I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I've started to do so many things that I couldn't (or mostly wouldn't) do before because of my weight.
Since I lost weight I've been loving:
Rock Climbing
Hiking
Swimming (with no shorts and t-shirt on!)
Step Aerobics (yep, love it)
Volleyball (3 times per week, baby!)
I also got a part time job waiting tables. That sounds strange, but I've been a SAHW for several years now. I desperately needed to get out of the house a couple days per week and I love to wait tables. I never would apply before though because of the amount of work involved waiting tables. It's a lot of walking and lifting, etc. I really couldn't have done it before.
Last week I went snowboarding for the first time and loved it! DH has been pushing me for years to go snowboarding and I never would try it because of my size. I also went on a snowmobiling tour I would never have been able to do with 60+ extra lbs on. I'm going to buy rollerblades for DH and me soon, too. That'll be a hoot.
I love being so active, I love being able to do all the things I'd enviously watch others do.
What do you do now that you couldn't/wouldn't do before?
Gale - I love your topic! It's very refreshing....
I love to:
* Go to the gym (I actually miss it when I take Saturdays/Sundays off)
* Run - I can do this now! Who would have thought?? Amazing to get the pace going and just keep going.
* Shop - it's so nice that I can shop at any store and find clothes and almost all of them fit me! I don't have to be grumpy when trying things on and trying to squeeze my fat into it!
* Just getting out and going to things - festivals, farmer's markets, the beach, etc.
Location: I live in far west Texas - and I love that good ol' southern hospitality and good ol' southern food!
Posts: 33
S/C/G: 255/227.4/150
Height: 5'7"
Wow
I love this idea, Gale! I haven't lost enough yet to say I'm trying anything new yet, but this is so inspirational! I'm really feeling hungry tonight even though I've had plenty of food. It was fun to read about all the things you are doing now! Gives me the will to ignore the hunger!
being fat never kept me from any social activity - in fact, i think it forced me to be even MORE outgoing if you know what i mean, but one thing i absolutel LOVE and have avoided for years and years and years is SWIMMING! i love to swim and I can't wait to do it again
The biggest one right now is running! I love to run. I run 25 miles or more a week now! I will try a lot of physical activities! I get excited to do new things. I do DDR with my oldest daughter. I go roller skating with my yougest daughter. We ride bikes (when it is not freezing outside!) This summer I will do even more activities while we go camping. I will swim more. Really I feel like the sky is the limit!! I always let my weight hold me back. Now I feel more free!! Jelly
Seriously. Not that I wouldn't or couldn't before I lost weight, but I certainly had less and was less open with it. Now I love being confident enough to undress in front of my guy and not want to jump under the covers immediately or want to leave a tshirt on to cover up my "rolls". I love the flexibility that it's brought to our sex life because I"m more willing to do different things (and I'm able to, now that I don't have this tummy in the way and I'm not constantly worrying about "that position makes my fat bunch up").
Buying clothes that fit is also good. I love putting something on that clings in all the right places and not thinking "will this show my rolls of fat". I'm a lot more confident about buying things, even though I still have some weight to lose.
Just being more active in general. It was hard to be physically active before because I would get winded quickly or becuase I felt awkward. I don't any more - or not as much. And I'm willing to try things and fear less about looking stupid if I fail the first time - I feel less that people will say (or think) "look at the fat chick who can't even rollerblade". That kind of thing
Last edited by PhotoChick; 01-20-2008 at 10:49 PM.
* Weightlifting
* Yoga
* Walking up 4 flights of stairs
* Shoveling snow or raking leaves. I hated both
* Grooving to music on the elliptical
* Clothes shopping. I did it before, but it was significantly less fun.
* Meeting new people is much easier. I don't think how much they might be judging me because of my weight.
I think several of you hit the nail on the head, put into words what I'm feeling: I'm not afraid to try new things anymore. In fact, I'm excited to try new sports, and meet new people! I don't worry anymore about people thinking "Look at the fat girl failing at (insert activity here)." When I went snowboarding I suuuuuuucked at it, big time. But, no one looked at me like I shouldn't be there or laughed at me for trying. I was just another newbie at a difficult sport.
I also have to agree about the sex. DH and I never stopped, but it has certainly been much more frequent and fun since I've lost weight. I'm not self conscious anymore with him, diving under the covers or turning off the lights.
I wish I could do everything!
I feel like my weight affects every part of my life and I'm constantly thinking about it which is a bummer.
I hate using public transport because if there is an empty seat beside me then I think no one wants to sit next to the fat woman!
I hate dining at a restaurant because I think other people are thinking "Look at that fat woman stuffing her face!"
I hate doing public sports or activities because I think everyone likes to laugh at the fat woman struggling!
I hate grocery shopping because I think everyone is checking out my cart contents to see how I got this fat!
I hate swimming because no bathing suit has the ability to mask or hide my fat rolls, big thighs, and behind!
I hate going to parent's meetings at my children's school because I have such beautiful children and I always think people are wondering "THAT kid came from THAT woman?"
I hate meeting any of my husband's friends or co-workers because I don't want to embarrass him!
I hate being intimate with my husband because he is such an attractive fit man and I can't understand how he can not be disgusted with me!
The list is pretty much endless. Even though I already lost a bit of weight, I haven't noticed that much of a difference. I even had a situation a few weeks ago that flat-out reminded me that I need to lose so much more weight. I went with my daughter's school on a field trip and the teacher asked me if I would go on a little amusement ride with the kids. I said "sure!" When I got in my seat and brought the bar down, I couldn't latch it! I had a brief moment of panic before I sucked in my gut and the bar clicked. If I had weighed what I did before then there would have been NO WAY I could have fit on that ride. I seriously would have died of embarrassment if I had to get off.
I know I must sound like a downer but, in a way these are all the things that motivate me to keep going. I long for the day when I don't think about my weight and I can just go out and do whatever without being self-conscious. Someday I will get to be the real me, not the FAT me.
Great thread.
I've only lost 15 pounds, but already I can
-roll over easily in bed without moving like a beached whale
-fit in the tube without the sides pressing in
-get out of my chair in the living room without having to struggle
-kneel at church without my belly pressing painfully into the pew ahead
There are a lot of little things but the big ones are ...
*Running, and absolutely falling in love with it.
*Getting pregnant! My body just didn't WORK when I was obese, and now I finally have the joy of expecting my first child after years of trying. And I can have a healthy pregnancy instead of a lot of extra risks from excess weight, which is what I always worried about before.
What couldn't (or wouldn't) you...
Put on my socks
