Something I've discovered during these past few months while I've been losing weight is that I'm starting to behave a little strangely. I'm spending a lot of time on fashion sites. I'm reading fashion magazines. I've bought about 20 bottles of nail polish and am doing my nails every couple of days.

I have *never* been interested in fashion.

I know part of this is that my body is changing and suddenly all of my dumpy old clothes don't fit. Part of me wants new, fun clothes! But there's planning to buy new clothes...and then there's spending hours on The Purse Forum reading about designer fashion.

A friend of mine has done a liquid diet a couple of times and has told me that every time something strange happened during the weight loss period: decided to become a professional chef; bought a power saw in order to make furniture; discussed moving across country.

Anything like this happen to anyone else?

I lost and maintained a significant weight loss in my 20s for about 4 years...then I had babies, and, well, now I've had to do it again. Anyway, my recollection from that time around is that the "vanity' period does come to an end...but it is a little embarassing until it fades -- and actually I never got as completely fashion immune while I was skinny as I was before I got skinny...just not the "thousand bottles of nail polish" level forever.

Anyway, this time around I again find myself eyeing shoes and going into stores "just to try stuff on" -- I NEVER used to do that. I thought that because I was 10 years older, it would not happen to me as badly this time --and it isn't quite as bad -- but I am definitely feeling the pull of thumbing through Vogue, and I caught myself trying on shoes for a black tie event this weekend when I already have a perfectly nice pair that looks great with my dress back at home.

Insanity I tell you...

I have found that I now shave pits and legs, even have manicures and pedicures, more as I age and am not so "naturally cute". Before I was cute in my own way, even if I was all hippy dippy. Now I have to work at it. Husband hates me wearing makeup. But likes me getting healthy. Loves me no matter what.

I started getting Brazilian waxes... And, I bought eight pairs of new slacks at one time. I haven't bought more than two pairs of slacks at a time ever, except once when I started a new, dressier job. Even then, though, I bought several of the same style in different colors. This time they all had to be different styles and they almost all had coordinated belts with them.

And, to top it off, I picked out a Coach purse for Christmas from my mom.

I don't think it's very uncommon. I find myself becoming more of what I used to consider "shallow" (now I don't really think its shallow, I think I was just shielding myself from disappointment).

Welcome to the fun world of "Oh my god look at what I can wear now!!!!"

I'm a weird blend of girly-girl and totally uninterested. I've always done things for myself like getting pedicures, massages, waxing, etc. But on the other hand, I don't often wear makeup more than a swipe of mascara and lipstick and I've never been a fashionista.

Then I lost a significant amount of weight. Whoa. Suddenly I could wear the cute clothes and not look ridiculous. And yes, I got pedicures but now I can look down and SEE my toes. And ... yeah ... all of that.

(And yes, I'm planning to move across the country next year, and while that's part of a lot of other things as well, part of me has waited until I've lost all the weight I want to lose as part of "starting over".)

So .. that's my long winded way of saying, yeah, it's all strange.

.

I have experienced this in a different way, I have been really nutty about keeping the house clean. It's like I have all this energy and I have to make sure every little crevice is spotless. I spent this weekend reorganizing the pantry and washing the windows. I used to not care so much. I'll even admit to being somewhat of a slob. And now? I friggen dusted my shutters. I thought dusting was something little old ladies did! I do, however, enjoy this newfound energy.

When I was down to size 6-7 after working so hard at it, I went fashion crazy too, but on a budget I could buy all sorts of designer clothes on ebay. Sevens jeans, etc. You can try them on at expensive stores then buy slightly used there. I went crazy and bought all of the fashion books I could find, it was my hobby and sadly now I have to lose again for it to come back... go to the bookstore and thumb through the latest books too, and look on amazon.com. There's some great ones with tips for your figure, etc. And your perfect colors. It's a fun obssession. Then do a binder and clip out magazine pictures for ideas, put them into spring/summer and fall/winter. Then when you need ideas you have a "look book" of your own.

Another crazy thing for me... Tonight DH was pretty worn out and fell asleep on the couch. I came upstairs around 10:15 to go to bed and instead did a 35 minute cardio yoga program from On Demand and put up the Christmas tree in the sitting room off our bedroom that has been sitting in the middle of the floor since coming down from the attic Friday afternoon...

I never had energy like that before I started dieting and exercising. I used to fall asleep at 9:30 or 10, sleep until the last possible second that would give me 30 minutes to rush a shower and drive too fast to work. Now, I get up early to exercise. I just got used to that, the boom... Tonight's yoga thing took me totally by surprise!

Ok, I HAVE to start doing these On Demand things. I keep thinking I'm going to go look and I get sidetracked and never do. The little 30 min things would be a nice add on to my gym routine.

Off to go flip thru the On Demand channels.

.

When I was bigger and couldn't find clothes anywhere to fit me (not many places here in Labrador cater to bigger people), I hated shopping. Now that I can find something to fit me no matter where I go, I love it! I have to stay away from places like Reitman's because I know I will spend money! I like trying on clothes too...something I hated before. And I like cute, form-fitting clothes, I guess I just like showing off more now. Friends have said I started walking with a swing to my hips.

Oh yeah, totally. My husband is bewildered, my friends don't know me anymore.


Yes - totally into silly stuff I never dreamed I'd be into. All I wanted before was for a pair of jeans to zip, I didn't care what kind! Slip-on shoes please, so I don't have to tie them. Who cares about style or brands, I just wanted comfort. Where I used to never want to leave the house, clothes weren't fitting, walking sucked - I'm now likely running late to start a busy day because I can't decide between my Frye butt kicking boots or Ed Hardy rainboots, my grey coat or my white, my skinny or sailor jeans.

As far as fitness, that further confuses my people. Like I said, I never wanted to do anything. Now I'm pestering them to go with me to the gym, for a bike ride or for a jog, just for the fun of it.

As far as energy, I had a hyper personality before - now the energy levels match. My poor, poor hubby.

I think the "strangeness" has two different pieces, at least it does for me.

The first is the fashion/vanity piece. When I am large shopping is not fun, or at least not much fun. I hate the size I am in, I don't look in the mirror and feel great, I don't feel good in most clothes...I just want to get it over with. (If it fits, its mine.) When I can buy clothes in smaller sizes, suddenly its fun! I feel great saying size 16 instead of 24 (and can't even imagine the overwhelming joy when I can say size 10) and love the choices. I feel good and enjoy adorning my body, which I like better. I also feel freer to be vain and enjoy the stuff, before I would have felt that others were judging me "What's that fat woman doing here". Now I can be much freer.

The second craziness has nothing to do with body or fashion. Its the craziness that comes with achieving a goal, a hard goal! I get the "I can do anything" craziness around weight loss, but also when I have accomplished other things that I thought were impossible, at least for me. Suddenly that feeling of accomplishment frees me to explore wild dreams...I act on some, and some not. Doesn't matter, when I hesitate I remember what I have accomplished...and voila!

I've been reading some happiness theory. They postulate that one of the most successful "happiness" activities is to accomplish a physical task at your outer limits. Well, they are talking about a one-time activity, running a marathon, climbing a mountain etc, but I think weight loss can apply as well.

I had a very large friend who has yo-yo dieted quite a bit. When she reached some goals ( she has never been in onederland in the 12 years I've known her) she would slurge and enjoy something "forbidden".
She seemed to sabotage herself.
I like the idea of rewarding yourself with a new outfit, or slacks or something.
You reward without sabotaging your WOE and look great too.

I act strangely all the time I'm told, but yes, I am more interested in fashion than I have been before. I think because when I was at my highest weight it was the early nineties, I was in university, and it seemed everyone was wearing hiking boots and plaid. No one looked good. Hahaha
I went on to be an art teacher and never really had to dress up for work--so now I'm in my mid 30's and just learning how to dress without looking like I'm trying to be a teenager, a senior citzen or a bar star. Hahaha.