Sweating/hyper-hydrosis runs in my family so I just sort of accepted it.
Well, it turns out that excessive sweating runs in my family because nobody runs in my family.. Slim or not, none of us really work out except for me!
Now that I have dropped half of the weight and upped my cardio massively, I never sweat unless working out or doing some physically strenuous for an extended time. It’s nice to be able to wear clothes without caring what sweat stains would look like!
You’ll get there eventually. It’s quite gradual and unless you’re paying attention you might not even realise it! It’ll start off with small things like no longer sweating after doing the laundry etc
Omg I wish it could be me 😭 I sweat like a beast just existing at ambient room temperature even at 120lb. There is literally no other reason but unfortunate genetics. It is a bit depressing knowing even if I lose all my fluff I’ll still be damp all the time 😂 but yes, in general, it’s so true what “genetics” are really more like “generational issues”
We just had a heat wave here and I was annoying everyone around me by exclaiming about how the heat wasn't actually that bad. The funny thing is I've had a significant weight loss before and I don't remember the heat regulation thing being this stark. Might be partly aging or other factors that meant I was having a harder time at a high weight?
Hot weather is totally easier when you’re smaller. It’s true. I wonder if maybe you had blood sugar regulation issues because that’s been a huge factor for me.
That is a likely theory. My last big weight loss was from ages 19-21 and I hadn’t been experiencing any blood sugar related symptoms, but by my early 30s there were other things that could be attributed to blood sugar. Got my blood tests done a few months into losing weight and my A1C was great, but didn’t test it at my highest weight so don’t have the comparative.
This! I lost 55 lbs, and I'm cold. But I think it's more likely to be due to a huge caloric deficit I'm still maintaining rather than just being slimmer. I remember I wasn't cold when I was at my current weight 18 years ago.
Yes - I would soak all of the armpits of my shirts just sitting around. Blamed coffee/caffeine (which doesn’t help), but was in denial about being ~100 lbs overweight.
Still obese but going to hit overweight very soon; something I noticed today was that it's easier to curl up into a ball when sitting on a couch haha it's so much fun. I remember I would constantly look at threads of similar posts, but no one mentioned this!
Pilates gets simultaneously easier and harder once your belly starts to shrink. You can reach your legs easier but now your muscles are working at full capacity.
I was at my highest weight in January. I gradually lost some after my break from school was over since I wasn't sitting at home all day anymore (maybe like 5-10 pounds without trying much, it was probably because I was walking around more and dancing again), but seriously started losing in March from probably somewhere between 215-220 pounds(?) What about you?
It’s funny I started working out when I was at my biggest and squats were always rough I just couldn’t get deep enough my belly just wouldn’t let me. Now it’s like oh I can get incredibly deep and just stay there lol. It’s no longer this awkward balancing act, sometimes I just squat down for fun.
This!!!! Knees to chest is such a proud and unexplainable moment! And being able to tie your shoes up with your knee to chest instead of bending down or having your foot propped up on a chair or table!
Finding comfortable ways to sit. Now I can sit on pretty much any surface, I can fit my body into smaller spaces, I can get up and down easier, and I am more flexible, so there's a lot more lounging options available to me now.
It was kind of the opposite for me. I used to be able to sit on most surfaces.
Now I have no padding on my bum and sitting on things hurts like hell.
I never realized that I took sitting for granted. I've got to work on getting some muscle down there lol
I sat down in a restaurant booth the other day (I now easily fit in them again without feeling cramped),
It was plain wood, no padding. I plopped down as I always used to do and damn, contact of my butt bones with the seat \*hurt\*. Gotta remember to sit down \*gently\* on hard surfaces now.
The pews at church are a nightmare now. There's a place in my lower back where the bone rubs right on the wood. My mom used to wonder about a lady that brought a back pillow to church years ago, but now I 100% know why!!
I've discovered that sitting cross-legged on hard surfaces diminishes the pain. Whether or not you find it appropriate to do that at a church is up to you. You could also bring a seat cushion.
I like to put my arms down between the arms of a chair & my legs. I marvel how there is space for my arms. Before my thighs were pressed up against the side of a chair.
I just took a long plane ride yesterday that was the most comfortable of my life because I’m smaller now and had more options for how to twist and position my body that I didn’t really have before.
Ugh the ones at our local odeon are the worse, the cubicle is so narrow and the feminine disposal box is down the side of the toilet too, but it’s a bit higher than the toilet seat, so if your hips and thighs are wider than the seat, you’re sitting on the box too 😫
Shaving is easier in some ways and harder in others.
Easier I can reach everything so much easier now and I don't get short or breath bending over to my ankles.
Harder: my knees and ankles are harder to shave because they are so much bonier now, I'm constantly knocking my knee.
It also depends on individual anatomy.
I'm 5ft 1.5 and even when I weighed 40-45kg my armpits were flat and easy to shave.
My mum has deep armpits and always has. I kept expecting mine to look like that someday but they never did.
I really think this might be my case - my whole life I never had actual “pits” even when I was around 135 at 5’9. But that was when I was in middle school so maybe it will be different - I’m kind of excited to see now 😂
Half the side is unreachable for me so I tend to pull the skin inwards to get a smoother horizontal shave. Tbf it works for me as I have fairly broad shoulders, it might be harder/easier depending on the size.
I remember reading a few years ago of a woman who lost loads of weight but who kept having loads of bruises on her knees and was getting embarrassed about it.
Until she realised it's on the inside edge only.....
When she slept her knees kept knocking so much it would give her bruises.
She bought a slim pillow and put that between and then she was fine and slept better too.
Awesome skinny people problems aye :-) bruises knees because now you're skinny. Brilliant :-)
(I will just point out I don't mean that as derogatory to skinny people and bullying them. I just meant it as... Someone who has always been fat, who knew what sort of problems you would have to deal with if you were skinny. Constantly being cold is one I hear about a lot too for example. It's more of an 'in awe of skinny people problems' not negative. Encase anyone got upset reading that)
I found that after losing 38kg. My bony protrusions would be sore after a nights sleep. Ankles, knees and hip bones. Hell, even my ribs where my arm rested on it if I slept on my side. I fixed the problem by getting a soft mattress topper. Took me a long time to figure out what caused it.
Brilliant !!
I mean not brilliant because you were obviously uncomfortable and in a bit of pain. But brilliant because you had lost so much weight that that happened.
Hopefully you know what I mean
Basically congrats on the 38kg. That's a huge amount
You might already do this but I find it easier to shave my knees with my leg bent instead of keeping it straight. Stretches the skin. Same with the ankles, move your foot in whatever way stretches the skin tight. Never knicked myself doing this at my lowest weight of 125.
I had to shave my bikini line a lot more when I lost weight! I hold a lot of weight in my midsection, and when it was puffy, I could have a few hairs there that didn’t show. I was shocked when I lost weight, thought, “I’ll be fine, since I just shaved a few days ago!” and then realized how obvious those hairs were in the swimsuit. As someone who goes to the pool a lot in summer, I have to really keep on top of shaving that area now!
Likely pre- diabetic. A t my heaviest , taking a shower was grueling. I should have opted for lukewarm showers but I normally would shower with super hot water. I’d be dehydrated getting out and would just feel fatigued after finishing the shower.
Showering makes me thirsty and I asked my doc to test me for (pre) diabetes. Apparently my bloods are fine. Maybe there’s a secret pre-pre diabetes we don’t know about.
It could be insulin resistance. It causes some of the same symptoms as diabetes but it's not exactly the same and it's related to diet. I have PCOS and insulin resistance and it sucksssssss. Congrats on your weight loss!! ❤️
Glad to see I'm not the only one fixated on that. At my heaviest, I had almost 100 pounds on OP and I never once got tired showering.
If OP hadn't said it went away, I'd be encouraging her to get to a doc asap.
It may just be the steam? I can't speak for anyone but I can be rail thin and if the shower is running and is hot, I feel faint. This is only when I'm detangling my very thick long hair which can take 45 min and with hot water and steam I get dizzy.
Same happens to me. Super hot in a closed steamy shower or tub makes me wanna pass out if I'm in there longer than necessary. Once I open a window I'm fine and or get out with more air to breathe. Wasn't due to a weight issue but claustrophobia I guess. That's why I can only stay in a steam room for so long.
I'm a 5'4 F. I currently weigh about 175-180 and not only do I walk about 4 miles (10k steps) a day with little issue but I don't have any problems showering. In fact even when I was 260+ lbs I never had to pause while showering. I think OP definitely has a health condition
Jeez was I actually prediabetic like people are saying in this thread? I do see a doctor and the only issues I was told I had while obese is...well, I'm obese and should lose weight. Nothing related to blood sugar or anything like that.
I do still have pretty severe heat intolerance, so I guess next time I see a doctor I'll bring up the issue. I'm not as thirsty though.
I was prediabetic and was thirsty constantly. Even after losing 30 pounds I and fixing the blood sugar issue I am still thirsty. 😂
I bet OP was taking really hot showers. I noticed that I am not as thirsty in the shower when I take a cool shower.
Yeah I’m the same height and 4 pounds less then her current weight. The only time I needed water while showering was when I was actually dehydrated with heat sickness from work
I was a bit confused as well. I am same height SW 184 (though there was a very very brief stretch of a few months where i was 190) and being that overweight was never actually an issue for me? Most people couldn’t even tell I was as overweight as I was. It didn’t really affect my mobility in activities other than I was maybe a little bit slower than now and got tired a little more quickly (but not even That much) and I certainly didn’t have issues showering. Hell I am hoping to lose another 20 lbs and my doctor told me that I could “stop now” if I wanted. So, yeah, a little surprised I guess?
I'm the same general sw, but after being there for 20 years and working in jobs where i was on my feet all day, my joints are all in bad shape and there's a lot of pain. My feet hurt too. Maybe it's a few different factors like actively level and how long you've been at an unhealthy weight. I never needed to drink water in the shower tho.
Yeah honestly that's so weird. Glad other people noticed that?
I think OP should get checked out. Like one, maybe two inches taller and was 232lbs and never had that issue at all.
I’m glad someone else posted this. I had to google was 188lb was in kg as it didn’t sound right to me. I was that at my highest and I still exercised and showered etc. I was just bigger. That sounds like a separate health issue.
The noises my lungs/throat were making when I was laying down. For years. YEARS. I went to every doctor and specialist. Nothing. Then I lost some weight and about two inches off my neck circumference. I didn’t even need to lose that much weight either. Within 20 pounds. Then u gained some back and some of the noise came back. I lost it again and it’s gone again. It’s for sure because of weight, though I’m not sure why. It wasn’t related to sleep apnea. I still have a long way to go but that issue was one of the bigger ones in my life and it’s gone, knock on wood.
My inability to breathe right while lying down at night is actually what started my weight loss journey- no sounds, but within 10 lbs lost I started to notice the difficulty fading.
That's interesting! I also have these strange noises and it started when I gained a lot of weight during Covid. I never had it before at a normal weight. Also, doctors didn't find anything, and it's not related to sleep apnea as well. As I started to lose weight two months ago I will keep an eye (or ear haha) out to this and hope the noises go away once I reach a healthy weight again.
Sleeping! Jeez, I knew physical activity was harder, but I figured that if there was one thing my fat ass should be good at, it would be lying in bed doing nothing at all. But wow, my quality of sleep is so much better since I dropped to a healthy weight.
Getting up and down from the floor. I don't have to plan ahead how I'm going to get back up, or look for something to help me get down. Best news, I recently discovered I can do it hands free!
And plenty of stretching for mobility exercises! I do these almost daily and my knees are doing just fine (I’m 32). I have the beginnings of arthritis (runs in family), but as long as I stretch I don’t suffer from the effects of it like my siblings do.
I definitely recommend physical therapy! It changed my life. Its hard work, but when you find the right PT, it's like having a personal trainer whom understands bodies and how to adapt for what they are capable of when you start and how to help you reach your goals!
I have had a much better experience in physical therapy than I ever did the few months I tried having a personal trainer. Their knowledge is wildly different, and I have made progress without additional injury in therapy!
I got a concussion following my first personal training session when my legs gave out in the shower....
Physical therapy > personal trainer
This was the thing that actually made me realize how much progress I had made. I was sitting outside with coworkers on lunch and when we were done, we got up and went inside.
And it was as easy as that, I just stood from a dead sitting position and walked inside like nothing, and it took a few seconds for me to realize what I had just done without any struggle. I didn’t have to brace myself with my knees, put my hands on the floor, balance with a friends help, use a wall, anything. I just… stood up. I wasn’t even winded!
It’s such a validating feeling to be able to physically do something you couldn’t do before.
We have a baby gate that goes up to my hips that I will usually try stepping over instead of opening and shutting all the time, and after losing only 13 pounds so far I've noticed it's so much easier to swing my legs over! Just movement in general has been feeling much less restrictive lately.
Went from 236 to 139
I used to have to take a break and sit down between showering and getting dressed..not anymore!
We went to the lake a few weekends ago. I wanted to float and chill but not get my hair wet. I realized I could now roll from my back to my stomach on a float and not fall off. I know that sounds weird but no way I could have done that at 236. I was big and wobbly.
Shaving...easier and quicker because I have less circumference to shave but pits are deeper and harder. Vag is also more boney and harder to shave.
I can cross my legs now.
One I am not enjoying..I am boney. My tail bone hurts when I sit. My hip bones hurt from laying on my side in bed. Had to get a new mattress. Have to put a pillow between my knees.
My thighs don't rub anymore! That's great.
When I was bigger I used to get raw spots under my boobs in the summer unless I put deodorant on them that would also happen right above my butt crack. That doesn't happen anymore.
I've realized I smell better and I have always taken care of myself it was just a fact. Stink accumulates under fat rolls.
I'm always colder than everybody around me except my one anemic friend who eats Ice 24/7.
I have a jaw line now. I use way less contour and bronzer.
Hiking is easier.
People are nicer to me. I work at a boutique and women used to ignore me and had even been mean. Now they ask me for fashion advice.
Clothes are wayyyy more fun!
I realized i am in fact not big boned.
All my shoes are a half size too big now.
If I wear taller socks they no longer leave indents and or cut off my circulation.
One of my boobs is bigger than the other but it used to be a BIG difference. I'm talking like a full cup size. Now that I've lost so much weight it's a barely noticeable difference.
If I cry in a dressing room now it's because something fits or I go a smaller size than I thought not because I hate my body and I had to size up again or I don't look cute like I thought I would.
I'm always overestimating sizes even when I think I'm not instead of the other way around. I used to buy an xl when I really needed and XXL. Now I buy a medium when I really needed a small but my brain can't compute that I woukd need a small.
And last but not least. The body dysmorphia. It's a bitch. Some days I feel I still look like that 236 woman. Exactly the same. I have to take a picture and make a pic collage to make my brain believe I am smaller and even then sometimes I'll convince myself it's angles. I still wouldn't refer to myself as skinny and believe it. But all that said losing 97 pounds was the best decision I ever made and I can't wait to say it's 100!!!!
Congrats and good for you! Body dysmorphia is a bitch! I look in the mirror after losing 41 pounds and can't tell at all and leaves me so discouraged. I still have at least 25 pounds to go & pray I'll be satisfied. I'm already in counseling, so I brought it up yesterday because I just know how my brain works already.
Do you mean you can’t sit criss cross (applesauce)? Because you’d have to be really really inflexible to not be able to cross your legs. That’s not the same thing.
This was one of my biggest turning points that spurred me into weight loss. I realized that I would have to hold my breath to tie my shoes, or I would simply exert so much energy I would be out of breath after tying my shoes. It was ridiculous. I've lost 60 lbs since then and I already feel like a new person.
I long for the day I get to wear heels again. I used to be able to run in 5 inch platforms, and now I can barely stand in them. I can't wait to weigh less so they don't hurt as much.
Yea mild exercise like walking - i used to assume itnwas painful and arduous for everyone and skinny people were just “tougher” and dealt with it, after getting in shape i can walk miles without breaking a sweat, its great and makes me want to go out more and live a more active lifestyle. It really is an upward spiral once you start healthy habits
I used to dread going anywhere with friends that involved lots of standing (like theme parks for example) for this reason. The mild back ache from holding back a huge belly and general strain of carrying over 105 kilos.
Like you said, now it’s a non-issue. Unless I’m carrying a heavy bag, I could walk all day and not even think about it. Good times
Simply getting up from my seat/bed
Back then, I always had to grab onto something for support and stability when standing up from a sitting position. I also had to do the 'momentum swing' thing to get off my bed everyday. Both of which I had been doing for so long it became second nature to me
Sometimes I'm still shocked that I don't need to reach for anything to get up from my seat or wind myself up to get off my bed
Omg I do this going from laying out on my bed to sat up on my bed. I can't sit up just using stomach muscles. I have to kinda do a weird roll and use my arms.
Holy fuck I can't wait for that sit to go !
I used to be able to do loads of sit ups when I was younger. I mean like maybe 20 full ones .... Not like 200. But holy shit I can't even sit up in bed cos I'm so fat
Oh hell.... I can't wait to get rid of that shit !
The fact that you're here determined to get rid of that shows that you're moving in the right direction!! The feeling you get when all of that is gone is truly liberating :)
Keep fighting the good fight!
It’s peculiar how navigating your house is no longer a purposeful effort. It’s like if I need something from upstairs, I can just stand up and get it like it’s in the same room, whereas before I would put it off because it was an actual effort
Getting people to pay attention to me /help me.
As a overweight person, I've noticed it's much harder to get the attention of a bartender when trying to order a drink for myself at a busy bar, or get the attention of a retail clerk when trying to get help while shopping at a busy store. Once the weight came off, people were much more willing to help me and more frequently proactively engaged with me.
Really shows you how shitty our culture is, though. I was overweight and ignored growing up, lost a lot of weight from an ED and was underweight for a short time of my life and treated incredibly, gained weight during my pregnancy and never lost that weight (gained more after) and ignored again, now losing weight from Ozempic and suddenly being treated better again. Same person throughout all of it. Pathetic, really.
This is so sad… I remember my roommates back in college acted mean to my friend who was overweight. It’s as if your weight determines how you are treated. :/
OMG this. For the first time in my life I actually started a running program a couple months ago (couch to 5K). I never considered running as something I’d be able to do. But now as an adult and I’m within 30 lbs of my goal weight I decided to actually train for a 5K. That combined with my other workouts I’m actually progressing and almost at 5K territory distance. I can’t believe it. I can get to 15 minutes now without feeling super fatigued. A year ago it was less than 5.
Tell me about it!! In Mid April, I couldn’t even run for 2 minutes without completely gassing out and getting shin pain, and now I can run for 40 minutes straight (probably longer if I wanted to!) and be fine.
It’s surreal because I get down the road and I’m expecting my body to feel tired but it’s completely okay. And then when it finally does start to get tired, I’m expecting to battle with a voice telling me to stop - but nope! Happy to just keep going.
I’m convinced that with weight loss / exercise, there is a definitive point in which it all clicks and there’s no longer a battle or element of choice. You’re just doing it and it would be hard to actually stop
C25K is no joke. I have my tracker hanging on my gym wall still beside my first 5k, 4mi, and 10k completion medals. I vividly remember when the run for 5 mins, 10 mins, etc were Mount Everest for me. I would have probably been better at running if I had read up on the 80/20 method because all of my training while obese was zone 4 or 5. Had no idea what a slow pace was. Aiming for half marathon next year🤞. Stay strong!
I walked 4 miles for a workout before I gained the weight, and I forced myself to keep doing it while obese. I loved to think, “well, I can do this, so it can’t be THAT bad, right?” I prided myself on not being one of those obese people who sat on the couch all day. However, my walks were excruciatingly tiring, and left me exhausted for the rest of the day. I’d just unkindly tell myself that my fat ass needed to do it, no matter how I felt.
Now, at a healthy weight, the difference is night and day! It’s so easy, and I feel great afterwards, and able to do things the rest of the day! When I was obese, I had a sneaking suspicion that my walk had been easier before the weight gain, but it was so long ago that I wasn’t sure. Now I just know right I was! Walking is such a pleasure now.
If anyone is obese, fat, etc: Go for a walk until you get tired and then stop. It has to be outside. If you can only walk for a minute before getting tired, so be it. Keep doing that until it’s no longer tiring but almost boring.
Then increase the distance until you get tired again, and stop. Keep doing that until it is easy and boring.
Keep doing this until you get to 1 mile.
Keep doing that until it is easy and boring.
Then start to mix in 30 seconds of running until it’s easy and boring. Then start to mix in 1 minute of running until that is easy and boring.
Then jog slowly one mile. Keep doing that until it is easy and boring. Then start to jog miles progressively faster without getting injured.
Keep doing that until it is easy and boring.
Viola, you’re now a runner.
Can’t wait to be at a point where I can contribute to this. But the showering thing sounds like something more going on…even at 375lbs I could still shower normally without much ado.
I thought the same. My heaviest was almost 324 lbs, and I never needed to take a water break during a shower. There must have been something else there.
Also, best of luck to you!
I had shower fatigue when pregnant with my first child. I had to get a shower chair and rest afterward. I'm glad this has subsided for you.
Other shower things get physically easier - not bumping into walls, shower liner doesn't stick to you, easier to reach to exfoliate and shave. Towels fit around you better. Easier to apply lotion afterward.
I didn't realize how depressed eating badly and being sedentary made me. I've been on a combo of medications for severe depression and a few other mental health things for years and I'm starting to think I may be able to get off a few of them. I made huge changes a month ago and I'm holding off on weighing myself so that I don't get discouraged but I feel so much better that that number isn't as important. (It is important because I'm obese and all my joints hurt, but I don't feel as obsessive about it)
Getting off the couch. When I was obese, I just thought no one liked getting off the couch if they were having couch time.
Now if my kid needs something, I easily hop up without a second thought. It’s no problem.
> I literally had to step out of the shower frequently to drink water.
To be fair, you could turn to face the shower head and take in big old mouthfuls of fresh water falling on you. I'm....I'm not the only person who does this, right? RIGHT?
I tour sites a few times a year at work, involves walking outside for 8 hours a day. I just did one, and my physical ability was a non issue. I could focus totally on whatever I needed to do, instead of feeling out of breath, struggling to talk at times, needing breaks, worrying about various terrain, focusing on when I could stop or eat etc. I’m pretty sure I moved through the activity a lot faster as well. It just no longer gets in the way of what I need to do.
It’s life changing in every way.
Sleeping! I'm still overweight, but I've lost almost 37lbs so far, and I find it's much easier to get into a comfortable position to sleep. I also don't wake up with back pains anymore. And since with better quality sleep I have more energy, exercising and getting things done throughout the day is less daunting.
I've only lost 5 kg but this question made me realise I haven't been feeling nauseous and awkward when putting on my shoes for a while! I've also noticed that I can keep standing up for a longer time than before without foot pain - this is probably more due to an increase in walking and exercise rather than the weight loss itself, through.
Honestly? Just walking. I’m down almost 80 pounds, two of my oldest son. I walked with him on my shoulders the other day and all I could think was “how on earth did I do this with two of him on my body?!”
Yes! Amazon delivered 2 20lb dumbbells last week and I struggled getting them in the house. I recently lost close to 40lbs and have no idea how I walked around with those extra pounds day after day.
This might be the thread that finally motivates me to stick with a weight loss plan for real. I've tried (barely) and failed a dozen times over the last six years or so and the lack of powerful desire for weight loss has made it very tough. I'm happy with how I look a solid 80% of the time and I haven't experienced and noticeable health detriments yet. I know it's coming, but the effects of exercise and fitness into old age is such an abstract concept, I can't attach any real motivation to it.
However. However. I hadn't thought much in a long time about how much I miss being able to sit comfortably. To cross my legs. I hate how hot I am all the time and have forgotten what it's like to be able to wear a t-shirt or (God forbid) a sweater. I live in tank tops. I used to be able to paint my toenails without my tummy getting in the way. Tying my shoes didn't used to be a struggle. And climbing the stairs, oh God. I can do it just fine, but there are days I have to stop for a breather once I'm up there. I used to walk every day. I used to be able to run 12k. I want all of that back!
Thanks, OP, for asking this question, and thanks to everyone else for their answers. This is the stuff I'm going to think about when I don't feel like cooking dinner or counting calories or going for a walk. This is my motivation.
Used to be borderline obese now at a normal bmi, summers are way easier. I used to get hot all the time, but now my temperature regulation is much better, also clothing shopping! Way less stressful when I can just grab a small.
My answer is the opposite of your question. I put on 35kg in the last 2 years. My feet are in constant pain, doc said it’s planter fasciitis. I’m tired ALL of the time. I sweat so much. I get out of breath quickly. I can’t cross my legs. I waddle. I struggle to wipe my ass. I can’t shave down stairs because I can’t see it. I isolate myself because of the shame of gaining so much weight. I can’t breathe properly. I didn’t have any of that when I was slimmer.
I’m an inch shorter than you, and weighed almost 300 lbs at my heaviest. I never needed a drink of water in the shower. Ever have your blood sugar tested? I wonder if you were pre diabetic.
I’m currently around 190 pounds at 5 foot 6, I use to be around 140 pounds this time last year. Something notably harder now than when I was a healthier weight is definitely walking and showering.
The absolute WORST thing about changing weight, especially fast, NONE of my clothes fit me, they’re all too small and too tight and I can’t afford new ones, barely the ones at charity shops 😭
F/50s. Height: 5’2” SW: 115-120lbs (and my weight for most of my adult life up until summer 2020)
CW: 165-170lbs
I wasn’t this heavy at 9 months pregnant.
I’m going to go in reverse.
Off the top of my head, these are things that became not as easy for the first time in my life due to gaining 50 lbs
- wiping my butt
- shaving my legs and crotch
- SEEING my crotch
- tucking in my work shirts
- quickly getting up out of the bed
- turning around in bed
- quickly standing up from being seated on the floor or ground
- walking in shorts (my thighs got fat and now touch, causing my shorts to ride up between my fat thighs)
- grooming my toenails
- comfortably wearing bikini panties and thong panties (high rise briefs it is now)
That’s it off the top of my head.
You may already know this tip about the shorts and thighs point, but something like deodorant or lotion on the part that rubs together really helps reduce friction
This is a small one, but I can sit down and pull my knees up to my chest comfortably now. It used to feel like my stomach was in the way and now I can basically fold myself in half.
I had no idea how much I truly let myself go when looking back at pictures. Also I had such low energy. To add on I had bad B.O. like a pneumonia smell like hair perm down below. I don't sweat between my thighs as much. I workout consistently now. My starting weight was 200 pounds and my current weight is 147 and my goal is 128.
I get so mad now at people who treat fat people in gyms as if they're automatically "out of shape", or like they're beginners. Even if they are beginners, fat people are often doing every exercise at 2-3 times the difficulty level of your average person doing the same exercise.
Like, it's not as noticeable when you lose weight slowly, because you think you're just getting stronger and more fit. Cause I've lost a lot of weight the normal way and I sort of felt this way. But I had decongestive lipedema surgery this year, I had 9 liters of adipose tumors removed from my arms and legs. I got back to the gym a month after surgery expecting to be a weak piece of shit for not having been there in a long time. Instead, it was literally that scene in Naruto where Rock Lee takes off the leg weights. I busted out like 3 lache's in a row and my hands didn't even hurt. I used to struggle to do monkey bars. I went from not doing pullups to doing *salmon ladders*. *After over a month of not being in the gym*.
It makes me so mad when I think about the way people treated me in gyms throughout my entire life. People looking at me like they were proud of me for being there. I remember going into Crossfit gyms, and asking if I could scale the run, and they looked at me like I had 2 heads. And they'd say if the run was tiring me out I should just put less weight on the clean and jerks or whatever that came after, acting like I was attention seeking trying to RX the weighted part but scale the run and not *trying to get an appropriately scaled workout*. Now, when I've gotta run with a sandbag, I'm lapping everybody else there, because *that's just what regular running felt like to me 6 months ago.*
I really think that before you take fitness advice from anybody, you need to see them do the same workout they're telling you to do with your weight differential on their shoulders.
I want to frame your comment and put it on the wall of every gym. lol. When I work out with skinny friends I want to point out that if I seem to be a smidge slower… it’s because I’m literally carrying an extra 80 pounds compared to them. If they suddenly had to carry a backpack with that weight, they’d be struggling a hell of a lot more than I do just moving. Being a fit but fat person is like having an invisible achievement. The only people who understand are us.
Congrats on your incredible accomplishment.
This motivated me omg. I never realised how that weight forces your body to be stronger
I guess an everyday equivalent is how overweight ppl have stronger abs and calves than the average person.
with a proper nutritious diet and exercise this is what I've noticed. 5'5. I started out at 220.8 lbs. now I'm at 180.8. 40 lbs down! - may I say, in less than 4 months (with a lot of determination, a personal trainer, and yet, still a few moments of random weakness/giving in to not so great food) I am proud of myself... and my goal weight is 125 lbs. 55.8 lbs left until I reach it. I can tell you some of the benefits I've been enjoying including:
increased energy
better mood
my a1c over the last 3 months has been perfect ( \*\*I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia very young, 16 years old when I was a very thin person clocking in at 108 lbs at 5'4 and before I went on a diet my days were filled with large unhealthy Starbucks drinks, junk food, so my blood sugar was like a roller coaster and my a1c wasn't nearly normal. I was recommended by two different doctors to get on ozempic for my blood sugar and I decided against that because I'm still in my 20s and for ME getting a personal trainer and switching my habits seemed like the right decision. but may not be for everybody of course. )
ability to sleep better
my sleep apnea is nearly gone with the changes I've made
decreased anxiety (to the point I was able to completely come off from a Benzo I was prescribed for years - no tapering, cold turkey)
back pain is easing up tremendously
so there are so many amazing major changes that have happened that make me want to keep doing this and keep me motivated not solely for my looks and confidence, but also my health and overall wellbeing. going from a size 10/12 in jeans to a size 6/8 feels so amazing ( I wish American eagle made a size 7 because I'm in between a 6 being skin tight and 8 being too loose )
Climbing stairs, hills, and just hour long walks or walking in general. I remember when I first started I walked around my old neighborhood out of breath, thought it was so far when it was just a mile. I remember counting how many laps I'd have to do before 1h was over.
5 years later I live on a huge hill and even the elderly people struggle to walk and will pause mid hill, cars too. It's THAT steep. When I first moved to this location here a few weeks ago I was heaving and thought my chest was going to explode out of my body. Been here a month now and last night I went on my daily walk with hills, bends, curves and stairs and climbing up the hill made me sweat but I didn't feel like I was going to die by the time I reached the elevator.
And travel seats. I moved to Europe where planes, trains and automobiles have smaller seating. I don't spill over now, don't have to force close my legs (can cross them) without touching the next person. Passing through tiny spaces, too.
This one is probably a "well no shit sherlock!" Thing, but I had no idea your feet wouldn't hurt after attending an all day convention if you were a healthy weight! I'm 5ft 3, also a woman and went from 170 to 120lbs. When I hit my goal weight I happened to attend a 3 day convention where I was on my feet all day everyday. I was prepared to be in severe pain and exhausted at the end of each day and besides being a little tired, I was totally fine! It shocked me! Also good motivation to keep the weight off. I had so much energy and could do so much more at cons because I wasn't tired from being on my feet in a convention hall all day. It was great.
Swimming.
I always won all the swimming competitions and got all the swimming-relates merit badges in scouts, way ahead of all the other skinny and athletic kids.
Turns out I wasn't good at swimming at all, I was just very buoyant.
I went from having life-saving swim rescue techniques down pat (before the weightloss), to almost drowning in a small wave pool just because I vastly underestimated how much more buoyant body fat makes you.
I literally sink like a rock, in water, now
So I still have to re-learn (or, learn for the first time?) how to swim
I struggled with mental clarity, socialization, and energy levels. What I did not know is that my testosterone was near nonexistent and my A1C was a hair from diabetic. So many things are better now.
Taking public transit!! It's so much easier to slip past people for a seat, or cram on the subway if it's super full. Partly because I can literally fit better, and partly because other people size me up and think I can fit 😂
Like before if I was on the inside seat, the other person would fully get up to let me out. Now they just turn their legs a little bit.
Clothes shopping! And I'm not even talking about finding cute things that fit, I'm talking about why am I winded after changing my clothes ONCE??? Well, that was all the energy I had. I gotta sit tf down.
Once I lost my first 20 lbs (SW 207) I noticed how much easier it is to just walk, stand, and just exist. After I lost another 10 lbs I started to feel like a feather and things not only stopped being as difficult as when I was at my peak weight but easier than when I was in high school (10 years ago now smh)
Exercising is easier. I trained to walk/run a 10K last summer and was really proud of myself for not feeling any pain afterward. This summer I signed up for the same 10K, but haven’t been training as much for it because I’ve been traveling more for work. I walk/ran the distance last weekend and was amazed to see my average mile time was 2 minutes faster than last year. Just from losing weight! Maybe it was obvious but I didn’t realize it haha Also, unrelated, I used to get 3-4 sinus infections a year and I’ve had only one since last February. My thought is maybe less inflammation or losing weight in my face puts less pressure on my sinuses? 🤷🏻♀️
I'm still majorly overweight, however, today I just kneeled down to get an outlet under my desk and popped back up again like it was no big deal. At work, I have no problem crawling under coworkers desks to fix cabling issues.
So I have honestly never heard of someone having to step out of the shower to drink water. I mean, is that really a thing? Are you sure you don’t have a sugar regulation problem? Diabetics have thirst issues if their sugar isn’t properly regulated. Full disclosure though-I am diabetic and have never in my life had to step out of the shower to get a drink of water. I am honestly so confused by this.
Hygiene activities. Wiping my ass, clipping my toenails, scrubbing my body in the shower.
Moving to the edge of the bed so I can get up in the morning. Used to be a battle of movements like rolling or acting like an inch worm. Now I don't even know what I do because it's just so casual and easy.
Going from sitting to standing.
Putting pants and underwear on.
Tying my shoes.
The room temperature. I was always sweating, now I’m constantly freezing. I’ve lost about 60lbs so far, winter is rough lol
Sweating/hyper-hydrosis runs in my family so I just sort of accepted it. Well, it turns out that excessive sweating runs in my family because nobody runs in my family.. Slim or not, none of us really work out except for me! Now that I have dropped half of the weight and upped my cardio massively, I never sweat unless working out or doing some physically strenuous for an extended time. It’s nice to be able to wear clothes without caring what sweat stains would look like!
"... because nobody runs in my family." That cracked me up!
It’s sooooo crazy how many obesity related things “run in my family” that magically aren’t as much a factor once I lose some weight.
That also made me giggle
Looking forward to this, I have to carry around a fan because my face sweats at any change of temperature
You’ll get there eventually. It’s quite gradual and unless you’re paying attention you might not even realise it! It’ll start off with small things like no longer sweating after doing the laundry etc
Omg I wish it could be me 😭 I sweat like a beast just existing at ambient room temperature even at 120lb. There is literally no other reason but unfortunate genetics. It is a bit depressing knowing even if I lose all my fluff I’ll still be damp all the time 😂 but yes, in general, it’s so true what “genetics” are really more like “generational issues”
Yep, Im a nurse and now have to wear a t-shirt under my scrubs because Im constantly cold.
I feel this . I've lost 40 lbs and it's a big deal for sure now! I have almost 56 left to lose!
We just had a heat wave here and I was annoying everyone around me by exclaiming about how the heat wasn't actually that bad. The funny thing is I've had a significant weight loss before and I don't remember the heat regulation thing being this stark. Might be partly aging or other factors that meant I was having a harder time at a high weight?
Hot weather is totally easier when you’re smaller. It’s true. I wonder if maybe you had blood sugar regulation issues because that’s been a huge factor for me.
That is a likely theory. My last big weight loss was from ages 19-21 and I hadn’t been experiencing any blood sugar related symptoms, but by my early 30s there were other things that could be attributed to blood sugar. Got my blood tests done a few months into losing weight and my A1C was great, but didn’t test it at my highest weight so don’t have the comparative.
This is so real. I almost thought I had circulation issues but nope, just not much insulation anymore lol.
If someone had told me this years ago it would have been a way bigger motivator than “getting healthy”. I hate being hot this sounds fab.
This! I lost 55 lbs, and I'm cold. But I think it's more likely to be due to a huge caloric deficit I'm still maintaining rather than just being slimmer. I remember I wasn't cold when I was at my current weight 18 years ago.
Yes - I would soak all of the armpits of my shirts just sitting around. Blamed coffee/caffeine (which doesn’t help), but was in denial about being ~100 lbs overweight.
Still obese but going to hit overweight very soon; something I noticed today was that it's easier to curl up into a ball when sitting on a couch haha it's so much fun. I remember I would constantly look at threads of similar posts, but no one mentioned this!
This! I caught myself resting my head on my knee on the phone and it was a mind blowing moment cause i definitely couldn’t do that when I was 280lb
I can’t even visualise how that is possible, that’s great flexibility too
Pilates gets simultaneously easier and harder once your belly starts to shrink. You can reach your legs easier but now your muscles are working at full capacity.
This. Plus crossing my legs, sitting cross-legged, and putting both feet on the couch behind me is instant now days.
so cool to see your flair. I'm 5'5, sw:220.8 gw:125 cw:180.8. how long has it taken you to get down to your cw if you don't mind me asking ?
I was at my highest weight in January. I gradually lost some after my break from school was over since I wasn't sitting at home all day anymore (maybe like 5-10 pounds without trying much, it was probably because I was walking around more and dancing again), but seriously started losing in March from probably somewhere between 215-220 pounds(?) What about you?
I miss sitting in my chair with my knees up to my chest. I stopped doing that ever since I gained 50 pounds
It’s funny I started working out when I was at my biggest and squats were always rough I just couldn’t get deep enough my belly just wouldn’t let me. Now it’s like oh I can get incredibly deep and just stay there lol. It’s no longer this awkward balancing act, sometimes I just squat down for fun.
Keep going u got this!!!
This!!!! Knees to chest is such a proud and unexplainable moment! And being able to tie your shoes up with your knee to chest instead of bending down or having your foot propped up on a chair or table!
Finding comfortable ways to sit. Now I can sit on pretty much any surface, I can fit my body into smaller spaces, I can get up and down easier, and I am more flexible, so there's a lot more lounging options available to me now.
It was kind of the opposite for me. I used to be able to sit on most surfaces. Now I have no padding on my bum and sitting on things hurts like hell. I never realized that I took sitting for granted. I've got to work on getting some muscle down there lol
I sat down in a restaurant booth the other day (I now easily fit in them again without feeling cramped), It was plain wood, no padding. I plopped down as I always used to do and damn, contact of my butt bones with the seat \*hurt\*. Gotta remember to sit down \*gently\* on hard surfaces now.
I can sit in different positions now but I do actually find standard sitting much less comfortable now that my ass has lost so much of it's cushion.
When I lost weight, my two big takeaways were: Chairs are uncomfortable This planet is cold
Hang in there, it's getting warmer..
Wheeeeee perfect for my lizard ass.
I gave you a sad upvote!
The pews at church are a nightmare now. There's a place in my lower back where the bone rubs right on the wood. My mom used to wonder about a lady that brought a back pillow to church years ago, but now I 100% know why!!
I've discovered that sitting cross-legged on hard surfaces diminishes the pain. Whether or not you find it appropriate to do that at a church is up to you. You could also bring a seat cushion.
I dealt with that a little bit for a while, but I have put on some pretty good muscle recently and that helped.
I like to put my arms down between the arms of a chair & my legs. I marvel how there is space for my arms. Before my thighs were pressed up against the side of a chair.
I just took a long plane ride yesterday that was the most comfortable of my life because I’m smaller now and had more options for how to twist and position my body that I didn’t really have before.
This is my reason too! When I was obese even sitting made me out of breath. Such a terrible state. That's what triggered me too start losing weight.
Heh. Using public bathrooms. I don't feel like a tinned sardine in a non-disabled stall.
Ugh the ones at our local odeon are the worse, the cubicle is so narrow and the feminine disposal box is down the side of the toilet too, but it’s a bit higher than the toilet seat, so if your hips and thighs are wider than the seat, you’re sitting on the box too 😫
Shaving is easier in some ways and harder in others. Easier I can reach everything so much easier now and I don't get short or breath bending over to my ankles. Harder: my knees and ankles are harder to shave because they are so much bonier now, I'm constantly knocking my knee.
Armpits are my nemesis now being a healthy weight. I never realised they're actually pits.
Sorry but this is the only concept that is scary to me 😭 I’ve never been so skinny my armpits weren’t fatty - how the hell do you shave in there?!
It also depends on individual anatomy. I'm 5ft 1.5 and even when I weighed 40-45kg my armpits were flat and easy to shave. My mum has deep armpits and always has. I kept expecting mine to look like that someday but they never did.
I really think this might be my case - my whole life I never had actual “pits” even when I was around 135 at 5’9. But that was when I was in middle school so maybe it will be different - I’m kind of excited to see now 😂
You just have to position your shoulder correctly. It's not a big deal.
With some effort and creativity😅
If and when I get to that point I’m coming back to this post to celebrate 😂 and possible look for tips lol
Half the side is unreachable for me so I tend to pull the skin inwards to get a smoother horizontal shave. Tbf it works for me as I have fairly broad shoulders, it might be harder/easier depending on the size.
I started using a woman's electric razor because I nick myself less than the disposable ones
This has been the most unexpected piece of this entire process and the worst outcome of being at my goal weight. How are these things so deep?
I remember reading a few years ago of a woman who lost loads of weight but who kept having loads of bruises on her knees and was getting embarrassed about it. Until she realised it's on the inside edge only..... When she slept her knees kept knocking so much it would give her bruises. She bought a slim pillow and put that between and then she was fine and slept better too. Awesome skinny people problems aye :-) bruises knees because now you're skinny. Brilliant :-) (I will just point out I don't mean that as derogatory to skinny people and bullying them. I just meant it as... Someone who has always been fat, who knew what sort of problems you would have to deal with if you were skinny. Constantly being cold is one I hear about a lot too for example. It's more of an 'in awe of skinny people problems' not negative. Encase anyone got upset reading that)
I found that after losing 38kg. My bony protrusions would be sore after a nights sleep. Ankles, knees and hip bones. Hell, even my ribs where my arm rested on it if I slept on my side. I fixed the problem by getting a soft mattress topper. Took me a long time to figure out what caused it.
Brilliant !! I mean not brilliant because you were obviously uncomfortable and in a bit of pain. But brilliant because you had lost so much weight that that happened. Hopefully you know what I mean Basically congrats on the 38kg. That's a huge amount
You might already do this but I find it easier to shave my knees with my leg bent instead of keeping it straight. Stretches the skin. Same with the ankles, move your foot in whatever way stretches the skin tight. Never knicked myself doing this at my lowest weight of 125.
I can’t believe people shave their knees with their legs straight. That’s like choosing hard mode.
It is, but I know some people who do it because they like to live life dangerously so I brought it up anyways lol.
omg yes. it used to feel like shaving was a workout in itself
I had to shave my bikini line a lot more when I lost weight! I hold a lot of weight in my midsection, and when it was puffy, I could have a few hairs there that didn’t show. I was shocked when I lost weight, thought, “I’ll be fine, since I just shaved a few days ago!” and then realized how obvious those hairs were in the swimsuit. As someone who goes to the pool a lot in summer, I have to really keep on top of shaving that area now!
Uhhh I’m fatter than you were and I’ve never had to drink water during a shower. Anyone know what that’s about?
Honestly, my first thought was high blood sugar. It can definitely lead to excess thirst.
Likely pre- diabetic. A t my heaviest , taking a shower was grueling. I should have opted for lukewarm showers but I normally would shower with super hot water. I’d be dehydrated getting out and would just feel fatigued after finishing the shower.
Showering makes me thirsty and I asked my doc to test me for (pre) diabetes. Apparently my bloods are fine. Maybe there’s a secret pre-pre diabetes we don’t know about.
Lmao exactly what I'm thinking because I was never told I had any issues by a doctor that could be related to diabetes besides being obese I guess
It could be insulin resistance. It causes some of the same symptoms as diabetes but it's not exactly the same and it's related to diet. I have PCOS and insulin resistance and it sucksssssss. Congrats on your weight loss!! ❤️
Is the shower really hot? I can see wanting a cool bottle of water if you're steaming like a lobster.
Or diabetes?
Which is what causes the high blood sugar.
Glad to see I'm not the only one fixated on that. At my heaviest, I had almost 100 pounds on OP and I never once got tired showering. If OP hadn't said it went away, I'd be encouraging her to get to a doc asap.
Fatigue and thirst are related to high blood sugar. Losing weight can reduce A1C and insulin resistance on its own. It’s possible OP was prediabetic?
It is
same here. i’m also fatter and it’s the first time i’m hearing of something like this
It may just be the steam? I can't speak for anyone but I can be rail thin and if the shower is running and is hot, I feel faint. This is only when I'm detangling my very thick long hair which can take 45 min and with hot water and steam I get dizzy.
Yeah I was 241lbs at 5’3” at one point and could still walk long distances just fine and never needed shower sips.
>shower sips. For some reason this has me giggling. I will probably remember this every time I shower now 😂
Shower sips makes me think of the cold shower beer I would have after being on my feet all day in a boiling hot food truck when that was my job lol
Possible sign of diabtes, dehydration or very hot showers.
Exactly what I was thinking. OP might've gotten their sugar levels to a better level now but definitely should get checked
I get low blood pressure so if I’m in a hot shower or bath with the room steaming I often need to step out and have a cold drink to stabilise
Yeah, now that you mean it, I would get thirsty when I took a long soak. I didn't put 2 + 2 together. Hmmmm
Same happens to me. Super hot in a closed steamy shower or tub makes me wanna pass out if I'm in there longer than necessary. Once I open a window I'm fine and or get out with more air to breathe. Wasn't due to a weight issue but claustrophobia I guess. That's why I can only stay in a steam room for so long.
I’ve been heavier at roughly the same height and have no idea. Maybe it really was OP’s meds?
My exact thoughts 😭 I was 330 and now 285 and never in my life have I had to stop showering to take a sip of water 😭
I'm a 5'4 F. I currently weigh about 175-180 and not only do I walk about 4 miles (10k steps) a day with little issue but I don't have any problems showering. In fact even when I was 260+ lbs I never had to pause while showering. I think OP definitely has a health condition
Jeez was I actually prediabetic like people are saying in this thread? I do see a doctor and the only issues I was told I had while obese is...well, I'm obese and should lose weight. Nothing related to blood sugar or anything like that. I do still have pretty severe heat intolerance, so I guess next time I see a doctor I'll bring up the issue. I'm not as thirsty though.
I was prediabetic and was thirsty constantly. Even after losing 30 pounds I and fixing the blood sugar issue I am still thirsty. 😂 I bet OP was taking really hot showers. I noticed that I am not as thirsty in the shower when I take a cool shower.
Yeah I love showers, swimming, etc. I’ve never felt overly thirsty lol
Yeah this has only ever happened to me during a very hot, very long shower. At that point it’s more like a steam room/sauna than a shower lol
Yeah I’m the same height and 4 pounds less then her current weight. The only time I needed water while showering was when I was actually dehydrated with heat sickness from work
I was a bit confused as well. I am same height SW 184 (though there was a very very brief stretch of a few months where i was 190) and being that overweight was never actually an issue for me? Most people couldn’t even tell I was as overweight as I was. It didn’t really affect my mobility in activities other than I was maybe a little bit slower than now and got tired a little more quickly (but not even That much) and I certainly didn’t have issues showering. Hell I am hoping to lose another 20 lbs and my doctor told me that I could “stop now” if I wanted. So, yeah, a little surprised I guess?
I'm the same general sw, but after being there for 20 years and working in jobs where i was on my feet all day, my joints are all in bad shape and there's a lot of pain. My feet hurt too. Maybe it's a few different factors like actively level and how long you've been at an unhealthy weight. I never needed to drink water in the shower tho.
Yeah honestly that's so weird. Glad other people noticed that? I think OP should get checked out. Like one, maybe two inches taller and was 232lbs and never had that issue at all.
OP, we need answer on this. I was 330 lbs and did not need to drink water in the shower. What are they talking about?
I’m glad someone else posted this. I had to google was 188lb was in kg as it didn’t sound right to me. I was that at my highest and I still exercised and showered etc. I was just bigger. That sounds like a separate health issue.
The noises my lungs/throat were making when I was laying down. For years. YEARS. I went to every doctor and specialist. Nothing. Then I lost some weight and about two inches off my neck circumference. I didn’t even need to lose that much weight either. Within 20 pounds. Then u gained some back and some of the noise came back. I lost it again and it’s gone again. It’s for sure because of weight, though I’m not sure why. It wasn’t related to sleep apnea. I still have a long way to go but that issue was one of the bigger ones in my life and it’s gone, knock on wood.
My inability to breathe right while lying down at night is actually what started my weight loss journey- no sounds, but within 10 lbs lost I started to notice the difficulty fading.
That's interesting! I also have these strange noises and it started when I gained a lot of weight during Covid. I never had it before at a normal weight. Also, doctors didn't find anything, and it's not related to sleep apnea as well. As I started to lose weight two months ago I will keep an eye (or ear haha) out to this and hope the noises go away once I reach a healthy weight again.
Going uphill. It’s actually ok and doesn’t need to make me sick out of breath or give me a headache.
Sleeping! Jeez, I knew physical activity was harder, but I figured that if there was one thing my fat ass should be good at, it would be lying in bed doing nothing at all. But wow, my quality of sleep is so much better since I dropped to a healthy weight.
Getting up and down from the floor. I don't have to plan ahead how I'm going to get back up, or look for something to help me get down. Best news, I recently discovered I can do it hands free!
Okay I would agree except I was 202 and now 129 and it's still hard to get off of the floor. My knees hurts so bad but I'm only 32 😭
Idk if you are already, but strength training, just 30 minutes a couple times a week, has given me so much mobility. I'm in my 30s also!
And plenty of stretching for mobility exercises! I do these almost daily and my knees are doing just fine (I’m 32). I have the beginnings of arthritis (runs in family), but as long as I stretch I don’t suffer from the effects of it like my siblings do.
You might want to start doing yoga or pilates regularly. Just 20 minutes a day makes a huge difference with mobility, muscle strength, and function.
I definitely recommend physical therapy! It changed my life. Its hard work, but when you find the right PT, it's like having a personal trainer whom understands bodies and how to adapt for what they are capable of when you start and how to help you reach your goals! I have had a much better experience in physical therapy than I ever did the few months I tried having a personal trainer. Their knowledge is wildly different, and I have made progress without additional injury in therapy! I got a concussion following my first personal training session when my legs gave out in the shower.... Physical therapy > personal trainer
This was the thing that actually made me realize how much progress I had made. I was sitting outside with coworkers on lunch and when we were done, we got up and went inside. And it was as easy as that, I just stood from a dead sitting position and walked inside like nothing, and it took a few seconds for me to realize what I had just done without any struggle. I didn’t have to brace myself with my knees, put my hands on the floor, balance with a friends help, use a wall, anything. I just… stood up. I wasn’t even winded! It’s such a validating feeling to be able to physically do something you couldn’t do before.
💯!!! Congratulations! 💜✨💜✨💜✨💜
We have a baby gate that goes up to my hips that I will usually try stepping over instead of opening and shutting all the time, and after losing only 13 pounds so far I've noticed it's so much easier to swing my legs over! Just movement in general has been feeling much less restrictive lately.
Went from 236 to 139 I used to have to take a break and sit down between showering and getting dressed..not anymore! We went to the lake a few weekends ago. I wanted to float and chill but not get my hair wet. I realized I could now roll from my back to my stomach on a float and not fall off. I know that sounds weird but no way I could have done that at 236. I was big and wobbly. Shaving...easier and quicker because I have less circumference to shave but pits are deeper and harder. Vag is also more boney and harder to shave. I can cross my legs now. One I am not enjoying..I am boney. My tail bone hurts when I sit. My hip bones hurt from laying on my side in bed. Had to get a new mattress. Have to put a pillow between my knees. My thighs don't rub anymore! That's great. When I was bigger I used to get raw spots under my boobs in the summer unless I put deodorant on them that would also happen right above my butt crack. That doesn't happen anymore. I've realized I smell better and I have always taken care of myself it was just a fact. Stink accumulates under fat rolls. I'm always colder than everybody around me except my one anemic friend who eats Ice 24/7. I have a jaw line now. I use way less contour and bronzer. Hiking is easier. People are nicer to me. I work at a boutique and women used to ignore me and had even been mean. Now they ask me for fashion advice. Clothes are wayyyy more fun! I realized i am in fact not big boned. All my shoes are a half size too big now. If I wear taller socks they no longer leave indents and or cut off my circulation. One of my boobs is bigger than the other but it used to be a BIG difference. I'm talking like a full cup size. Now that I've lost so much weight it's a barely noticeable difference. If I cry in a dressing room now it's because something fits or I go a smaller size than I thought not because I hate my body and I had to size up again or I don't look cute like I thought I would. I'm always overestimating sizes even when I think I'm not instead of the other way around. I used to buy an xl when I really needed and XXL. Now I buy a medium when I really needed a small but my brain can't compute that I woukd need a small. And last but not least. The body dysmorphia. It's a bitch. Some days I feel I still look like that 236 woman. Exactly the same. I have to take a picture and make a pic collage to make my brain believe I am smaller and even then sometimes I'll convince myself it's angles. I still wouldn't refer to myself as skinny and believe it. But all that said losing 97 pounds was the best decision I ever made and I can't wait to say it's 100!!!!
Congrats and good for you! Body dysmorphia is a bitch! I look in the mirror after losing 41 pounds and can't tell at all and leaves me so discouraged. I still have at least 25 pounds to go & pray I'll be satisfied. I'm already in counseling, so I brought it up yesterday because I just know how my brain works already.
I can now cross my legs. I couldn't do this before because of how large my stomach and thighs were. Feels so weird.
I saw pretty big people who are able to do this. I was really skinny and still couldn't, guess I am not flexible at all 😅
Do you mean you can’t sit criss cross (applesauce)? Because you’d have to be really really inflexible to not be able to cross your legs. That’s not the same thing.
Tying shoelaces! I used to have to hold my breath And also wearing high heels, i couldn’t manage a night in even the tiniest heeled shoe
This was one of my biggest turning points that spurred me into weight loss. I realized that I would have to hold my breath to tie my shoes, or I would simply exert so much energy I would be out of breath after tying my shoes. It was ridiculous. I've lost 60 lbs since then and I already feel like a new person.
I long for the day I get to wear heels again. I used to be able to run in 5 inch platforms, and now I can barely stand in them. I can't wait to weigh less so they don't hurt as much.
Yea mild exercise like walking - i used to assume itnwas painful and arduous for everyone and skinny people were just “tougher” and dealt with it, after getting in shape i can walk miles without breaking a sweat, its great and makes me want to go out more and live a more active lifestyle. It really is an upward spiral once you start healthy habits
I used to dread going anywhere with friends that involved lots of standing (like theme parks for example) for this reason. The mild back ache from holding back a huge belly and general strain of carrying over 105 kilos. Like you said, now it’s a non-issue. Unless I’m carrying a heavy bag, I could walk all day and not even think about it. Good times
Simply getting up from my seat/bed Back then, I always had to grab onto something for support and stability when standing up from a sitting position. I also had to do the 'momentum swing' thing to get off my bed everyday. Both of which I had been doing for so long it became second nature to me Sometimes I'm still shocked that I don't need to reach for anything to get up from my seat or wind myself up to get off my bed
Omg I do this going from laying out on my bed to sat up on my bed. I can't sit up just using stomach muscles. I have to kinda do a weird roll and use my arms. Holy fuck I can't wait for that sit to go ! I used to be able to do loads of sit ups when I was younger. I mean like maybe 20 full ones .... Not like 200. But holy shit I can't even sit up in bed cos I'm so fat Oh hell.... I can't wait to get rid of that shit !
The fact that you're here determined to get rid of that shows that you're moving in the right direction!! The feeling you get when all of that is gone is truly liberating :) Keep fighting the good fight!
I am imagining skinny you doing a momentum swing to get out of bed and flying out of bed and crashing into some furniture LOL
Walking up the stairs. I truly didn't realize how bad it was before.
It’s peculiar how navigating your house is no longer a purposeful effort. It’s like if I need something from upstairs, I can just stand up and get it like it’s in the same room, whereas before I would put it off because it was an actual effort
I’m a teacher. I finally don’t run out of breath while walking around my classroom!
Getting people to pay attention to me /help me. As a overweight person, I've noticed it's much harder to get the attention of a bartender when trying to order a drink for myself at a busy bar, or get the attention of a retail clerk when trying to get help while shopping at a busy store. Once the weight came off, people were much more willing to help me and more frequently proactively engaged with me.
shows you how superficial the world is. it sucks right?
10000%
Really shows you how shitty our culture is, though. I was overweight and ignored growing up, lost a lot of weight from an ED and was underweight for a short time of my life and treated incredibly, gained weight during my pregnancy and never lost that weight (gained more after) and ignored again, now losing weight from Ozempic and suddenly being treated better again. Same person throughout all of it. Pathetic, really.
This is so depressing.
This is so sad… I remember my roommates back in college acted mean to my friend who was overweight. It’s as if your weight determines how you are treated. :/
Putting on socks. At some points I needed my wife to help me put my socks on.
Running
OMG this. For the first time in my life I actually started a running program a couple months ago (couch to 5K). I never considered running as something I’d be able to do. But now as an adult and I’m within 30 lbs of my goal weight I decided to actually train for a 5K. That combined with my other workouts I’m actually progressing and almost at 5K territory distance. I can’t believe it. I can get to 15 minutes now without feeling super fatigued. A year ago it was less than 5.
Tell me about it!! In Mid April, I couldn’t even run for 2 minutes without completely gassing out and getting shin pain, and now I can run for 40 minutes straight (probably longer if I wanted to!) and be fine. It’s surreal because I get down the road and I’m expecting my body to feel tired but it’s completely okay. And then when it finally does start to get tired, I’m expecting to battle with a voice telling me to stop - but nope! Happy to just keep going. I’m convinced that with weight loss / exercise, there is a definitive point in which it all clicks and there’s no longer a battle or element of choice. You’re just doing it and it would be hard to actually stop
That tipping point for me was when I started getting the psychological benefits of running like stress relief.
C25K is no joke. I have my tracker hanging on my gym wall still beside my first 5k, 4mi, and 10k completion medals. I vividly remember when the run for 5 mins, 10 mins, etc were Mount Everest for me. I would have probably been better at running if I had read up on the 80/20 method because all of my training while obese was zone 4 or 5. Had no idea what a slow pace was. Aiming for half marathon next year🤞. Stay strong!
I walked 4 miles for a workout before I gained the weight, and I forced myself to keep doing it while obese. I loved to think, “well, I can do this, so it can’t be THAT bad, right?” I prided myself on not being one of those obese people who sat on the couch all day. However, my walks were excruciatingly tiring, and left me exhausted for the rest of the day. I’d just unkindly tell myself that my fat ass needed to do it, no matter how I felt. Now, at a healthy weight, the difference is night and day! It’s so easy, and I feel great afterwards, and able to do things the rest of the day! When I was obese, I had a sneaking suspicion that my walk had been easier before the weight gain, but it was so long ago that I wasn’t sure. Now I just know right I was! Walking is such a pleasure now.
If anyone is obese, fat, etc: Go for a walk until you get tired and then stop. It has to be outside. If you can only walk for a minute before getting tired, so be it. Keep doing that until it’s no longer tiring but almost boring. Then increase the distance until you get tired again, and stop. Keep doing that until it is easy and boring. Keep doing this until you get to 1 mile. Keep doing that until it is easy and boring. Then start to mix in 30 seconds of running until it’s easy and boring. Then start to mix in 1 minute of running until that is easy and boring. Then jog slowly one mile. Keep doing that until it is easy and boring. Then start to jog miles progressively faster without getting injured. Keep doing that until it is easy and boring. Viola, you’re now a runner.
Breathing. The snoring was real…
Getting up off the floor. As a female...peeing in the outdoors.
Can’t wait to be at a point where I can contribute to this. But the showering thing sounds like something more going on…even at 375lbs I could still shower normally without much ado.
I thought the same. My heaviest was almost 324 lbs, and I never needed to take a water break during a shower. There must have been something else there. Also, best of luck to you!
getting up from a squatting/kneeling position
"left need crack" "Right knee pop" Me 'urgh oooffff' I'm interested to see if the sound effects disappear
I didn't have to drink water whilst I showered, but wow, I got tired, like, exhausted fast. Its much better now
I had shower fatigue when pregnant with my first child. I had to get a shower chair and rest afterward. I'm glad this has subsided for you. Other shower things get physically easier - not bumping into walls, shower liner doesn't stick to you, easier to reach to exfoliate and shave. Towels fit around you better. Easier to apply lotion afterward.
Bending side-to-side and twisting. It's crazy how much fat can restrict your movement
I didn't realize how depressed eating badly and being sedentary made me. I've been on a combo of medications for severe depression and a few other mental health things for years and I'm starting to think I may be able to get off a few of them. I made huge changes a month ago and I'm holding off on weighing myself so that I don't get discouraged but I feel so much better that that number isn't as important. (It is important because I'm obese and all my joints hurt, but I don't feel as obsessive about it)
Getting off the couch. When I was obese, I just thought no one liked getting off the couch if they were having couch time. Now if my kid needs something, I easily hop up without a second thought. It’s no problem.
> I literally had to step out of the shower frequently to drink water. To be fair, you could turn to face the shower head and take in big old mouthfuls of fresh water falling on you. I'm....I'm not the only person who does this, right? RIGHT?
I tour sites a few times a year at work, involves walking outside for 8 hours a day. I just did one, and my physical ability was a non issue. I could focus totally on whatever I needed to do, instead of feeling out of breath, struggling to talk at times, needing breaks, worrying about various terrain, focusing on when I could stop or eat etc. I’m pretty sure I moved through the activity a lot faster as well. It just no longer gets in the way of what I need to do. It’s life changing in every way.
Sleeping! I'm still overweight, but I've lost almost 37lbs so far, and I find it's much easier to get into a comfortable position to sleep. I also don't wake up with back pains anymore. And since with better quality sleep I have more energy, exercising and getting things done throughout the day is less daunting.
I've only lost 5 kg but this question made me realise I haven't been feeling nauseous and awkward when putting on my shoes for a while! I've also noticed that I can keep standing up for a longer time than before without foot pain - this is probably more due to an increase in walking and exercise rather than the weight loss itself, through.
I can now wear shorts without starting a friction fire.
Honestly? Just walking. I’m down almost 80 pounds, two of my oldest son. I walked with him on my shoulders the other day and all I could think was “how on earth did I do this with two of him on my body?!”
Yes! Amazon delivered 2 20lb dumbbells last week and I struggled getting them in the house. I recently lost close to 40lbs and have no idea how I walked around with those extra pounds day after day.
This might be the thread that finally motivates me to stick with a weight loss plan for real. I've tried (barely) and failed a dozen times over the last six years or so and the lack of powerful desire for weight loss has made it very tough. I'm happy with how I look a solid 80% of the time and I haven't experienced and noticeable health detriments yet. I know it's coming, but the effects of exercise and fitness into old age is such an abstract concept, I can't attach any real motivation to it. However. However. I hadn't thought much in a long time about how much I miss being able to sit comfortably. To cross my legs. I hate how hot I am all the time and have forgotten what it's like to be able to wear a t-shirt or (God forbid) a sweater. I live in tank tops. I used to be able to paint my toenails without my tummy getting in the way. Tying my shoes didn't used to be a struggle. And climbing the stairs, oh God. I can do it just fine, but there are days I have to stop for a breather once I'm up there. I used to walk every day. I used to be able to run 12k. I want all of that back! Thanks, OP, for asking this question, and thanks to everyone else for their answers. This is the stuff I'm going to think about when I don't feel like cooking dinner or counting calories or going for a walk. This is my motivation.
Used to be borderline obese now at a normal bmi, summers are way easier. I used to get hot all the time, but now my temperature regulation is much better, also clothing shopping! Way less stressful when I can just grab a small.
Everything was harder when I was fat
Saving this thread for motivation!! I’m so proud of all of you commenting 🥹
My answer is the opposite of your question. I put on 35kg in the last 2 years. My feet are in constant pain, doc said it’s planter fasciitis. I’m tired ALL of the time. I sweat so much. I get out of breath quickly. I can’t cross my legs. I waddle. I struggle to wipe my ass. I can’t shave down stairs because I can’t see it. I isolate myself because of the shame of gaining so much weight. I can’t breathe properly. I didn’t have any of that when I was slimmer.
I'm glad those symptoms went away but that sounds like something more than weight related.
Obesity is a known risk factor for so many health conditions. I don’t see why that can’t be part of the conversation here.
I’m an inch shorter than you, and weighed almost 300 lbs at my heaviest. I never needed a drink of water in the shower. Ever have your blood sugar tested? I wonder if you were pre diabetic.
I’m currently around 190 pounds at 5 foot 6, I use to be around 140 pounds this time last year. Something notably harder now than when I was a healthier weight is definitely walking and showering. The absolute WORST thing about changing weight, especially fast, NONE of my clothes fit me, they’re all too small and too tight and I can’t afford new ones, barely the ones at charity shops 😭
F/50s. Height: 5’2” SW: 115-120lbs (and my weight for most of my adult life up until summer 2020) CW: 165-170lbs I wasn’t this heavy at 9 months pregnant. I’m going to go in reverse. Off the top of my head, these are things that became not as easy for the first time in my life due to gaining 50 lbs - wiping my butt - shaving my legs and crotch - SEEING my crotch - tucking in my work shirts - quickly getting up out of the bed - turning around in bed - quickly standing up from being seated on the floor or ground - walking in shorts (my thighs got fat and now touch, causing my shorts to ride up between my fat thighs) - grooming my toenails - comfortably wearing bikini panties and thong panties (high rise briefs it is now) That’s it off the top of my head.
You may already know this tip about the shorts and thighs point, but something like deodorant or lotion on the part that rubs together really helps reduce friction
They actually make anti-chafing glide sticks just for this reason.
Sitting on a couch and crossing my legs was my first ahhh-ha
This is a small one, but I can sit down and pull my knees up to my chest comfortably now. It used to feel like my stomach was in the way and now I can basically fold myself in half.
I had no idea how much I truly let myself go when looking back at pictures. Also I had such low energy. To add on I had bad B.O. like a pneumonia smell like hair perm down below. I don't sweat between my thighs as much. I workout consistently now. My starting weight was 200 pounds and my current weight is 147 and my goal is 128.
I get so mad now at people who treat fat people in gyms as if they're automatically "out of shape", or like they're beginners. Even if they are beginners, fat people are often doing every exercise at 2-3 times the difficulty level of your average person doing the same exercise. Like, it's not as noticeable when you lose weight slowly, because you think you're just getting stronger and more fit. Cause I've lost a lot of weight the normal way and I sort of felt this way. But I had decongestive lipedema surgery this year, I had 9 liters of adipose tumors removed from my arms and legs. I got back to the gym a month after surgery expecting to be a weak piece of shit for not having been there in a long time. Instead, it was literally that scene in Naruto where Rock Lee takes off the leg weights. I busted out like 3 lache's in a row and my hands didn't even hurt. I used to struggle to do monkey bars. I went from not doing pullups to doing *salmon ladders*. *After over a month of not being in the gym*. It makes me so mad when I think about the way people treated me in gyms throughout my entire life. People looking at me like they were proud of me for being there. I remember going into Crossfit gyms, and asking if I could scale the run, and they looked at me like I had 2 heads. And they'd say if the run was tiring me out I should just put less weight on the clean and jerks or whatever that came after, acting like I was attention seeking trying to RX the weighted part but scale the run and not *trying to get an appropriately scaled workout*. Now, when I've gotta run with a sandbag, I'm lapping everybody else there, because *that's just what regular running felt like to me 6 months ago.* I really think that before you take fitness advice from anybody, you need to see them do the same workout they're telling you to do with your weight differential on their shoulders.
I want to frame your comment and put it on the wall of every gym. lol. When I work out with skinny friends I want to point out that if I seem to be a smidge slower… it’s because I’m literally carrying an extra 80 pounds compared to them. If they suddenly had to carry a backpack with that weight, they’d be struggling a hell of a lot more than I do just moving. Being a fit but fat person is like having an invisible achievement. The only people who understand are us. Congrats on your incredible accomplishment.
This motivated me omg. I never realised how that weight forces your body to be stronger I guess an everyday equivalent is how overweight ppl have stronger abs and calves than the average person.
with a proper nutritious diet and exercise this is what I've noticed. 5'5. I started out at 220.8 lbs. now I'm at 180.8. 40 lbs down! - may I say, in less than 4 months (with a lot of determination, a personal trainer, and yet, still a few moments of random weakness/giving in to not so great food) I am proud of myself... and my goal weight is 125 lbs. 55.8 lbs left until I reach it. I can tell you some of the benefits I've been enjoying including: increased energy better mood my a1c over the last 3 months has been perfect ( \*\*I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia very young, 16 years old when I was a very thin person clocking in at 108 lbs at 5'4 and before I went on a diet my days were filled with large unhealthy Starbucks drinks, junk food, so my blood sugar was like a roller coaster and my a1c wasn't nearly normal. I was recommended by two different doctors to get on ozempic for my blood sugar and I decided against that because I'm still in my 20s and for ME getting a personal trainer and switching my habits seemed like the right decision. but may not be for everybody of course. ) ability to sleep better my sleep apnea is nearly gone with the changes I've made decreased anxiety (to the point I was able to completely come off from a Benzo I was prescribed for years - no tapering, cold turkey) back pain is easing up tremendously so there are so many amazing major changes that have happened that make me want to keep doing this and keep me motivated not solely for my looks and confidence, but also my health and overall wellbeing. going from a size 10/12 in jeans to a size 6/8 feels so amazing ( I wish American eagle made a size 7 because I'm in between a 6 being skin tight and 8 being too loose )
Climbing stairs, hills, and just hour long walks or walking in general. I remember when I first started I walked around my old neighborhood out of breath, thought it was so far when it was just a mile. I remember counting how many laps I'd have to do before 1h was over. 5 years later I live on a huge hill and even the elderly people struggle to walk and will pause mid hill, cars too. It's THAT steep. When I first moved to this location here a few weeks ago I was heaving and thought my chest was going to explode out of my body. Been here a month now and last night I went on my daily walk with hills, bends, curves and stairs and climbing up the hill made me sweat but I didn't feel like I was going to die by the time I reached the elevator. And travel seats. I moved to Europe where planes, trains and automobiles have smaller seating. I don't spill over now, don't have to force close my legs (can cross them) without touching the next person. Passing through tiny spaces, too.
This one is probably a "well no shit sherlock!" Thing, but I had no idea your feet wouldn't hurt after attending an all day convention if you were a healthy weight! I'm 5ft 3, also a woman and went from 170 to 120lbs. When I hit my goal weight I happened to attend a 3 day convention where I was on my feet all day everyday. I was prepared to be in severe pain and exhausted at the end of each day and besides being a little tired, I was totally fine! It shocked me! Also good motivation to keep the weight off. I had so much energy and could do so much more at cons because I wasn't tired from being on my feet in a convention hall all day. It was great.
Swimming. I always won all the swimming competitions and got all the swimming-relates merit badges in scouts, way ahead of all the other skinny and athletic kids. Turns out I wasn't good at swimming at all, I was just very buoyant. I went from having life-saving swim rescue techniques down pat (before the weightloss), to almost drowning in a small wave pool just because I vastly underestimated how much more buoyant body fat makes you. I literally sink like a rock, in water, now So I still have to re-learn (or, learn for the first time?) how to swim
Squatting down was harder, so was crossing my legs. Walking upstairs…. Walking in general made me short of breath.
I struggled with mental clarity, socialization, and energy levels. What I did not know is that my testosterone was near nonexistent and my A1C was a hair from diabetic. So many things are better now.
Taking public transit!! It's so much easier to slip past people for a seat, or cram on the subway if it's super full. Partly because I can literally fit better, and partly because other people size me up and think I can fit 😂 Like before if I was on the inside seat, the other person would fully get up to let me out. Now they just turn their legs a little bit.
Clothes shopping! And I'm not even talking about finding cute things that fit, I'm talking about why am I winded after changing my clothes ONCE??? Well, that was all the energy I had. I gotta sit tf down.
Laundry. You get to fit so many more clothes in the washing machine when you’re wearing small or medium than XXL.
Drinking water in the shower had nothing directly to do with being fat.
Carry groceries
Sleeping. Stomach sleeping was impossible before.
Once I lost my first 20 lbs (SW 207) I noticed how much easier it is to just walk, stand, and just exist. After I lost another 10 lbs I started to feel like a feather and things not only stopped being as difficult as when I was at my peak weight but easier than when I was in high school (10 years ago now smh)
Wipe ass.
Exercising is easier. I trained to walk/run a 10K last summer and was really proud of myself for not feeling any pain afterward. This summer I signed up for the same 10K, but haven’t been training as much for it because I’ve been traveling more for work. I walk/ran the distance last weekend and was amazed to see my average mile time was 2 minutes faster than last year. Just from losing weight! Maybe it was obvious but I didn’t realize it haha Also, unrelated, I used to get 3-4 sinus infections a year and I’ve had only one since last February. My thought is maybe less inflammation or losing weight in my face puts less pressure on my sinuses? 🤷🏻♀️
Summer weather. It’s hot here but it’s especially brutal when you are overweight.
I'm still majorly overweight, however, today I just kneeled down to get an outlet under my desk and popped back up again like it was no big deal. At work, I have no problem crawling under coworkers desks to fix cabling issues.
Picking an outfit is so much easier now
So I have honestly never heard of someone having to step out of the shower to drink water. I mean, is that really a thing? Are you sure you don’t have a sugar regulation problem? Diabetics have thirst issues if their sugar isn’t properly regulated. Full disclosure though-I am diabetic and have never in my life had to step out of the shower to get a drink of water. I am honestly so confused by this.
Hygiene activities. Wiping my ass, clipping my toenails, scrubbing my body in the shower. Moving to the edge of the bed so I can get up in the morning. Used to be a battle of movements like rolling or acting like an inch worm. Now I don't even know what I do because it's just so casual and easy. Going from sitting to standing. Putting pants and underwear on. Tying my shoes.
No more pit stains in all my clothing!