What nobody tells you about losing weight

That your body begins to look like an anatomy chart. That you can see muscles layered on muscles in your calves. That you can follow muscles right into the joint with your fingers. That you can pinpoint the source of your pain, instead of just saying “it’s my shoulder”. That when your hamstrings get tight, you can literally feel the tautness when you run your hand over them. And that it all just never gets old.

That it’s like constantly reintroducing yourself, to yourself.

springlering62 wrote: »

That your body begins to look like an anatomy chart. That you can see muscles layered on muscles in your calves. That you can follow muscles right into the joint with your fingers. That you can pinpoint the source of your pain, instead of just saying “it’s my shoulder”. That when your hamstrings get tight, you can literally feel the tautness when you run your hand over them. And that it all just never gets old.

That it’s like constantly reintroducing yourself, to yourself.

I'm loving this.
I've never really seen my leg muscles . Before , my legs were just round and kinda there. Now I can see actual definition of the different parts of the muscles. You can actually tell what muscle is there!.

One thing that I haven't read - but I also haven't read 500+ pages (!) is a small but noticible change for me. I was 300 lbs at my highest last year. When I got down to around 270ish I noticed that my shoulder bones were less padded and that my purse could hang easily from my shoulder without slipping off. I didn't have to hold on to it to keep it in place. Such an insignificant and chuckle-worthy but markable change in my day-to-day life.

I can relate to so many other of these situations. And I look forward to many of them occurring! ha!

It's motivating to read them. Keep up the funny, small, big, and realistic expectations!

I also really enjoy the practical advice helping with loose skin, etc. I have a long way to go and that part really bothers me. Everything is shrinking, but my tummy is very loose (especially after delivering 6 big babies!), the top of my thighs, my upper arms somewhat.. those areas might become a problem. I'm not sure that surgery would ever be an option. And some of this is probably also my age (nearly 44) settling in, too, but it's more prominent due to less of the padding and filling out of those areas in the past

What practical clothing can assist with this that you may have found to be useful?

katescurios wrote: »

That you become obsessed with being able to see your collarbone. I love my collarbones,

Me too! I find myself staring at my own collarbones on the video when I am in zoom meetings. I really love my collarbones. For a long time I don't think I had any!

PattieCakes25 wrote: »

They dont tell you about:
1. nosy people. Im not at my goal weight, not even half way, but people seem to think that because I am working to lose weight I am comfortable talking about what I weight. Im not there yet, and I dont think anyone should have to share what they weigh.
2. That some days I'll get tired of eating. I'll feel like Ive eaten everything possible, not be at my goal and not be hungry.
3. That after doing abs, it hurts to cough the next day, and thats the day when you seem to need to cough most...

Ask those nosy people "why do you ask?" they may only be looking for some motivation for themselves. It turns the question back to them without answering an intensely personal question?

Y’all are gonna think I’m nuts but I’ve reached a point where everything is wondrous, amusing, or both.

I was drying my hair this morning. It’s really short and I have to pull it straight up and curl it with a round “cricket” brush while I blow.

As I was turning my brush, I noticed my bicep was going up and down, up and down, a là Popeye.

I was so fascinated, I ended up burning my noggin.

springlering62 wrote: »

That your body begins to look like an anatomy chart. That you can see muscles layered on muscles in your calves. That you can follow muscles right into the joint with your fingers. That you can pinpoint the source of your pain, instead of just saying “it’s my shoulder”. That when your hamstrings get tight, you can literally feel the tautness when you run your hand over them. And that it all just never gets old.

That it’s like constantly reintroducing yourself, to yourself.

This!! Even my ribs, and hipbones, and yes the muscles. Definitely never gets old.

imgwendolyn2015 wrote: »

No one told me that when I lost 40 pounds I would still be in a size 16 pants! WTH?!?!? I am losing from top to bottom. My shirts are looser, but the pants size just won't budge.

We're opposites; I've lost about five pants sizes, but size 18 shirts still fit, and I show no signs of sinking below a 38DDD bra. (And I would not mind losing some cup size!) Bodies are weird. (grin)

gcibsthom wrote: »

It was interesting that after losing a significant amount of weight, I had a lot of excess belly skin. So much so that it was causing rashes. As we get older, the skin is not nearly as elastic as when we are younger. So no matter how many sit ups I did, I couldn't rid of the excess belly skin (and under arm and upper thigh skin as well. ...). I had to have a panniculectomy to get rid of the excess belly skin, which left a scar from one side to the other. The neat part was that I got a brand new navel out of the deal....lol

I'm probably looking at abdominoplasty when I get the rest of the weight off. The skin of my lower back and thighs is shrinking with me, but I had three nine-pound babies in the middle of getting fat, and I look six months pregnant. I don't see how that will shrink down in a way that's not problematic, I really don't.