How did losing weight impact your social life?

bluedelrey55
bluedelrey55 Posts: 21 Member
edited November 23 in Success Stories
Comment you stories!
«1

Replies

  • elos18
    elos18 Posts: 38 Member
    I might not be qualified to say much here but I've lost 13lbs in 60 days and it hasn't impacted my social life at all! Me and the boyf love to go out to eat, as do our friends and families and we are also partial to a takeaway. I've had anything I've wanted. I even had a big night out (very rare for me) that started with a 2 course meal out and a meal out the following day and lost 2lbs!

    If I want it, I have it. I will eat less during the day/day before if I know I'm going out or getting a takeaway but if I'm hungry, I eat. I don't want to feel like I'm missing out (which I would) to lose weight so I'm happy with the balance I've got :)
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Yeah...losing weight has had its pros and cons. I am still trying to sort through it all. I have lost 104lbs in the last 3 years...I am now at 146lbs, 5'7.

    I feel way more confident when I do go out. Before I started losing weight (and a primary reason as to why I wanted to lose weight) I had some serious social anxiety...which I knew boiled down to my insecurities with my weight and appearance. I often did not go out anywhere out of fear of seeing someone I knew...I just never felt comfortable. In summers, I would often be wearing winter clothing to attempt to cover up.

    However...since losing weight, I still do not go out often. Mainly - bars/parties/dances. I basically do not drink alcohol at all now. I feel like it impacts my weight loss with the calories, and then the hang over is not worth it. I just have fallen out of the party scene. This is a conscious decision though...not because I feel uncomfortable in public.

    Generally, I feel I talk more, I walk taller, I am more social with strangers. I look straight a head instead of at the ground. So over all - it was worth it. :)
  • JessiBelleW
    JessiBelleW Posts: 836 Member
    I don't think my weight loss has impacted my social life at all. I'm reasonably social, going for dinner, coffee or drinks probably twice a week or so. I still go twice a week or so now I'm lighter. I only went dancing /clubbing very occasionally (as the late nights make me tired and steal recovery time), I still only go occasionally I just look way more foxy when I do!

    Now I'm probably more reserved when i go out as I can't fit as many drink in my tum or want to work out the next morning so drink less
  • badgamer1967
    badgamer1967 Posts: 2 Member
    I lost just over 60kg, as for changes to my social life? well I have much better clothes, more confident but still shy in social situations. For me weight loss had zero change to my social life, but that's just my experience not to say others might have different outcomes.
  • Karen_can_do_this
    Karen_can_do_this Posts: 1,150 Member
    A (now ex) friend has been selling those stupid "it works" wraps for years. She now has the sh!ts with me because I won't let her use my before and after pictures to sell her stupid wraps.
    But aside from that my real friends have all been pretty cool about the whole thing
  • mcclelland0484
    mcclelland0484 Posts: 55 Member
    mrsfitzyv8 wrote: »
    A (now ex) friend has been selling those stupid "it works" wraps for years. She now has the sh!ts with me because I won't let her use my before and after pictures to sell her stupid wraps.
    But aside from that my real friends have all been pretty cool about the whole thing

    I have had the same issue. I have several friends selling crap on face book. Ranging from wraps to diet pills. Advocare, Herbal Life ...blah, blah blah. I even had one friend block me and then use my image without my consent. I lost 130 total lbs, myself. With a little help from MFP.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    While I have gone from a 44 waist to size 38 after I stopped eating foods containing sugars and or grains the magic came as doing so managed my pain well without meds. Not being in chronic pain or on pain meds means I am am not as Junk Yard Dog mean as before. :)

    It has helped the family emotionally that I am not doing the 'suicide by food' thing any longer and that I do not need help getting in and out of cars, movie seats, etc.
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 688 Member
    I probably still go out about as much as before even though it makes weight loss a bit harder, because I don't like the idea of avoiding plans just to eat healthily. I try to limit my drinking in that every single happy hour or night out doesn't need to involve drinking my weight in beer. In theory.
  • SaraSinsation
    SaraSinsation Posts: 15 Member
    I've lost 91 lbs since February and all that's changed is I order my food differently. I actually pay attention to trying to get the freshest thing on the menu, and if it comes with a breadstick or something, I give it away. If we are going out for a night out, I order drinks with low calories. And as far as confidence goes, I'm dressing a little classier than I used to because I have more options available to me, and I feel less as if I'm going to fall flat on my face in embarrassment.
  • SerenaFisher
    SerenaFisher Posts: 2,170 Member
    I have ranged from 122-165lbs since the age of 20. I find when I am around 145-150 I am a lot more accepted by women and I often get heavier women saying stuff like, "Well I want to be thinner, but not too thin...Like Serena's size." When I was a lower weight I was often told to eat, had negative comments about my size, and when I would only eat half portions out for meals or drink less or low calorie drinks I would be asked, "Why do you drink diet you're skinny enough already!" I find when I am around the weight I am now 5'8.75" 138lbs I get mixed reviews, at my ultimate goal 128lbs I have a lot of negativity when I choose less calories, or do not eat as much as others. Ironically at a higher weight when I drink diet drinks, or eat less no one makes comments.

    Aside from the mixture of attitudes towards my choices everything else is the same. I do not have more or less compliments from the opposite sex, just different types of people or perhaps more noticing at certain weights. I have been with the same person for 10 years and we're getting married so my life has pretty much been the same...But the comments definitely are dictated by weight.
  • 2bfit_2015
    2bfit_2015 Posts: 42 Member
    edited September 2015
    I've lost 56 lbs so far and still have another 50 ish lbs to lose. I started out at 230 and my friends hadn't seen me below anything except 230 so they have always known me as the big girl. I started my journey out in secret and after I lost the first initial 20 lbs that's when they all started to notice some change in me. The 20 I initially lost turned into -30, -40, -50 and Now I constantly get bombarded with questions about weight loss and exercise whereas before not so much. although it's nice to feel like you accomplished something and you want to share it with others it also at times feels like rivalry between friends when most of them too want/need to lose weight. I can almost sense envy when I'm in the group now and sometimes it makes me feel really awkward. I hate being the center of attention especially when the topic turns into a pep talk about how they think I exercise too much or I eat too little or or or you name it, I've heard it lol
    I don't know, at this point I'm just focusing on myself and my life. I know I have at least another 5-7 months to lose the rest of the weight, so I'm going to need to worry more about myself then what others think. I'm not even out of the overweight category yet so I still have another 25 lbs just to be considered "healthy" and personally I just don't have the energy to care about my social life or what my friends think of my weight loss. my health is on the line So let them or anyone else think what they like. I have better things to put my energy in.

    On the other hand my relationship with my husband has improved remarkably since I lost the weight and I think most of it had to do with the huge jump in self confidence. I'm overall really happy with my life and my body.
  • pineapple_peach10
    pineapple_peach10 Posts: 239 Member
    My fiancé and I used to eat out a lot more. We also used to have way more "Netflix and junk food" nights.

    Now we try to do more active things like walks and things like that.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    Well, my social life didn't really increase in that I met and socialized with a lot more people. but my husband and I (he lost 140 and I lost 123) do go out together a lot more often. We have Friday night date night every week. We go out for a nice dinner, and then we usually go out for dancing and drinks.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    No social life before, no social life after.
  • Domineer
    Domineer Posts: 239 Member
    I would say it has made my social life much better. I feel 10 years younger, even though I am in better shape than I was 10 years ago. I am a lot more confident with my body and the way I see myself in the mirror. I like going out to be seen. It is not just about weight but having more disposable income is a big factor too. It is hard to go out when you don't have the funds lol.
  • tkphotogirl
    tkphotogirl Posts: 245 Member
    I don't hide in corners as much, and I definitely dance more.
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
    I have a couple of "standing dates" once a month with the college roomies and once a month with a BF from high school. both of those events changed for me...at first wanting to make good choices but not necessarily admit I was counting calories (started in January). Now, I just pre plan as much as possible and have what I want but track it. Now that I am down a noticeable amount, it is out in the open that I am losing....like others have said, with success comes confidence that you can order what you want and still have success!
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
    People treat me very differently than when I was overweight. I get a lot of attention from both sexes. Mostly positive, but some guys see me as a threat. Some women are intimidated. I have people come up to me all the time asking for workout suggestions. Of course I often get the question on whether I'm "enhanced". Total strangers reach out to touch me without asking. Women seem to have no trouble touching both my chest and my butt. If I did that to them I'd get slapped. Because I'm on special diets all the time and very seldom drink, my significant other doesn't always support my lifestyle as she is a very social person and likes to party. I can do things that others find dangerous or too physically taxing with ease. People think I'm in my mid 30s when actually I turn 50 in a few months. Everything in my life is different because I decided to transform...Everything.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited September 2015
    I met and married my husband when I was 15-20 pounds heavier. He might have liked things a little better that way because I was in my range of healthy weight and I was more fun to eat with. But he only complains a little bit about my diet, and he started exercising and going to the gym because I was doing it.

    The main impact on my social life is that people talk about how fit I am. My lifestyle was always very active anyway, and it still is, so it wasn't as if I had heavy drinking or major overeating to give up.
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
    Weightloss has definitely impacted my social life. Weekends that used to be spent hanging out with large groups of friends drinking tons of beer and dancing at the bar has changed to weekends hiking and biking and having a glass or two of wine at an outdoor bar when the weather is perfect. Do I tend to go out less? Yes. Have some of my friendships with people who enjoy that partying lifestyle faded? Yes. Have I built new friendships with people who lead a more healthy/fitness based lifestyle? Also yes. Though I sometimes miss those fun partying nights the way my body and mind feels now is well worth the change and I wouldn't go back to my old social life if someone paid me.
  • barefootbeauty
    barefootbeauty Posts: 188 Member
    The biggest change for me is that now I want to go out and DO something. Not just sit on a bar stool and drink. I want to take a dance class and then have a glass of wine afterwards. My tolerance is lower. My confidence is way up and my social anxiety is gone. I use to avoid doing the things that intrigued me like rock climbing because I didn't want to be the fat girl on the wall. That doesn't happen anymore.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I'm an introvert. Meh. But I do different things now. I've done Karaoke for the first time in my life. I go on fun runs. I trek around my neighbourhood and take walks with my hubby to the local Tim Horton's. There are some great people who cheer me on and a few odd ducks who do their best to suck in their resentment. My old pastor asked me if I was "fasting". I think that was an attempt at a joke. I told him I'm running which just confused the heck out of him.
  • bmele0
    bmele0 Posts: 282 Member
    I was somewhat social before, I can be extroverted and introverted. But the main thing that losing 115 lbs has done for me is give me energy and more body confidence. So, now I go out more and do fun things because I just have more energy!
  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
    I'm at 99 pounds down. It really hasn't impacted my social life at all. It could be due to my age and the fact that my social life really revolves around my son and his activities. I don't typically go to bars/clubs/parties any more and haven't in many years and I really didn't enjoy that all that much when I did go. It has made a positive difference in my confidence though and I enjoy going to social engagements more.
  • Azuriaz
    Azuriaz Posts: 785 Member
    Not nearly enough yet. Working on it!
  • lauries8888
    lauries8888 Posts: 70 Member
    A random man in a store flirted with me -- for the first time in years and years. Maybe it was the weight loss or maybe the increased self confidence as a result of the weight loss but it felt great!
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    It made it harder. I don't enjoy eating out as much any more because I have guilt that I never had before. Even when I'm in my calorie goals I just think about how much I could have had. That being said I did fall in love with Sky Zone and I'm not sure I would have been able to handle as much of it before I lost weight.
  • lexiJ95
    lexiJ95 Posts: 22 Member
    Absolutely! I've lost 22# over about 2 months and my social life has gone through the roof! I'm not nearly as embarrassed to go out, talk someone up, or make conversation with a stranger. My self confidence is through the roof after losing just 20#. Weight loss can be life changing!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Mine hasn't changed. I'm a social introvert and that's reflected in how little I go out, go to parties, how long I stay at parties, etc. My husband is an introvert as well so neither of us pushes the other to do much in the way of socializing.

    I probably smile and make eye contact with strangers more now but haven't noticed anybody paying any more (or less) attention to me than they did in the past.
  • fletwock
    fletwock Posts: 5 Member
    Work has become harder for me. I work primarily with females and after I lost the first 30 pounds they immediately began commenting on my clearer skin, how thin I looked, and how much energy I had. They were all excited at first but now that I'm trying to work off this last 20 pounds (which will put me at roughly 115ish on my 5'2" frame) they are VERY hostile. The company I work for has quite a few employee lunches and every time someone has a birthday they are expected to bring treats of some sort. If someone catches me partaking in the goodies I immediately get: "Can you even eat? How many calories are in that? Aren't you going to have to run for, like, three hours just to burn that off?" It offended me at first but now I just shrug, smile sweetly, and say, "I don't know how many calories are in this but *takes a huge bite and continues with a full mouth* it's freakin' delicious!" More often than not this shuts them up. Lol.

    My roommate also has become increasingly hostile because my weight loss journey coincided with her doctor telling her she was pre-diabetic and needed to lose weight. Now that I've lost weight she constantly talks about it in a negative tone and relentlessly grills me on how many calories are in each item she sees me eat. When I plateaued she saw me eat breakfast and pack my lunch and dinner for work (the sum of which was below 1100 calories) and quickly remarked "WOW. You sure do eat a lot, huh?" I did try to get her on the MFP site, spent hours setting up her profile, and politely explaining everything to her but she gave up the next morning because "that site is too hard to use."

    The good out of all of this is that I am more apt to play with my son now (which he loves) and my husband takes great pleasure in picking me up. People can hate all they want but making my boys happy is all that matters to me.
This discussion has been closed.
Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!