I had to tell everyone, that I have finally reached onederland and I am officially down 100lbs. I has taken me 14 months and some odd days to reach this, but I am so glad I am here. I have gone from a tight fitting 24w to a comfortable 14, which means I can fit into 12's, but they are still too tight. I have gone down from a tight 3x to mediums and larges. I haven't been this small since middle school, and back then this was not small. I have done this by exercise and portion control along with moderation. Nothing has been drastic, but I have been consistant. My biggest fear to date is that I won't be able to keep it off. Does anyone have this fear and how do you overcome it? And for anyone else who has lost a lot, do you ever really see yourself as small. I still feel big, even though I know I am smaller.
As for seeing myself small, no, not really. I still pretty much see the image of myself I had at my highest weight. Sometimes I'll notice something in the mirror that'll make me say "wow" like a half realization that I've lost weight. Collarbones help a lot but still its hard to see myself smaller.
As for fear about gaining back. Not really only because it has taken me years of losing/maintaining to be where I'm at now. I know I will never go back to what I was. Occasionally, I'll stop losing weight for a while and gain a couple lbs but then I get back to work and get those lbs off.
One thing about weight loss is that you are learning what you need to do to maintain that weight loss. Exercise, eat right, etc and you will be able to maintain.
Wow!! Congrats on the hard work and sucess!! Everyone is different when it comes to maintaining wieght loss, but if you've come this far you have the knowledge about your body to know what to do. Good luck!
CONGRATS!!!!! great job. I only lost half of what you did, but it took about a year to realize that I wasn't that big anymore. Even now, my friends tell me that I have major body dysmorphic disorder b/c I see myself as so much fatter than everyone else. As for keeping it off, if you've gotten this far than you know what to do- just keep it up.
GREAT JOB!!!!
As for the image thing - yeah I still see myself as the lardarse and possibly will forever more
We went shopping yesterday and I was at the till and my mum said that I looked so tiny standing there - was really nice to hear but I don't believe it lol so kinda detracts from the comment I guess
The body image thing is difficult--I still feel big, too. Regarding keeping it off, just make that commitment to do so and join the Maintainer's forum. Maintaining is just like losing, by the way, with just a few more calories thrown into the mix. If you realize now that this will be your lifestyle forever, and you don't get to go back to your old way of eating the minute you reach your goal, you'll be in good shape.
Great job! Hopefully I'm not far behind you! I got some practice at maintenance during the holidays and I think I learned that it is possible to keep the weight off. We even went on a cruise and I was amazed at how easy it was not to go completely crazy. So much junk just wasn't that appealing anymore.
As far as body image goes, I still look at my size 16 jeans (down from 26) when i'm putting them on and think that they will never fit (even though they do everytime!). Have you seen the new Lifetime show "How to look good Naked"? My favorite part of the show is when they line up a bunch of women from smallest to largest and tell the person they are making over to put herself in where she belongs. She always misjudges herself for bigger. Apparently this problem is not just with those of us who've lost weight but with a lot of women in general. We concentrate on an area we don't like and make it bigger than it is. I am trying to learn to see myself truthfully, but's it's a slow process.
Finally onederland, YES!!!
Your story is so inspiring!! You should be VERY proud of yourself.
Congratulations, alliesmom00
