What’s surprised you about your weight loss journey so far
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1. I have less energy than I did before
2. I don't feel any different (my mother keeps asking if I feel great now)
3. It's made my marriage strained because my husband is very obese and has no desire to lose the weight
4. I don't see the "new" me, I still see flab even though "everyone" tells me I look great
5. "Everyone" compliments the "new" me except the person who matters most to me, my husband
6. I'm cold all the time
BUT
1. I can fit into a size 6 which I haven't been able to do since probably middle school
2. I'm smaller than my mother, something I never thought would happen
3. I've stopped strictly counting calories because I can figure out a good approximation for what's in the food I eat
4. I didn't have to give up anything I loved to lose the weight, I still eat chocolate and ice cream and junk food, just in smaller portions (I did give up regular pop...tear)
5.For the first two months of my journey, I didn't really exercise much and I still lost weight, just eating fewer calories
6. My previously pregnant with twins tummy is no longer a protruding part on my body (although it still looks a bit like an alien)
That about sums it up...oh yea and I hate the fact that my boobs and butt have shrunk, they were my favorite body parts :-(0 -
Long list:
(1) Sodium doesn't cause you to retain water and it doesn't raise blood pressure unless you're sensitive
(2) Meal frequency doesn't matter all that much
(3) Nutrient timing has some merit but takes a back seat to total calories and macronutrients
(4) It really is calories in vs calories out
(5) Body composition suffers with a lack of protein
(6) Insufficient intakes of fat messes with hormones and messes with fat loss
(7) White bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes aren't bad and don't weaken fat loss
(8) You can eat processed foods (and a lot of it) and have the same results as a strict diet
(9) Fasting doesn't hurt your health, body composition, muscle, etc.
(10) Red meat isn't death
(11) Most of the fat loss advice out there is just awful and wrong
(12) The fitness industry is corrupt, confusing, and is the cause for many failed attempts at losing fat
(13) There are no secrets to fat loss and it's one of the simplest things on the face of the planet0 -
How much my body has changed. I've always had body image issues and I guess I never truly acknowledged how much my weight had gotten out of control. I look at pictures now and see how badly warped the mental image of myself was as opposed to my actual image. Now I look and can see the changes and I'm really amazed by how far I've come0
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That I'm still here on MFP and still working hard for what I want to make that lifestyle change. The old me would have given up two month into my "diet".
Stay strong, you can do it!0 -
The biggest surprise for me is how addicting exercise has become. And the fact that you can lose inches, body fat, clothes sizes, and visibly see a loss but not lose hardly any weight at all. I have only lost five pounds in three months, but I have been taking cardio, lifting, and combat classes at the gym every morning and burn four to six hundred calories per workout, but the scale won't move.
But my clothes are falling off, I have lost four inches off my waist, and three off hips, (gained two in thighs, not sure why, they are really muscular now, maybe that's why) lost two percent body fat, and can see a big difference.
So the biggest surprise is that even with no loss on scale, I am still losing. Don't know how exactly, or why the scale doesn't move, but I look and feel much better!0 -
Bump... this is an interesting thread...0
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bumpity0
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1. People will tell you you're doing it wrong even if you have years of results.
2. People who are unhealthier than you and can't even run a mile will give you tons of advice you didn't ask for.
3. When you reach your goal you actually feel a sense of loss.(pun)
4. Friends will be the first to support you and be the first to let you down.
5. People on MFP fit both category 2 and 4.
6.Having cheat meals don't make you gain weight most of the time but makes you want to cheat again which can lead to weight gain.
7. Excercising is fun.
8. TDEE, BMR,BMI, HRM all mean very little to me.
9. Cardio is a great stress reliever..
10. Everyone has the secret.
I guess not all of these are surprises but things I learned.0 -
That nothing's changed.0
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thanks for the optimism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!0
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im suprised by how easy it actually was to lose weight.
when people ask me how i did it i think its a silly question because the answer is so simple. eat right and exercise!
and im suprised im enjoying everything about getting fit!0 -
For me it has been that I was able to lose almost 50lbs. by diet and weightlifting alone.....zero cardio0
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Funny thing is it was kinda easy once you start excercising and eating right, thatis a bit surprising. Why I said
"8. TDEE, BMR,BMI, HRM all mean very little to me. "
I don't pay attention to that never have never will. Some people swear by it. I'm not saying it's wrong but some people obessess over it. I had not even heard of most of it until I started coming here and readings posts.
I had already lost 58 lbs before I joined MFP without ever knowing what any of that meant, I'll keep it that way. SO yeah I can say I was suprised to see all these mathematical equations for losing weight.im suprised by how easy it actually was to lose weight.
when people ask me how i did it i think its a silly question because the answer is so simple. eat right and exercise!
and im suprised im enjoying everything about getting fit!0 -
Lol sorry i'm naturally sarcastic. I'm really a kitten.thanks for the optimism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!0
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The more I train my body to run, the farther I can run. I'm running farther and harder now than when I started, and it's not wearing me down near as much!!0
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That nothing's changed.
^ was referring to this with the optimism LOL
my posts were probably way more negative than positive on page one :-/0 -
That eating more & exercising is wayyyyyy more beneficial than eating less!0
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Great list Yoovie! I can totally relate... especially to #17.
I think the biggest surprise for me along this journey is that I have become athletic. I was never a person who played or participated in sports in grade school or high school. So to become a runner who regularly runs in 1/2 marathons still amazes me!0 -
- I have learned that even at 60+ pounds overweight, I can still be an athlete. Just because I am not a "pro", Im not fast, or Im not a "normal" size, I can certainly sweat just as hard as the rest of them, and LIKE it!
- The mind means everything. Your heart will tell you what you want, but your head is what will make it happen.
- Eating more to lose. Getting out of the mental roadblock that says you have to starve yourself to lose weight.
- Loving myself again. Loving my journey, no matter how slow.
- That even though I am still overweight and doing my journey, that I can inspire others to lead a better life, and change their ways too0 -
What's surprised me so far is how many people started off with me, and how few of them are still with it. Girl Scout cookies broke everyone else in my college program.0
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I'm surprised by how much I sweat when I exercise.0
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Loving this thread! I also love the lists... I can relate to many of the items.
A few things have surprised me since I started my weight-loss journey:
1) I was not expecting the confidence I would gain from losing weight and having a stronger body. I am with Yoovie and I look forward to opportunities to show off my new smaller, stronger body.
2) I was not expecting anybody to join me on this journey. I have found that I have inspired the people around me. A coworker has lost 10 lbs (well part of his inspiration can be credited to another friend of his as well). I have also inspired several people to start running. I have a handful of friends who are running races with me this spring!
3) That I would actually get sick of the phrases "You are too skinny!" "You need to stop losing weight!"0 -
That I can do it. It has always seemed so impossible, but now I know that I am capable of changing my lifestyle and changing my body.
Same for me. I am so very proud of myself. :flowerforyou:0 -
That I can do it is it for me as well! I can't believe that at one time I thought surgery was the only way0
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Love this thread! Keeps me going!0
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I really enjoyed this thread because I am @ the beginning of my weight loss journey. I'm 20lbs down from the 100 I need to lose.
Just losing 20lbs has done alot for me. I have noticed in the last week that I am trying to sabotage myself! I dont understand why my motivation is waning? My hubby is very supportive and it's MY TIME to do this. My boys are grown, one soon to be married and in the air force and my youngest off to college this coming fall.
I've realize that I have an actual addiction to food. This has been very humbling and emotional for me to work through. I am trying to figure out where to start exercising and how. I know that may sound weird but I've been overweight for over 20 yrs and working out hasnt been in my vocabulary.
I guess @ this point I am just really confused.
-Mar0 -
That I'm eating 1800+ calories a day now and lifting heavy. I started with the typical 1200 calories and cardio/light strength training. I had no idea that 4 months later I'd be doing mostly heavy lifting.
ETA: I also wish I'd known about lifting heavy years ago. I spent most of my adult life at a healthy weight but thinking I needed to lose 10lbs. I'm finally seeing the results I always wanted to see.0 -
That you can truly eat too little and it will cause your weight loss to stall out. Was eating only 1200 a day for months and now that i'm eating 1500 the weight is coming off. Hard to wrap my brain around
Same here. I found out I was eating 200 calories less than I was supposed to. -24lbs later... :-)0 -
Oh lol okay cool I didn't want to hijack Ops thread with negative stuff lol.That nothing's changed.
^ was referring to this with the optimism LOL
my posts were probably way more negative than positive on page one :-/0 -
What surpised me was the day I "ran" up a flight of stairs without panting at the top (up to my room on the second floor). I hadn't realized how out of shape I had been when I started my weight loss journey.
Also, that it got my family and I talking about healthy versus not-so-healthy "treat" foods. My son sees that you should eat healthy most of the time, and that it's OK to have a treat sometimes.
And how excited and bummed I was to buy a new wardrobe a second time - for my final size 8's!0
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