[CLCSC145]

With any amount of weight loss comes benefits. What kinds of things do you do now that you couldn't when you weighed more?

For me,

• I use my clothes dryer for....clothes! For the last decade, I've hung the majority of my clothes to dry because I lived in fear of losing any millimeter of fabric to shrinkage.
  
• I can run if I want to (admittedly, I don't want to often, but I can do it, darn it!)
  
• I run up the stairs instead of a slow dread-filled climb
  
• I'm not embarrassed to go to the grocery store. I used to think everyone was judging my cart and me, like how dare she eat!
  
• I turn my bod to squeeze through places I would have never attempted to squeeze through before - and I don't touch!
  
• I'm not afraid I'm going to have a heart attack at any minute. I used to be able to feel my heart pounding even while sitting still. Now I can't feel it at all when sitting still (but it must be beating, because I'm still here!).
  
• I'm not constantly looking for excuses to avoid doing things that are physical for fear of turning red and sweating (rearranging my furniture, walking with friends after going out to dinner, going shopping, etc.)

I'm sure there are more, but I want to hear what's gotten better for you! 5 pounds or a hundred and five, share your positive changes!

[Aclai4067]

*I can RUN! This is the most exciting part for me yet. I'm really getting into it. I love C25K

*I can eat fast food without once turning into every day or twice a day!

*I can chose water over soda without even thinking about it

*I can BELIEVE I will reach goal! (before it just felt like fantasy)

*I can get excited about eating fruit (seriously, blood oranges are like candy to me. LOVE them!)

[Gracie789]

Yup, everything you said. It's really mind boggling when I think back to where I was a year ago and compare it to now. I didn't realize how much I adjusted my lifestyle around the weight. There is sooooo much I can do now, that I never considered when I was 300+ lbs.

• I can walk without pain!!!!!! I had trouble walking distances (after about a tenth of a mile my legs would cramp and it would be too painful to walk). I can now go a few miles without any difficulty!!!!!
• I can get up off the couch (or floor), without using my hands!!!!! It sounds kinda silly, but it was really embarrassing (I'm only 27) being able to get up only if I used my hands for leverage.
• I can cross my legs (my new fav. activity, lol), and it helps a lot being able to tie my shoelaces.
• I don't get out of breath so easily anymore. I hated getting winded going up a flight of stairs and then trying to cover it up so no one noticed (like that really worked).
• I no longer dread parking lots, I enjoy parking super far away because walking a little more isn't a struggle (plus I save time & gas because I don't need to look for a close spot).
• I can go to restaurants and not worry about being seated at a booth. Likewise, I can go to restaurants and order without feeling like I'm being judged.
• I can stand up and wash all my dishes. Before I needed to take breaks or seriously hunch over because my back would start to hurt.

I know there is a lot more, but that's all I can think of at the moment.

[Gracie789]

Originally Posted by Aclai4067

I can BELIEVE I will reach goal! (before it just felt like fantasy)

That's a good one. Losing weight always seemed like the impossible dream. I never believed I could lose weight much less reach my goal weight. Now it feels real and possible, it only took 100 lbs, but I do believe I will make my goal.

[CLCSC145]

Ooh, Grace, you made me think of another one...

I don't have to find a super big parking spot. I used to be concerned I wouldn't be able to squeeze out of my car if the spot was "too small" - the problem, though, was always I was too big!

[starfishkitty]

I can sit up after laying in bed without rolling to the side first!

[Lori259]

I can walk To check my mail Without feeling like I am having a heart attack afterwards now(My driveway is a hill)

I can Go up & down The stairs without feeling that way either to my kids rooms.(they all have upstairs rooms)

I can Walk for long periods at a time.


I can say Holy crap I am Just 15 pounds overweight On my BMI! Thats a first!


I can Feed my kids more healthier Lower calorie Things Cause I now have the knowledge.

I can Buy clothes in single digits.(7's & 8's) For the first time ever in my Life~cause I have always been big.


I can walk into the grocery store With My head held high & not down in shame.

I can be lifted by My husband..Into his arms Sideways Not Just up real quick and down & carried...He actually as of today Lifted me up And carried me through the house ~I felt light as a feather...Use to I would hurt his back for just a quick sec of lifting me LOL!

I can Actually say I weigh less than My husband.(He is 6 ft 1 inch & 174 pounds) I actually weight less than him~AMAZING!


I can Be the person I always was But just healthier.

AND SO MUCH MORE..........................TO MANY TO LIST!
Weight loss Has totally changed my life.

[ubergirl]

CC I LOVE LOVE LOVE the one about the clothes dryer!!! I used to hang all my clothes for the exact same reason!

This is a great thread. Here are mine.

*I can swim at a fast crawl for 45 minutes and am faster than a lot of people in the pool. When I started, I could only do two laps of front crawl before resting.

*I can RUN. This one just boggles my mind. I never thought I'd run again.

* I can stand for four straight hours at work without constantly thinking about sitting down.

* I can see my shin bones-- I don't have puffy edema over them any more.

* I can wear every single item in my closet (except the pants that are too big.)

* I can get dressed up on a moment's notice instead of fretting about whether the one thing that looks decent is clean.

* I can buy an ice cream cake for my daughter's birthday and KNOW that I won't eat any of it. I can open the freezer looking for turkey the next day and be surprised to see it sitting there because I've forgotten it even exists.

* I can update my profile picture on facebook whenever I want instead of keeping that one picture that makes me look thin.

[cfmama]

I love this thread!

I can get out of the bath without straining myself
I can lift my arms to do make-up, brush teeth and hair without them hurting
I can wipe my butt in the morning without having to be a contortionist to do it!
I can clip my toenails AND paint them
I can cross my legs
I can sit tailor style for hours
I can RUN AND RUN AND RUN
I can do daycare, clean my house, go shopping, exercise AND STILL have enough energy to have a marathon *ahem* session with hubby
I can live... live my life. And it feels SO FREAKING GOOD.

[CLCSC145]

These are so great!

CFMama, I hear you on the bath. It's no longer like raising the Titanic to get up and out of there. And while I'm in there, I'm covered rather than bits sticking out of the water!

And Ubergirl, Oh yes STANDING! I love not feeling like I'm always looking for a chair...

[Lyn2007]

I can look in the mirror and respect myself.

[diabetic z]

- I can jog for a complete mile.
- I can find the motivation to exercise, regardless of the weather, time of day, or how sore my body is from the previous day. No more excuses.
- Eating healthy is not a challenge anymore.
- I can travel by air without having to ask for a seat belt extender or worry about "intruding" into the space of my fellow passengers.
- My man boobs now pass the pencil test.

[Elladorine]

I can breathe! More specifically, my asthma has been reduced to nothing . . . I haven't had an attack since I've gotten under 285, even during the worst time of the year.

I can buy clothes off the rack! I'm still in the plus size section, but hopefully not for too much longer. And it's so much better than wandering around the store knowing that nothing but stretchy pants would fit me for bottoms.

And my best one: I don't have to rush off to the bathroom the moment I realize that have to pee . . . it used to be that when I had to go, I had to go NOW and it really limited my mobility in the outside world. I knew I had "overactive bladder" but was not only too embarrassed to get help, but the lack of insurance made going to the doctor difficult. I can hold it without a problem now and I know for a fact that losing weight and especially eating better has taken care of it.

[Eliana]

1. I can tie my shoes without holding my breath!

2. I keep going into public restrooms trying to find one that's tight and they never are anymore. I can't believe 27 lbs can make a difference between squeezing into a public stall and fitting just fine.

3. I no longer feel both sides of my rear end when I sit in movie theaters or any chair with sides. This includes a wing back chair I have in my house. We have "his" and "hers" sizes and I used to only fit in "his".

4. Getting up from a sitting position gets easier every day.

5. I love "slipping" into clothes that previously I could not button. Sometimes I go to the bathroom just so I can play with my clothes, slipping them up and down.

[Trazey34]

Originally Posted by Eliana

5. I love "slipping" into clothes that previously I could not button. Sometimes I go to the bathroom just so I can play with my clothes, slipping them up and down.

hahah i thought i was the only silly goose who did that LOL I had a top that I absolutely loved, bought it and never wore it because it was tight at the time and i had every intention of dieting to get into it - naturally that didn't happen, and 4 years went by!!! It was always hanging inside my closet, and i'd look longingly at it and then eat a cheeseburger lol but NOW i swim in it, but i put it on now and again and twirl around in it heheheh along with a lot of others!

* walking is a lot easier - i used to drive for all my errands (i mean, from one store in a strip mall to another omg!!) but now if they're a mile away or so, i always walk.

* I love that life isn't 'either/or' anymore -- as in, i'm a fanatical housekeeper, and i to cook nice dinners, but that would never happen in the same day as i didn't have enough energy, but now i can do them both and more! yay

* I feel free. The panic is gone ( i know it's lurking and i have to be vigilant not to let it creep back in) as in "do i have enough diet coke and treats to last me a few days"

* I've always been happy and proud of myself, but now that's thru the roof