoing, way more confident. I never wear makeup anymore, at my age(43) I look better without it. I have been with my husband for 27 years, was skinny when I met him, then heavy after having 3 kids now skinny again so I don't know that I would have made a lot of different choices but I sure am happier.

bjshooter

I haven't lost those kinda numbers, but it seems to be having the opposite effect on me. I used to be fine with my weight, just dieted for something to do. Now I have lost loads I am paranoid about every lump and bump and spend way too much time trying to hide them :S Seems a bit backwards, hope my confidence comes back.

coffeesnob1972

I love that you said you aren't vain anymore. I am overweight now and just starting my journey and I spend sooooo much time worrying about how I look. I have been thin before and do remember how little I thought about the way my shirt hangs over my belly or how much of my arm is showing...etc. I think in the past I have told myself that worrying about my weight is vain...and then it just kept coming but you are right, it is exactly the opposite. Your post gave me motivation today. Thank you!

AmyNVegas

I have mixed feelings about this. I think if I had never been heavy (always have been since very small) I might not be the person I am today. I am not sure I would have worked so hard in school. I am not sure I would have been as sensitive as I am to others and what they go through. I think on the other hand that I would not have the aches and pains that I have due to carrying the extra weight all my life. I think I would have been less afraid. My weight has always limited me in so many things physically that I do not trust myself to do things sometimes and I have a hard time liking myself. Who knows how different my personal life would be now if I had never been overweight?

JulieF11

Thank "you" Coffeesnob! Yes! You know what I'm talking about! Aha, I'm not alone! BTW- The new found freedom is amazing. Just remember that time will pass by regardless of your daily decisions. Why not make it the best year yet? You'll get there if you just don't give up... and don't feel like if you go way over one day, that you've blown it, so why try... because if you keep at it, you'll get there. Go Coffeesnob! You are just like me, only I made my decision a little earlier. You can do it!

Midori_i

I've only lost 10 pounds, but compared to how I was four years ago, I am incredibly fit and healthy now. The whole thing worked a huge change on my entire life. I am WAY more outgoing and confident, even my hobbies have changed from loner-activities to more social ones, loads of my habits, opinions and tastes have changed, and I feel like my life only really started the day I decided once and for all to do something about the body I wasn't happy with.

It was wanting to make a change about myself and accomplishing it that gave me all of that. Losing the weight really was just one part of it, but the part without which the others probably wouldn't have happened.

JulieF11

@ AmyNVegas- You are obviously a very caring person with a lot to offer this world. My guess is that you would have been a thoughtful, empathetic, person regardless of your physical limitations. You have probably touched a lot of peoples lives in a positive way. Thank you, for sharing. I hope that your journey is as rewarding as when you arrive at your goal. I'm just guessing, but I'll bet you recognize and enjoy all the blessings along the way. I am giving you a virtual hug right now... wishing you well.

AmyNVegas

Thanks Julie:flowerforyou: I have 96 left to lose but I am so much more fit and healthy than I was at 535, I am working hard to get there- 200 here I come!:bigsmile:

JulieF11

@ Midori- Ooohhh, yes! I hadn't thought about that. Yes, I think that happened to me too.... My brain started changing about the time I realized I really "could" trust myself. I don't think I really trusted myself before that. I had lost a small amount of weight and gained it back so many times. I coined myself as a weight loss failure. I had always done something drastic, like severely cut my calories, or cabbage soup diet, shakes, etc... Something I knew from the beginning I could never keep up for a lifetime. This time was different. My brain changed once I realized that I was in the drivers seat and in control.

debminor

Wow! I wandered if I was the only one that felt that way... At first I'd say to people that "I'm still me.. just less of me" but now that I'm down 116# I truley feel like a different person completely! I have found myself to be alot more confident and even daring! I have this adventurous side that is just dying to get out and do things that I would never have dreamed of doing before... I went tubing down the river and wore a bathing suit w/o feeling wierd or self conscience at all! My weight has been an issue all of my life - I was always the heavy one in school while my friends were little and thin.. I hated to shop.. or even go to the mall! But now I find myself loving to go shopping with my daughters! I am very blessed with a wonderful husband who has always made me feel beautiful even when I was at 270# but now I feel more beautiful and even sexier! I realize that weight doesn't have to affect us the way it does... but it does! And getting it off affects us as well!

SabrinaJL

I haven't lost those kinda numbers, but it seems to be having the opposite effect on me. I used to be fine with my weight, just dieted for something to do. Now I have lost loads I am paranoid about every lump and bump and spend way too much time trying to hide them :S Seems a bit backwards, hope my confidence comes back.

I was telling my sister (she's lost 70 lbs) that as I lose weight, I seem to be MORE critical of my body. She said she's the same way and that she thinks she was actually happier with herself when she was fat.

JulieF11

@ Debminor- Good for you!

If I could scream on a mountaintop for all those with weight to lose, whether they plan to ever lose it or not, I'd scream:

"Please don't let weight hold you back. Life is short. You deserve a good life. Stop worrying about what others think. Start focusing on your dreams.... not your weight. You have a lot to offer the world! Find out what it is and don't let a few, or even a few hundred, pounds keep you from being who you were meant to be!" I'd ask them to write down what they'd like to do if weight wasn't an issue, how they "think" they might be different, and I'd beg them to get off the sidelines in life, and start playing. I do wish I had never let weight affect my decisions. What a shame that I lost so many years worrying about what others might think or if I offended them in my bathing suit at a water park, or if went down the water slide with my kids at the pool...

Now, if I see someone morbidly obese doing something I wouldn't have... I admire the fact he or she is not so self-focused that they can enjoy life to the fullest. I wonder if I hadn't lost the weight, if I would have ever gotten to that place... that "peace of mind" place where no one can steal your joy... not even yourself.

JulieF11

@ Sabrina and BJshooter-

Hmm. Perhaps I had been heavy for so long I had more time to focus on the other areas of my life. You both look very young. That's as big a key to the puzzle as weightloss. Here are some things I've done.... Hopefully they'll help you too.

Try looking at yourself in the mirror and finding at least one thing you "like" about what you see. Maybe you have lovely nails, or pretty eyes, maybe a nice complexion, something. Then, think about something you like about your personality... maybe you are generous, maybe you are thoughtful, or creative...

Each day, try to expand on what you like about yourself. If you have pretty nails, be sure to paint them.... if you have pretty eyes, look through magazines to find ideas of how to emphasis them. Also, expand on your internal beauty. For instance, if you are creative, think of something creative to do, like taking a painting class, or volunteering to help with "crafting" at a local church or school. Or maybe if you like that you are thoughtful, volunteer (at your church) to write letters of encouragement to those who have lost a family member, or fallen ill, etc...

Anyway, each of us have something beautiful on both the inside and outside that we can "buff up" to shine. I hope you both, and anyone reading this, anyone who is their own worst critic, can ease up on themselves... It's so easy to find the beauty in others, but so difficult to focus in on finding our own beauty. But it's worth the effort. If we take the time to learn to appreciate who we are now, and who we are becoming... we stop hyper-focusing on our faults, and we have more to offer others.

dad106

I also haven't lost anywhere near those numbers, but I can say that even at 24 pounds down I'm feeling those affects that you described. I also noticed that people tend to treat me better and talk to me more now that I've lost weight.. so not sure if anyone is noticing that, but I sure am.