What nobody tells you about losing weight
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That you will find yourself looking in the mirror much more. When I was obese and overweight...I hardly EVER looked in the mirror thru-out the day. Looking in the mirror was a kinda traumatizing event for me when I was obese and overweight. No more. I LOVE looking in the mirror now. I don't obsess with looking in the mirror, but now when I do I'm always pleasantly surprised and thrilled.
Also, that "self-control" becomes second nature--knowing that you can eat whatever you want to...just smaller portions or less frequently. Example...last week, one of my children brought in some homemade cheese danishes--they were HUGE. Instead of freaking out or "denying myself" some of these SUPER yummy cheese danishes. I just took a couple of big bites and that's all I wanted and if feels GREAT to know I don't have to eat the whole thing, to enjoy some of something--I LOVE this. The couple of large bites/taste was more than enough for me!21 -
I know for fact that this one has been said before (they mostly all have at this point though) but I have noticed extra lines on my face recently!!!
I noticed a new one on my cheek between my nose and cheek that was never there before! Maybe part of it is just getting older too but i swear it seems like it's because my face has "deflated" lol lol lol 21 -
I know for fact that this one has been said before (they mostly all have at this point though) but I have noticed extra lines on my face recently!!! I noticed a new one on my cheek between my nose and cheek that was never there before! Maybe part of it is just getting older too but i swear it seems like it's because my face has "deflated" lol lol lol
I feel the exact same way as you, lol. Trying to determine if age or if weight loss, but I'm going to guess the answer is both, but I'm secretly hoping it's mostly weight loss because some of it will fade when I enter maintenance and the skin catches up a little.6 -
I've started to play the "is this a long sweater or a dress?" game at the thrift store. When I was bigger, it was always "sweater" but now long sweaters all fit like dresses, lol. The joys of being petite.16
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Ok this is a good one and one that I will likely share on the NSV thread too BUT I recently realized that after nearly a year of running that I actually genuinely truly and honestly enjoy it. It took seriously almost a year of consistent running to get here but for the first time in my entire life I actually enjoy exercise. I love the head space that it clears for me, the feeling of my breath in my lungs, and that for the most part it has become so much easier for me. I don't spend the entire run just waiting for it to be over. I feel light and fast (even tho I'm not lol) and it just feels so good to MOVE!32
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Ok this is a good one and one that I will likely share on the NSV thread too BUT I recently realized that after nearly a year of running that I actually genuinely truly and honestly enjoy it. It took seriously almost a year of consistent running to get here but for the first time in my entire life I actually enjoy exercise. I love the head space that it clears for me, the feeling of my breath in my lungs, and that for the most part it has become so much easier for me. I don't spend the entire run just waiting for it to be over. I feel light and fast (even tho I'm not lol) and it just feels so good to MOVE!
The fact that I'm even considering picking up running is a feat. I took track in elementary school, but I think I forgot that it can be enjoyable.8 -
My Cardiologist said the weight I lost is 10x more important than my having stopped drinking. Maybe he drinks?
Then I joined Yoga to work on my core - now there's like a 4:1 / women:men ratio. But I needed the confidence to join. Can I ever do the side-crow pose? Keep coming back... My lady Yoga teachers are too young and too small for me - not to mention I'm married, but I can look. Maybe the side-crow is easy if I weighed 90?
Now I need O-Anon. That's Al-Anon for Over-eaters Anonymous. Can't find any [yet]. Must stop being a food-nazi to my wife
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My armpits are actually pits!
(It's a guy thing I know but) I can see "myself" below the waist! ...while standing...without a mirror...10 -
When I was 40 I had lost so much weight and not for a good reason. I went into a department store and asked if size 6 was the smallest size they had. When the lady said yes, I asked her where do people go to buy clothes smaller than size 6. She told me to try Forever 21, I just laughed and walked away.
This struggle is real! Now that I'm at goal I cannot find any pants other than jeans smaller than a size 6. And because size 6 is vanity sizing most of the time, they are huge. I'm 59; shopping at teen stores is not in my future. Add to that the fact that I live in a rural area with hardly any stores and ugh.
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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...
^Ditto on this. I'm actually contemplating buying a few more pairs of leggings because of this:)
That was my solution. I have at least 8 pair of leggings and about as many sport bras and tops. It's not so much washing the stuff as the fact that it needs to be hung up to dry rather than tossed in the dryer.4 -
Jeff_Loughboro wrote: »Then I joined Yoga to work on my core - now there's like a 4:1 / women:men ratio. But I needed the confidence to join. Can I ever do the side-crow pose? Keep coming back... Maybe the side-crow is easy if I weighed 90?
Arm balances didn’t start coming for me til I started weight training. Building the upper arm strength turned it around for me. Seriously, had I had that strength at 220+lbs, I think I could have done it. Having less to get airborne does help, but the strength is 90% of it.
My daughter used to drive me nucking futz always popping into arm balances when she’d walk in a room but now I get it. There is such indescribable joy in being able to get your feet up, and the sense of accomplishment is so satisfying.
I know my classmates think I’m either a terrible show off or mental because I laugh and giggle when I’m in one, but it’s like being a little kid again. It’s just wells up from the heart.
Our male: female ration runs about the same. Would be horrified if I felt our guys were “looking”. It actually takes a lot of chutzpah for a chick to wear skintight tights and bend over in front of strangers, much less worrying about some guy staring at my *kitten*. Overheard a convo the other day where some studio members are going to suggest to a guy not to come back for that reason.
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That I didn't always have to be the girl with "the good personality"; I can be a pretty woman, too.
That because I overcame this lifelong battle of being overweight the confidence I had to accomplish other things like ocean kayaking, playing sports with my kiddos, or getting my Master's degree.
That even when the scale and I are fighting, I know how good it feels to have that workout high, so I keep going.
That the way I talk about my body influences how my children, especially my daughter, talk about hers.
I can say my wedding dress doesn't fit after 15 years not because I've gained weight, but because I lost it!
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“This struggle is real! Now that I'm at goal I cannot find any pants other than jeans smaller than a size 6. And because size 6 is vanity sizing most of the time, they are huge. I'm 59; shopping at teen stores is not in my future. Add to that the fact that I live in a rural area with hardly any stores and ugh.”
Loft has many nice adult options in small sizes. They have free shipping promotions ( and returns) and big sales all the time.3 -
TeresaMarie2015 wrote: »Your morning breadth will be just horrific!
So glad you said this! I kind of thought it was just me! But yeah...it is horrible!
why IS this?
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Jeff_Loughboro wrote: »My Cardiologist said the weight I lost is 10x more important than my having stopped drinking. Maybe he drinks?
Then I joined Yoga to work on my core - now there's like a 4:1 / women:men ratio. But I needed the confidence to join. Can I ever do the side-crow pose? Keep coming back... My lady Yoga teachers are too young and too small for me - not to mention I'm married, but I can look. Maybe the side-crow is easy if I weighed 90?
Now I need O-Anon. That's Al-Anon for Over-eaters Anonymous. Can't find any [yet]. Must stop being a food-nazi to my wife
No Side Crow is a difficult pose and I've been trying for years. I'm more of a Flopping Around on the Highway Crow pose.
I agree with the young yoga teacher thing. Unfortunately having a mature and seasoned yoga teacher is a rare thing, you usually get one that probably automatically gets carded at a bar. And the older body is simply different than a younger one and that's something yoga teachers aren't always knowledgeable about. Just like some poses are especially beneficial to pregnant women, and some aren't, it's the same with older practitioners.
But there's nothing wrong with taking a class from a scenic teacher. Heck Rodney Yee is one fine looking guy and that's not threatening my marriage. You can admire the menu but enjoy the entree you picked.5 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »Jeff_Loughboro wrote: »My Cardiologist said the weight I lost is 10x more important than my having stopped drinking. Maybe he drinks?
Then I joined Yoga to work on my core - now there's like a 4:1 / women:men ratio. But I needed the confidence to join. Can I ever do the side-crow pose? Keep coming back... My lady Yoga teachers are too young and too small for me - not to mention I'm married, but I can look. Maybe the side-crow is easy if I weighed 90?
Now I need O-Anon. That's Al-Anon for Over-eaters Anonymous. Can't find any [yet]. Must stop being a food-nazi to my wife
No Side Crow is a difficult pose and I've been trying for years. I'm more of a Flopping Around on the Highway Crow pose.
I agree with the young yoga teacher thing. Unfortunately having a mature and seasoned yoga teacher is a rare thing, you usually get one that probably automatically gets carded at a bar. And the older body is simply different than a younger one and that's something yoga teachers aren't always knowledgeable about. Just like some poses are especially beneficial to pregnant women, and some aren't, it's the same with older practitioners.
But there's nothing wrong with taking a class from a scenic teacher. Heck Rodney Yee is one fine looking guy and that's not threatening my marriage. You can admire the menu but enjoy the entree you picked.
This should have come with a caution: do not read while drinking anything unless you want to run the risk of getting your screen wet. May be stealing the bolded.
Anything side (including bog standard plank) is so not on for me; may have to follow @springlering62 's example (not surprising as I have serious #goals any time I see what she's up to!!) and actually give strength training more attention.2 -
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.
Heated hoodies are a thing???? That's amazing! Thanks for the tip!
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You don't have to buy Body Glide anymore, woohoo!12
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When I was 40 I had lost so much weight and not for a good reason. I went into a department store and asked if size 6 was the smallest size they had. When the lady said yes, I asked her where do people go to buy clothes smaller than size 6. She told me to try Forever 21, I just laughed and walked away.
This struggle is real! Now that I'm at goal I cannot find any pants other than jeans smaller than a size 6. And because size 6 is vanity sizing most of the time, they are huge. I'm 59; shopping at teen stores is not in my future. Add to that the fact that I live in a rural area with hardly any stores and ugh.
Try lee.com. They have some decent pants (not just jeans) at reasonable prices down to size 0.
I am 5'3" and weigh 122 lbs. I usually wear a 4 petite/short from them.
I am finding myself sized out of a lot of brands. Just ordered XS tops (smallest they sell) from Lands End and, while they fit, they are a bit roomy. I was recently at J Jill and their XS was too big.6 -
I only have 13 pounds I want to lose and no one thinks I need to lose it but me. People don't always understand that we see ourselves differently than we are seen by others. I am very petite so to me every pound is visible. I have struggled with this 13 lbs for years but am determined to get back to a weight I have not seen in 2 decades!19
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Sorry guys, but trying to find another way to say “I’m ogling the women at yoga” doesn’t make it any less disrespectful. Going to yoga class doesn’t mean I have put myself on a menu to be ordered, sampled, or ogled. I’m there to work on being healthy, and now I’m focused on trying to make sure I’m not in anyone’s line of sight? If you want to look, there are plenty of strip bars and instagram accounts that are there for that express purpose.48
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Ok this is a good one and one that I will likely share on the NSV thread too BUT I recently realized that after nearly a year of running that I actually genuinely truly and honestly enjoy it. It took seriously almost a year of consistent running to get here but for the first time in my entire life I actually enjoy exercise. I love the head space that it clears for me, the feeling of my breath in my lungs, and that for the most part it has become so much easier for me. I don't spend the entire run just waiting for it to be over. I feel light and fast (even tho I'm not lol) and it just feels so good to MOVE!
This is where I am trying to get to with running. I've never kept at it long enough to get over the hump, I think. I'm still at that "when is this going to be over" stage whenever I run. I know that there are other exercises I could do, but running is low impact, I can do it just about anywhere (even when traveling), I can go at my own pace and I'm not competing against anyone else. I like those aspects and it's just plain old good exercise, so I don't want to just give it up. So, that is my goal: to get to the point where running is enjoyable. &fingers crossed&12 -
maggiehulsey wrote: »I only have 13 pounds I want to lose and no one thinks I need to lose it but me. People don't always understand that we see ourselves differently than we are seen by others. I am very petite so to me every pound is visible. I have struggled with this 13 lbs for years but am determined to get back to a weight I have not seen in 2 decades!
Feel you here. Not sure what your tactics are right now, but it might be a brilliant time to start looking at your strength/cardio regime. Just for me, incorporating HIIT was massive in how my body looked, regardless of the number on the scale.
You may also want to check out this thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/977538/halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky/p1 It (and a couple of regular MFP forum posters who I HUGELY admire) are the reason I now own free weights.4 -
Loose skin. I'm 80 lbs into what will eventually be 120 lbs lost. I'm able to get out and jog now and really enjoy it, but I'm hugely self conscious of the flap-flap-flapping of my wings. Some of you know what I'm talking about. lol
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Loose skin. I'm 80 lbs into what will eventually be 120 lbs lost. I'm able to get out and jog now and really enjoy it, but I'm hugely self conscious of the flap-flap-flapping of my wings. Some of you know what I'm talking about. lol
Yep, I'm there with you. I have a literal wing span.13 -
BruceHedtke wrote: »Ok this is a good one and one that I will likely share on the NSV thread too BUT I recently realized that after nearly a year of running that I actually genuinely truly and honestly enjoy it. It took seriously almost a year of consistent running to get here but for the first time in my entire life I actually enjoy exercise. I love the head space that it clears for me, the feeling of my breath in my lungs, and that for the most part it has become so much easier for me. I don't spend the entire run just waiting for it to be over. I feel light and fast (even tho I'm not lol) and it just feels so good to MOVE!
This is where I am trying to get to with running. I've never kept at it long enough to get over the hump, I think. I'm still at that "when is this going to be over" stage whenever I run. I know that there are other exercises I could do, but running is low impact, I can do it just about anywhere (even when traveling), I can go at my own pace and I'm not competing against anyone else. I like those aspects and it's just plain old good exercise, so I don't want to just give it up. So, that is my goal: to get to the point where running is enjoyable. &fingers crossed&
I'm at almost a year too - started C25K last March (and restarted twice after Achilles injuries) and am sometimes in that magical 'I could just keep going' space. Still often in the When Will This Be Over camp as well though...7 -
That NOT moving will start to hurt your body!
I ended up taking an inadvertent break from running (vacation, illness, just being busy) and I woke up one night in discomfort because my hips and back just felt achy and weird and slightly tight. Went for a run the next day and BAM no pain and slept like a baby!
This!! I was trying to sleep the other night and my knee was bothering me. Achy and kind of hurt to move it, but uncomfortable no matter how I lay. I went running the next day and almost turned around immediately because of the knee pain. I decided to run through it, and two minutes in, my knee pain completely disappeared and STAYED gone.11 -
I love this thread. Over the last month, I've read through the entire thing. It really helped me to stay motivated and I can relate to so many of the posts. I had NO IDEA I would be so cold all the time. (I've lost 85 pounds with 15 more to go.) I've noticed that people are nicer to me but I believe it is because I am friendlier. I felt so much shame when I was heavy and I worked really hard not to be noticed. Now I smile at EVERYONE and I feel more confident. I also didn't realize how much mental/emotional work would need to be done to get healthy. In the past when I lost weight, I always went back to "normal" after the loss and NEVER maintained the loss. This time I wanted to concentrate on making changes that I could sustain. I've found it to be harder than just concentrating on losing weight quick. Thanks everyone for your posts!30
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I got a little dry patch under my chin because I’m not used to having to dip so far in when applying moisturizer. With a double chin you can kind of just rub straight down your neck? Now I have to make sure I apply under my chin so I don’t miss a spot.14
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