What does it feel like to lose 100+ pounds?

janatleigh

I've been obese basically my entire life. I'm aiming to lose 130 pounds.

I'm wondering what it's like to lose that much weight. Do you still feel like yourself? Does your sense of self or identity change? I'm kind of worried that I won't feel like "me" anymore.

Sweet_Pea0107

It was hard for me at first. I knew I had lost 130lbs but it was like my brain took a while to catch up. For a long time I still felt big. I would get nervous on elevators or in situations where I felt I had to "squeeze through". I was still afraid I wouldn't fit. Shopping was also difficult. I had no idea what my actual size was. If I didn't try the clothes on I would nearly always pick a bigger size than I needed. As I got more used to the new me these feelings went away. I still feel like me just a healthier version. Now I feel like I blend in better. When I was big I always felt like my size made me stick out like a sore thumb. Don't worry about losing yourself. You will still be the same person on the inside. For me losing all the weight made me more confident and I was able to let others see the real me.

kazzsjourney

It feels great Honestly the journey (for me anyway) led me to change a bit...but only in good ways...after losing 180 pounds I dont have such a negative view on my world now and realise what I put out there I will get back. So if I be negative people around me will be negative. My trainer gave me some good advice at one point when I was struggling with the attention i was getting for my weight loss....and that is build a bubble around you and focus simply on your journey and just let everything else bounce of you! I still feel like me....just a better, happier me

janatleigh

Thank you all for the insight! I really appreciate it!

Gerald_King

When I lost my weight it was such a releif to walk and not get out of breath or pain in my legs and feet .Simple things like washing going to the bathroom,buying regular size clothes gave me so much confidence but i won;'t lie I still feel fat most days I still have 50lbs to lose but when you get to where i am now you will feel great because you will be at your goal so good luck and enjoy your journey

needles85365

Not quite at the 100lbs yet but closer than I ever thought I would be. It feels great. Confidence level is sky high. I'm doing things that I have not done before as I was too big and self conscious. I like looking in the mirror now and seeing me, whole not just the head up. I had developed a skill of walking past a full length mirror (or reflection) and not seeing me.

EmilyEmpowered

For me, it has opened up a lot of other issues that I didnt realize I had before losing the weight. I still look in the mirror and see myself a lot differently than others do. (bigger) I was trying to find the specific article for you, but I read somewhere that each 10 pounds you lose takes something like 3 months for you to adjust emotionally, which is another reason you should lose weight slowly rather than quickly (I will continue searching for that article, because now I want to remember exactly what is said! It had a lot of good points regarding the emotional/mental side of weight loss) So, for me personally I have struggled with adjusting and with body issues. But that also comes from not dealing with the issues I had while I was losing weight, I truly thought that all I had to do was lose it and my outlook on life would change and everything would be rainbows and sunshine.

However, a lot of good things have come from it and although I have my down days where my self esteem is still incredibly low, over all I can say that my self esteem is better, I am more outspoken and friendly (before I was very shy but it came off to a lot of people as me being stuck up, as they told me recently) and I feel like I look more on the outside how I feel on the inside. When I gained so much weight is when I personally felt like I wasnt myself.The good changes are GREAT such as not taking as much crap from other people and sticking up for myself more, new and HEALTHIER interests, things I never cared about before like healthy recipes and working out, and it also has made me more motivated to take better control of other parts of my life that I was neglecting (finances, organization, my career.) Plus there are the obvious things: not feeling the need to cover every inch of my body (even in the summer, I was always in pants I hadnt worn shorts in YEARS), smaller sizes, more options with clothing, not having to squeeze through tight crowds, etc.

But to answer your main question, you will still be YOU even if all of these things change, you can still remain yourself. Some people around me say I have changed and yes, I have, but this version of me was always there. There have been many people who tried to discourage me from losing weight, even saying "you will never be skinny you are meant to be big thats just who you are." Well, gues what, I am still me even after losing all that weight, and I am enjoying being ME!

RoadsterGirlie

I've lost 90 (not quite 100), but I will tell you, it feels amazing.

It feels like you are walking on air literally - no knee pain, no joint pain, and it's almost as if you flutter or fly to where you want to go, rather than walk.

Amazing! Good luck, and enjoy the journey.

CountryStrongNicole

I feel amazing... but I too still have the mental/emotional side of it. I know I never felt like me in the "bigger" body... but it is still hard to realize how I look now... people will say "you look great" "beautiful" and I still see "big me" Even though I know I can go into a store now and buy a size Large over buying the 3X like before. I still go through the fear of being labeled the "fat chick" It is something that takes time to move past. BUT it is so worth working through these issues... I still have another 45 I'd like to lose but if I hit a point that I am happy with myself in the mirror... I will stay there!

Me on the inside... will never change... maybe just come out of the shell a little bit more. My personality will always be me, no matter what size I am. One thing to point out... as I have lost weight... my husband had to adjust also... it brought out fears and insecurities in him that had to be worked past because he was afraid I would change... he has seen that I haven't gone anywhere... but be aware that those around you might also have adjustments to make. I never thought that 'my' weight loss would affect those around me so much...

jhardenbergh

You'll feel a whole lot better be more confident. You'll still be the same you, but without the excess baggage. You'll easily fit in a booth at a restaurant or a seat on an airplane. Those little things are the best. Good luck to you. It also feels good going up 5 or 6 flights of stairs instead of taking te elevator and not worrying about having to catch your breath.

sevencallmemom

It's a whole new life.

It doesn't fix alot of issues that I blamed on my weight...relationships (for me at least) have changed. My marriage is different...in good ways and not so good. Friendships have evolved or fizzled. Turns out I was only worth keeping around as some people's "fat friend" to make them feel better about themselves and now that I'm in semi decent shape, it feels almost like I'm a threat of some sort...not over guys or anything, but like my getting healthy makes them feel pressured about their own situation and they'd rather not keep me around as a reminder.

Body image is weird. Shopping and knowing what kind of clothes to shop for is a challenge. Before it was "buy anything that fit" and now there are so many options...I don't even really know what my style is. That sounds silly I guess, but that's my truth.

I still think I'm bigger than I am, but working at a fitness center with women who are almost all tiny and "perfect" still makes me feel like the "fat girl".

In some ways I'm the same person, but in so many ways I'm not. It's been at least as difficult a process to deal with as the weight loss itself.

Worth it though...so totally worth it!