What nobody tells you about losing weight

That you'll have to buy new underwear and bras that are the next size smaller becethe current ones are now baggy and saggy

ixchelkeshet wrote: »

How hard it is to lose weight or feel motivated when you are older. It takes forever. And you have to work around chronic injuries.

Very respectfully disagree. When I had kids and a full time job, that was the time I was unmotivated. In retrospect, I wish it hadn’t been, but that’s the sad truth.

With kids grown and gone and (involuntary) retirement came the freedom and motivation to do things for me.

Because I was motivated, and invested in and enjoying the process of “me” as my latest project, the time seemed to go by really fast. (Or maybe that was age, lol!)

It was chronic pain that actually made me shake my butt in gear. I had the choice of taking arthritis meds now, and worrying that they would be less effective later, when I might need them more, and thyroid meds for chronic tiredness that made my re-evaluate.

I had dabbled in yoga for years and knew it helped with joint pain. So I Extended my slow morning stretch to thirty minutes a day, and stepped up the yoga, eventually working my way to a moderately advanced practice.

The joint pain isn’t gone, however, it is much more manageable. The GERD (acid reflux) From Hell vanished with the first ten pounds lost.

I would challenge you to think what making even small changes can do for you versus finding reasons to do nothing at all.

Said with much love from a former Master of Finding Reasons to Remain on My *kitten*.

ixchelkeshet wrote: »

How hard it is to lose weight or feel motivated when you are older. It takes forever. And you have to work around chronic injuries.

It does take forever. And here's why: If you don't manage your weight forever, you gain in back. This isn't a short term thing. It's a forever thing. And that need not be discouraging but it may make you change your mind about how you approach weight loss.

If you have a target date in mind, you might work your hardest to get to your target goal as fast as possible. But ultimately you will have more success in the long term and be happier right now if try to make weight loss easier, not harder.

Motivation is fleeting and so is willpower. Rely on habits, routine and develop strategies for when your routine gets disrupted. And know that it's perfectly okay to eat at maintenance from time to time - especially during vacations or special times with family and friends. You aren't derailing your progress, just postponing it for a day or two. But that's okay, because you are in this forever.

Mithridites wrote: »

speyerj wrote: »

develop strategies for when your routine gets disrupted

Could you please share some examples?

Speaking for myself: if I unexpectedly need to work late or something else happens that makes a home-cooked dinner impossible, I have some fairly low calorie frozen meals in my freezer, so I'm not tempted to order takeaway from a restaurant.

A

Mithridites wrote: »

speyerj wrote: »

develop strategies for when your routine gets disrupted

Could you please share some examples?

Getting an invite out to dinner: - Open the menu on the web - pre-log your dinner to the best of your ability based on the description on the menu. Sometimes after logging it I'll find a better choice. Then make adjustments when your meal arrives based on the portion size. If you have a few hours notice, you can plan your lunch around this meal - to make sure you are staying within plan for calories and macros.

Fast Food/Takeout - It's going to happen sometime. Chain restaurants have their nutrition guides on their website. Plan a couple reasonable meals within your budget of Fast food/Take out meals from restaurants you know. then when it does happen - you know exactly what to order and how to log it. The Double Double protein Style at In and Out, and a customized Chipotle Bowls are some of my go tos.

Keep easy to whip up lunch or breakfast items at work so you don't skip meals and then cave into temptation. I keep a carton of egg whites, some cheese, premiere protein and frozen fruit in our work refrigerator. When I'm too rushed in the morning to eat a proper breakfast or pack my lunch, I can make an egg white omelette with the egg whites and cheese in the microwave or a blend a frozen smoothie with the protein drink and frozen fruit.

Emergency snacks: FiberOne bars, beef jerky, greek yogurt, cheese sticks and protein drinks can get me through a snack attack when I'm starving between meals. Taking one or more of these along on a road trip can help you by pass the fast food restaurants.

Happy hour: Flavored Vodka and Soda with a twist. Just 80 calories and no carbs.

Unexpected Birthday Cake in the office: Just say no if its a crappy grocery store cake. It just isn't worth it. Have that Fiber One bar instead. But if its a really good cake, cut your own slice - and be as stingy as can be. Log it. It's probably less than 160 calories if you slice it small enough. If someone hands you a piece, eat a bite or two then throw it away when no one is looking. Get over the idea about wasting food. It's not a sin.

You are right, this could be a whole other thread. But I bet I can count of others piping in with more...

That my skin would look amazing

I found that some people actually made snippy comments about the weight loss in my face. They would ask me if I'm sick. I only lost 15 pounds, but people who know me noticed the loss of fat in my face the most. I think for some people, they don't like others finding weight loss success.

My awesome niece said I looked like a cut 20 year old.

I'm only 2.7kgs from my target weight, but the things I've noticed are that I feel the cold easily now and the standard one of ALL my clothes are too big!

RelCanonical wrote: »

I legit have to fold my underwear differently. It doesn't want to roll up the same way because there isn't enough fabric to keep them rolled. I just fold them in half now. Yes, I fold my underwear, don't @ me.

@RelCanonical, no shame whatsoever!

Marie Kondo rocked my world. I thanked so much stuff it wasn’t even funny.

I fold everything, ya hear me?!!!

All you ladies that want to “detox”? This is the kind of detox that will change your outlook.

RelCanonical wrote: »

springlering62 wrote: »

RelCanonical wrote: »

I legit have to fold my underwear differently. It doesn't want to roll up the same way because there isn't enough fabric to keep them rolled. I just fold them in half now. Yes, I fold my underwear, don't @ me.

@RelCanonical, no shame whatsoever!

Marie Kondo rocked my world. I thanked so much stuff it wasn’t even funny.

I fold everything, ya hear me?!!!

All you ladies that want to “detox”? This is the kind of detox that will change your outlook.

I was never a big clutterbug but Marie Kondo definitely helped me appreciate my things more. I do a lot better at displaying the things I love instead of storing them and wondering why my house feels so empty.

Same here and while I don't fold my underwear, I do fold my socks. I got these little in-drawer containers for my underwear and they are sorted by style and fabric (ie, the fun ones and the not-fun-ones). XD I learned a lot from Marie Kondo!

HDBKLM wrote: »

dhiammarath wrote: »

HDBKLM wrote: »

pinuplove wrote: »

Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »

A few stores I went to lately don’t even carry my size in pants. The smallest they sell is size 4, which are more like an 8 with vanity sizing. 😩 I got a few gift cards for my birthday to Christopher and banks but their clothes are too big. It’s kind of sad that stores don’t even carry below size 4 anymore because of how overweight the population is.

I'm starting to run into that, which is ridiculous because I'm not even that small. I like Worthington pants from JCPenney for work, but the smallest size they carry (in my local store at least) is 4 and those are getting baggy on me. Plus I need petite, which are even more limited. I can order them, but I hate not being able to try on pants first because 9 times out of 10 they don't fit right in one way or another.

(I know, what a problem to have. But it really is annoying :grumble: )

Count me among those who are flummoxed by this as well. At 5'3" and 135 pounds I'm wearing a size 4–6 or a small, and actually in yoga pants an XS (I'm an apple so my legs are on the smaller side, proportionately). For one thing, I happen to recall that in the 90s, when I was in college I was wearing a medium at Urban Outfitters (just for reference) at 125 pounds. And on top of that, what are the ACTUAL extra small people wearing? One of my best friends is 5'1" and 95 pounds (yet still with curves because life is not fair). If I'm 40 pounds heavier than her and in some of the smallest available sizes, it must be incredibly frustrating for her!

I am starting to run into this in some stores. I’m long legged, narrow hipped, and short-waisted. I discovered that petite tops work for me but I need longer pants. My legs are holding onto the last of my weight but already I’m starting to find issues finding my size in some stores. Especially my favorite one!

I used to have trouble finding things my size when I was 100lbs heavier. Now I’m still having this problem, and it’s not something I thought would happen. I’m not sure what I will do when I hit my final goal (which is smack in the middle of my BMI range).

It’s a weird problem to have and I sometimes feel awkward when it happens because of the nature of the problem. c.c

Sidebar: Did anybody else here read the Sweet Valley High novels in the 80s and remember that the Wakefield twins were described as being a perfect size 6? Hello vanity sizing: if their size 6 were my current size 6—wherein I can still pinch not just an inch but full handfuls from my torso—I'm not sure they'd have been considered quite the specimens of physical perfection they were being represented as being.

I LOVED Sweet Valley High! Had all the books!!

My eyesight has improved drastically. Never knew that was a side effect. But yay!!!!

I fold my thongs. Of course, I also do menus for five weeks and have a folding board for my clothes, so yeah, I'm just obsessive like that. (wry grin)

Nobody told me that starting to do it for health would open up a whole world of reasons to do it from petty to profound. I find new reasons that I'm glad I've lost what I've lost and to keep losing to goal every single day.