What nobody tells you about losing weight
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Sorry @got2bjb you will have to go with the 'feel younger' bit. When I was fatter I used to look in the mirror and only see my head and I was quite happy. Recently I looked and, despite being several stone lighter, saw the wrinkles that were now more prominent and felt a bit down. I told my SO that I thought I now looked older than I was and could she tell me something nice about my body to make me feel better. She said "well at least your eyesight is spot on!"27
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Nobody told me I'd have to relearn how I shop for clothes. Finding clothes big enough isn't the main criterium anymore, I can actually judge clothes by design and whether or not they suit me.
Well, I'm starting to be able to now, finally reached the upper end of the non plus sizes. Today I had to restrain myself from buying the first pair of jeans I tried on, just because they fit me, and forced myself to put it back on the shelf and find a pair in the style I actually wanted.
Agree. I've been in more or less maintenance for a year. When I first got to my current weight I bought some very odd outfits. either blowsy and big like I used to wear or silly tight and fitted. Neither style really suits me. It has taken a while but I'm finally settling into a style that I like and suits me. Oh and I have about four pairs of jeans that I never really wear but was just so delighted to find fit me in a regular size.10 -
That you exercise to get energy. Not waiting around for the energy to do it. It’s becoming a good habit for me and I already start looking forward to working out no matter how tired I am because I know good I’m gonna feel.23
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@got2bjb I'm not sure if it's influenced by age, but I'm my experience from losing weight before at 28, your body takes fat from the easiest places for it first, which is really noticeable when it's your face, where looser skin is really easily seen. I have some properly haggard pictures from then including my passport photo
But I did find that six months into maintaining that had sorted itself because I believe your body sort of shifts the remaining fat around after a while to get supplies back in an easy to reach spot. And skin takes time to shrink anyway. So give it time. 13 -
This was so true for me at first but, either I'm now more used to looking at the 'new' me or my body has settled into the new weight and, to me, I look a lot better. A short while ago I was at a wedding and saw someone I hadn't seen for 15 years and they were shocked by 'how much I had turned the clock back' If you're recent to the new weight give it time, keep well hydrated and properly exercised and nourished and you may well find the same. Regardless, huge congrats on the 80lbs - got to be good for your health!I Have lost 80 Lbs Feeling Great! And then.... I noticed it! Losing weight at 50 years old was quite the challenge! What I noticed was my Face. use to look younger than my age. Now, Older! I drink lots of water and do my best for nutrition. Guess U have to sacrifice one for the other. But, Really? Any Ideas? Anyone?
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Have I mentioned the neverending laundry before? Because I'd like to mention it again!
I'm now working out in some form or another six days a week. That's a lotta workout gear to wash...
I am so absolutely thrilled for you! What a great problem to have. I get all my workout clothes at WalMart. . .I know I know some people frown at shopping at WalMart but it works for me. I played sports in college and I personally can't tell the difference between expensive workout brands and what I get at WalMart.
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That my weight loss has a beginning, but it doesn't have an end. I'll never be done. The same habits I am doing today to support my weight loss are ones that I will need to do for the rest of my life. The only difference between weight loss and maintenance are the number of calories you have to play with.
That was a lesson I didn't learn in my last go-arounds. I thought I could just go back to "living my life". This is my life. And that is okay.
You know, it is a life time of work taking care of ourselves, especially if it isn't a habit one is used to doing as in my case. Way to go!!!! I know you are much happier.
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-it's not done in the gym.
-pay attention to trends, not fluctuations.16 -
How rewarding it is to see a graph of your progress!!!
Need motivation? Get a smart scale like WiThings that plots your weight and bodyfat percentage. The WiThings scale in particular is very useful because ***you don't need to open an app to see a graph of your progress***. It tells you right on the scale while you are weighing yourself! See the difference in weight between today and yesterday, which is not even the most useful part, since water weight and the time you ate the previous night could throw things off. It plots the last 5 days on the scale's display so you can see if it is a *real trend* or just an anomaly for that day.7 -
stefgreen72 wrote: »That you exercise to get energy. Not waiting around for the energy to do it. It’s becoming a good habit for me and I already start looking forward to working out no matter how tired I am because I know good I’m gonna feel.
This is so true! Every time I'd tell myself I don't want to exercise, I immediately correct myself and say, "The fact that I don't want to exercise right now, means that I definitely should exercise right now." Afterwards, I always feel better. Never a time I've said, "Oh, I regret doing all that exercise now. I should have stayed in bed on my phone."
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The one thing nobody tells you when you lose weight (coming from a place where I've lost some major weight before and looked like a totally different person), is that you will start a mental checks and balances system of those who are consistent in their attitude towards you, irrespective of your physical appearance, and those whom have deep aversions to heavier bodies. You will most likely feel very lonely; almost like someone who wins the lottery, and no longer knows who their real friends are any longer. "Do they like me because of me? Or do they only like me now because they think I'm finally worthy of their respect and affections? If I gained the weight back, would their attitude of me revert back to one of secret contempt again?"
On that note, no one ever tells you just how suspicious you may become of potential suitors and other romantic interests (or even just friendships in general). "Would this person still have been interested in me if they saw me at my heaviest? Would they have found me beautiful/attractive, even at my 'worst' body shape?" When you realize the answer 9 times out of 10 is "most likely not," it will mess with your mind a bit, because you will realize not so much how shallow they are (we are all human beings, equipped with likes/attachments and dislikes/aversions, after all), but rather how easily replaceable you are to so many other people. It's a bit disturbing to have this revelation, to say the least. I think as heavier people, we tend to see people for who they truly are first and foremost, because we've been forced to live our lives that way. We didn't want to be judged, so we try our best not to judge others based on superficial means. For those who were blessed in the genetic lottery and didn't have the horrible stigma of being "fat" due to genetics and/or addiction issues, they will truly never really understand what it's like to view relationships and other social interactions from the POV/body of someone normally considered "not attractive" by most society's standards. And, thus, these individuals will never truly know how much we take the time to look inside someone's heart, and see them for whom they truly are.32 -
No one said (more like warned!) me that people would want to “feel” you. I’m not a touchy feely person, and this is making me extremely uncomfortable. And it’s coming from both sexes. It’s not sexual, it seems to be curiosity, it comes when I’m least expecting it so I can’t dodge, and it freaking creeps me out.
I feel like one of those Stretch Armstrong toys.13 -
Since I’ve lost 20 pounds, my alcohol tolerance has changed dramatically. The other night I had two light beers and two whiskies and the next day I had the hangover I would have had from ten drinks before I lost the weight. Beyond just my body being smaller, I think part of it is that I stopped drinking at home since I’ve been dieting...and honestly, I don’t miss it at all!15
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What no one tells you in advance: there's a lot of farting involved with eating whole foods34
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What no one tells you in advance: there's a lot of farting involved with eating whole foods
I went vegan and mainly plant based about 2 months ago, and lemme tell ya... if I don't develop a tolerance to these legumes soon, I'm afraid I may have to rent my butt out to the horns section of the Philharmonic.20 -
bidingmytime wrote: »What no one tells you in advance: there's a lot of farting involved with eating whole foods
I went vegan and mainly plant based about 2 months ago, and lemme tell ya... if I don't develop a tolerance to these legumes soon, I'm afraid I may have to rent my butt out to the horns section of the Philharmonic.
If it was just farting, I'd eat them. It's the pain and cramping and, ah, mess, that keeps them out of my diet.
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springlering62 wrote: »No one said (more like warned!) me that people would want to “feel” you. I’m not a touchy feely person, and this is making me extremely uncomfortable. And it’s coming from both sexes. It’s not sexual, it seems to be curiosity, it comes when I’m least expecting it so I can’t dodge, and it freaking creeps me out.
I feel like one of those Stretch Armstrong toys.
This happens way too often4 -
What no one tells you in advance: there's a lot of farting involved with eating whole foods
Mint tea! Lots of mint tea.
@BlueSkiesM It never occurred to me before to think of tracking and planning as self-care/ self-love before, and I'm a little blown away now.11 -
remotebutterfly wrote: »Since I’ve lost 20 pounds, my alcohol tolerance has changed dramatically. The other night I had two light beers and two whiskies and the next day I had the hangover I would have had from ten drinks before I lost the weight. Beyond just my body being smaller, I think part of it is that I stopped drinking at home since I’ve been dieting...and honestly, I don’t miss it at all!
Yes to the low alcohol tolerance! At least it saves money, but I really have to be vigilant with eating some food and drinking water if I have even just one drink! The hangovers are miserable.3 -
That it will change the way you do even very simple small things. I noticed i don't sit the same way anymore.
I never understood how people could sit cross legged (with one leg over the other) with any comfort and I notice myself sitting that way consistently recently at work. Such a strange thing!15 -
So this hasn’t happened to me yet, but I started following people on MFP and insta who have lost significant amounts and many have lots of extra skin and several have experienced significant hair loss, to the point where they wear wigs or hair clip-ins. They seem like they lost in a healthy way, from their posts, but who knows. But this honestly scares me cuz I’m vain about my hair. I’ve been drinking lots of water, lathering myself up with coconut oil, and supplementing with collagen. 77 down so far. Hoping to steer clear of these issues!9
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I have several things: But I may start crying at my desk: I have been obese since I was a child; 8 years old maybe, and I still am, I still have another 100 lbs to lose, after losing 120 so far, Im 43 and I have severe osteoarthritis in my knees now, from being almost 400 lbs most of my life.
- My physical changes are sometimes NOT pleasant to me, my neck is sagging, my arms are sagging, sometimes I feel like a Sharpei- wrinkle dog, and when I get hot, that gets really uncomfortable, but I can feel the difference, its all about feeling, I do like some of the changes, I get lots of compliments.
- I also Cannot stand when people wont let me say no to something, Will power is a major daily struggle for me, and its like people want to shove cake in my mouth, Oh come on, just a piece. GROOOWWWLL.. I have to look at them with crazy eyes, I said No thank you!!!!
- Prepping and planning is a TOTAL KEY to success, if I have food with me, I do not wander outside my plan.
- Serving Sizes are much, much, much smaller than I thought, especially when it comes to ice cream.
- Single Serving packed items, are great if your starting out, not great for the planet and not a long term solution, but your training yourself, and your mind, I don't need them anymore , I Can buy a bag of something and portion it out into smaller amounts.. I can buy a bag of something and portion it out into smaller amounts, i can buy.. If you get what I mean I still need to keep telling myself that, instead of eating the entire huge package of veggie sticks, lol.
- YOU WILL EFF IT UP !! You will eat something your not supposed to , you may fall on a sunday, or a monday, *kitten* you may have gotten the flu, and ate chocolate covered pretzels, and chicken noodle soup, and bon bons all day because EFF LIFE at this point, BUT GUESS what, all you have to do , is eat right , starting right now again. That was yesterday, today is today.. Not monday, not next week, NOWWWWWWW.. Even if you ate bad this morning.
- Humans are more supportive than you think, Form the gym to my office, people are always asking me what I have done, congratulating me, and wanting to talk to me about it, be prepared.
- Also if you need a friend, I welcome you to contact me.53 -
One more thing - People love to act like because you succeeded , and they didn't that it was EASY for you.. Bump them, this is hard, your LITERALLY working your Booty OFF. Don't let anyone take that away from you.
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@FaydraSearle, your story inspires me (along with so many others!). Congrats on your success!! Like you, I've been "fat" my whole life, and I've recently embraced the mindset that I deserve to be healthy. I only had about 100 lbs to lose, and I'm happy to say I've already lost 56 of those lbs. I so appreciate your list and relate wholeheartedly to everything you said. Especially that last one, people always say "you make it look so easy", but it is NOT easy. It is a daily, moment by moment, series of choices to be consistent and stay on track. People also say, "I should do what you are doing, too", and that's all well-intentioned but the truth is, I can't rely on anyone else but myself to get this done (i.e., get to the gym, log my food, make better choices, eat mindfully, etc.). I would support them if they TRULY wanted it, but it's really up to them. The key is that today is a new day and you will have to start over pretty much every moment, every choice, until you realize that you really are worthy. To be truly successful in this journey, we all have to take responsibility for our choices--don't blame your parents or society or your emotions or your circumstances or stress or anything else. Work through those things to stop the blame game and put yourself in the driver seat of your life.
Anyway, I've noticed that sitting, especially on hard surfaces like bleachers/benches, is REALLY uncomfortable. I never realized how much padding I had back there 56 lbs ago...
I'm adapting... Also with regards to sitting, since I've been doing strength training, my back muscles hurt more the longer I sit. Thankfully I have a sit/stand desk at work, which I utilize heavily now. I can't sit more than about 45 minutes before I have to get up and move around to keep my back from yelling at me. I see this as a positive, btw. 10 -
I think what no one tells you is that losing the weight is not the hardest part... Keeping it off is. Maintenance for me is a constant struggle... Trying to figure out how NOT to be on a diet... How to just eat healthy and not add too much healthy fat back in or too many calories in general. I saw an earlier post with similar sentiments. This is a journey... Weight loss is part of it but life style change is critical. I was asked "Will I have to workout this hard forever?"... Well my answer to that is yes. But for so many more reasons than just weight control although that part is huge. There is no way I could eat what I eat and NOT work out like I work out. Sometimes I feel like I am on a hamster wheel and I can't get off. But honestly this is our life style... We (my husband and I) work out together and have workout friends and it is just what we do... Almost every day we are doing something. And we FEEL better. We look better. We are healthier than 95% of people our age. And for that I am most proud and happy. We lost our weight in 2012... And we have successfully managed to keep it off. We are both still in our healthy BMI ranges.23
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bidingmytime wrote: »What no one tells you in advance: there's a lot of farting involved with eating whole foods
I went vegan and mainly plant based about 2 months ago, and lemme tell ya... if I don't develop a tolerance to these legumes soon, I'm afraid I may have to rent my butt out to the horns section of the Philharmonic.
Glad to see there's another vegan here. I've been vegan a while now and it has really helped with my overall wellbeing and weight maintenance. However the body does indeed go through a period of intestinal adjustment. Don't worry it does settle down after a while.4 -
bidingmytime wrote: »What no one tells you in advance: there's a lot of farting involved with eating whole foods
I went vegan and mainly plant based about 2 months ago, and lemme tell ya... if I don't develop a tolerance to these legumes soon, I'm afraid I may have to rent my butt out to the horns section of the Philharmonic.
Glad to see there's another vegan here. I've been vegan a while now and it has really helped with my overall wellbeing and weight maintenance. However the body does indeed go through a period of intestinal adjustment. Don't worry it does settle down after a while.
Hello, and nice to meet you! Yes, the gas orchestra has been playing a little more on the "ritenuto" side now, so it's all good! Thanks!
One thing I will state for certain: when done right, vegan and/or plant-based eating can work wonders for many people! I find it to be great!3 -
If you suddenly have soreness in your hip joint that you can't explain, try sleeping with a pillow between your knees. Your leg alignment may have shifted due to lack of padding. (Just had this happen this week.)6
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bidingmytime wrote: »stefgreen72 wrote: »That you exercise to get energy. Not waiting around for the energy to do it. It’s becoming a good habit for me and I already start looking forward to working out no matter how tired I am because I know good I’m gonna feel.
"Do they like me because of me? Or do they only like me now because they think I'm finally worthy of their respect and affections? If I gained the weight back, would their attitude of me revert back to one of secret contempt again?"
On that note, no one ever tells you just how suspicious you may become of potential suitors and other romantic interests (or even just friendships in general). "Would this person still have been interested in me if they saw me at my heaviest? Would they have found me beautiful/attractive, even at my 'worst' body shape?" When you realize the answer 9 times out of 10 is "most likely not," it will mess with your mind a bit ...
I would like to flip this back on you and ask, did you consider yourself as loveable then? Would you have considered your now potential suitors as being potential then? Not always, but usually sometimes, we are messing with our own mind.14 -
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So many people have commented that now they are cold all the time, after losing weight. Me too! I lost about 20 pounds, but was so tired of freezing all. the. time. Here are some tips: a) wear layers, especially silk or woolen long johns. It really helps. b) wear a hat. It's amazing how much heat we lose from our head. c) buy heated clothing. In the winter, I live in my Ororo hoodie. There are other brands too, but I have to say, I love the Ororo hoodie. You can find the brand on Amazon. I even bought a second battery for it, so that when one battery runs out, I have the other one ready to go. At every conference I go to (where they keep the rooms freezing cold), I pull out my Ororo hoodie and everyone's always asking me about it
It's washable too, which makes a huge difference. 12
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