My doctor high-fived me months back at only 17 lbs down and said "when it starts to sag keep going...and it WILL sag". I'm down 50 lbs, actually past my goal and in maintenance mode and it DOES sag. Buy a really excellent bra, it helps in a multitude of ways! I'm in my mid-50's so I don't think that will change but so many things have changed for the positive! Comments from people i haven't seen for a while "Where is the rest of you?" "You've lost a PERSON!". Shopping and be able to try on any type of style (including skinny jeans) and have them fit or to even have to go down a size smaller that you thought. This has been a journey for sure! I'm working on a great new wardrobe and my husband of almost 25 years can't get over the change. If you think you can't do it...you can!
One thing that i have learned on my weight loss mission. Is that the scale is a helpful tool to use, but photos are a must. They help me see physically what the scale may be hiding from me. PS scales are so dumb.
@pedro_testi It's all bizarre. You drive down the road in the safety of your own vehicle....how many rolls, let me count the ways. As time passes, the rolls become one big fruit roll-up. Then they start to disperse over a wider area.
Cotton balls of fluff or silly putty. It bounces as you're walking down the sidewalk. If you flap your arms too much you can hear it slap around and you wonder what in the hail was that. You don't tell anyone about it but it's difficult to keep it all under wraps.
You wonder about your collagen and the elastin fibers in your skin. Will they tighten or loosen. You keep swimming, working out and giving it all you've got. The big fruit roll-up becomes a deflated balloon but you have faith that everything will snap back into place. Your center of gravity changes.
Your attitude changes and the world looks brighter. You no longer give two horsesheets what anyone thinks about you. You become bolder. The folds start to disappear. Your jeans don't make that swishing sound. The arm flapping settles down and all is well.
One thing no one tells you is that the day to day process is often spiked with annoyance. Today the jeans that fit fine yesterday have started sagging notably in the back waistband area. Yes, this is a good thing, but in the interim I will have to put up with pants that are falling off my "kitten", because I guarantee that I'm still too big to fit in the next size down.
Dealing with cravings is easy. Dealing with my pants sagging off my rear is infinitely more annoying.
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.
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!.
@pedro_testi It's all bizarre. You drive down the road in the safety of your own vehicle....how many rolls, let me count the ways. As time passes, the rolls become one big fruit roll-up. Then they start to disperse over a wider area.
Cotton balls of fluff or silly putty. It bounces as you're walking down the sidewalk. If you flap your arms too much you can hear it slap around and you wonder what in the hail was that. You don't tell anyone about it but it's difficult to keep it all under wraps.
You wonder about your collagen and the elastin fibers in your skin. Will they tighten or loosen. You keep swimming, working out and giving it all you've got. The big fruit roll-up becomes a deflated balloon but you have faith that everything will snap back into place. Your center of gravity changes.
Your attitude changes and the world looks brighter. You no longer give two horsesheets what anyone thinks about you. You become bolder. The folds start to disappear. Your jeans don't make that swishing sound. The arm flapping settles down and all is well.
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?
Finally deciding that I don't really want to eat mammals, birds or fish anymore. Tallying up everything I eat and knowing more about nutrients has helped me to be able to find healthy substitutes. But now I have to deal with a critical family who feel that my attitude spoils it for them, even though I don't proselytize. Now I can look at animals as comrades.
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!
I usually had a confident attitude on the outside, even if I doubted myself on the inside, but after close to two years of working on getting into better shape, that confidence is becoming real. There's still work to be done, but I know it's within reach as long as I don't give up.
Also, a lot of my family, friends & coworkers have noticed and continue to encourage me - that's cool, too.
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?
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!
So true! And now I'm starting to see them all the way across - it's like a whole new cool bone - what in the world - will it keep going until I get that little hollow under there?? So cool - yep obsessed!
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.
Hahaha! I was brushing my teeth not long ago and said, hey, what’s that moving? Are those traps? Oh my gosh I have actual traps! So I’m sitting there flexing my muscles in the mirror like a loonie. But seriously I used to be skinny, but I have never had visible back and shoulder muscles even then.
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.
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.
Replies
Cotton balls of fluff or silly putty. It bounces as you're walking down the sidewalk. If you flap your arms too much you can hear it slap around and you wonder what in the hail was that. You don't tell anyone about it but it's difficult to keep it all under wraps.
You wonder about your collagen and the elastin fibers in your skin. Will they tighten or loosen. You keep swimming, working out and giving it all you've got. The big fruit roll-up becomes a deflated balloon but you have faith that everything will snap back into place. Your center of gravity changes.
Your attitude changes and the world looks brighter. You no longer give two horsesheets what anyone thinks about you. You become bolder. The folds start to disappear. Your jeans don't make that swishing sound. The arm flapping settles down and all is well.
Dealing with cravings is easy. Dealing with my pants sagging off my rear is infinitely more annoying.
That it’s like constantly reintroducing yourself, to yourself.
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!.
Very poetic! Fantastic, and fun.
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?
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!
Also, a lot of my family, friends & coworkers have noticed and continue to encourage me - that's cool, too.
https://shapermint.com/collections/shapewear/products/empetua-high-waisted-shaper-shorts?variant=7568057073724
Love it - I get that when I swim. It's really entertaining actually.
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?
So true! And now I'm starting to see them all the way across - it's like a whole new cool bone - what in the world - will it keep going until I get that little hollow under there?? So cool - yep obsessed!
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.
This!! Even my ribs, and hipbones, and yes the muscles. Definitely never gets old.