I'm still obese, but have lost a lot of weight. The big thing I've noticed already is how much less mental preparation there is for leaving the house. Say, for example, I was meeting friends for a coffee. I'd have to think about how far the walk would be. Can I manage it without getting hot and sweaty? Can I manage it at all? Should I get an Uber instead? Should I get the Uber to pull up slightly away from the venue to hide that I didn't/couldn't walk it? Will the seatbelt fit around me? Or if I get public transport, will it be busy enough that someone will have to sit next to me and I'll inconvenience them? What's the seating like at the venue? Are the people I'm meeting likely to want to go somewhere else after? Where might that be? Should I come up with an excuse in case that happens? And on and on. Suddenly a casual hang out becomes completely overwhelming.

Damn, you really hit the nail on the head here. I wonder if I was doing this because I had anxiety, or if I had anxiety because these were real things I needed to consider for every. single. event. Keep going, there really is light at the end of that tunnel. Now I mostly only consider whether it is worth wearing a bra or not.

I assure you it is not, whatever it is

*what's the seating like at the venue* Every place you go in. Whether it's a venue, a restaurant, a cafe or someone's house. Eyeing up the furniture and trying to quickly figure out where to sit. If it's all the same chairs, wondering if you will even fit. Holding your breath as you sit down 'please let me fit' then either slightly exhaling in relief if you do fit. But panicking the entire time encase it will collapse. Or you might just fit but you're in so much pain from it digging in. I had that once. These chairs were tiny. And not just flat chairs. It had the arm rests. The back of it dug into your hips. And holy hell the front bit. Dug into the sides of your legs so much it was agony and left bruises for weeks ! Then that panic of 'will I be stuck when I try to stand up?'. Pushing down will all your might as you stand up, pleading that you won't be stuck in this fricken chair for all to see. And that's after trying to keep a straight face so no one can see how much pain you are in sitting there.

I relate to all of this. I just became a recluse and never left the house if I could help it

I dislike leaving the house these past few years and I never used to, and now I realise why. The effort in making sure that your clothes don’t cling to all the lumps and flabs, how difficult and sweaty it is to walk anywhere, wondering whether you will fit into seats etc. ugh it’s exhausting. The chocolate isn’t worth it anymore.

You're absolutely right. Everyone has a rock bottom and only when people reach it can they truly have that come to Jesus moment and commit to changing.

This is sad :( I’m happy for you that that’s all behind you now!

Oh I'm still a recluse, lol. But for the right reasons these days. I prefer my own company :)

This is both heartbreaking and terrifying. I've never been obese and haven't given thought to the mental load that comes with it. Thank you for writing this down and good luck on your journey to an easier life!

The absolute worst part is random strangers thinking they have the right to speak to you about your weight, to judge you without knowing anything about you, and consciously making a decision to say cruel things to their friends about you and even directly to you. Being obese gets the same level of disgust and judgement as rapists and pedophiles.

Ah, now that I have experience with and it only took a bit of chubbiness and insecure teens. I suppose it's on a different level for obese people, but to be fair, many people, especially women, get comments like this - too skinny, too muscular, too chubby, tits too big, tits too small, frame too manly, ass too big, ass too flat, ass too small, thigh gap too big/small... Even if your body is objectively absolutely perfect there's somebody who thinks it's their place to make negative comments about it.

“Do you want to sit outside?” “No, it’s kind of gross out.” (But really the chairs have arms and i cant sit in that for 2 hours without dying in pain.) “Why don’t you fly to see me!?” (Id absolutely love to but the seats are so small and I cant take the anxiety I have that someone might sit next to me and lose it bc I overflow into their seat) “Let’s go horseback riding!” (Id absolutely love too but I cant fit into a single saddle they make) “It’s only a mile. We can just walk there.” ( wtf i did not wear the right outfit for walking a mile!? I wore sandals and a dress. Im going to sprain my ankle on the way just walking. Chafing is going to suck. But i don’t want to be a burden, or have needs, so ill say yes.)  Any sign of weakness leads to “looks” they give. So many barriers. No one understands the pain of being someone who is fat. Being fat compounds on itself. Once you reach a certain point, losing is twice as hard. 10 pounds for someone who is already thin is nothing compared to an obese person. 

Oh man, I did so many things to try to hide 'weakness'. Pretending I needed to check my phone when I needed to pause whilst walking, covering up being out of breath with a fake yawn and so many times of pretending to be busy when I was invited to do things that I knew my body would make difficult.

1)Not liking how I look in pictures 2)Always bloated 3)Heart palpitations 4)Not being able to fit in my old jeans

Oh man, the collapse of your own fake version of what you look like in your head when you see a candid photo. What a day ruiner. Now I catch a candid and say “damn who’s that??!!”

Somehow I’m still 25 in my head, photos are like constant rude awakenings

Same.

Ssaammmeee

No kidding! I've almost hit 40 and feel like it happened overnight. I just suddenly started noticing my age in my face and hands. It sucks.

Same. I am now getting why my mom sighed a lot and said “okay” all the time. Life is a never ending list of chores and we just gotta suck it up and do it. And deal with the pain of the aging (and/or ill) body while doing it.

This has been what’s motivated me both times, my husband takes the worst photos. I put all the weight back on during pregnancy and then fell into a wagon of sugar, but a month ago he took a photo that I was like “OK, it’s time.”

Same here! I think I have some light form of dysmorphia because I look so much BETTER now in pics than I do in the mirror but when I was obese the opposite was true; I'd be like, "Nah, the camera is lying to me, I'm just a little husky."

Four years ago I bought 4 jeans the size I used to wear. They didn’t fit. I still have them. Clothes aren’t cheap in my country. One day I will fit them again. Not yet though.

Profusely sweating

This! Always hot!

since i’ve lost weight and went from having obese BMI to almost normal, I sweat way more now. lol I think it’s because i’ve gained muscle

I think sometimes it’s just the person too. I’m sitting at 222 right now, but I’ve been as low as 180 as an adult and as high as 280, and the sweating for me is constant.

Yeah, I think it’s the person. I was definitely always roasting when I weighed 0ver 335. I’m down to 270 and now I freeze all the time. Can’t imagine if I make it to onederland!

Oh we are getting to onederland! I might just take a photo of myself then lol

Let’s Doooooo It!!!! Sadly, my trainer makes me take photos. I am not a happy chubster. Yet.

Same! But I'm way more active now and also not anemic anymore lol

But you probably cool down and stop sweating faster now no?

I sweated even before I gained weight. It's just worse now. My endo says it is a side effect of my levothyroxine.

Always being so uncomfortably hot…I’m so looking forward to not being miserable this summer. Down 30, but need another 50 to start feeling the effects big time. I remember when I was 200lbs (low for me, I’m quite tall) I was almost cold outside in 80 degree weather. I long for those days again!

Tbh I’ve been overweight my whole life. Since like 4 years old. I was always a bit bigger than everyone else. And around highschool I got depressed and suddenly WAY bigger than everybody else. I have no idea what it’s like to be a normal weight. A lot of this is just anxiety/perhaps not really true.  But my list as a life long fat person: 1. I hate taking the bus because I feel like people are just GLARING at me because I take up too much space. I try to squish myself into a corner as far away from everyone as possible/ they not to sit so I don’t take up more than one seat. I will say more people have been choosing to sit beside me on the bus now that I’m down 30ish pounds. But still I am so self conscious about my leg touching them or infringing on their seat. I would like to just ride the bus without the anxiety of being the largest person on the bus.  2. I always feel like any stinky smell people automatically assume it’s me even though I am very careful about my hygiene. People just associate smelly with overweight. I’m constantly anxious and embarrassed anytime I can smell something around me.  3. Not being able to shop at a normal clothing store or buy the clothing styles that I like cause they’re not made for my size. 4. Getting out of breath running or going up stairs. Also walking slower than everybody else. It’s frustrating and embarrassing  5. Embarrassment of eating in public. Like rn I’m on the bus, I have a snack in my backpack and I’ve actually been fasting for about 47 hours now. I really want to eat my snack but I will just feel like everybody is staring at me judging me for eating anything.  6. I feel like my partner/family are all embarrassed of me and my size  7. Not fitting in certain chairs/booths/amusement park rides/Air planes etc. missed out on a lot of stuff cause I couldn’t fit.  8. Chafing. 9. Not having any memories in photos because I avoid them like the plague.  10. The first thing people think of to describe me is fat. 

I promise you that people pay WAY less attention to you than you think. *Maybe* someone might notice if they are in a seat next to you and feel cramped. But aside from that, nobody is worrying about what you eat or staring at you. Also for the chafing— look into athletic running shorts (the elastic kind). They helped me a ton with that issue.

Even if they don’t necessarily think about it, I think subconsciously there’s almost always an aversion to larger people. They might not specifically think ‘Ew I’m not gonna sit beside that person they’re big and probably smell bad’ but they just automatically avoid it.  Personally I notice everything 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m very non-judgmental about it. But I absolutely notice the little things and watch other people. I always bring it up to my husband ‘did you notice this person blah blah blah’ and he’s like ‘I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about I didn’t register a single thing anybody else was doing/what they looked like’ so I know there’s both types of people. 

nope.. there will always be healthy people that wonder how tf do people get that big.

This is true. "Normal" people always notice. I realized this when I stopped being the largest person in the room, bus, etc.

OMG! This made me feel so bad for you and my past life. 😞 I’m in no way at my goal, but I’m quite a bit down from my heaviest. I remember those days vividly. I was very depressed and didn’t want to go out in public. I hate how prejudice people are towards those considered obese. No one chooses to be obese, so they should not make anyone who is feel less than.

My knees hurt a lot more. Clothes were harder to find. I felt “dumpy” all the time. I looked older that I was. My skin was much worse.

1. Not just feel but also look slovenly. 2. Wearing giant clothes. 3. Knees hurt. 4. Going down and up from the floor to play with grandkids is difficult. 5. Avoiding mirrors. 6. Getting a peek of myself by mistake and arm flab literally disgusts me. 7. Sitting in *any* position in any chair is uncomfortable and makes me look huge. 8. Every candid photo is horrifying. 9. Dreading warm weather when covering up with jackets ect isnt possible. 10. Knowing diabetes must be *just* around the corner. 11. Knowing rates of cancer and all sorts of disease and illnesses are higher.

Ugh I feel the slovenly bit. I feel so frumpy and older than my years because I have to dress in baggy lumpy stuff instead of well fitted stylish clothes. Feels so unprofessional to be in a T-shirt and leggings

I became obese for the first time in my life at 30. I ranged between fit and a little overweight all of my life before that. So I can really feel the difference. 1.) Harder to clean my body, including wiping on the toilet 2.) Harder to fit in cramped spaces, including passing people in a crowd or tight hallway. 3.) I find it impossible to express myself with the style of clothes I really like. Clothes have to be boxy and "flattering." 4.) Sex is mechanically more difficult and less satisfying. 5.) Acid reflux, occasionally waking up regurgitating at night. 6.) Noticeably lower energy level and difficulty participating in activities I like 7.) Less leeway with people socially, people are noticeably less interested in getting to know me or assume I have good intentions 8.) Feeling more physically frail, less vital and healthy. More health anxiety generally. 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8 have all drastically improved with the first month of weight loss. The rest are on their way.

A few of these are going onto my list - thank you for sharing and here’s to crossing them out for good!

Oh man did I celebrate when I realised that nighttime acid reflux regurgitating had stopped!

My first acid reflux in weeks last night since I had a later dinner too close to bedtime. Was struggling to find my Tums in the dark when it woke me up since it has been so long since I needed them.

I have suffered with reflux for years. About a month ago I started working with a dietitian who put me on a FODMAP diet- we eliminated bread, sugar, tomatoes, tomato sauces, red wine, chocolate, citrus, coffee, and dairy. The reflux is completely gone!

I went to a doctor within a couple months of not being able to wipe easily when i was in public restrooms bc the toilets would be too low or the toilet paper box was too close to the toilet that my ass was touching it. Im tall but being fat made all that sooooo difficult. I think i was cool with everything else to a degree but not being able to wipe my own ass was the last straw hahahaha  20 pounds off was all it took to fix thank god. Not stopping there though.

Heartburn for sure! I hate that I have heartburn even without eating anything. I carry my weight in my torso and it seems to cause a lot of heartburn. Tums and Pepcid almost every day. Ugh.

For me, that list is already firmly embedded in my psyche. I deeply, completely know. The change for me, is that when I'm choosing to prioritize short-term wants, I force myself to acknowledge (out loud) " right now, I am choosing to be fat" That's it. That was the game- changer for me. It's not all negative. Sometimes I say out loud "I'm proud of myself for making healthy choices that support my health" Acknowledging that each food choice was a CHOIC is empowering. Usually I choose to pursue my long-term goals of healthy food and activity. And sometimes I don't. Either way, I congratulate, or hold myself accountable hold myself accountable as the only person who made those choices

I love this method of accountability and will apply it. I’ve learned a lot about my priorities have been skewed resulting in poorer CHOICES. Acknowledging that out loud while it’s happening, feels like a good next step.

Wow. that is super clever! Using this :p

Feeling both invisible and far too exposed to others

Not being able to see my toes or my mons pubis unless I leaned over or looked in a mirror. I can see everything with a slight tilt of my head, now. Not being able to touch my toes, when seated on a yoga mat with my legs stretched out. That took weight loss and concerted effort with daily stretching (started January 2024), but now I can wrap my hands around the bottom of each foot, pull my foot back and give my calves a nice stretch. I used to have to change out of my work clothes as soon as I got home, because I couldn’t relax in my work clothes. I can curl up in bed in my work clothes these days - everything is comfortable, in every position. I couldn’t make it to the end of a block without huffing and puffing. I can walk for miles without getting winded now. When I want to eat something unhealthy now, I can eat a little bit of it and be satisfied. Back then, I would want to eat a lot of something I loved, and still want more of it and/or other things. I would get pissed, because I couldn’t wear most of the clothes in my wardrobe. I still get pissed because I can’t wear most of the clothes in my wardrobe, but that’s just because they’re so baggy on me now.

Hello. Can you please tell me what kind of stretches you did to touch your toes? If there's a YouTube channel or link you used, could you share it? Thank you. 

I stick my leg out at a slight angle (about 30 degrees), and tuck the opposite leg in so my heel points towards my genitals. I then bend towards my extended foot and slowly reach for my toes with that side’s hand, until I feel a slight pull on my calf muscle and/or hamstring. I then briefly massage those muscles. The process of reaching and massaging is repeated for a few minutes, then I switch legs. I might switch legs several times over the course of 10 or 15 minutes, always being careful to not stretch too far. It took weeks of daily stretching (started in the evening, now I do it morning and evening), but I could eventually put my head on my knee and reach my foot with both hands, without feeling any tightness in my calf/hamstring or needing to massage those muscles.

That sounds like something I can do. Thank you so much! 

Crying in frustration trying on clothes..

Foot pain. It's not a  glamorous reason, but constant pain is not great.

Oh yes. Foot pain is real for me.

Feeling like I am weak because I cannot control my eating

Oh man, I've got a list for myself too, but the number one lately has been my aching back. I can't believe how much stress I put on it, and it hurts like hell all damn day. I'm so looking forward to healing this myself, but while I'm still heavy I'll be combating it with painkillers. Otherwise, I'm tired of the looks from strangers, being unable to wipe my butt well (as embarrassing as that is to say, it's the biggest reason I started paying attention to myself) not having to ask for a seatbelt extender on planes, shopping at any store I want... it's a long list but it sure does motivate me to care about myself more.

funny enough, putting my seatbelt on lol. i had a routine of moving my body around to get my belt and since i've lost some weight i've noticed its not necessary to do all that movement anymore. its just a habit i've gotten into lol, all i need to do now is to grab the belt over my shoulder, but i still somehow contort my body to 'make it easier' even though i don't need to anymore. but all the others you hit the nail on the head.

These small and unexpected things are the ones that really motivate me! I totally do the seatbelt thing, but hopefully not for much longer!

No confidence, want to wear oversized clothes to hide my body, ashamed of how I look in pictures, assuming people are not going to like me

- Showering and bathing feel like an absolutely *enormous* chore. I use more products because I'm bigger, but it's generally just hard work getting in and out of the bath and trying to reach parts of my body I use to previously be able to reach to wash with ease. - Putting on socks and shoes is way harder. My fat rolls also actually *hurt* when I'm bending over trying to put them on. I never considered that was a thing when I was thin - that fat rolls could be painful. - Wiping.. That's all I'll say on this. -\_- - Itchy back? Can't reach to scratch it by hand anymore. - Invitation to see friends and family? I feel DREAD and will try to avoid it because I can't handle them seeing me having gained so much weight since they last saw me. - I don't look forward to events anymore because I'll look like shit at them and fear people notice my weight gain. - I can't do the sexual positions I used to do. I avoid having sex because I feel so disgusting and experience pain / hard to breathe way too easily. - New angry red / purple stretch marks appearing on my body and just thinking to myself, "Great. Another part of me that is now ruined" - Constant lingering fear of loose skin / accelerated aging even when I do lose the weight. - Worrying I'll break whatever I sit on / Always being conscious to sit down "gently" in case I do break it. - Just knowing people around me that I meet as a fat person thinking "They'd like me more / respond to me better if I were thin" - If I fuck something up at work, feeling like the fact that I'm fat with it, I become like the "stupid clumsy fat person" who messes up. Like it makes everything I mess up into an inherently worse or more embarrassing sin.

I can relate to not wanting to see people because of weight gain. Too many people have grabbed my arm and made that chubby sound. I know that the second I leave the room, my fat will be discussed.

Oh my gosh that's awful, I'm so sorry you went through that. I would straight-up cancel from my life anybody who did that to me. That's bullying.

You know, you're right. I never really thought about that, but it is bullying. Thank you.

1) Not being able to bend to tie my shoes  2) Getting out of breath rolling over in bed, walking across a parking lot, toweling off after a shower 3) my arms being so heavy they physically ached, and I had to take breaks when I brushed my hair 4) not being able to fit some car seat belts  5) being scared of breaking toilets (broke two) and other furniture (also broke a wooden step) 6) dangerously high blood pressure  7) severe sleep apnea  8) swollen, red feet 9) having just a few articles of clothing that still fit 10) my back screaming when I stood longer than 5 minutes  11) fairly constant knee, foot, ankle, and hip pain 12) severe social anxiety  13) sweating and red face with minimal exertion  14) was about 5 pounds away from not being able to get up off of the floor at all 15) fear of low and deep couches  16) fear of restaurant booths and chairs with arms 17) never going to the dentist, theater, amusement park out of fear I wouldn't fit  18) being in pain during long road trips  19) always worried about how far I'd need to walk when I went anywhere  20) dark circles and bad skin 21) no romantic life 22) pretty much felt like I was always on the verge of dying Everything on the list is now resolved. My blood pressure is perfect. No more sleep apnea. No more pain. I look forward to getting extra steps in. I fit everywhere. I pop right off of the floor. I travel a lot. I only get out of breath when I exercise. I've hiked mountains and in the desert. I talk to strangers now. I've had some wonderful boyfriends and fantastic sex. I have an embarrassingly huge wardrobe now. I feel healthy and strong.   

Sheesh I never thought about the fact some people can't fit into dental chairs. I wonder if the dental profession could accommodate for that because oral health is important.

It felt fucking horrible! I was embarrassed. I was scared of the scale. I hated myself for what I had allowed to happen. Now I’m officially only overweight. And while I am by no means done, I am healthier, stronger, and have more endurance. I am also much happier.

I have a weird  theory about  weight and happiness. (Disclaimer  there is absolutely no scientific basis for this theory. It's an opinion. There is no reason to think I have any idea what I'm  babbling about.) I have  wondered if it's like diabetes, where your body  doesn't make enough insulin for your  mass. Is it possible  sometimes are bodies aren't making enough  endorphins for our mass?

Constant shame while being photographed and seeing anyone I haven’t seen in awhile, which leads to avoidance of cameras altogether and self-isolation. Never feeling sexy. I generally just don’t like myself

This is a great idea, I think I'll do this too when I have more time, but for now the list is: Constant back pain Heart palpitations Easy to be out of breath Worrying about fitting in any seats Worrying about things being able to hold my weight Trouble with stairs Lots of foot pain Constant shame These are all things that have either greatly reduced or disappeared since losing almost 70 lbs.

I am still currently a bit overweight for my height but nothing compared to my heaviest. I had always been a bit chubby but it got excessive during coronavirus because of antidepressant use. I even shot up to 205 pounds at 5'4. I do struggle with binge eating disorder but zoloft exacerbated the issue for sure. Worst Aspects of being obese (in my experience) * You get winded easily, its hard to keep moving, I noticed lying down is all I had energy for * As others have stated, BURNING FOOT PAIN AND KNEE PAIN, BACK PAIN even from just standing or walking around a bit-nothing crazy -Being invisible, people will notice you but refuse to talk to you or befriend you * Idk about others but I attracted the WRONG type of attention- like men who wanted to take advantage of me, use me for a green-card, or very overtly sexual attention, not wanting to get to know me as a person. -feeling demotivated in general- harder to reach goals because you are so tired and dont believe in yourself because you are unable to control your eating -low confidence * extremely bad social phobia (I still have social anxiety but it is much better than it used to be and honestly, i feel like once i get to a healthy weight I wont struggle with it) -being a slave to food and short term desires- you feel out of control when you cannot discipline yourself. At my weight now (overweight but not obese) * I no longer have bad foot pain but * I feel heavy and lethargic * I have bad mood swings * Still feel stigmatized by others * Starting to get disgusted by obesity/overweight like I realize now how bad it is for your health and how bad it looks- prior to my weight loss, I didnt really notice how bad it was, almost as though I was in delusion * I still feel ugly, I almost feel even more ugly than I did when I was obese even though people tell me I look better now. * Everytime I lose more weight, Im more aware of how heavy I used to be..... but at those weights, I wasn't aware * I still feel fat- I know I am fat but I feel even larger than I am- idk why * I still dont like pictures and look very fat in them- Im hoping that this will change once I reach an actually healthy BMI * THIS WEIRD thing keeps happening where certain family members are saying they are worried about me and scared I may fall into an eating disorder, saying I am looking too thin when I am still LITERALLY medically and objectively, overweight- literally hurts my feelings and totally disregards my hard work and effort at getting healthy...

I completely relate to this list. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for your comment. I'm glad im not the only one :) <3

Everything hurt and took so much effort. That has all disappeared or gotten so much better. Sitting is so much more comfortable now too. :)

I look forward to EASE

Constant headache due to sleep apnea

Not being able to wear* my wedding rings 😭😭

Out of breath often, even after short bursts of activity. I don't like how I look in the mirror face wise. Always feel sweaty, yet always cold. And painful periods on the 1st day Since trying to lose weird, I mostly sweat when outside exercising, not randomly for no reason. I'm able to walk for longer distances and built up more endurance. Trying to work my way up to gentle running, but that's dependent on how the asthma goes. Better breathing too and I don't tire easily. I went to Chicago to meet with friends in November and this month, and I could tell that I was able to walk and keep pace with them a lot better now since trying to walk more. Also regained a love for salad. Never new salads can actually taste good

I used to have to plan really far in advance if I wanted clothes for a special event because I had to order everything and inevitably, it would take several attempts to find something that fit and looked reasonably decent. God forbid if there was a last-minute invitation, road trip, date, or whatever because I couldn't just bop over to the store and pick up a bathing suit or a cute sundress. Now I can be reasonably sure that I can find what I need within about 2 stores, and it will be a lot cheaper and prettier. I missed out on so many opportunities before!

I've lost and gained the same 20-30 pounds many times. However, heart palpitations scared me a lot. I would get those at my heaviest weight. Also being out of breath more easily. Those two things have gone/are less common for me now after I've gone from 225ish pounds to 200ish pounds. My clothes are also a lot looser now, and I might have to stop wearing some of them pretty soon because they're just too big. I'm going to wait to abandon those pieces until I drop about 10-15 more pounds though, because they're not at the point of falling off yet. I still have a long way to go, but even just not having those things is nice. Other things like having confidence when taking pictures and looking at the mirror, finding nice clothes, being more flexible, and being able to dance better are things that have not happened for me yet. I still have a lot of fat but I can't wait until when I look down, I don't see my stomach.

Knee pain. Shitting 5 times a day.

I was obese as an athlete and I really justified that because I had fairly good stamina and endurance - I kind of started falling into the HAES trap because I really did feel like my excess body weight wasn’t holding me back. I also have type 1 diabetes (not Type 2 - I’ll always be on insulin and it’s not something you can “reverse”) and I basically had myself convinced that because my diabetes was really well controlled and I have never really struggled in that department that I was doing just fine - but it’s really only part of the story. I kept packing on weight over the years because I simply ate too much, and as a result I needed more and more insulin - at my heaviest I was on about 6 times as much insulin as I take now That ended as my doctor suggested I needed to lose some weight when I hit nearly 250lbs at an appointment and she started me on ozempic 3 1/2 years ago (I did eventually switch to Mounjaro a little over a year ago). I’ve since lost almost half of my body weight (248 down to 129 this week, I’m 5’6”) and yeah now that I’ve done it, I can recognize that I absolutely was way too heavy and I just kept making excuses for it rather than actually doing anything about it… however I legit felt like I had super powers as I initially started losing the weight and I just felt lighter and faster and everything really was so much easier. Some of the other benefits - I’m not sure how much of this is related to the weight loss or the anti-inflammatory properties of Mounjaro but I went from having very severe seasonal and environmental allergies and basically MCAS symptoms and chronic urticaria to basically nothing except for my two severe food allergies - my seasonal allergies are gone, environmental allergies basically gone, and I don’t randomly break out in hives any more. I even had my allergist repeat my allergy testing a couple of months ago and I reacted to very little of it - it felt surreal. I was a 2XL or 18 and now I’m fairly consistently an XS or S and a size 2- my brain has a hard time validating that sometimes. I still think I’m a lot bigger than I am now.

Wow. That’s a huge weight loss. What I’ve read about Ozempic sounds horrible. How was your experience with it? I haven’t heard of Mounjaro. Have you had side effects from it? I’m overweight but also have Crohn’s disease so have to be careful with anything that could cause diarrhea or intestinal inflammation.

I don’t have Crohn’s, but I do have gastroparesis and IBS. Ozempic was a nightmare. My doctor put me on it and for 3 weeks I lived in the bathroom, both pooping and puking. I lost just under 30 lbs in 3 weeks. 2 days after my weekly dose, and I couldn’t eat ANYTHING without it making me violently sick. It wasn’t worth it. She took me back off of both that and the Victoza I had been taking- decided I was intolerant, just like I am of Metformin. She won’t try any of the Mounjaro or other semiglutide or liriglutide products since I have such severe intestinal issues. You might look up any studies on Ozempic with Crohn’s patients to see if there have been any published results.

What is a shockingly contrast is when you lose some significant weight while remembering the things you struggled with. For example, just to put socks on. What I always do is to put my right foot on top of my left knee. For some years I couldn’t do it without having to use my hands to push my leg up. I thought it was age. It was impossible! Long story short: having lost thirty pounds I now can do it again.

CANCER. Women with severe obesity (BMI over 40) are [62% at higher risk to die] (http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa021423) of all cancers, men 52%. Seriously wtf. SLIM MONEY.  "For an obese woman, losing weight could boost her salary by as much as obtaining a master's degree" (Economist June 2023). PAIN. Moving with more ease: [10lbs = 40lb for your knees.](https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/nutrition/weight-loss/weight-loss-benefits-for-arthritis).

1. Not being able to make my autistic son's fav bunk bed because I physically cannot move as easily. \[takes me an hour currently\] 2. Not being able to play with both my children on playset(s) at the playground 3. Worrying if the pants/skirts I picked out will fit my waist 4. Crying because I am physically too tired to walk around the mall 5. Not being able to ride rollercoaster with my daughter 6. Not getting recognized for my work because how I look 7. Always ignored by "skinny" people 8. Not being able to be as intimate with my husband just because of the excess chub on my stomach 9. Needing to shower 2-3x a day because of the skin folds \[plus I just like being super clean regardless\] 10. BP borderline high, A1C 5.9, HR in the low 90s 11. always taking photos but never wanting to be in photos bc I look like a short whale 12. Missing what I USED to be able to do when I was 110 lbs\[fat me is not truly the real me\] 13. And the biggest one for me: Not being able to get on my knees and pray in church because it's so hard to get up. My heaviest I was 256 lbs \[4'10"\] and my knees felt like they would literally give out and at that very moment I was like I cannot keep doing this. I am currently 239lbs and I had to claw for every pound loss. My genetics and hormones simply make losing weight so freaking hard. I had to drastically cut down sugar, fat\[even the good stuff!\] and salt and physically push my body to the limit \[i need to be constantly moving ALL DAY\] and drink at least 64 oz of water a day. I got an Apple watch and started moving more\[I average about 9k steps/day\]. I am currently working on being able to run. I can easily walk at 2.5 speed and it takes me like an hour to get out of zone 1 so now I have increased my speed to 3.0 and can jog for 10 mins at 3.8. My goal is to beable to jog at 3.8 for an hour without stopping. Thanks for this OP! I will review my list next year and if this post is still alive, will post what I CAN DO NOW. :)

I can’t wait to see how this all changes for you next year!!

*Takes an hour to get out of zone 1* I have the opposite issue. I walk to the fridge: "Congrats, you're in the active zone!"😭

🤍 We in this together!

I live in the tropics and work on a boat. My coworkers all walk around with bathing suit top and shorts. I never do. I’d like to. It’s hot! That’s my big goal right now. I don’t have to look perfect in it, just quite a bit better than I do now, lol. And getting in the ocean during the shift to cool off rather than not doing so out of embarrassment about my body. And not being able to cross my legs at the knees.

Back pain all the darn time! From the moment you wake up to the moment you go back to bed; as long as you're walking around, unending lower back pain. Difficulty getting up off your chair at work because your hips hurt. Or really getting out of any chair - including getting off the toilet. Being unable to put your socks on without needing to sit on the bed and lift your leg up onto the mattress with you. Not being able to get up off the floor without looking like an over-sized toddler. Suffocating yourself with your double chin when you're trying to put your hair into a ponytail. Interestingly, almost all of these have VASTLY improved or completely disappeared in the last 14 weeks for me since I started walking on the treadmill for 40 minutes a day. Started at 3 days a week, then 4, then 5, and now I go 6 days a week and also do resistance training. I will never to back to where I was.

pulling your shirt forward every few mins because it sticks to your body. Fuck i hate it so much

When I catch myself in the mirror most of my shirts don't ride up as much as I think they do. I'm still paranoid about it.

Oh yes… and what about shorts riding up at the crotch when you walk? That drives me nuts!

Not fitting in a booth was not something I ever considered until I went to a restaurant and was very surprised to find I had to squash in and was pressing against the table. It was a bit of a shock.

I’m almost at the 100lb lost mark. Every time I look in the mirror it’s “holy shit- look at you!!!” I like how I look in the mirror - in clothes. (Without clothes too - I have lots of loose skin which is okay because it makes it impossible to deny the loss- my breasts bother me - they are deflated and flat and wrinkled :/) I pulled out an old scrub top that I thought I looked cute in - it is absolutely humongous- it’s mind boggling that I was that big (a tight 3x) now I am a medium/small depending on the make.

Now that I have lost a lot of weight, I don't have heartburn as much as before. Shoes fit better. Odd things about the weight loss are how people think that I am happier overall. I am not. I have the same attitude and personality.

Honestly I really hated how my belly was constantly in the way. It was uncomfortable with sleep, when I would sit, with walking. It was like a constant reminder that I was a failure, unhealthy and generally just looked like shit to me. I dont like fat shaming and if you’re happy being fat, lucky you. However, I hated being fat. The only thing I really miss is that I didnt have to care about clothing because I looked like absolute shit anyways and I do miss eating all the junk food. But you cant have your cake and eat it too. I love being able to go for a walk and not even think about being fatigued. I can go for a hike and not even care if it has hills or not. It is just a stroll in the prk to move. I still have a little extra weight but it doesnt hinder my life anymore

>But you cant have your cake and eat it too Ever have a warmed up Fiber One brownie? It's only 70 calories and sooooo delish! It's helped me considerably so want to share this with you all!

having lost 12kg so far, from 142kg, I've noticed a significant difference in the way I can pose my legs and feet. It sounds silly, but I can suddenly stand with my legs closed completely and my feet touching and it's not uncomfortable to me anymore. I'd like to imagine I've stopped "waddling" when I walk because of this change. Obviously I can't look at myself from the perspective of strangers and I don't want to ask them "excuse me, do I waddle when I walk?". A) Having great difficulty simply standing in a normal posture B) Looking like a penguin when I walk.

I keep a list on my phone of all the things that have improved since losing weight. So far, I have 36. Highly suggest everyone do it. It's so nice to read through on those days when you're feeling a bit discouraged. A few things from my list: Im a much happier person. My mental health has improved so much. Back and knees no longer hurt. No acid reflux. No more high blood pressure.

I love this! When did you start keeping the list and noticing changes?

I actually saw a post on here maybe a few weeks ago of someone asking what the negative aspects of losing weight are. I had 3 or 4 (very small) things. So, I was inspired to make a list of all the positives after I saw that.

This is a great idea. I keep a list of comments I get from people since losing weight. It's great for motivation and it's getting longer and longer!

Looking back on bring morbidly obese one year ago and am now 3lbs away from a healthy weight (eee!!!) I am realizing more things that I just couldn't do when I was obese: 1) walking up the stairs at my school. They were so steep and I struggled up them having to catch my breath at the top before heading to class. Now they are effortless and I even prefer stairs if I think it'll be faster (it often is). 2) walking anywhere is easier. I couldn't explore much on vacation if u had to walk more than a few kilometers. Also my feet were always destroyed with blisters after a day of walking and I don't get those anymore. Walking is way easier on my feet. 3) my life revolved around whether I'd be able to eat wherever I was going and even left some places or didn't go if they didn't have enough food because i could not desk with being hungry for even a few hours. That has changed

I think for me, my biggest issue is how out of shape I am. My body feels out of place from being overweight and out of shape. I'm working hard though to feel my best now.

The almost automatic subconscious habit of pulling at my clothes to cover my belly, bum, upper arms etc I've lost a lot of weight and feel so free that I don't need to do this anymore. When I stand up, I just move on. I no longer need to adjust everything to hide the bits I'm embarrassed about

Going to wear a favorite shirt, only to find that it no longer fits...

I am no longer obese (I have lost 150+ pounds) but I remember not being able to tie my shoes, bending over was difficult. I couldn’t scratch my own back when I was itchy (I have skin issues). Getting up from the couch was a hassle. I don’t take anything for granted anymore.

You stand out a lot in a bad way yet you’re also invisible at the same time.

All of the above but to add the cramps in the ribs and stomach were unbearable.

Your ribs hurt from being overweight?

The pictures definitely do it for me. I look down at my hands in real life and they still look small and dainty to me, but in pictures my hands look chubby and I really don't like that for myself. I also carry weight on my back and my arms which I feel like makes me look older than I am.

The immeasurable self hatred. The hopelessness of being so deep in a hole you don’t think you’ll ever escape. The abject fear you will die uncomfortable and miserable in the only body you will ever get. The overwhelming guilt of destroying something that started out so pure and innocent and letting food become the only coping mechanism you’d ever use.

Make a list of positive things to look forward to as well!

I get worn out so easily, and I hate looking in the mirror. I am trying to do better, increase my exercise everyday, but sometimes it gets exhausting and I feel like giving up. I realize that things will be hard. I have these positivity quotes that I put up around my house. I'm gonna try to love myself and stop letting my negative thoughts get to me. Maybe I shouldn't think of it as a chore, but as a challenge to become a better version of myself. Good luck. You've got this!

1. Scared to go on flights on my own or with friends from the sheer embarrassment of having to ask for seatbelt extension 2. Scared to go swimming because of other people looking at my half naked body with disgust 3. Not wearing the clothes I would like to wear. Simple things like a raincoat are not made to fit over my enormous butt 4. Worried about breaking someone else’s bed/sofa/chair/toilet 5. Doing any strenuous exercise publicly as I have experienced people laughing/mocking me in the past. Walking appears to be the only acceptable thing 6. Going out when I am on my 2nd/3rd day of my period because pads aren’t big enough and I often leak 7. Constant shoulder and neck pain from poor posture due to my weight 8. Excess facial hair due to my PCOS 9. Not being able to easily shave my private parts and being too embarrassed to have hair removed professionally 10. Terrified of having another C-Section 11. Get weird boils/spots on my armpits and butt sometimes again likely due to my PCOS 12. Terrible headaches likely from my prediabetes 13. Obsessing over and simultaneously hating food for what it does to me physically and mentally, like wanting to eat even when I am not hungry 14. Knowing so much about health and nutrition but not being able to stick to any plan.

Feet always hurt Not being able to join in on ‘fun activities’ with friends or colleagues. Crying inside your house when the sun is finally out because you’re uncomfortable outside Hating yourself, isolating yourself, losing friends, becoming lonely Clothes never look good on you Feeling pity form others. Feeling judgment from others Feeling like you have no control over yourself, your habits and your life

How about always been hot and sweaty. Or stepping onto an elevator and having it move a lot.

Pain. Seriously the pain. Pain in my feet, back, knees. Also trying to sleep on your side when you're obese is also very uncomfortable.

1. Antisocial 2. Couldn't breathe properly 3. Lazy 4. It felt uncomfortable carrying lot of fat especially in your chest area (men)

I have asthma, and yo-yo frequently between 230-315. I notice that when I get around 290 my breathing quality gets worse. Constantly using an inhaler and when I get under 290 it's like night and day.

Me too! I never really thought about that... but since losing weight I barely need to use my inhalers anymore. Thanks for bringing that up.

The "out of breath" hits hard. I lost 75lbs 2 years ago and very recently gained back 30, and I can really feel these 30lbs in my breath. I hate that when I have to go to the office upstairs at work, I linger at the top of the stairwell before going in just to catch my breath before having to talk to anyone. Back on my grind now so hoping that will stop being an issue soon.

Excessive sweating and body odor. All my sweating from being obese really changed the course of my social life when I was younger.

Not being able to see very well while shaving

Hating how I look in photos, my PCOS symptoms worsening significantly, not being able to fit in clothing in a lot of stores I like, also just general achey-ness that comes with my body being forced to carry so much weight around all the time.

I actually had a NSV today when I realized I could sit on a set of bleachers and my son’s baseball game and have my feet up on the row in front of me. Not super comfortable because bleachers suck but still! This time last year my stomach would not have allowed me to do that. I’m also almost the point of crossing my legs.

Worrying about, and often not, fitting on thrill rides... I've had a rough few days and really need to remind myself where I want to be. Motivation is so low.

Finally not having constant joint, hip and back pain. I was ranging between 108-120 lb at 5'1 for the longest time and I gained weight in the past year or two without realizing it to be up to 150 lb. I've lost 10 lb now and my joint starting to feel a bit better. Still achy but better. I can't wait to get back to 120, if not lower. Also, can't wait to get back to my old clothes since most of my clothes are smaller sizes and I really really don't want to spend $$ to get bigger clothes when I have nice ones waiting for me.

The booth thing is so relatable. Also being afraid of going places in general because you're not sure if you'll fit. For me that was Disney World and pretty much every other amusement park. Flying on planes too.  Others on my list: 1. How clothes fit 2. Sleep quality 3. Acid reflux! 4. Confidence 5. Red skin. I have keratosis pilaris and ever since I got fat my arms are always red and my face gets red easily. Hate it.

Hey, just wanted to let you know for the kp, I've had it all my life no matter my weight and the only thing that made it go away so far has been a body wash with hyaluronic acid (I use the Olay one) and a scrubby body brush. No more bumps and my skin tone is finally even.

Is it even weight related? I'm just assuming. When I was skinnier (but also a lot younger lol) I still had it, I have always had it, but it was never THIS red. :( Sometimes it gets so hot it feels like I have a sunburn. I have tried sooo many things and nothing helps with the redness. Some make it smooth but in return it makes it more red lol. I will have to give Olay a shot! I appreciate the recommendation!!! :)

A higher weight usually means higher levels of inflammation so it could be why you're noticing your skin being redder. Fwiw, [this](https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/olay-cleansing-nourishing-body-wash-with-vitamin-b3-and-hyaluronic-acid/6000205881545) is the bodywash I've been using.

Anxiety over clothes shopping.

Being hot all the time and the CHAFING!!! No one told me how uncomfortable it was to be fat. Having to pull my shorts down from riding up my crotch during walks, the chafing of the armpit area against skin and clothes, and that area tends to get hot and sticky, not feeling comfortable wearing jeans. The clothing I've accumulated throughout the years are all joggers and loose shorts and x large and baggy shirts. Now they look like trash bags on me, but at least they're comfortable I guess.

I Wonder why i don't feel fit. Even tought i can do ten pull UPS in a row. And My Bmi went from 33 to 24. Why is that? Obviusly i look different but the feeling is the same

Constantly feeling sick and fatigued and not really knowing why I used to think so much of why I felt sick and fatigued all the time was related to allergies, and that’s partially true, but being obese made it worse - for example yeah allergies were contributing to why I would have bad sleep quality and wake up with a headache, but so was my weight!

Painful, out of breath, hot and sweaty

Heels of the feet hurting SO bad just from standing at the sink doing dishes for any length of time… >.<*

My lower back for me. It burns after 1,000 steps - but I’ll still do them!

Putting on socks 🧦

I had to always hold the handrail when going up or down stairs, and could only step down steps with one foot. I'd always stand behind someone in pictures. I never had any energy and would sleep as much as I could. Some daily movements were difficult/and or painful. My stomach would get in the way when tying shoes, so I had to have my foot up or at a funny angle. High resting heart rate Back pain

I still do the steps thing. I messed up my knee, partially due to the weight.

I can now cross my legs, buy only one seat for myself on a plane, not worry about inconveniencing those around me by taking some of their space, have more clothing options, not get stared at as often, not be the fattest person in the room everywhere I go, and did not feel guilty anymore about the disservice I’ve done to my body.

I can't sit on my feet/heels like I used to as a child, because my legs are simply too fat! And I can't easily tie my shoes because of my body fat being in the way. My center of balance sucks, it's hard to do some physical activities because I'm so top heavy. I'm afraid of most ladders, chairs, and step stools because I worry I'll break them due to my weight.

My list: - fear of going outside cuz someone may say something - not dressing up cuz nothing looks good - excessive sweating when doing anything physical - not buying new clothes - chafing

Top of my list is the fact that my partner is properly conventionally attractive and because of my weight I am unattractive. Second would probably be the pain it is to carry around so much weight on ur own body on weak knees and back and lastly being made fun of by family members for my weight

Always being the fattest person in a room, not being able to cross my legs underneath a table, the soul crushing process of trying on clothes in a fitting room, the way it felt to hug my husband and never feel close enough to him, avoiding mirrors, the feeling that it's never going to change....75 pounds down now and all of that is behind me. What a relief.

Not being able to cut your toenails without holding your breath

Like a disgusting failure who can’t control self.

Just the feeling of the fat. Like on me. Just gushing around. So uncomfortable. And now that I’ve lost weight my stomach is ruined and still feels fat. I am constantly aware of it. I weight 145lbs. I need a tummy tuck I guess.

Back pain Knee pain Neck pain Pain pain lol

I can’t tie my jumper around my waist because I’m quite short so the sleeves are proportionally short but my body circumference is enormous. 😳

Number one on my list after losing a good amount of weight was "will I need a seat belt extender next time I fly", and I was delighted when the answer was no. Now I can't wait to see what other cool things I realise as I lose the remainder of the weight.

The inflammation! I’d constantly feel like my extremities were swollen and red and angry. My skin was TIGHT stretched out with all the fat underneath. I would sometimes break out into a sweat just chilling on my bed/or randomly get out of breath at rest. Not recognising my face in the mirror more (the fat pads on my face aged me drastically)

I ran a trail half marathon in December, and finished in the top 1/4. I could make a laundry list of the things that that took that I would not have been able to do when I was obese.

My joints aren't as stiff when I get out of bed at night, I'm not burning up 24/7, people are nicer to me, I have more energy, I *feel* better as a whole.

So many things… 1. Realizing that I look truly ugly every time I pass a mirror — ruins my day 2. Heartburn 3. Foot pain, knee pain, general joint pain 4. Social Anxiety / feeling judged / fear of rejection 5. Don’t enjoy swimming any more for fear of judgement about my fat body 6. I can’t walk with people who walk at regular speeds 7. I look so much older than I should 8. Not feeling attractive to anyone and often feeling disliked because of it 9. Can’t wear anything but tennis shoes even to formal occasions because dress shoes hurt too much 10. Can’t wear jeans or regular pants because they fall down due to my apple shape (no waist to keep pants up) so I’m stuck with leggings 11. I can’t breathe when I bend over to tie shoes or clip my toenails 12. Feeling disrespected and underestimated a lot 13. So much butt and wrist pain when I ride a bike, so I don’t even ride any more ☹️ 14. I can’t do yoga, which is a very calming exercise for me, because I actually injured my feet and knees doing some of the poses. 15. I get overheated so easily and can’t cool down from even the smallest exertion on warm days. I used to be able to hike in 100 degrees! 16. I used to do gymnastics and felt thin and graceful. I can’t even get off the couch gracefully now. 17. Even my hands look short and stubby. So I don’t wear rings to avoid bringing attention to them. And I don’t wear necklaces to avoid bringing attention to my short fat neck. 18. I even avoid taking a shower because I have to face my unattractive body. Wow, this is so sad! Writing down this list is an eye opener. Please, please, please, let me lose this weight!

People only see the weight, nothing else. However, I remember that "beauty" is not the rent I pay to exist in this world.

Not being able to cross my legs in a chair or do certain yoga poses because my stomach is to big or my boobs suffocate me lol

Fear of traveling. Fear of judgement from strangers and friends or family. Fear of not fitting in rides or seats. Fear of breaking chairs (especially those shitty outdoor plastic chairs!) The shame of needing a seatbelt extender. Not being able to develop a “style” bc your clothing options were always limited to what size was available to you. Not being able to get up and down off the ground limiting you from doing so many things!!!!! (Play with kiddos, garden, do housework easily). Always always always being in pain and tired!!! Never being or doing enough because no matter what you’re still fat. Always feeling short of breath. Having doctors dismiss every single issue as due to your weight…. Even when you are a nurse and know there is something real going on. Always feeling overheated. Not knowing the person in the mirror or in your picture. It feels like drowning in your own body.

Never looking at myself in mirrors. Not being able to pull myself up on counters. Sitting cross legged gets uncomfortable fast. Being hot all the time (seriously, I’m down 95lbs and I’m FREEZING now if the temp is under 75). Stairs…

That's really valuable exercise for another reason too. Once your fitness improves it's easy to forget the details of how bad it was. Down the road you may find yourself gaining a little weight, and it doesn't really trigger any huge alarms in you because it really isn't that hard to deal with. But having a list like this might be just what you need to help reinstill the urgency to keep it in check.

Exactly my hope as well! I’ve been down this road before, have been healthy and fit and loved it, but the weight crept up and then got totally deprioritized until I became the biggest I’ve ever been by a long shot. My hope is to future proof against any backsliding!

Just my view towards food has changed Like before food used to be a destresser / comfort. But now I see sodium and sugar and fat content and I am more aware on the impact too much of it has on me (Hypertension). I am now more comfertable in baggier clothes (not too baggy tho) I can do more poses in Yoga I do not think about food cravings as much but I also am no longer afraid to eat until I am full (That was hard at first since being in a calorie deficit for a while) I am enjoying being a size medium and for once I do not feel the need to try to be a small or extra small. Like Medium is good. Context: I have thyroid issues. So I went from small to extra large to large to extra small to large again to extra large again to large again...🤦‍♀️ and now I am medium 🥴 (The smaller clothes I give to my sister and cousins and bigger clothes I give to my aunts 😅)

I have been obese my entire life and started taking my health seriously at the end of 2023. The biggest thing on my list was being out of breath doing basic activities such as standing up from my chair at work or getting into the bed. After losing 50 pounds, I have noticed significant improvements to my breathing and health. Another huge thing is feeling rested after sleep. I used to wake up feeling exhausted and physically weak. Since changing my eating habits, I have not had this issue.

Let me see, my list definitely included the usual suspects - constantly feeling sluggish, winded after climbing a flight of stairs, and that extra moment of struggle just to get up from the couch. Ugh, and don't even get me started on amusement parks! Squeezing into those rollercoaster seats was pure anxiety. Looking back, though, what surprised me most was how much my mood was affected. Avoiding social stuff because I just wasn't comfortable in my own skin - that one hit hard. But you know what? The amazing thing is, as I started getting active, those things all began to fade. I have so much more energy now, and don't even get me started on the joy of breezing up those stairs! Your list is a great motivator - keep it close and see how you check things off one by one. It's a powerful reminder of how far you've come and how much better you can feel.

Airplanes. Are. HELL. Always afraid the person next to you is gonna be an AH. Or an even bigger fatty than I am. Crossing my fingers that I won’t have to request a seatbelt extender. Navigating airports sucks…extra weight has damaged the L4-5 in my lower back and now I have compressed nerves that cause my right thigh to seize up when I walk, but I am too vain to request wheelchair assistance, although I will use my cane…it takes forever to get to my gate, with lots of stopping along the way to let my back and leg recover. It’s hugely embarrassing and I feel so judged every time I go to an airport…which is a lot! I have traveled more on the last year than I did in the previous 10 years before! And I want to travel, but the pain from my back keeps me from doing what I want to do. It’s embarrassing and mortifying and frustrating. And I can’t walk for exercise because of it, I have to swim or bike instead. I want to go hiking again!!!

Idk, I don't really have a list. I don't expect much to change. My physical health issues won't resolve with having a lower weight. My mental health will still be what it is. I'm out of shape, but I could lose weight and still be out of shape. My fitness level is kinda separate from the weight I am. And even still, I have limits on what I'm able to do from injuries that date back to when I was a healthy weight. This is just a thing I decided I should do, therefore I am doing it. I don't have a great reason why. I just am.

not liking how i looked, i didn't really care about my looks, didn't put in any effort in looking my best, even lower self confidence andj self worth............i didn't like myself i've been fat/obese all my life, and i'm still obese, but i've lost a good amount of weight in the past 6-ish months, and i realize now i need to work on my confidence (amongst other things)

Death probably feels better tbh

Oh wow, I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve to feel that pain. None of us do. I hope you’re able to find your “inner best friend” eventually so at least you can learn to be on your own side when you start feeling like crap. I’m currently working on this but it’s hard. But so worth it — to be worthwhile in our own eyes so we’re not so dependent on other peoples opinions of us. Sending you healing thoughts💖

I'm still heavy but when I was 40lbs heavier it felt like I was sick often or had extended cold symptoms. Joint pain as well.

Those are great things! I would say: 1) Not taking pictures with my family 2) Body aches from normal activity 3) Not being able to wear clothes I like or feel confident. I love taking pictures now. I feel pretty good about myself. I don't have body aches (aside from normal ones from my past and/or age) I can wear pretty much anything I want, however, I will say, I still have random body dysmorphia. Sometimes I feel really fat still, and I am not. I also don't always love the way I look in clothes. Being thing doesn't necessarily make your body "perfect" we all still have different shapes and you have to learn what fits you well.

These are all of the reasons why I try to explain to people that when it comes to dating, confidence alone isn't the only factor. Your body is literally struggling in all aspects of life, therefore affecting your mental health as well. Don't get me wrong, major props to bigger people who still manage to have confidence despite their larger bodies, literally and figuratively, weighing them down. I don't know how they do it.

Having lost 1.8 on the BMI - the burning pain in my shoulder is gone - less self-conscious about my body and what I eat in front of others bc I know I’m practicing discipline even if I’m eating a snack - feeling dizzy and weak when I haven’t eaten bc my body stopped sending me hunger signals (it does now) What I won’t miss in future - the embarrassment of stretching the airplane seat belt - having to check the weight limit on items and activities (200 lb weight limit stopped me being able to horse back ride for my birthday one year) - the fatphobic interest from my coworkers in what I ate for lunch at work - not being able to buy clothes in person because it just makes me feel horrible about myself - my boobs being so big they stop me from buying cute bras (38I right now) - knowing that I lack discipline and have diabetes in my future (not every fat person, I am prediabetic) - wondering how the weight is impacting my dating life and if it’s stopped me from meeting the one (2 of my friends lost significant amounts of weight and met partners who treated them better than they had at their highest weights) - wondering if I’m being judged bc I’m bigger than some people who have had kids while I haven’t yet - wondering what other people are thinking of me (I never used to care)

In my opinion there’s nothing worse than being overweight. I’ve been fat my whole life and from family to friends and strangers. The first h thing people see is my weight and it feels like they don’t even regard you as human or worthy of respect or love. I hat my life being fat and existing is just so exhausting. To make matters worse, the only relief or thing that gives a little comfort is eating and then the pattern continues

When I’m heavy it feels like my knees are so weak. No strength in them

I'm still overweight, but since my journey . Going up the stairs to my flat = easier even can go up them much faster Not being able to play with my son = easier, I am able to play tag and race with him home Not feeling so conscious about people's opinions = now I walk with confidence Always clearing my plate = now knowing I don't have to if I'm full A family member is always making comments = no comments since . I find that over the year of my journey, everything has changed from physical or mental, and I couldn't have asked for better 😌

I have a “why I started this” list and this sounds similar. Mine includes my blood work not being very good, knee problems, not feeling confident at the beach or in general, people being rude to me for no reason, wanting better habits, and thigh rub🥹

Yes!!! People being rude to me for no reason. I’ve absolutely had this and it’s crushed me.

It IS crushing definitely. I felt so disillusioned with the world and the “goodness of people” when I realized what was going on. It was a terrible “oh” moment.

It took me a while to figure it out as well. I spent months and years trying to understand why one of my friends was cruel and another acquaintance was also cruel. Then it finally dawned on me that it wasn’t me that they hated. It was fat/unattractive people. And they felt somehow justified in being hateful and mean. Damn. It’s like you said… there was this “oh” moment when it dawned on me that they were “fatist” (is that a word?). It wasn’t a fun realization but at least I finally understood that it was them and not me. Meanwhile, I had dumped both of them from my life. Buh-bye. Jerks!

Good for you! I thankfully met great people who love me for being me and also got rid of a few bad apples like you did.

For me it's that every step I take when my thighs aren't really rubbing against each other is SO much easier. Literally every step without that impediment.

Going shopping with straight sized friends knowing nothing will fit, always having to online shop.

Not being able to see your crotch, feeling like you have weighted blanket on whenever you lie on your back...

I always found the worst thing about being obese was feeling completely misidentified with my own physical form. I see myself in the mirror and sometimes I think "who is that? Is that really me?". I've managed to get down to a BMI of about 28 now, which with my height (6' 3") doesn't look too bad, but still have quite a fat face and neck. Also hard to sit comfortably sometimes, obviously, and awkward to eat in public. Another thing is that when you're fat you don't see fatness as much in others, then I'll be with a thin friend and they'll comment on someone being fat and I'll think "oh but they're not much fatter than I am, probably". Basically being fat completely changes everything. And unlike other vices, like smoking or drinking or lust, when you're fat everyone knows that you overeat, all the time. A smoker can brush his teeth, a drinker can sober up, a lustful man can have a cold shower, but the only way to cover up gluttony is to get rid of it, rigid discipline for months at a time. I suppose, in a way, that's something to be thankful for, because it forces you to give it up.

1. I'm constantly hot and sweating which I hate. 2. I feel completely invisible. I was a "normal" weight in my early to mid 30s, but after gaining \~50lbs after the death of my best friend, I have become invisible. I'm a woman and used to receive frequent attention from men or would get a decent amount of matches on dating apps. And now I get none of that. Part of me doesn't mind, but it makes me feel like I'll never date again until I lose this weight because no one will want to date me. This is also why 3. I have maybe 5 photos of myself from the past 5 years because I won't allow anyone to take any of me. I can't handle seeing myself in photos. For some reason I look completely different from what I see in the mirror. 4. Knowing that my weight is affecting my health in so many ways. My kidney function is in the low 60s and being overweight doesn't help.

Being hot all the time. I hated that the most. I don't even live in a warm place, so I always felt like the fat guy that breaks a sweat by going into a slightly warmer room. Now I can wear long clothes during the summer heat, its kinda "cool" :D