What is the biggest unexpected surprise after losing weight?

MelsAuntie

The increased strength and stamina.

greenmonstergirl

Since 2009, I've lost 80 lbs, but I've just recently started to notice certain changes, since I'm pretty much the smallest I've ever been. One that I noticed over the last couple of days (and I was actually thinking about it this morning) is that I actually feel my height now. I'm fairly short at 5'4", but I've never felt short. I guess my extra girth made me feel like I had increased stature, but I work with a bunch of guys who are 6'+ and we do a lot of heavy lifting. It's really put in perspective for me just how small I am. And the more weight I lose, the smaller I feel. I feel like Alice drinking the shrinking potion sometimes. Lol

I can completely relate! I am also 5'4 and my crossfit coach told me when I started crossfit that once we get the weight off I am going to be such a little person, well I am now almost 45lbs (20K) down and I really do feel smaller in height! Now I think it is time to use my tiny stature to my advantage and find some nice looking gents to help me reach things! I have also noticed I have a new appreciation for my legs and the muscle in my thighs. However, the hardest thing for me is knowing that I have dropped almost 45lbs (20K) and people still see me as heavy. For every amazing positive comment I get, like the one I got from my coach yesterday about disappearing, I get one just as negative, like the one I got from a friend telling me that Bigger Women are nicer so not to worry if I can't be thin. It is a roller coaster I have a hard time riding, but this is my journey and I refuse to quit!

THIS^^^

I've lost 53 pounds, I don't think I look like I've lost that much, blows my mind, some people have given great compliments and others don't seem to notice....along with being 5'1", I feel shorter now and I know as I losse the next 47, I will feel tiny once it's all off.

martysa

People are way nicer to you when you're more attractive.
Kind of sad... but flattering

dunnodunno

Bump.

dunnodunno

Bump.

mrshoneydew

People are way nicer to you when you're more attractive.
Kind of sad... but flattering

I've noticed this too. I feel like people go more out of their way to help me than they did before, men usually, but even women seem nicer to me when I walk into stores.
I used to go shopping and always felt self conscious like the shopkeepers were secretly wondering what I was doing in a store that doesn't sell plus size clothing.

wlaura88

I didn't realize how big I really looked until I saw how shocked people looked who hadn't seen me in a while. Also, I am starting to annoy my boyfriend and family because I constantly talk about food lol.

timg760

Since 2009, I've lost 80 lbs, but I've just recently started to notice certain changes, since I'm pretty much the smallest I've ever been. One that I noticed over the last couple of days (and I was actually thinking about it this morning) is that I actually feel my height now. I'm fairly short at 5'4", but I've never felt short. I guess my extra girth made me feel like I had increased stature, but I work with a bunch of guys who are 6'+ and we do a lot of heavy lifting. It's really put in perspective for me just how small I am. And the more weight I lose, the smaller I feel. I feel like Alice drinking the shrinking potion sometimes. Lol

I can completely relate! I am also 5'4 and my crossfit coach told me when I started crossfit that once we get the weight off I am going to be such a little person, well I am now almost 45lbs (20K) down and I really do feel smaller in height! Now I think it is time to use my tiny stature to my advantage and find some nice looking gents to help me reach things! I have also noticed I have a new appreciation for my legs and the muscle in my thighs. However, the hardest thing for me is knowing that I have dropped almost 45lbs (20K) and people still see me as heavy. For every amazing positive comment I get, like the one I got from my coach yesterday about disappearing, I get one just as negative, like the one I got from a friend telling me that Bigger Women are nicer so not to worry if I can't be thin. It is a roller coaster I have a hard time riding, but this is my journey and I refuse to quit!

THIS^^^

I've lost 53 pounds, I don't think I look like I've lost that much, blows my mind, some people have given great compliments and others don't seem to notice....along with being 5'1", I feel shorter now and I know as I losse the next 47, I will feel tiny once it's all off.

on the contrary... these accomplishments should make you feel like GIANTS.

kitsiekitty

I didn't realize how big I really looked until I saw how shocked people looked who hadn't seen me in a while. Also, I am starting to annoy my boyfriend and family because I constantly talk about food lol.

OMG YES. I'm always obsessing over food.

die2fat4love

I am most surprised that I don’t feel better about me..I thought that being less huge would have made me feel pretty or something. Surprise! Still feel the same about me...there is just less of me to feel that way about.

EddieHaskell97

I didn't realize how big I really looked until I saw how shocked people looked who hadn't seen me in a while. Also, I am starting to annoy my boyfriend and family because I constantly talk about food lol.

OMG YES. I'm always obsessing over food.

I too am guilty of this! I am obsessed with food.

What's worse is that I'm becoming obnoxious at home. I am on a modified South Beach diet, so when I see people eating sugar and carbs I can be a little... preachy.

I am noticing increased energy, ease of movement, and that I can really RUN again. But my absolute favorite thing to notice is when I put on a pair of "new" pants that have never been worn, only to realize I bought them two years ago and couldn't fit into them then. That is when it's all worth it!

tc41586

Bump. Great thread!!!

themommie

I find I get cold easily,
I am a lot happier and more confident, before i wanted to stay home all the time now I am constantly planning things and going places
There is a lot more room in chairs, booths,
My butt hurts after sitting for a few minutes
I have my life back before I sat or layed all the time, now I am busy

nlryans

I just started using this MFP app again. It's been more than a year now and I'm gaining some weight back. I had lost over 20# and now I'm back up by 9#. I noticed my clothes are getting too tight despite working out most days of the week. Eating out at restaurants this summer has packed on some pounds and it has got to stop. I will use this app to keep track before I end up over 200# again!

nlryans

I just figured out how to put the ticker on showing my weight loss. I hope it works now.

jwool40

I am most suprised at the fact that none of my shoes fit anymore, all way too big. Crossing my legs has become something I love to do as it is now SO much easier. I am most suprised at the reaction my husband has had, he still makes comments about bones that he didn't remember me having when we met 20 years ago......I tell him thats because I didn't!

DancesWithBirds

I never realized how overweight I was and I felt fine with myself, but now that I've lost weight I'm more critical of my body than I used to be. And since I gained most of my weight over my first pregnancy, I've found that even though I've arrived at my pre-pregnancy weight my body is different. The abdominal fat that I have leftover is hanging from the loose skin around my belly and it affects how I look in clothes and how things fit as well as my self-confidence. That part sucks, but I'm working on it.

BUT...

-My skin is clearer than ever before. I don't break out as badly as I used to, nor as frequently.
-I can't get over what my arms feel like now that I have muscle. Or my legs. Or my glutes.
-I am managing my anxiety and depression better without meds now than I was before. I still have my moments, but they are manageable and I don't get overwhelmed quite like I used to.
-I don't get winded easily anymore unless I'm doing heavy exercise.
-I was noticing the other night that it's harder to lay on a hard surface (like the floor) because of the pressure on my ribs and hips, which have less fat around them.

Koldnomore

There are a lot of negatives for me, almost more than there are positives BUT I am in a much better place health wise than I was 60 lbs ago and for that I am glad. I was always a confident person so that hasn't changed though I do find I'm getting a little more vain than I like sometimes..

I find that the extra 'attention' and 'solicitous' behavior from others is affecting my ability to do my job in that clients (especially males) are even more unwilling to accept technical experience when the woman is better looking / thinner etc.. When I was bigger I didn't have guys falling over themselves to help me which suited me fine and allowed me to do what I needed and gtfo..now they just get in my way and its annoying as *uck.

The extra 'bones' that have been uncovered by my shrinking skin now make it even more impossible to find a comfortable position for sleeping - I have never slept well and these days it's just gotten worse.

I was always ample in the top but I was always able to find clothing that would fit reasonably well at the plus size stores. Now my boobs have gone from a reasonably difficult to find but still fairly available 40DDD to an IMPOSSIBLE and forget it unless you want to pay $$$ in a special store 36DDD.. The plus stores don't start until 38 and the normal stores stop at DD. Making it also impossible to find a one piece dress to fit properly in the top and not hang like a circus tent off my STILL non-existent butt, also making it practically impossible to find any top which fits right for the same reason.. I have more pain in my back, hips and knees than ever..probably cause my boobs hardly shrank I hope the next 30 lbs takes some boob - WTB DD plx!

On a positive note: I no longer feel squished when someone sits next to me on the bus

mommyalma

way to go girl I love to see how happy we can be after we loss so much! so I wont to thank you for this it help me to better me, Alma

davidco42

How much better I felt in general, not just being more fit, but so many other things - my knees don't hurt anymore, my back doesn't hurt, it's so much easier to do so many little things (mowing the lawn) that I never thought would be affected.

I also haven't gotten sick lately, prob thanks to better nutrition and exercise. I feel better about myself, so I carry myself with more confidence.

My favorite surprise is probably that I'm never worried about fitting into any clothes anymore. If I bought it, at any time, I will fit into it, because I'm no longer gaining weight.

The bad surprise? Probably negative people, though there haven't been many. Also, the cost of buying new clothes, but if you wait for sales you can get really nice stuff at normal prices.