What is the biggest unexpected surprise after losing weight?

lilpoindexter

Honestly, it sounds cruel, but I'm sick of people asking me the "secret"...do I eat weight watchers? do i take akai berries/ slim fast/etc?
i hate when I tell people the trick is to do more exercise and eat less bad food, and then their eyes glaze over like they don't understand.

alikat2986

I would think the improvement with all the weight loss is better sex. i could be wrong. but that is one of my motivations lol.

YESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CallmeFrida

My sex drive went through the roof! I never realized how much my body image and self-esteem affected my libido. But now that I know I look hot, I wanna GET hot, noddamsayin? *Elbow, nudge, wink, wink*

LOL totally agree

alikat2986

Honestly, it sounds cruel, but I'm sick of people asking me the "secret"...do I eat weight watchers? do i take akai berries/ slim fast/etc?
i hate when I tell people the trick is to do more exercise and eat less bad food, and then their eyes glaze over like they don't understand.

I completely agree with you. I also get people that compliment my progress, then they will tell me about some Dr. Oz pill or some other scam that "lets you eat what you want!" THIS sounds cruel but people that don't want to exercise and eat right WILL fail!

schmern2

So far I am down 40 and I have 80-90 yet to go...

-I get chilly now when before I was always hot
-The seatbelt on airplanes fit and my legs go under the arm rests and no longer on my legs
-Lost half a shoe size
-I can get a lot more clothes in my suitcase
-I see bones again
-I see my feet again
-I go into a store and look at a shirt and think that it could not possibly fit me and it does
-Just got out of plus sized shirts and now I have the whole store and not just a section. Can't wait for the pants part.
-People at work are very into this whole thing. People say they are inspired
-The run/walk people won't leave me alone!
-Fit in movie theater seats
-More energy
-Desk woman at my gym called me "a regular"
-I love having a trainer
-Starting to get the exercise high
-Tried eating a full steak meal(with taters, salad and pear) last night and then I felt icky all night because it was too much food
-Used to have foot problems but that went away
-Used to have an angry stomach (TMI) after eating and that went away
-TSA guy did a double take on my drivers license and asked if that was me!
-I am starting to see muscles under my fat
-Everything is very jiggly and loose
-I have hated exercised with every last ounce of my being and now I look forward to it
-The cardio heart rates books suggest I can actually do now

laf0195

I'm just coming up on my half way mark, but I have noticed quite a few perks thus far...

Smaller ring size. Calf-high boots fit. I haven't had a menstrual cramp in like 15 pounds (this is a huge blessing). It's easier to cross my legs. Since changing my diet, my nails (of which I have always been proud, and didn't think could get better) have gotten even stronger and healthier. When walking quickly for a while, my breathing is still completely normal, and my feet don't start to hurt.

Probably the biggest thing for me is how easy it's gotten to talk about it. Now that I've lost some weight I don't feel like people will take anything I say like "oh another fat person on a diet." Now that I've had a fair amount of success, I feel like I can tell anyone (anyone who is not a complete dirtbag, that is, and I'm in high school so there are quite a few of them) that yes I have been trying to lose weight, and guess what, I went down another pant size.

And when I'm open to people about it, I'm really shocked to find out that they didn't think I was that heavy. I tell people I started out over 200 lbs and they ask where I'd hidden it all! That's a huge surprise, but I suppose I carried it pretty evenly. Hopefully when I get to my goal weight I'll have a nice proportionate figure

BaDaSsBrUnEtTe

The smaller my waist gets the bigger my *kitten* looks

Barbara48

It also surprises me that I don't see it. I was wearing a size 20/22, now I'm in 8/10. How can I not see that? I honestly don't know-but I really don't. And that is a surprise to me. Everyone else sees it-but I don't.

THIS. I'm not as small as you are but I've gone from a 28/30 to a 18/20 and don't see it at all. I think I look just as big as I was.

I know I'm smaller though. Last night we went out to eat at a mexican place that we used to go to almost weekly before I started losing weight and I said they must have spaced out the booths more because of how much more room we had and my son immediately said "no mom, you're shrinking!". :laugh: I just wish I could look at myself and see the difference.

LdyPsych

So many that other members have already mentioned ....

That after a lifetime of hating exercise (or believing that I did), I actually look forward to my workout. Still not sure I have any of those post -workout endorphins!

That some people are asking if I intend/want to lose more. Say what??? Maybe they don't see well or something (although it is nice to know people think I look pretty good now!)

I may be imagining this part, but random men are .... don't even know the words for it.... trying to get my attention, helping more, something.... Yesterday at lunch (with my elderly mother) this guy kept circling me and grinning and nearly knocked people over to open the door for us. Later in the day when i was in the drugstore, these two (younger) guys in line in front of me offered to let me go first (they only had 2 Coke's and I had a couple of items). I'm 52 and very happily married, but that's just a hoot!

And... I am surprized that my energy is so much better, I am enjoying cooking, I like shopping in the "regular" sizes, and that I LOVE apples and low fat cream cheese!

I'm cold...All the time...But it's a small price to pay.

I experienced that for about the first year and first 35 lb or so.... And I have always been hot natured. My opinion is that your body is just adjusting and that will improve. It did for me. But still, it is a wierd experience!

Spokez70

Love all these posts!

My biggest surprise lately was going to lunch with a big croup of coworkers. We ended up sitting at a large booth made to accommodates like 8 people or so. Quite a few of the people I work with are pretty big guys and when we saw the booth there was obviously a lot more tummy room on one side of it than there was on the other. One of the big guys announced this and loudly directed himself and several others to the "big side" of the booth. I was genuinely confused for a few seconds not to be included in the big group (I've not fit into narrow booths before) but then happy to find I fit easily on the narrow side.

Flintbeats810

My biggest surprise in the number of people that have reached out to me for help! people that i never thought i would be having weight loss conversations with. They tell me they are inspired they say because of me they changed thier lives. It really makes me feel good that I feel like by just doing what i believe in I am helping others

FrauBleucher

i haven't seen anyone mention this. Do you have phantom fat? After too large a meal I'll feel bloated and reach down to touch my tummy and it's not there. But it honestly felt like it was moments before. Same for my love handles(excuse me X-love handles) I'll have a hard workout and my back will feel stiff and I reach to rub my muscle and it's not there. Too weird! Also, I'm still not seeing myself as a smaller person. I compare myself to others all the time. I tend to ask, "Am I bigger than that person?" The response is always, "Not even close!" I wish I'd start feeling "normal sized" I guess it'll come with time.

FrauBleucher

Will have to update that pic, yay

MissesForrester

My biggest unexpected surprise after losing the weight I have so far...was how much and often I touch my neck (collar bone) area. Feeling the bones there now, feels just...hard to explain. But when I noticed it at first it was like, "OMG! I have bones!!!" and it almost seems like a habit to just touch them, and such. :laugh:

^Oh my gosh, THIS! I've been overweight to varying degrees my whole life, so I've never really had visible collar bones or a long neck before. I'm about 45 lbs into my weight loss now and SURPRISE! there were bones underneath after all. I didn't even realize how important it was to me to have such things, but I frequently catch myself touching my neck as I work or when I'm on the phone... Like subconsciously, I can't believe these pretty, feminine features actually belong to me.

YES!!!! I AM FEELING MY CHIN BONE, NECK, COLLAR AND CHEST ALL THE TIME..... AND MY NECKLACE EVEN SEEM LONGER.... IT FEELS FANTASTIC!

annepage

Cold most of the time. No hip rest for my elbows.

LorinaLynn

Cold most of the time.

I had the opposite happen. I think I became a viking. Cold bothers me much less than ever before. I didn't even get my winter coat out of the back of the closet until daytime highs were below 10F. If it's above 40, I drive with the window down. Above 50 and I'm running in shorts and a tank.

flashesbuck

Every time I weigh myself I flick the thing on the scale to the right... Now I have to move it back to the left instead of more to the right!

dunnodunno

Bump!

Barbara48

bump

Dark_Roast

Now I'm a cheap drunk. It only takes one or two glasses of wine to make me tipsy, where I could drink three before and be fine.

lpherman01

There are way too many great things that have happened since I lost 60 lbs, but the most unexpected is that at 58 I don't hurt anymore. I was 250~260 for about 12 years and it was taking it's toll. Now I get out of bed and nothing hurts. I can walk forever, run 6 miles or cycle 50 miles and nothing hurts. I feel like I'm 30 again. Simply amazing.

StheK

Bump

xortion

Deffo feel the cold more. Can't balance a dinner plate on my stomach and my lower regions got bigger ha

LemonJADE

Reading all of these make me feel much more motivated! I cannot wait to fit into my smaller clothes again and get a bit more attention like I used to!

FeatherBoBeather

since no guys have said it. apparently every 30-40lbs you lose youre little soldier is said to gain an inch.

now, im not sure cause i dont have two yardsticks to properly measure but.....

:laugh:

FeatherBoBeather

Now I'm a cheap drunk. It only takes one or two glasses of wine to make me tipsy, where I could drink three before and be fine.

Mee toooo lol.. It's pretty awesome, my bar tabs have gone wayyyy way down xD :embarassed:

xortion

Now I'm a cheap drunk. It only takes one or two glasses of wine to make me tipsy, where I could drink three before and be fine.

Mee toooo lol.. It's pretty awesome, my bar tabs have gone wayyyy way down xD :embarassed:

Lol

schmern2

I noticed that, when in a large crowd of people, when I weighed more people parted like the Red Sea. Now they just plow into me I guess that's good!

juliedor

Everyone has been so supportive and complimentary except one friend who seemed to take my loss as a personal challenge
to her. We are really not comfortable together now, I am not going to apologise for my hard work.(I lost 22kg before joining MFP)
Anyway life changes and mostly for the better.

AZpetunia

Generally even more true for women.