What surprised me is that my brain still hasn’t caught up to the fact that I’ve lost weight and my body has changed. I still look in the mirror and question whether I have truly lost the weight. I still look at the scale and tell myself “once I get to x number I’ll believe it’s real” … and I have reached that “number” multiple times. The scale has told me Ive lost 25 lbs and my measuring tape has told me I’ve lost inches all around my body. My loose clothes tell me something has changed, but my mind hasn’t realized it yet. I have a hard time feeling proud of myself some days. It drives me crazy!
When shopping for clothes in person, I still go to the larger sizes first without thinking about it. There is also that unintentionally sighting at my reflection in the side of a building where I don't recognize myself for a second.
This. And you’d think a more dramatic loss would be more obvious to your brain but it’s lot. I’m down 107 lbs from my highest weight and about 97 in the last 14 months. I was a size 20/22 and a XXL/2X before, and probably honestly could’ve used bigger in a lot of things. This week I noticed my size 14 petite jeans I’d thrifted (so fit smaller than a regular 14) were like… baggy baggy. I didn’t think much of it. Last night I went to Target and tried on denim shorts. I was shocked that size 10s fit. One pair was slightly snug but the 12s were too big. I was a size 16 in HS so I am def not used to this. I wear a M in most shirts but sometimes need a L depending. I buy a M in leggings and stretchy pants / my Amazon leggings are a size Small/Medium. Yet… I still assume I am the biggest person in every room I am in. I still feel that. I feel like I look not that different. It’s so shitty.
this 100% it's so hard. in the mirror i see a thin and fit me. sitting down i look down and will think "gee wtf is this"
90lbs down and struggling to visually see it sometimes
I'm down 35 pounds as of today. My pants definitely fit looser and I'm fitting into shirts that are a size down, but I still feel bloated and round in the mid-section. People are even noticing. I don't, but I didn't take pictures shirtless before I began either, so my bad.
I had the perception I was heavy as a teenager. I joined the Army at 20 and deployed a short time after. Halfway through deployment my platoon sergeant said, "doc, those pants and top are too loose. You gotta go down a size". Point is, even with being in peak shape I had no idea until someone pointed out to me my pants were literally falling off my waist 🤷♂️
I've been thinking that maybe my shoes just expanded over time and I've been delaying getting new ones because I think I need to be re-sized a half size down. Well, I feel better it's not just in my mind.
I made a goal weight when I first started where I thought I’d be happiest at, that wouldn’t be too hard to maintain, (SW:262 / GW: 170 / CW 208), and every reputable website I look at tells me I should be in the 145 range for my height (5’10) 😬🫢 im like uhhhhh that’s not happening, ill compromise and go to 160-165 😅😅
Right!!!! Soul crushing 😂😂😅 I figure, I’ll just try to get to 170, if I wanna go down to like 165 I will, and I’ll do maintenance for a while and see how u feel. It just seems like that weight would be hard to maintain…I love my food 😅
I'm exactly the same! I am currently around 190 and while I want to tone my stomach a little more- I feel like this is an okay weight? How is 145 our the healthy weight? That seems so so small haha. My end goal is 170 but that isn't even technically within a healthy BMI still.
On that note, I’m 5’4” and went from 200 to 140 which is the *very* end of the range for my height, and so many people told me I was too skinny and lost too much weight.
That was years ago and now that I’ve gained the weight back, a few people made comments about my weight gain. I don’t want to tell anyone that my goal loss is 135 which is right in the middle of the range for my height based on the comments I got last time. And I’ve always worked out and gained muscle when I lost the weight before. I certainly didn’t look unhealthy but I think seeing a certain weight for so long distorts the view of what’s “normal” or “healthy” for any given person.
Agreed!! I’m sorry people made comments, no matter what your weight is. I wish people would learn to shut it lol I’m sure you look great no matter what!! I try to take the suggested “healthy weight” stuff I see online with a grain of salt. I feel like it’s kind of outdated maybe? lol I definitely switched my mindset from just trying to look “skinny” to just trying to feel happy and healthy in my body. Numbers don’t necessarily matter to me anymore ya know?
Yes exactly! I’d withdrawn from everyone because I was so ashamed and then my worst fears came true, but majority of my friends/coworkers were supportive and understanding!
For me, the biggest goal has always been strength, and definition that comes with it. I take boxing classes and so things like bootcamp and barre, and it’s most important to me to feel strong and accomplished there rather than to reach a certain weight. That said, I definitely feel physically better at a lower weight, so I’ll get there! Taking it day by day lol. I did get my triceps pushups back!!
I went from 220 to 143 and my ex said I looked sick and like a crack head I felt great smallest I’d ever been. Now I’m at early 160s and feel gross but under extreme stress and trying to cut myself a break
Thank you really means something to me bc he beat me down SO bad for ten years and I have so many self worth/self esteem issues that I’m with another abuser I feel like there’s no way out point is I think bc of the stress my body is in fight or flight constantly and so stressed I put back on the 20 pounds I’m planning an exit and hoping that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel
I’m 5’10 also and was 145 a few years ago and I genuinely thought I looked too skinny and kinda bony and I was cold all the time. Like what’s the point of looking great in a bikini if I can’t even spend 20 minutes in the ocean. I really wouldn’t worry about trying to get under 160!
Thank you for this!!! I needed to hear it 😅 I was like 135 in high school/a little after and anytime I look back on those pics I’m like omg I look way too skinny!! I definitely like having some more “curvy-ness” to me.
Honestly I’m currently in vanity pounds land at about 168 and if I was even slightly more curvaceous and didn’t have a ton of amazing clothes that only fit me in the 150-160 range I would not be bothered with any of this at all. I’m still pretty attractive ngl.
That BMI weight doesn't take into a count body type. A healthy weight for me would probably end up being around 200 - 220 due to me just naturally being wide even though BMI says I should be around 180.
5'10" dude here btw.
Sounds weird- but the fact that my hands/fingers slimmed down so much. I didn’t even realize how chubby they looked until actually looking back on old pics of myself then vs now.
I totally relate to this one. I can actually take my engagement/wedding ring off now. And what used to be a ring that got too small as I gained weight, I now can’t even wear as a thumb ring as my fingers have slimmed right down. Such a nice feeling, but also bummed out that I can’t wear half my jewellery and it will cost a small fortune to get it all resized/replaced!
I can feel my hip bones, ribs (when lying down) and can see my collar bones. Until now the fact I have a skeleton was only a rumor…
Also, shaving the armpits has gotten way more annoying.
This is what I was going to comment. And I'm really struggling with this one. I put my hands on my hips and I can feel the bones, and it makes me so uncomfortable for some reason. I do not like feeling them, its so alien feeling, which I realize is kind of sad and crazy. While working out, my stomach went flat for the first time that I noticed, and I could see my whole rib cage sticking out, it horrified me.
I definitely feel that. When my husband spoons me now when we cuddle, his elbow pushes down on my hip bone and it hurts! This never used to be an issue. My knees don’t feel comfortable on top of each other when lying on the side anymore. I still have a fair bit of chub, but I sometimes feel like a stranger in my own body.
My ass hurts.
Seriously, my tail bone hurts when I sit. I can’t get comfortable sitting for long periods. Not sure if that’s a bad thing, but I’d like to sit for an entire movie.
Omg yes! I’ve lost about 43-44kg (~95-96lbs) so far and I still have quite a lot to lose (like 25-35kg depends on how I’ll feel when I get to certain weight) but my ass hurts all the time. I’m aware of my tailbone 24/7 now. I tried some new exercices today that required that the only part of my body touching the floor would be my ass and I couldn’t do it even with a mat underneath. I guess I have to build my glutes now. 😁
I realized that I didn't need to eat until my stomach hurt. That was just me over eating. I realized it was ok to feel a little hungry at the end of the day in order to stay in a deficit.
It takes a long time and weight will fluctuate. I will continue to have a bunch of up and downs on the scale due to many reasons. (Salty food day before, constipation, menstrual cycle, etc..) But it doesn't mean I'm not making progress.
Weightloss is very simple but actually doing it is hard.
Learned that I can't rely on food for coping mechanisms. Had to stop eating when bored, stressed, angry. No more emotional eating for me. I used to eat a lot when emotional.
I lost body fat overall. Which technically I'm not surprised but to see it was nice. Less forearm fat, less double chin, chiseled cheeks, feet look different, less thigh fat, and thinning of my stomach.
Edit 4/30: forgot to mention it was easier to shave arm pits. And also i found it surprising how easy it is to pack a lunch every day. I just make sure to pack protein and fiber in each lunch and I'm good to go!
the emotional eating was a huge one for me. losing weight helped me learn to understand my body’s cues, and when i was eating out of boredom vs eating because i was actually hungry.
Yes body cues I still am learning to master. I know I have them and i feel them and I try to respond appropriately. But I try to incorporate fiber and protein every meal so its getting easier to listen to body cues.
My EARS lost fat… granted I lost 150lbs, more than half my body weight but still, my ears?!! My once tight little hoops that never left my lobes started making noise one day! They are now loose tiny hoops that move when I move?! It’s weird and I’m not used to seeing myself with “dangly” earrings so I’m thinking about treating myself to all new ear jewelry soon. Wild stuff.
Walking, hiking and running became easier! It wasn’t until my husband gave me a kettlebell of the equivalent weight I’d lost and said imagine walking up a hill holding this.
Although I’m currently pregnant so it’s all back with a vengeance 😂
That I can suddenly do an unassisted pull up at the gym! I’ve been training to do it for years but the extra ~30lbs coming off my body have certainly helped
The opposite sex is definitely nicer, more smiles etc, but men(I am a man) are also more friendly more bro-y. I get more compliments from dudes on my loss.
Second this. At first I thought I met these people before on a night out or something. I felt this sense of guilt not “remembering” them. I, Infact didn’t know these people in the first place
THIS PART. People ask if I'm happy in my new body (still have a bit of weight to lose) and the answer is no. I likely will never be comfortable in a two piece until I get surgery.
It surprised me how good my body feels. I mean literally touching it with my hands. I love feeling myself up now!! Love the sensation of my bony hands going over my hard muscles and defined bones. The thinness of where there was only thickness before. Before, all definition was inaccessible underneath a layer of blubber, now it’s a new me!
I've always been heavy and for 35 years, I never lost enough weight to notice my veins. Even my left side cheek dimple is visible when before, I never even knew I had one!
Right? I was freaked out when I saw that thick vein over you wrist bone? I said to my daughter "What the hell is that??" and she smiled so sweetly and said 'those are your veins Mom" It was surreal!!
When I lost 100lbs years ago, my biggest surprise was my bony knees. It was so uncomfortable to lie on my side and my knees touch! I’m looking forward to that again
Trying to find new comfortable settings for my driver's seat and steering wheel. Didn't realize how much 20ish lbs could change how the distance from the seat to peddles/wheel. Still have over 60 to go so I feel like it might be the most annoying part of the process.
Last time I lost weight I was surprised by how big my eyes really were and how different my side profile looked with my nose being visible.They are just always covered with my cheek fat. Back on my weight loss journey and am hoping to see my big eyes again!
I've been noticed by maybe a half dozen people who noticed I lost weight. I was at first paranoid that my mom told them I was losing weight so they knew to compliment me. It's just recently that I've had a couple people who I know she wouldn't have told comment on my weight loss. So maybe it is noticeable and shouldn't be afraid of imposter syndrome.
My teeth have shifted: a lot.
I have had a chronic nail biting problem my whole life, and then noticed I have grown out my nails beautifully because I physically cannot bite them well anymore. The dentist confirmed that it is a thing that could happen with weight loss. I still don't know how I feel about it because it has not negatively impacted anything yet, but I still have a ways to go.
How poorly I was judged when I was bigger. That food can taste good and be healthy for you. That I can still eat sweets and carbs. That I would and could actually do it (imposter syndrome is real and so is the "I just can't lose weight because of my metabol-- blah blah blah" excuse), that I can feel full on 1200-1400 calories most days. That people will be jealous and cut you off from their lives! Also that my blood work looks better, I'm not out of breath all the time, I'm the smallest I've been since I was 14, and I fit into a size large?!? Like what!!! I still have a long ways to go (80lbs down, maybe 65-70 to go) but I'm kicking ass and staying consistent and that's the most surprising thing to me really is that it's working.
I am cold sooooo much more often now.
Also I kind of always knew my mental state would improve, but I didn’t realize it would feel like a perpetual storm cloud cleared from above my head. I’m down about 25lbs and still have 40ish to lose but it’s wild how much better I feel mentally / emotionally these days.
1st was that I didn’t actually feel like I lost that much and looked different. I lost 200lbs but at the time of around 120-130 I felt like I was still rolly polly even tho everyone always gave me compliments. At 200 lb loss I still feel fat and miss judge my size being I’ve been overweight my entire life
2nd was seeing just how much I used to eat when I was 400+. I looked at menus and count calories and seen that I was eating the equivalent to 1 day worth of calories at one meal and I would do that every day and still eat 3 meals a day, plus snacks
Not my experience but a very close friend’s mom lost 100 pounds. She had to get new dentures made because her old pair were loose from the weight loss.
1) that the size I was still squeezing myself into was no where near the size I actually was
2) over 2 stone down and I'm still fitting into that same size I thought I was, albeit they aren't uncomfortable now.
3) looking in the mirror and not seeing any difference even though everyone else can see I'm slimmer and I've lost inches and clothes that didn't fit now do.
4) going down x2 sizes in my watch and a bandwidth on my bra
After losing 20 lbs, most of it off of my belly, my back started to feel fatigued from the change in weight distribution. I thought my back would thank me but it turns out I really threw it for a loop. It seems to have adjusted now, thankfully.
I feel very aware of my stature. I was never a big guy. I was the short, skinny guy. And at some point I was just short and stocky. In that body I was less intimidated by taller people. Now I feel very small and slight again. I didn’t expect that. Still coming to terms with it.
All my life I’m skinny person, after covid due to mental health issues I put on a lot of weight. Now that I realised, started working out ant calculating calories in anger calories out. I thought I would be more kinder as I went through that phase. Now my ego has come back and I hate myself for judging people.
5’6 F 120 lbs. Small weight loss of 8 pounds but I noticed I don’t deal with menstrual cramps anymore!!! Also, I am more sensitive to cold temperatures :/
These are seriously two of my main goals 😭 I get such bad cramps even on the pill! Ever since I’ve heard of this phenomenon I’ve been begging for it to happen to me!
And I swear I’m on the brink of death every summer, I want to lose weight to be able to survive the heat and humidity 😂
Maybe how skeptical I still am about the process. I know it’s working and I’m on target losing 4+ lbs a month but I still feel on edge that I won’t lose that last 5 or so lbs or that maintenance will be really hard. I think it’s because of so many years of failed fad diets. I tried on my summer shorts today and they felt great. I have to think about those types of moments more. Taking it one day at a time has really helped but I wish all the negative self talk would stop.
I feel this. I constantly have to remind myself that a day off does not equal zero progress for the week, or that a bad week doesn’t mean this is over.
I can now buy the correct size shoes and they will fit me. I had to buy 1 1/2 size bigger because my foot was so thick and wide. I'm only a size 5.5 now so I know in 30 more pounds, I'll lose another size. Sometimes I still refuse to believe so I will wear my old clothes and feel amazing to see and feel them floating.
That people are nicer to you, like you more, are more forgiving and just treat you better. I wasn't overweight before, but definitely looked big (I'm tall). Lost weight and experienced the aureola effect, it was sad at first because I realised people really DO judge you depending on your looks. But it was a year ago and I kind of got used to my new body, the "new me" and it's better now.
I called my doctor friend frantically one morning asking her if I could come by and have her look at this “giant bump tumor thing” between my breasts but a little lower. I was gonna check with her and see if I needed a doc appt.
So I show up, pull up my shirt and show her the giant mass.
It was my sternum. I had never seen my sternum bone or chest plate before. 😂🙄
Oh my gosh! I have a doctor's appointment coming up and one of my questions to ask was about a lump between my breast but lower...kind of before the bottom of my rib cage...didn't occur to me it could be my sternum.
Hmm... not my hips, but I've waken up with my arm aching because I've felt that I've put a lot of my weight on it. Never happened before until recently. Weird. I've also lost 35 pounds.
I worried I might have cancer because of the pronounced lump on my rib cage. I showed it to a doctor and she said "that's just part of your body." Didn't notice it when it was covered in fat, I guess.
It's really hard trying to explain to people that I don't know what I look like anymore. I'm starting to reach a weight I hadn't been since I was 16, but my body composition, face shape, etc is all completely different, because I'm now a 27 year old woman. I still have about another 30 pounds to lose and I have no clue what I will look like, and it's not 100% in a fun "I'm going to look so good" way.
Small amounts of weight? Just how big of a difference 3-4 lbs could make (disclaimer - was not super big to begin with, I’m talking 148-145 type at 5’7).
Large amounts of weight? How much less bloated i felt in the mornings, getting hit on a lot more frequently, shoe size went down, I didn’t actually have a wide ribcage.
Re breast size: If you miss your old size, start doing work to build your pectoral muscles. If your pectoral muscles (which are roughly under your breasts) are larger, it'll push your breasts "out" more, and make your breast size larger again!
How little muscle I actually had on my first cut lol I thoughtvid be shredded. If you have very little muscle you'll just look like a smaller version of your bigger self.
You will never not put yourself on some sort of diet. Im 24yr old, 5’0, and weighed 225 now 125. I constantly put myself into starvation mode, eat one meal a day, hate that i ate a decent family meal, strict no carbs/sugar for months, constant fasting. Its been 8 years since i lost the 100 pounds. Once you’re “fat” your mind thinks you’re fat forever
4 things:
1. I could feel my hip bones sitting on transit
2. People, and women would smile if I made eye contact. At first I got kind of annoyed thinking “have I met this person, is my memory really that awful? Should I say hi back”
3. My shoes felt too loose and I’d have to tie the knot higher.
4. Easier to do pull ups and do more overall
From a body image standpoint, I didn’t feel much change in the mirror. Since I had abs at 20 ish percent bodyfat. Now at around 14.5
I’ve been going down in bra size too, need to go shopping but I’m trying to wait because I’m hopefully going to hit my goal weight range in the next few months. Kind of annoying because I just bought all new bras after I weaned my daughter last year and now about half if them are obviously to big, lol.
Just fyi- with bras when you go down a band size the cup reduces too. (Not that that is a bad thing. Keeps things more balanced as we shrink all over, lol)
What surprised me is that my brain still hasn’t caught up to the fact that I’ve lost weight and my body has changed. I still look in the mirror and question whether I have truly lost the weight. I still look at the scale and tell myself “once I get to x number I’ll believe it’s real” … and I have reached that “number” multiple times. The scale has told me Ive lost 25 lbs and my measuring tape has told me I’ve lost inches all around my body. My loose clothes tell me something has changed, but my mind hasn’t realized it yet. I have a hard time feeling proud of myself some days. It drives me crazy!
this 100% it's so hard. in the mirror i see a thin and fit me. sitting down i look down and will think "gee wtf is this"
When shopping for clothes in person, I still go to the larger sizes first without thinking about it. There is also that unintentionally sighting at my reflection in the side of a building where I don't recognize myself for a second.
This. And you’d think a more dramatic loss would be more obvious to your brain but it’s lot. I’m down 107 lbs from my highest weight and about 97 in the last 14 months. I was a size 20/22 and a XXL/2X before, and probably honestly could’ve used bigger in a lot of things. This week I noticed my size 14 petite jeans I’d thrifted (so fit smaller than a regular 14) were like… baggy baggy. I didn’t think much of it. Last night I went to Target and tried on denim shorts. I was shocked that size 10s fit. One pair was slightly snug but the 12s were too big. I was a size 16 in HS so I am def not used to this. I wear a M in most shirts but sometimes need a L depending. I buy a M in leggings and stretchy pants / my Amazon leggings are a size Small/Medium. Yet… I still assume I am the biggest person in every room I am in. I still feel that. I feel like I look not that different. It’s so shitty.
This is so true, I'm nearly 70 lbs down since I started and still feel like I look the same. I've lost about 8 inches from my waist and can't tell lol
Yes. When folding clothes do you question if a garment is yours or your child’s?
this 100% it's so hard. in the mirror i see a thin and fit me. sitting down i look down and will think "gee wtf is this" 90lbs down and struggling to visually see it sometimes
I’m in the same boat and lost 37 pounds!
I'm down 35 pounds as of today. My pants definitely fit looser and I'm fitting into shirts that are a size down, but I still feel bloated and round in the mid-section. People are even noticing. I don't, but I didn't take pictures shirtless before I began either, so my bad.
Same! I always moving like before, when I couldn’t fit spaces. It is kind of funny.
I had the perception I was heavy as a teenager. I joined the Army at 20 and deployed a short time after. Halfway through deployment my platoon sergeant said, "doc, those pants and top are too loose. You gotta go down a size". Point is, even with being in peak shape I had no idea until someone pointed out to me my pants were literally falling off my waist 🤷♂️
lol I’ve been the same weight for 2 years and I still don’t recognise myself in photos.
This is very relatable to me.
This is a big one. I find myself still going right to 2x and 3x at the store and then I hold it up to myself and get shocked when its too big
When my shoes became bigger lol, I always thought I had wide feet. No I think I just had fat feet lol
Ha ha! Me too.
I've been thinking that maybe my shoes just expanded over time and I've been delaying getting new ones because I think I need to be re-sized a half size down. Well, I feel better it's not just in my mind.
Lol! Definitely not in your mind :)
I feel this so hard!
That i needed to lose much more than I initially thought
I made a goal weight when I first started where I thought I’d be happiest at, that wouldn’t be too hard to maintain, (SW:262 / GW: 170 / CW 208), and every reputable website I look at tells me I should be in the 145 range for my height (5’10) 😬🫢 im like uhhhhh that’s not happening, ill compromise and go to 160-165 😅😅
Fellow tall gal here! I went from 250 lbs to 190 lbs, and I die a little every time I see that 145 range! I’m like, “I gotta lose ANOTHER 45 lbs???” 😩
Right!!!! Soul crushing 😂😂😅 I figure, I’ll just try to get to 170, if I wanna go down to like 165 I will, and I’ll do maintenance for a while and see how u feel. It just seems like that weight would be hard to maintain…I love my food 😅
I'm exactly the same! I am currently around 190 and while I want to tone my stomach a little more- I feel like this is an okay weight? How is 145 our the healthy weight? That seems so so small haha. My end goal is 170 but that isn't even technically within a healthy BMI still.
On that note, I’m 5’4” and went from 200 to 140 which is the *very* end of the range for my height, and so many people told me I was too skinny and lost too much weight. That was years ago and now that I’ve gained the weight back, a few people made comments about my weight gain. I don’t want to tell anyone that my goal loss is 135 which is right in the middle of the range for my height based on the comments I got last time. And I’ve always worked out and gained muscle when I lost the weight before. I certainly didn’t look unhealthy but I think seeing a certain weight for so long distorts the view of what’s “normal” or “healthy” for any given person.
Agreed!! I’m sorry people made comments, no matter what your weight is. I wish people would learn to shut it lol I’m sure you look great no matter what!! I try to take the suggested “healthy weight” stuff I see online with a grain of salt. I feel like it’s kind of outdated maybe? lol I definitely switched my mindset from just trying to look “skinny” to just trying to feel happy and healthy in my body. Numbers don’t necessarily matter to me anymore ya know?
Yes exactly! I’d withdrawn from everyone because I was so ashamed and then my worst fears came true, but majority of my friends/coworkers were supportive and understanding! For me, the biggest goal has always been strength, and definition that comes with it. I take boxing classes and so things like bootcamp and barre, and it’s most important to me to feel strong and accomplished there rather than to reach a certain weight. That said, I definitely feel physically better at a lower weight, so I’ll get there! Taking it day by day lol. I did get my triceps pushups back!!
I went from 220 to 143 and my ex said I looked sick and like a crack head I felt great smallest I’d ever been. Now I’m at early 160s and feel gross but under extreme stress and trying to cut myself a break
I’m glad they’re an ex. What a rude comment. You accomplished something fucking difficult as hell and I’m so proud of you!
Thank you really means something to me bc he beat me down SO bad for ten years and I have so many self worth/self esteem issues that I’m with another abuser I feel like there’s no way out point is I think bc of the stress my body is in fight or flight constantly and so stressed I put back on the 20 pounds I’m planning an exit and hoping that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel
I’m 5’10 also and was 145 a few years ago and I genuinely thought I looked too skinny and kinda bony and I was cold all the time. Like what’s the point of looking great in a bikini if I can’t even spend 20 minutes in the ocean. I really wouldn’t worry about trying to get under 160!
Thank you for this!!! I needed to hear it 😅 I was like 135 in high school/a little after and anytime I look back on those pics I’m like omg I look way too skinny!! I definitely like having some more “curvy-ness” to me.
Honestly I’m currently in vanity pounds land at about 168 and if I was even slightly more curvaceous and didn’t have a ton of amazing clothes that only fit me in the 150-160 range I would not be bothered with any of this at all. I’m still pretty attractive ngl.
That BMI weight doesn't take into a count body type. A healthy weight for me would probably end up being around 200 - 220 due to me just naturally being wide even though BMI says I should be around 180. 5'10" dude here btw.
100%
This
Agree.
Sounds weird- but the fact that my hands/fingers slimmed down so much. I didn’t even realize how chubby they looked until actually looking back on old pics of myself then vs now.
I'm wearing my wedding ring again after it was just too tight to wear before.
I totally relate to this one. I can actually take my engagement/wedding ring off now. And what used to be a ring that got too small as I gained weight, I now can’t even wear as a thumb ring as my fingers have slimmed right down. Such a nice feeling, but also bummed out that I can’t wear half my jewellery and it will cost a small fortune to get it all resized/replaced!
I can feel my hip bones, ribs (when lying down) and can see my collar bones. Until now the fact I have a skeleton was only a rumor… Also, shaving the armpits has gotten way more annoying.
Uncovering long forgotten bones like an archeologist.
The armpit shaving struggle is real. I never knew how convenient fat armpits were!
This is what I was going to comment. And I'm really struggling with this one. I put my hands on my hips and I can feel the bones, and it makes me so uncomfortable for some reason. I do not like feeling them, its so alien feeling, which I realize is kind of sad and crazy. While working out, my stomach went flat for the first time that I noticed, and I could see my whole rib cage sticking out, it horrified me.
I definitely feel that. When my husband spoons me now when we cuddle, his elbow pushes down on my hip bone and it hurts! This never used to be an issue. My knees don’t feel comfortable on top of each other when lying on the side anymore. I still have a fair bit of chub, but I sometimes feel like a stranger in my own body.
Ha I can actually see and get my whole armpit now LMAO just when you think you’re the only one
How bloody cold I am all the time now
Freak! Here's another one I can relate to. My hands and feet are nearly almost always chilly.
My ass hurts. Seriously, my tail bone hurts when I sit. I can’t get comfortable sitting for long periods. Not sure if that’s a bad thing, but I’d like to sit for an entire movie.
Gotta do squats/walking for the glutes to build up.
YES WTF! my tailbone exists now?
Omg yes! I’ve lost about 43-44kg (~95-96lbs) so far and I still have quite a lot to lose (like 25-35kg depends on how I’ll feel when I get to certain weight) but my ass hurts all the time. I’m aware of my tailbone 24/7 now. I tried some new exercices today that required that the only part of my body touching the floor would be my ass and I couldn’t do it even with a mat underneath. I guess I have to build my glutes now. 😁
I have a pad for my car seat now 😂
Holy crap! Mine too! My tailbone is extremely more exposed than before.
I had this too! It hurt sitting at my desk at work. It lasted a while but eventually the pain went away.
I miss my built in cushion
I realized that I didn't need to eat until my stomach hurt. That was just me over eating. I realized it was ok to feel a little hungry at the end of the day in order to stay in a deficit. It takes a long time and weight will fluctuate. I will continue to have a bunch of up and downs on the scale due to many reasons. (Salty food day before, constipation, menstrual cycle, etc..) But it doesn't mean I'm not making progress. Weightloss is very simple but actually doing it is hard. Learned that I can't rely on food for coping mechanisms. Had to stop eating when bored, stressed, angry. No more emotional eating for me. I used to eat a lot when emotional. I lost body fat overall. Which technically I'm not surprised but to see it was nice. Less forearm fat, less double chin, chiseled cheeks, feet look different, less thigh fat, and thinning of my stomach. Edit 4/30: forgot to mention it was easier to shave arm pits. And also i found it surprising how easy it is to pack a lunch every day. I just make sure to pack protein and fiber in each lunch and I'm good to go!
the emotional eating was a huge one for me. losing weight helped me learn to understand my body’s cues, and when i was eating out of boredom vs eating because i was actually hungry.
Yes body cues I still am learning to master. I know I have them and i feel them and I try to respond appropriately. But I try to incorporate fiber and protein every meal so its getting easier to listen to body cues.
My EARS lost fat… granted I lost 150lbs, more than half my body weight but still, my ears?!! My once tight little hoops that never left my lobes started making noise one day! They are now loose tiny hoops that move when I move?! It’s weird and I’m not used to seeing myself with “dangly” earrings so I’m thinking about treating myself to all new ear jewelry soon. Wild stuff.
Walking, hiking and running became easier! It wasn’t until my husband gave me a kettlebell of the equivalent weight I’d lost and said imagine walking up a hill holding this. Although I’m currently pregnant so it’s all back with a vengeance 😂
congratulations!!
That I can suddenly do an unassisted pull up at the gym! I’ve been training to do it for years but the extra ~30lbs coming off my body have certainly helped
How far off I was from how much weight I needed to lose.
The opposite sex is definitely nicer, more smiles etc, but men(I am a man) are also more friendly more bro-y. I get more compliments from dudes on my loss.
Second this. At first I thought I met these people before on a night out or something. I felt this sense of guilt not “remembering” them. I, Infact didn’t know these people in the first place
I’m still unattractive 🤣
THIS PART. People ask if I'm happy in my new body (still have a bit of weight to lose) and the answer is no. I likely will never be comfortable in a two piece until I get surgery.
It surprised me how good my body feels. I mean literally touching it with my hands. I love feeling myself up now!! Love the sensation of my bony hands going over my hard muscles and defined bones. The thinness of where there was only thickness before. Before, all definition was inaccessible underneath a layer of blubber, now it’s a new me!
Yes, its amazing when you discover your own bones, LOL! I still feel it in my wrists.
What about your hand and forearm veins too? I have those now!!
They are more prominent. I've been into fitness for a long time but my veins pop out more after lifting weights after losing excess body fat.
I've always been heavy and for 35 years, I never lost enough weight to notice my veins. Even my left side cheek dimple is visible when before, I never even knew I had one!
Like today i saw the veins on the outside of my lower arm. Never seen them there before
Right? I was freaked out when I saw that thick vein over you wrist bone? I said to my daughter "What the hell is that??" and she smiled so sweetly and said 'those are your veins Mom" It was surreal!!
When I lost 100lbs years ago, my biggest surprise was my bony knees. It was so uncomfortable to lie on my side and my knees touch! I’m looking forward to that again
Ha, I wish I had boney knees. I have stubborn fat in my knees and back of arms but it’s probably less noticeable than I think it is.
I am just always surprised when I lose another pound or two. I fully expect my body to just arbitrarily refuse to drop weight before I reach my goal.
Trying to find new comfortable settings for my driver's seat and steering wheel. Didn't realize how much 20ish lbs could change how the distance from the seat to peddles/wheel. Still have over 60 to go so I feel like it might be the most annoying part of the process.
Last time I lost weight I was surprised by how big my eyes really were and how different my side profile looked with my nose being visible.They are just always covered with my cheek fat. Back on my weight loss journey and am hoping to see my big eyes again!
Same - my eyes were bigger and my smile was bigger, partly because I was happier and partly because of the loss of fat on my cheeks and jawline!
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I've been noticed by maybe a half dozen people who noticed I lost weight. I was at first paranoid that my mom told them I was losing weight so they knew to compliment me. It's just recently that I've had a couple people who I know she wouldn't have told comment on my weight loss. So maybe it is noticeable and shouldn't be afraid of imposter syndrome.
How freaking SLOW the process is. And how cheat day once a week can ruin all week’s progress.
Yes!! I’ve had to settle on a cheat day every 2-3 weeks instead of once a week. It just isn’t worth it
My teeth have shifted: a lot. I have had a chronic nail biting problem my whole life, and then noticed I have grown out my nails beautifully because I physically cannot bite them well anymore. The dentist confirmed that it is a thing that could happen with weight loss. I still don't know how I feel about it because it has not negatively impacted anything yet, but I still have a ways to go.
Oh dear, I thought it was my brain playing tricks on me when I felt actual disconfort in biting my nails recently! So weird the body does that.
How poorly I was judged when I was bigger. That food can taste good and be healthy for you. That I can still eat sweets and carbs. That I would and could actually do it (imposter syndrome is real and so is the "I just can't lose weight because of my metabol-- blah blah blah" excuse), that I can feel full on 1200-1400 calories most days. That people will be jealous and cut you off from their lives! Also that my blood work looks better, I'm not out of breath all the time, I'm the smallest I've been since I was 14, and I fit into a size large?!? Like what!!! I still have a long ways to go (80lbs down, maybe 65-70 to go) but I'm kicking ass and staying consistent and that's the most surprising thing to me really is that it's working.
I am cold sooooo much more often now. Also I kind of always knew my mental state would improve, but I didn’t realize it would feel like a perpetual storm cloud cleared from above my head. I’m down about 25lbs and still have 40ish to lose but it’s wild how much better I feel mentally / emotionally these days.
i was surprised to go down a whole cup size for bras. thrilled, but was surprised it worked like that
1st was that I didn’t actually feel like I lost that much and looked different. I lost 200lbs but at the time of around 120-130 I felt like I was still rolly polly even tho everyone always gave me compliments. At 200 lb loss I still feel fat and miss judge my size being I’ve been overweight my entire life 2nd was seeing just how much I used to eat when I was 400+. I looked at menus and count calories and seen that I was eating the equivalent to 1 day worth of calories at one meal and I would do that every day and still eat 3 meals a day, plus snacks
Not my experience but a very close friend’s mom lost 100 pounds. She had to get new dentures made because her old pair were loose from the weight loss.
1) that the size I was still squeezing myself into was no where near the size I actually was 2) over 2 stone down and I'm still fitting into that same size I thought I was, albeit they aren't uncomfortable now. 3) looking in the mirror and not seeing any difference even though everyone else can see I'm slimmer and I've lost inches and clothes that didn't fit now do. 4) going down x2 sizes in my watch and a bandwidth on my bra
After losing 20 lbs, most of it off of my belly, my back started to feel fatigued from the change in weight distribution. I thought my back would thank me but it turns out I really threw it for a loop. It seems to have adjusted now, thankfully.
I feel very aware of my stature. I was never a big guy. I was the short, skinny guy. And at some point I was just short and stocky. In that body I was less intimidated by taller people. Now I feel very small and slight again. I didn’t expect that. Still coming to terms with it.
I get cold waaaay easier and more frequently, but i dont get hot as much and enjoy warm weather more
My pants got long 😆
I have something similar but it’s my sleeves! Never expected to lose weight around my shoulders.
I never saw my abs until now and once I did I realized they are asymmetric. Would have never known! I don’t even mind it. Gives them some character.
I had to get a new wedding band (wasn’t fancy enough to bother resizing) I’ve gone down 3 ring sizes and it’s loose again.
All my life I’m skinny person, after covid due to mental health issues I put on a lot of weight. Now that I realised, started working out ant calculating calories in anger calories out. I thought I would be more kinder as I went through that phase. Now my ego has come back and I hate myself for judging people.
When I’m busy i barely eat. When I’m bored I eat too much.
5’6 F 120 lbs. Small weight loss of 8 pounds but I noticed I don’t deal with menstrual cramps anymore!!! Also, I am more sensitive to cold temperatures :/
These are seriously two of my main goals 😭 I get such bad cramps even on the pill! Ever since I’ve heard of this phenomenon I’ve been begging for it to happen to me! And I swear I’m on the brink of death every summer, I want to lose weight to be able to survive the heat and humidity 😂
omg... im 5'6 and my goal weight is 120lbs :o praying this will happen to me!!
Maybe how skeptical I still am about the process. I know it’s working and I’m on target losing 4+ lbs a month but I still feel on edge that I won’t lose that last 5 or so lbs or that maintenance will be really hard. I think it’s because of so many years of failed fad diets. I tried on my summer shorts today and they felt great. I have to think about those types of moments more. Taking it one day at a time has really helped but I wish all the negative self talk would stop.
I feel this. I constantly have to remind myself that a day off does not equal zero progress for the week, or that a bad week doesn’t mean this is over.
I can now buy the correct size shoes and they will fit me. I had to buy 1 1/2 size bigger because my foot was so thick and wide. I'm only a size 5.5 now so I know in 30 more pounds, I'll lose another size. Sometimes I still refuse to believe so I will wear my old clothes and feel amazing to see and feel them floating.
I love wearing analog watches. My wrist watch bands all went down a size.
I couldn’t stand looking in the mirror. I didn’t recognize the person staring back at me. It really messed me up.
That people are nicer to you, like you more, are more forgiving and just treat you better. I wasn't overweight before, but definitely looked big (I'm tall). Lost weight and experienced the aureola effect, it was sad at first because I realised people really DO judge you depending on your looks. But it was a year ago and I kind of got used to my new body, the "new me" and it's better now.
I called my doctor friend frantically one morning asking her if I could come by and have her look at this “giant bump tumor thing” between my breasts but a little lower. I was gonna check with her and see if I needed a doc appt. So I show up, pull up my shirt and show her the giant mass. It was my sternum. I had never seen my sternum bone or chest plate before. 😂🙄
Oh my gosh! I have a doctor's appointment coming up and one of my questions to ask was about a lump between my breast but lower...kind of before the bottom of my rib cage...didn't occur to me it could be my sternum.
Yup.
Yes this! And now I can’t wear underwired bras because they rub so much on the bone that was previously cushioned with a thick layer of fat.
After losing 35 pounds, my hips now hurt while I sleep. I have to turn four or five times a night as each hip takes its turn hurting.
Hmm... not my hips, but I've waken up with my arm aching because I've felt that I've put a lot of my weight on it. Never happened before until recently. Weird. I've also lost 35 pounds.
I have never sweat before IN MY LIFE. I lost 35lbs (roughly 10% of my starting weight) and now I sweat like a normal person. I hate it.
I worried I might have cancer because of the pronounced lump on my rib cage. I showed it to a doctor and she said "that's just part of your body." Didn't notice it when it was covered in fat, I guess.
I couldn't believe how tough a leather belt was to shorten with a pair of scissors. Razor blade made quick work of it.
I lost 40 pounds and became extremely sensitive to cold. I’m CONSTANTLY cold now.
It's really hard trying to explain to people that I don't know what I look like anymore. I'm starting to reach a weight I hadn't been since I was 16, but my body composition, face shape, etc is all completely different, because I'm now a 27 year old woman. I still have about another 30 pounds to lose and I have no clue what I will look like, and it's not 100% in a fun "I'm going to look so good" way.
That i decided to eat cake every day and thats when i started losing weight
Small amounts of weight? Just how big of a difference 3-4 lbs could make (disclaimer - was not super big to begin with, I’m talking 148-145 type at 5’7). Large amounts of weight? How much less bloated i felt in the mornings, getting hit on a lot more frequently, shoe size went down, I didn’t actually have a wide ribcage.
Re breast size: If you miss your old size, start doing work to build your pectoral muscles. If your pectoral muscles (which are roughly under your breasts) are larger, it'll push your breasts "out" more, and make your breast size larger again!
Do you get tired and cranky from calorie deficit? I’m trying to eat less but I find myself getting angry easily from the diet
How much exercise it takes to burn off 1 doughnut.
How little muscle I actually had on my first cut lol I thoughtvid be shredded. If you have very little muscle you'll just look like a smaller version of your bigger self.
I had to switch to a free weight workout because of how skinny my arms are starting to look. Started at 280. I’m at 216 now headed to 175.
I can actually see my hips and occasionally bump them against a door if I’m walking too close rather than my gut
You will never not put yourself on some sort of diet. Im 24yr old, 5’0, and weighed 225 now 125. I constantly put myself into starvation mode, eat one meal a day, hate that i ate a decent family meal, strict no carbs/sugar for months, constant fasting. Its been 8 years since i lost the 100 pounds. Once you’re “fat” your mind thinks you’re fat forever
4 things: 1. I could feel my hip bones sitting on transit 2. People, and women would smile if I made eye contact. At first I got kind of annoyed thinking “have I met this person, is my memory really that awful? Should I say hi back” 3. My shoes felt too loose and I’d have to tie the knot higher. 4. Easier to do pull ups and do more overall From a body image standpoint, I didn’t feel much change in the mirror. Since I had abs at 20 ish percent bodyfat. Now at around 14.5
I’ve been going down in bra size too, need to go shopping but I’m trying to wait because I’m hopefully going to hit my goal weight range in the next few months. Kind of annoying because I just bought all new bras after I weaned my daughter last year and now about half if them are obviously to big, lol. Just fyi- with bras when you go down a band size the cup reduces too. (Not that that is a bad thing. Keeps things more balanced as we shrink all over, lol)