What nobody tells you about losing weight

lemonsurprise wrote: »

Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..

- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!

- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.

- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!

Your turn!

My biggest observations in changes to my body were; much less back pain (almost zero) when standing in place or running. I am able to perform more pull-ups. Most importantly, I stopped breaking my office chair hydraulic chambers, which was annoying and costly. (smile).

lemonsurprise wrote: »

Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..

- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!

- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.

- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!

Your turn!

lemonsurprise wrote: »

Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..

- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!

- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.

- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!

Your turn!

lemonsurprise wrote: »

Wanted to make this thread for motivationial purposes more than anything but they don't all have to be super positive! More of what came as a surprise. I'll start..

- how much confidence it will actually bring, especially when strangers start treating you like royalty all of a sudden!

- Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.

- how vain you will become! I can't walk past a mirror without checking how I look nowadays!

Your turn!

My biggest observations in changes to my body at age 69 (started intermittent fasting at age 67) were, as follows: 64 lbs lighter now with too many stretch marks and loose skin on belly, however, much less back pain (almost zero) especially when standing in-place or running. I am able to perform more pull-ups. I can touch my toes and I can actually see my feet again. My blood pressure is much better. Women smile at me??? OMG, I stopped breaking my office chairs' hydraulic chambers, which was annoying and costly. Never even thought it was because I was way overweight. I like your post, even though it's a few years old. (smile)

I didn’t realize how bad I felt before losing some weight. I had no idea my thin friends felt so much better than I did.

I didn’t realize that I would get cold so much easier. I am down from obese but still technically overweight. And I am cold. It is going to be a long winter.

I didn’t realize how different my body would feel with less fat. I am frequently amazed by how different my face and arms feel when I touch them. Not sure why that surprised me but it did.

I didn’t realize that my shoe size would go down. I never thought my feet were fat.

I didn’t realize how much my belly button would change. That one is just strange and hopefully it will work itself out one day.

I didn’t realize I could learn patience. But this process has taught me not to rush it and to be consistent.

I didn’t realize how much my confidence would improve in areas outside of my appearance.

It boosts your self-confidence, especially around dating and/or making new friends. I've been through this road before and when I successfully lost "all" my weight I needed to lose, it changed my social life immensely.

Nobody told me: in my situation (little to lose and a starting way of living/eating that was already healthy), the real issue is losing slowly, and then I suppose it will be maintaining. I'm struggling every day to find the right balance.

Oh, also as the weather gets colder (like here in the UK now) being leaner means wearing more layers unless you want the morning -1 degree temp to cut through you like a knife.

I notice larger people walking about with their jackets open with T-shirts on and miss my built in insulation sometimes lol

springlering62 wrote: »

nolongergordo wrote: »

Oh, also as the weather gets colder (like here in the UK now) being leaner means wearing more layers unless you want the morning -1 degree temp to cut through you like a knife.

I notice larger people walking about with their jackets open with T-shirts on and miss my built in insulation sometimes lol

Truth. 😢

I wear gloves now if it’s under 60F or my hands freeze.

I feel you on that one.

I can't seem to find a pair that actually warm my hands, they just make my fingertips numb and cumbersome

nolongergordo wrote: »

springlering62 wrote: »

nolongergordo wrote: »

Oh, also as the weather gets colder (like here in the UK now) being leaner means wearing more layers unless you want the morning -1 degree temp to cut through you like a knife.

I notice larger people walking about with their jackets open with T-shirts on and miss my built in insulation sometimes lol

Truth. 😢

I wear gloves now if it’s under 60F or my hands freeze.

I feel you on that one.

I can't seem to find a pair that actually warm my hands, they just make my fingertips numb and cumbersome

I got a pair of wildly expensive Carhartt gloves for our last trip to the Christmas Markets (my first since the major weight loss) and was bitterly disappointed. I was also wearing two and three pair of socks. Hands and feet froze til incredibly painful. Spent more time in coffee shops and confiseries than planned trying to warm up and came back a few pounds heavier as a result .

*sigh* can’t win for losing. 🤷🏻‍♀️

But boy oh boy was I disappointed in those thick awkward Carhartt gloves. Even tried wear a second pair of thinner gloves underneath. Left them in the last hotel room because they made me so huffin’ and puffin’ mad every time I looked at them

I was also about to suggest the disposable heat packs. They go on sale from time to time; I just got two ten-packs of pairs of them for six bucks. I stash a few in the vehicle and a few in the raft plus some in the first-aid kit. Now I can refresh my stashes because the old ones "expired" three years ago. Even after the expiration date, they can provide SOME warmth. I remember one time we were on a river trip and had an unplanned layover day because it was so cold and rainy. I remember my sleeping bag wasn't quite warm enough. I remember opening one of those hand warmers and putting it on my belly - I was warm all night long.

My hands get really cold, and I still try not to use these things, but I'm OK if I have to. They are made of iron filings and vermiculite. They are non-toxic when disposed. Bonus is that you can actually make them last longer... sometimes. The reaction requires oxygen. If you seal them in a plastic bag (evacuate as much air as possible), the reaction slows down. It won't stop it, but it will extend the life.

There's now also rechargeable hand warmers. I saw one that also was a power pack to charge your phone. They cost a fair bit more, and while they can be reused, I wonder if the overall environmental impact is less or more since the batteries eventually will wear out.

I also have a hand warmer that runs on naphtha (zippo lighter fuel). It scares me to use it because it seems like there's a fire in my pocket. There isn't really. The fuel does oxidize, but it "burns" through a catalyst that gets hot. You have to put the unit in a velvet bag - that limits the amount of air it gets and keeps it from getting too hot. Once you light it though, you can't really extinguish it like you can the rechargeable ones. You have to figure out how much fuel to put in. You can still buy these.

I was really pleased a few days ago when it was pretty cold. Near the end of my walk (downtown to the post office and back), my hands actually had started to feel... not cold. I wasn't using any hand warmer.

Sometimes when I get out of the water at the aquarium, even with 5mm gloves, the distal half of most of my fingers are painfully cold and turn white. We have a warm water rinse tank that we can climb in. That sure helps, but gee....

[quote="AnnPT77;
Personally, if I were feeling cold more frequently as a thin person than when overweight, I'd be considering a conservative reverse diet - no guarantees, though. There's at least a chance that it's not all just about fat as insulation. [/quote]

Absolutely. I am a lot colder now that I have less insulation, but it's not nearly as bad when I'm eating at maintenance. There's definitely an effect to being in a calorie deficit. In fact, it's quite obvious! Sometimes when I'm cold I'll have some "warming food" such as a bowl of oatmeal or a piece of homemade bread, and I'll immediately feel warmer. Broth is good for that too for a low calorie option. But yeah, being in a deficit definitely accentuates the "always cold" effect, whether I supplement B vitamins or not. I wouldn't be surprised at all if others felt the same. So I agree with you, AnnPT77!

Oh good suggestions. Thanks yall! I’m embarrassed to say, I live in the Deep South. Our cold here is probably laughable to most of you, but it just really affects me. I chill easily after years of being unaffected by the cold.

I eat plenty, normally in the 2700 or so range, although I’m currently eating less, since I’m not as active with a piddily broke toe and bit of a back tweak, because, I’m an idiot and though I could carry on as usual with one legged planks and pushups. No, I couldn’t, so taking a few days off, so I’m trying to keep it 2100 or below for reduced activity.

Just always been naturally cold- when thinner. When obese, I was a sweathawg.

That after you lose a significant amount of weight you might not like the look of your body.

Melwillbehealthy wrote: »

That after you lose a significant amount of weight you might not like the look of your body.

springlering62 wrote: »

Melwillbehealthy wrote: »

That after you lose a significant amount of weight your body will look unfamiliar to you, you’ll overcritique it for a minute, and then learn to love it for what it can do for you.

Oh so true!

Fixed it for ya

One Mel to another. 😘

That after you lose a significant amount of weight you won't have any idea what your body looks like. You will look in the mirror and think about how much you have lost and say to yourself "skin and bones". The very next minute you will think about how much you still weigh, and just see all the "bubbles".
You will go to buy new jeans and have no idea where to start. Not only are you a different size, but a different shape.
Women's are just the wrong shape. So are men's. Next on the list to try=men's slim fit. I have never before thought of myself as "slim". I was always "very curvy".

They did not tell me that, in most cases, you will gain the weight back. You will gain more than the original weight back. Over and over.

They did not tell me that, people who do not struggle with their weight (and some that do), will discriminate against you. Automatically assume you are weak, morally deficient, and lazy. Without even knowing you. They will judge you even harder when the weight comes back. You will notice it that much more…..

They did not tell me how hard this will be long term. Constant hunger, vigilance, and shame …. Or social respect and thinness. Sigh

I didn't realize how much my personal style would change. I always gained weight very proportionally, and I was pretty happy with my style. So I just figured I'd wear the same stuff in smaller sizes. Nope. Even with roughly the same body shape, things just fit and look different than before.

Building up muscle impacts pants in odd ways. So does losing inches around the bust. I've also found that I now prefer a looser fit than I did when I was overweight, (probably because I used to wear my clothes too tight in hopes of looking curvy instead of fat). Now I look slim even in looser styles which I didn't expect. Even necklines hit differently because the v-necks I liked are too revealing. I've taken to wearing shorter necklaces because my neck is thinner, but I skip the rings because they're all too loose.

Being tall, it's gotten harder to buy jeans because the inseam gets shorter in the smaller sizes. Now I have to buy online. Also, I wear different cuts because my calves, thighs, and butt are more muscular. Even my shoe style has changed because my arch hits differently in my ankle boots now that my feet are thinner. And, I wear more delicate jewelry because the chunky style overwhelms my frame now that the fat isn't there. So, while I feel great in my new clothes and I'm very happy with the results, my style has changed considerably in ways I never expected.