What nobody tells you about losing weight
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Thanks so much for posting, everyone! Four months in to my journey, I'm working on staying motivated, and this is really helpful.
My list so far:- After losing the first 19 pounds, I'm still in the same clothes size, but my SHOES and bras fit differently. (?!?!?!?!) Weird!
- Apparently I enjoy fresh fruits and veggies more than I think I will, and that I enjoy "junk" food less than I think I will
- I have to trust the process and know that If I keep making healthy choices, I WILL see progress eventually, no matter what the scale might say day to day. Fluctuations are frustrating, but they are temporary, if I just stay the course. (I'm still working on this one!)
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Prior to last few months, I had very little self-confidence about my appearance. I didn't like the way my body looked or how fat my face was. I lacked the willpower/self-control/determination to change what I didn't like, and that is something I really didn't like about myself.
At present, I feel the complete opposite about all those things. I haven't reached goal yet, but I've made noticeable progress and am liking what I see when I look in the mirror. And more importantly, I love the way I feel now. Not necessarily because of how I look, but because of how strong I feel my mind is now. I feel in complete control over those things that I was too weak to control back then. I feel so very proud of myself. I feel like I walk with my head up and shoulders back now, because that's what you do when you feel good about yourself.
But strangely, I feel somewhat guilty about how good I feel. Someone I consider to be a friend actually commented that I walked different now, that I looked like I had more confidence. I guess I don't want it to come off as conceit, because that's not who I am. And maybe I feel a little embarrassed that someone noticed that, at one point, I did lack self-confidence.
I know I should fully embrace this new version of me because I've earned the right to feel good about myself, but it's definitely going to take some time. I definitely wasn't expecting that.34 -
How uneven weight loss can be on your body. I can see the individual muscles working in my shoulders and my legs are jacked from all my squats, but still so soft around my middle and torso. Of the 40lbs I've lost it's like 25 of that was in my legs and *kitten* alone.
I realize intellectually fat comes off in layers like an onion (or Ogre) I guess I just didn't realize how thick the layers were around my torso compared to other places.27 -
soufauxgirl wrote: »AmusedToaster wrote: »People knowingly or unknowingly try to encourage you to do something less healthy.
I had to wash out and then replace my water bottle (I am using a 2.5 liter pop bottle) because I took a drink and noticed what looked like little specks of dirt in the water. I went downstairs to the kitchen to fill up another one and explained what was going on and was told that I had plenty of pop in the fridge and why not drink that instead?
Same person to who told me to take a whole large bag of peanut butter M&Ms and peanut butter cookies upstairs with me so I would have them nearby. Yeah, they aren't nearby for a reason!
Oh yes the enablers/discouragers/haters/checker uppers lol
One of my workmates came in to my office yesterday and did a dramatic gasp and said oh how was Maccas? (Mcdonalds) and I went huh? She pointed at my half eaten yoghurt cup and said "there you have their sundae" lol. I nicely said "you should know by now thats not me anymore it's actually strawberry yoghurt that I bought at a Cafe". She actually looked quite disappointed as if she is waiting for me to "fail" or something (yes she is very overweight). Same person said I will have to start toning up soon lol....some people are priceless
Now she knows that a yogurt cup and a sundae container do not look the same at all. Plus, so what if you did decide to have McDonald's sundae? As long as it fit in your calorie goals for the day, there's no issue.23 -
mazarasltm wrote: »Having my boss tell me its time to buy new clothes.
After waiting years for a personalized lead apron, a few months later the belt tighten is now too long (i was last in dept to get one). It dont fit (cant be tightened enough). Now I fit in all the regular ones. I can fit into my bosses leads.. WTF
My boss said "oh you've lost a lot of weight you need new shirts" and got me some in a size 14! I was like oh these won't fit (I was wearing an 18)
And they did!!!!23 -
That your success may NOT inspire any of your loved ones. Even though your success SHOWS you know how to do it, they don't even want to start on the process. Even though my husband just had to buy BIGGER shorts. It didn't click for him that he really needs to lose weight. Daughter is still in denial. Thinks a thigh gap (I have one) is gross and her thick thighs (shockingly thick but I don't tell her that. She's a teen and I don't want to completely body-shame her) are better. I dropped from 147 lbs to between 115 and 116 generally. I got back into all my size 6 clothes and then some. I put on formal dresses I could not zip before. But it has not inspired my family at all.21
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-take out pizza now gives me bad heartburn
-i constantly think "i need to get a new yoga mat" because I'm bonier now and pilates hurts my spine/hipbones
-along the same vein, my seatbelt sometimes hurts on my collarbone
-constantly sending progress pics to friends asking if they see any differences just in case there are some that you haven't noticed12 -
That your success may NOT inspire any of your loved ones. Even though your success SHOWS you know how to do it, they don't even want to start on the process. Even though my husband just had to buy BIGGER shorts. It didn't click for him that he really needs to lose weight. Daughter is still in denial. Thinks a thigh gap (I have one) is gross and her thick thighs (shockingly thick but I don't tell her that. She's a teen and I don't want to completely body-shame her) are better. I dropped from 147 lbs to between 115 and 116 generally. I got back into all my size 6 clothes and then some. I put on formal dresses I could not zip before. But it has not inspired my family at all.
@GabinkaP My family comments on how good I look and how healthily I eat, as they order pizza from Dominos or whatever. For the past 6 months I've been making this effort, and nobody else has wanted to change. Just this weekend though, my parents bought fruit and cut it up and prepared it for the week, and everyone was interested in partaking. My dad tried to eat pretty clean when we went out this weekend (quietly, he didn;t say anything about it), and my mom has started going back to Weight Watchers, which I personally think is a waste of money, but if that's what she needs to do to get healthier, I'm all for it. And my brother has recently started running and has asked to join me at the 5k's I've signed up for. These are all very recent changes. So it may not seem like it, but people are noticing and it might just take a while for them to come around. But I know it's entirely possible that they just wont change at all.21 -
Yep! Without fail, a week in to starting a calorie deficit diet, I have food dreams. And it always makes me freak out when I wake up. I have dreams actually eating them and enjoying the food. I wake up, scared, and then a feeling of relief and satisfaction. I "feel" like I ate them and gain pleasure from that feeling, but I didn't. So weird.So is anyone else having food dreams? I guess I would've thought that back in the day when I was eating whatever and whenever I would have dreamt about food more. But now because I need to plan more (a good thing) I find myself dreaming about food! Occasionally I wake up with a panicky feeling that I just ate something that blew my calories out for the week!! WTH?
I just think it is strange. I feel more IN control now but my dreams feel more out of control.
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jessmessmfp wrote: »Yep! Without fail, a week in to starting a calorie deficit diet, I have food dreams. And it always makes me freak out when I wake up. I have dreams actually eating them and enjoying the food. I wake up, scared, and then a feeling of relief and satisfaction. I "feel" like I ate them and gain pleasure from that feeling, but I didn't. So weird.So is anyone else having food dreams? I guess I would've thought that back in the day when I was eating whatever and whenever I would have dreamt about food more. But now because I need to plan more (a good thing) I find myself dreaming about food! Occasionally I wake up with a panicky feeling that I just ate something that blew my calories out for the week!! WTH?
I just think it is strange. I feel more IN control now but my dreams feel more out of control.
I'm the opposite. I had a dream about my scale a few days ago. I would step on it, and it would be clearly 20 pounds too heavy, and then I would step on it again to re-calibrate it and then it would be 15 pounds too lite. So I kept trying to move it a little to a more level surface and it kept going back and forth between to high a number and too low of a number. My dream self was so frustrated b/c I would look in the mirror and see my current body and think why won't you just reflect the right number, lol.6 -
Going to another country and realising sizing is different - but more than expected. I got looked up and down when I said I was a medium in France and told to try a large (I'm a small!) but she was right. I'm a French large, I can't imagine what a French small looks like!
New people (I have a new job) who haven't seen you fat will think you are a crazy diet exercise freak for not eating biscuits or saying you spent another evening running!24 -
Now that I am not in XL or 1X anymore, I am not wrestling to keep clothes on their hangers in the closet. I just didn't realize that the tendency of many of my tops to slip off their hangers had to do with their size. I guess the neck hole is much smaller in my current size. I can now snip off the rubbery straps that are added to help clothes stay put. I hated when they would slip out my armhole!25
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I pray for many reasons, but, to keep my focus off a vain outlook towards my fitness and nutrition is a clean habit.6
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That people would randomly comment on you losing weight but not congratulate you on it, incl my grandma
they put it down to many reasons...baby crawling, going for stroller walks, but don't ask me how-my opinion is lots of hard work- better food choices with daily logging and excercise where I sweat! 13 -
That your success may NOT inspire any of your loved ones. Even though your success SHOWS you know how to do it, they don't even want to start on the process. Even though my husband just had to buy BIGGER shorts. It didn't click for him that he really needs to lose weight. Daughter is still in denial. Thinks a thigh gap (I have one) is gross and her thick thighs (shockingly thick but I don't tell her that. She's a teen and I don't want to completely body-shame her) are better. I dropped from 147 lbs to between 115 and 116 generally. I got back into all my size 6 clothes and then some. I put on formal dresses I could not zip before. But it has not inspired my family at all.
There has been mixed reactions with my family. My very overweight hubby is trying to find his mojo and eats the same foods as me but in huge quantities and snacks way too much so he isn't ready to get serious yet, although it frustrates me. But in saying that he is our main chef and cooks me some delicious healthy meals...go figure.
My 12 year old on the other hand loves fruit (I call her my little fruit fly hehe) and she eats mostly what I do, and she has lost 5kg, she looks so good and healthy, and although she screws up her nose when I compliment her I know she secretly is pleased lol.19 -
How I am secretly so annoyed at my husband for losing more than me. We are both eating low cal/low carb and he is losing twice as fast as I am and is allowed more calories. I know this is normal, and although I tell him how proud I am of him, I am secretly annoyed that it is so much easier for him than it is for me.43
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ladybuggnorris wrote: »How I am secretly so annoyed at my husband for losing more than me. We are both eating low cal/low carb and he is losing twice as fast as I am and is allowed more calories. I know this is normal, and although I tell him how proud I am of him, I am secretly annoyed that it is so much easier for him than it is for me.
My wife feels same way. Wont say though.
Its based on BMR. Basal MetAbolic Rate. My Calorie Target is her BMR. My portion are small. Therefore her Target and portions are ...
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berolcolour wrote: »Going to another country and realising sizing is different - but more than expected. I got looked up and down when I said I was a medium in France and told to try a large (I'm a small!) but she was right. I'm a French large, I can't imagine what a French small looks like!
New people (I have a new job) who haven't seen you fat will think you are a crazy diet exercise freak for not eating biscuits or saying you spent another evening running!
LOL, is it crazy that my current work environment is toxic and I really should move on, but one of the reasons I dont want to is actually wanting to be at least 30 more lbs down so I'm not in the obese category anymore?10 -
-That everything in your closet finally fits again and its like walking into Kohls and you can't stop humming.20
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This may be a bit TMI - that your sex drive would, literally, go into overdrive. I cannot keep my hands off my husband (not that he's objecting, YET).19
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That when you are losing inches and weight it looks and feels like you are doing a lot better than you are even though you have a long ways to go yet. Then you as you are taking a progress pic you can see just how much you have to go yet and it is a little shocking and embarrassing to see.29
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That you will suddenly be seen as an authority on how to adopt a healthy lifestyle by friends and relatives...who saw you obese for years and know your struggle with weight is real.
That smaller sizes like British size 12 or lower (American size 8 and lower)has fewer takers, and are therefore in abundance at the clearance rails.
This has translated into the fact that being a smaller size actually cuts gazillions off the cost of dressing well.
I go into clothes stores and see racks and racks of clothes my size, marked down ridiculous amounts.
skirts from £49.99 to £2.50
dresses £79.99 to £6.99 sometimes even lower.
Everyday I am so grateful that I never gave up. So many times over the years I wanted to quit. I believed that there was something about me that made it impossible to stay a healthy weight.
Only to stumble upon the realisation that unless in very very moderate, amounts..any type of carbs unless from leafy greens and cruciferous veg make me insanely and uncontrollably hungry.32 -
IcanIwill1 wrote: »Only to stumble upon the realisation that unless in very very moderate, amounts..any type of carbs unless from leafy greens and cruciferous veg make me insanely and uncontrollably hungry.
YES!! Exactly this!7 -
MudstainSally wrote: »berolcolour wrote: »Going to another country and realising sizing is different - but more than expected. I got looked up and down when I said I was a medium in France and told to try a large (I'm a small!) but she was right. I'm a French large, I can't imagine what a French small looks like!
New people (I have a new job) who haven't seen you fat will think you are a crazy diet exercise freak for not eating biscuits or saying you spent another evening running!
LOL, is it crazy that my current work environment is toxic and I really should move on, but one of the reasons I dont want to is actually wanting to be at least 30 more lbs down so I'm not in the obese category anymore?
When I had to job hunt, I was in the 270+ range and it added a whole scary dimension to the interview process. However, if your workplace is toxic, RUN, don't walk, to the want ads and put yourself out there. The right place is out there and you'll feel soooo much better when you're there rather than here. A great resume, cover letter and interview clothes will make up for what we see we "lack" in the appearance dept. I got hired at 275# - obese people work, too. Go get yourself a happy work environment, you more than deserve it!25 -
ladybuggnorris wrote: »How I am secretly so annoyed at my husband for losing more than me. We are both eating low cal/low carb and he is losing twice as fast as I am and is allowed more calories. I know this is normal, and although I tell him how proud I am of him, I am secretly annoyed that it is so much easier for him than it is for me.
Oh boy, do I get it!! Just bear in mind that as women, our bodies are designed for the sole purpose of bearing children. Our hormones won't allow us to lose at the same rate as a man. Sucks, yes, but it's all for a good cause I suppose. Hang in there, don't kill him in his sleep...22 -
When I was heavier people wouldn't dare to call me fat. Now I'm losing weight and people think it's OK to call me a "stick".
They also tend to think I care if they find my body goals "ugly". I'm not doing this to become your sexy coworker, I'm doing this for myself.31 -
That not everyone will look younger the more weight they loose... 18
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AmusedToaster wrote: »That when you are losing inches and weight it looks and feels like you are doing a lot better than you are even though you have a long ways to go yet. Then you as you are taking a progress pic you can see just how much you have to go yet and it is a little shocking and embarrassing to see.
This just happened to me9 -
That my scrawny 3 year old will be eating more calories in a day (crazy growth spurts lately) than I will.18
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-That fitting in a airplane restroom would be such a wonderful experience. I looked left and right and wondered if they redesigned the restrooms.
- That you would inspire people with your own progress.
- Muscles you never knew you had will show up and they will be sore from time to time.
- New friends appear and some old friends disappear.
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