What are your feelings?

For me, I like the feeling of control. I set a goal, and then track my progress towards it. When things are moving in the right direction, it gives me a lot of satisfaction to know that i am able to control that facet of my life. And if I can control that, I can control other things too, like my emotions, my finances, my job etc. etc.

I feel much better and more confident. I have more energy and relish physical challenges. My aim was mostly to get in shape for my family and Im doing that and and went on from my first goal to set myself new goals. I dropped a size in jeans and that was a nice pat on my back as well, good to see. Overall I'd say only positives come from it. Well, except money, eating healthy sadly is expensive (stupidly).

Very good thing to think about. I've actually been thinking about this a lot lately. I look in the mirror and I still see the same overweight person I've always saw. People around me are ooooing and ahhing at my weight loss. I'm in a size 14 for goodness sakes, I haven't been there in 15 years ... yet I still see an out of control person staring back at me. I put photos side by side and I can see the change, but in the mirror ... the vision I see every day ... still looks fat to me.

What I do feel is a since of balance. I noticed the other day that I can stand and put on a pair of pants. In other words I can stand on one foot and put on pants without falling over or loosing my balance. I can run up and down stairs. I climbed over a house size boulder this weekend, the last time I was on that trail I wouldn't even attempt it, I took a huge detour to keep from having to climb it. Since loosing weight I've found a physical balance. I still have as far to go as I have gone, I'm hoping I will achieve the emotional balance as well as the physical balance.

I used to be a size 16, i'm now between a size 6 and a size 8 (UK). I can't tell you how much more confident i feel knowing i can (almost) wear whatever i want and nto worry about how i look in it, just how much lighter and more mobile i feel, how it's so refreshing not to have legs covered in sores because they rub together when i walk!

Goodnamegone,

How do you know that person was joking. They could have been completely serious, which would then make your laughter a bit insensitive.

I agree with those who say they feel better in control. Also, even though I don't have tons of weight to lose, I understand those who say that they still feel like the fat person they used to be. Sometimes it's hard to see/acknowledge your own progress (we're our own worst critics).

For me, once my clothes start fitting better and/or I have to buy new ones, I feel more attractive.

For me, I like the feeling of control. I set a goal, and then track my progress towards it. When things are moving in the right direction, it gives me a lot of satisfaction to know that i am able to control that facet of my life. And if I can control that, I can control other things too, like my emotions, my finances, my job etc. etc.

^^^ This and since I have a 3 yr old son, I need to be able to control SOMETHING! LOL

Satisfaction in reaching a goal is definitely part of it, but after having my son and gaining a ton of weight, I knew I would not be happy with myself unless I did something about it. I never did this for anyone else, I'm doing it for me and those who support me, great! Those who don't... bye bye.

I feel younger, fitter, and stuff hurts less! I had all sorts of aches and pains in my feet, knees and hips, all gone! I can sit on the floor and stand up again without the aid of furniture! I can kneel or squat for ages for example, gardening, doing chores etc. Before I couldn't last 5 minutes. I am walking much quicker. I have more stamina.

I feel like me again!

I used to catch glimpses of myself reflected, for example in shop windows, and I'd cringe, and turn away - I'd dodge my reflection. Now, I look for my reflection because I want to see how great I'm looking! When I piled on the weight, I felt different from the rest of the world, now I feel back in it.

I feel more confident, I want to do things I'd have avoided before, I enjoy things more - just ordinary having-fun things! I used to cringe when my husband came home and said we'd been invited out to social things, Christmas parties, friends' houses, because I knew I'd have a crisis about what to wear, and feel lumpy and frumpy and miserable. Now, I'm desperate to get dressed up and go out! I want any and every excuse to put on my glad rags and go out and party! And I'm happy to detatch myself from the wall and talk to people! I didn't realise how bad it was till the weight was gone! But most of all, I used to hate clothes shopping - I used to pick out things based on the colour first, size second, and never tried stuff on, because it was so miserable. Now I feel so good about myself I love it, I can look at nice clothes and think it's worth trying on, instead of just mentally dismissing it because there's no way it'll fit even if they've got it in my size, and it certainly won't look good.

I feel on top of the world!

I have as much work to do on my mind as on my body. But this is a life long venture... I am getting better on both issues but life is not over...

Goodnamegone,

How do you know that person was joking. They could have been completely serious, which would then make your laughter a bit insensitive.


Oh no, that was serious? I assumed it was a joke it was so negative. Sometimes I make jokes like that. Very sad if it wasn't a joke and also kind of inappropriate. Apologies though if my misinterpretation caused offence.

I feel empowered even after just 12lbs. Not so much because I'm a size smaller in clothes but because of what I can DO now that I couldn't do before (like running) and because I know that *I* did that, I made that decision, made that change. I CHOOSE to eat one half of slice of pizza rather than 3. I choose to go to the gym rather than sit on the couch. I have discovered a mental strength this time around that I never realized I had.

I feel the same about myself at 190 (27 BMI) as I do now at 150 (21 BMI). I've always had pretty high self esteem, I just can do more now. And I wear smaller clothes. And I'm less likely to eat a whole bag of potato chips. Notice I said "less likely"...

I honestly just want to feel pretty again, and be able to wear what ever I want instead of trying to make my fat clothes look good on a fat body... Clothes don't look as good when you go from a small to an xlarge... just saying. And it doesn't matter how much time I spend on my hair, make-up, outfits.. I always look like a fat tub of lazy lard... and I never used to be that way. I'm prior military, I used to pride myself in being able to do 54 push up in 2 minutes, 89 sit-ups in 2 mins, and run 2 miles in 16 min (i'm short so that's fast to me lol). Now, My arms are shaking after 10 push-up... I want to get back to being strong with a tight body...lol

Confidence has been a big thing for me. I feel beautiful sexy and like I CAN dress how I want to and wear heels and makeup - I don't have to hide in baggy clothes and pretend thats "just my style" - I used to tell people that I just wasn't a "girly girl"; didn't 'do' dresses, wear heels or want/need to dress up.

I also feel satisfaction from my success. I've lost weight before but never this much and I've never been able to keep it off. However this time I feel like this is no way back. This is my way of life now and I can keep it up.

Increased fitness also gives a feeling of satisfaction. I'm almost through the C25K programe, I'm doing strength training and have done a few rounds of 30DS. Instead of wobbling after my daughter all sweaty with boobs hardly held in I can now sprint after her down the street with the only issue being my jeans falling down lol.

Happiness though... I don't think I started this journey to find happiness. However, I think the inrease in confidence and self-satisfaction does give an increase in the "can do" attitude to life and given me independance and a willingness to be more outgoing.

Nyk