Okay, so now I'm 47 pounds and almost 1 year into this journey. For the first time in my life, I'm living at a weight that's close to normal (according to the bmi folks, anyway), and I'm finding that I'm constantly surprised by my body, and my head, and the folks around me. For example:

Before I lost weight, I had no idea that...
- I would still have days where I felt like I weighed 2 tons and nothing in the closet looked good.

- people - even strangers - would go out of their way to talk to me at the bank, or the grocery store, or wherever.

- my body would keep its original shape (big boobs, bigger than average arms, belly), just becoming a smaller, tighter version of itself.

- my entire concept of personal style centered around what I could fit into, and now I have no idea what my style is, exactly.

These are just a few things that have surprised me along the way, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. Has anyone else experienced this? What's surprised you during your journey? Let's shed a little light!

cheers!
paula

My journey is still in progress but this is just a few (off a long list) of things I have noticed.....


Before I lost weight I had no ideal I had collar bones (well I knew but I couldn’t feel them)
Now I can't keep my hands off them ....lol

I didn’t know you could tie your shoes and breathe at the same time.
At time I thought I was going to pass out just from this simple task.


Instead of people looking at you in disgust they smile at you when you catch their glance.

Lynn

Jeep girl, I had to laugh at that because I do the same thing!

I had no idea that I could actually maintain a weight loss! Beside a few pounds, I have not gained back this weight that I worked so hard to lose! I've read the statistics that within a few years 90% (or something like that) of people gain back the weight they have lost. So far I have managed to NOT be a statistic!

Lynn

I'm just starting & haven't noticed too much yet.I look forward to the stares.

I remember when I started coming down from 200 lbs, and my skin and fat was all kind of loose, one day I realized I could feel my femur on the inside of my thigh. It was SO weird, and actually freaked me out a little, because I felt less protected, like my fat had been protecting all my bones and internal organs. (I had recently developed a needle phobia, and got light-headed when I thought about anything to do with breaking a bone or surgery, or anything...) Isn't that strange? Now I'm glad I can see i have bones - I remember I couldn't stop admiring my wrist bones when they first appeared.

Well, I have to admit to falling into the dreaded "90%" of people who regain what they've lost- and I HATE being a bad statistic! I'm still on the first leg of my journey this time, but there are a couple things that I remember from last time, and am just now beginning to feel again:

1.) That I didn't realize how much I'd been hiding behind my fat, and was more of an outgoing people-person than i'd realized

2.) That I have a very slight cleft in my chin, lol. You can't see it when I'm overweight.

3.) That I had hip bones! Just like Lynn with her collar bones, when I was smaller I could hardly keep my hands off my hips, lol! I would find myself laying on my side more often, just so I could rest my hand on my hip.

4.) Also like Paula, when I'm overweight, I don't wear a style that I like- just what fits. When I lost weight, I discovered a true love of getting dressed

5.) I too, am not in the girly stick-bug arm category- even when I was a size 4. I'm just built with bigger upper-arms than most girls, and that was a surprise to me.

Like I said, I'm still trying to get back to my smaller self, but those are the things that I remember noticing before.

Oh thank you for that Jeep Girl! What a great morning giggle. That's one reason I went to "lace free" tennies. Just slip 'em on, and not have to sufficate myself.

I have the same thing going on. Although I have only lost 29 lbs, I was lying on my side on the couch the other night and I rested my arm on my hips and I felt bone. I freaked out and looked at what used to be a lump of fat is now a thinner lump of fat with actual bone showing. My hips are getting bony! I was so excited.

I think before I lost, I didn't know I could lose. I'd seen so many people I know "dieting" with very few results. I know people say it's easier to lose than maintain (which is maybe true) but I just never really knew I could lose to begin with! (not that I haven't regained myself)

I've been thinking a lot about this lately as I start to buy new clothes.

It's a novel concept shopping for clothes I love, not clothes that hide my bulk or minimize my flaws.

On the clothes issues .... When I started I was wearing size 3X tops and 26-28 jeans. Now I can wear XL in tops and 18 jeans fit pretty good. What I find though is when I go to buy clothes I still think I need to buy at least a
1 or 2X in tops because I just can’t believe that XL is going to fit when I get it home. Sure enough they have to go back to the store or I try and shrink them in the wash......lol I have resorted to trying on clothes at the store.

Lynn

I agree with you about the "smaller version of me" thing. While the changes were great and everything, I still had the same skin. I also agree with the style thing- I have found that my taste in clothes is completely different now.

-I was surprised (and frankly quite angry) at how differently people treated me as a thin person.

-My first airplane ride afterwards shocked the h** out of me. Those were some tight quarters.

I was thrilled to discover that I had a waist, and wasn't just a big ol' barrel! I also remember laying down in bed and just grabbing HANDFULS of fat everywhere ... when I couldn't do this anymore, I felt like Walt Whitman-- so in awe of my own body!