I just got back from a short vacation with family and I just realized that, even though I don't consider myself to be at goal, my life is definitely starting to be very "normal."

Some of the things I did while I was away? Well one day, I took a five mile walk, ran my usual 30 minutes later, then went for a swim....

One day we rented bikes and I went for a 20 mile bike ride with my two daughters...

One day, when it was chilly, my mom loaned me her fleece, a regular size large, and I pulled it on and wore it....

Doing outdoorsy activities all day long, swapping normal sized clothes...

For twenty years I got hot or cold or wet or stained and could never do a simple thing like borrow someone's sweatshirt....I never did fun outdoorsy activities with my daughters-- I dropped them off and picked them up, but I never participated.

I still can't picture myself as a person who just pulls on a normal size large jacket or fleece and it fits... but I guess I'm starting to be that person...

I am really excited for you and am so looking forward to being your size and weight and fitness level.

Passionista, stick with it and you'll be where I am before you know it!!

It's only been a couple of weeks for me, but all of a sudden, I started easily fitting into normal sized clothes. It is just the most surreal feeling.

For years and years people have said "here, you can borrow this..." and I'll say "I don't think it will fit..." and they'll say "No, I swear, it's HUGE," and of course it's tiny.

Now, I keep thinking, well, I wear normal-sized clothes, could that possibly mean that I look....nah... not possible.

It is SO worth all the effort. It is mindblowing what a difference it makes.

It sounds like you had a great time! Yay you!!!!

That's awesome! I'm glad you had such a great time, and had another one of those moments where you realize just how much positive impact the weight loss has on our lives. You are living the dream, chickie!

This was me to a *T*. For many summers we vacationed with a bunch of families and as the hot days turned into cooler nights, if I were at someone else's home - out would come the sweatshirts to pass out to those who needed, and though every one knew they wouldn't fit me, I was always offered and of course I always declined. What a horrible memory that was for me.

And I too think of all those summers where my daughters did everything - without me. I either dropped them off or stood there looking in - never participating. Such sad memories for me of so many wasted years.

I'm so happy for you Uber. It's incredible, isn't it?

I look forward to hearing of more of your new discoveries.

Every day I'm having those experiences! It's very surreal isn't it? The amusement park is blowing my mind. First, I have no trouble walking from the car to the gate! I'm not even winded. My feet do not hurt before I get to the darn gate. Then I can walk right through the turn styles without twisting sideways. When it's 90 degrees outside, as long it's not humid, I don't mind it at all. I fit in the seats and can even ride the kiddie coasters sitting side by side with my child!! (Those coasters are TINY) Then, when I go to look at the silly pictures they take...I scan to find the fat chick in my color shirt and can never find her. My kids have to point me out in every picture and I just stare in disbelief. Yesterday there was a woman sitting in front of us on a coaster that I mentally un-consciously sized up as smaller than me, but the picture at the end of the ride said otherwise. How is that even possible?

Yesterday I did spin class, then took a 5 mile hike and then went out with the family for fireworks, which is a huge event, walking a great distance with a bunch of crap. It's not easy and I've dreaded it these past few years to the point of convincing everyone not to go a few years ago because it looked like rain. Then it never rained. My husband proposed to me on the 4th of July 13 years ago, then we went to this fire works celebration and were married on the following 4th of July, so this is a big event for us. For it to be fun again is just crazy. And the walk...not so long. LOL!

Ugh, I've hijacked the thread! Thanks for providing a place for me to get that out. No one else understands this weird feeling of living life as if for the first time!! You don't know how hard "hard" is until you've lived it obese. Everything...just everything...is so different!! No stares at restaurants, no fear of not fitting in the booth, no fear of feeling everything shake as you slide into that booth, no fear of not being able to close the bathroom stall around your body. Being able to walk across a grassy field toting a backpack and two lawn chairs and still being able to enjoy yourself.

Here's a mind blower....How about being able to clean your house and cook dinner for a massive get-together and then still have energy to be able to ENJOY the get-together!!

uber and others, this is the MOST awesomest thread!! What a great emotional lift!

I absolutely adore this thread I'm happy for everyone who has had these experiences! I can't wait for mine to get here!

I agree with the other posters--this thread is so uplifting! I have been struggling the last couple of days and this really puts it all into perspective for me and helps me to keep my eye on the prize.

Cheers,

J

I'm always the oddball out on threads like this LOL

I never felt NOT NORMAL lol, just bigger that's all !! A guy 6'4 can't wear a 5'7 dude's pants, so why should i be expected to wear any & every other girl's clothes??? I always feel normal, cuz i'm ME and i'm normal well normal-ish heh

I'm glad you're happy tho!

I know exactly what you mean, and I'm so happy for you!! It's amazing all the things that other people don't think about that can become problems for us. Fitting into a movie theater seat, fitting into a booth at a restaurant, even fitting behind the steering wheel can sometimes be an issue. It's such a relief when you can through the day with out worrying about those things! You ROCK!!!

Yes, you are for sure the oddball, LOL.

But honestly, and I think others have mentioned the same, what is so weird for me is that the slow and steady decline in my lifestyle took a really long time, it was slow and gradual, and so each little thing I gave up felt sort of inevitable and a lot of stuff I associated with normal aging processes....
I was used to A LOT of stuff that was actually very crappy and that crappy stuff was getting worse and worse with every passing year.

I'm am not hyper aware of the change in how I look-- others are more aware of that-- but can not help but be ASTONISHED at that fact that my endurance has probably increased tenfold. There is NO COMPARISON.

I too was astounded (still am) about the increased energy/stamina/productivity level. I really don't know how I functioned prior to this. Well the truth is, I DIDN'T function all that well. I was always making excuses, backing away and out of things. I felt horribly incapable and barely got by. Every day chores were difficult. Everything seemed *major*.

I mentioned earlier our summer vacations away - well packing up the car - I couldn't do it. I was the *supervisor*, the director. Now - I am the first one to get up and move myself. I love that I am now known as the person who never stops moving.

And no, there was no feeling normal for me. I was extraordinarily large as in OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

I always felt conscious of the fact that I was taking up more than my fair share of space. I felt out of the ordinary, unusual, handicapped, a standout - and it was self induced. Nothing that I was *born with*, or that *happened to me*. No, it was all my doing and that made it feel much worse.

I remember when I started this journey, all I wanted was to feel ordinary, regular, typical, blend in with the crowd - yeah - normal.

That's so awesome Uber. I look forward to feeling normal. I am the fattest in my close circle of friends. They are all somewhat overweight, but nothing 20 pounds lost wouldn't fix - a far cry from my 100+ excess pounds.....well I guess 85 excess now!

Robin, I am also so sad about wasted years not being able to keep up with my very active boys. One of the first things I want to do when I hit Onederland is buy a bike so I can go riding with my boys.