OBSERVATIONS ON MAJOR WEIGHT LOSS



May 2012 with my Maggie



I have had some interesting interactions with people about my weight loss in recent weeks.  I have now lost about 117 pounds and while many people who have known me for a long time are very complimentary, I have not received any of the comments I am told others hear all the time.  No one I have encountered has suggested they didn't recognise me. People like checkers at the store where I have shopped for years or the woman at the dry cleaners have not said a word about my transformation.  I guess my world isn't as interactive as reported by many "big losers."

At book club an old friend took me aside and said she was worried I was losing too much weight.  I said to her that I was almost at my goal weight and that the weight loss had actually slowed down considerably. 


June 2013



She admonished me to be careful as I was looking "too skinny."  When I pointed out to her that I am wearing a size 14 - which thrills me, but isn't exactly skinny a few other book club members entered the room.  They looked kind of shocked.  I think because they are probably size 2-4's and would agree that size 14 is nothing to brag about!!

Today I went in for a hair cut and my stylist said something interesting.  (We have known each other for over 13 years.  She used to do my nails, too, back in the days I had acrylics - so we have spent a lot of time together over the years.)  She said that while my weight never seemed to define me, that she could see I had "come into myself" by losing it.  I thought that was very interesting, especially as my daughter had said something similar a week  before.

In many ways I didn't let my size limit or define me, but there are aspects that can't be gotten around, in which  we ARE defined by obesity.  It is interesting that others can see that weight loss has freed me of those undefined, but real barriers.

And if I stay a size 14, I am fine with that.  Actually, I am more than fine with that!

ELASTIC, SPANDEX AND SLEEVES

I miss elastic waist pants. It was so much easier and faster getting in and out of the ladies room when that was my usual pant option. 

I know there is a lot of negativity around elastic waist pants - it's harder to recognise when you are putting on the pounds being the main objection; that they are not stylish being the second one.  For ease of wear - they were nice.  Now I have all kinds of fastening and buttoning and zipping everytime I make a trip to the ladies room. After so many years of slipping pants down and up in a single motion, it seems so time consuming.


Wish they would lengthen the sleeves!



I don't miss the limited clothing selection I had for years.  My daughter commented that she is enjoying seeing me express myself more through my clothes.  We went shopping together and I am getting more accustomed to having multiple departments to move through in search of things I need to fill in my wardrobe.  I don't really understand why there are so many departments with pretty much the same things being displayed, but I am getting used to it. 

I even bought a couple of pairs of work out pants at Costco.  Taking Zumba class is very different than just working out with weights and I need more supportive spandexy pants to sort of hold things in check.  New workout bras have helped, too.

My single frustration is the sleeves thing.  Losing over 100 pounds has left me in no position to leave my arms uncovered.  I have a lot of baggy, saggy skin going on and sleeves to my elbows are my preference.  For the gym I have worn shorter sleeved tee shirts, but I am not comfortable with the sleeveless or cap sleeve options most workout tops come in.  Luckily I have found a few long sleeved tops and shorted the sleeves for bike riding.  Gym wear is more challenging.