20 Things I Didn't Realize About Losing Weight

Throughout my ongoing weight loss journey, there are a number of lessons that I learned, as well as attitude adjustments along the way. However, there were a number of things, silly and serious, that I didn’t realize about losing weight. For the majority of this journey, I’ve taken to texting these to my friends as I go through this process, but I wish someone had been there to tell me all of these when I started!
My weight loss transformation is far from over, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made so far.

20 things I didn’t realize about losing weight:

1. I would lose weight in places I hadn’t thought about. My feet would get skinnier, my wrists would get smaller, my collarbone would stand out more, my neck would shrink. My eyes would become bigger and brighter. I didn’t realize I had spare weight in those places!
2. I would shrink in places I thought couldn’t get smaller. For some reason I thought the only place I had to lose weight was my belly. As it turns out, my bust would become smaller, my hips and thighs would shrink, my face would thin and my jawline would emerge. Even my calves would shrink.
3. My muscle tone would develop. It turns out that as you become more lean your muscle tone shows more, even in areas you think are already toned such as your calves.
4. I didn’t realize I had so many pounds and inches to lose. When I completed my first 8 week challenge and weighed in 27 pounds less and 18 inches smaller, I couldn’t believe it! I still find it hard to believe that I’ve lost over 50lbs. I had no idea I had all that extra baggage!
5. Replacing my wardrobe is very expensive. You think of the basic things like pants, jeans, skirts, dresses, and shirts, but then there’s bras, panties, coats and jackets, rings, workout wear, and even shoes!
6. My relationship with food would change. A friend who is struggling with his weight recently told me, Is life worth living if you can’t have good food? I used to be of the same mind, and a wise woman once told me I had a complicated relationship with food. She was right. Years of emotional eating and not having been taught the proper way to eat healthy had taken its toll mentally and physically. Once I realized how much better I felt after eating clean and healthy, I realized (albeit slowly), that yes, life is worth living without “good food” and in fact it’s even better! I can do more, feel full without feeling weighed down, and see the world through a completely different set of eyes than I previously did.
7. My relationship with people would change. When you lose a significant amount of weight, everyone will notice, including the lady at my local teriyaki joint who I see about 4 times per year. Hopefully you will encounter mostly positive, supportive people in your journey, but there’s always someone who has to make an observation on your weight or share their thoughts on how you should be eating or exercising. You might even find that people treat you differently because of your weight loss. Just roll with the punches.
8. A healthy lifestyle will affect everyone around you. A few weeks ago I asked my boyfriend why he no longer ate lunch meat on his sandwiches. He looked at me and said Because someone told me how unhealthy it was. I smiled. It’s the same thing my dad said to me when he cut back on eating so much sugar and white bread.
9. Exercising would become an even more integral part of my life. I’ve always been active, but I’ve been active within my comfort zone. For me, that was dance. Now, I’m not afraid to try new forms of exercise and look forward to challenging myself. I’m also much happier when I get multiple workouts in!
10. Being regular is essential. Yup, this one’s about pooping. Gotta be regular!
11. I’d actually enjoy drinking water. This is a weird one, I know. But I hated drinking water. I had very specific requirements for my water – it had to be ice cold, it had to be filtered, etc – and I struggled with drinking enough water. Now all I drink is water. I can’t tell you the last time I had a soda or a coffee. Now when I reach for a bottle of water, sometimes I can’t help but smile as I think of how much I complained about water at the start.
12. I would become strong – mentally, physically, emotionally. I had to prepare mentally, physically and emotionally for this journey, but what I didn’t realize was that I would get stronger mentally, physically, and emotionally as well! Over time, it’s easier to be around “bad” food and say no to what previously would have been a challenge to avoid.
13. Overall I would feel different… Smiling brighter, laughing louder, being more confident. My old lifestyle affected nearly every aspect of my life and my new lifestyle has positively impacted my life as well!
14. It’s a mental journey. And sometimes it’s tough. Whether you’re battling with whether or not to eat that piece of chocolate or battling with actually seeing in yourself how much weight you’ve lost, it’s tough.
15. There’s a lot of fear. I fear that I’m eating the wrong things, I fear that I’m not working out enough, I fear that I’ll gain the weight back. It’s mostly a mental hurdle to work through – can’t let fear hold you back from success!
16. Support is critical. Having friends to support me as I go through rough patches and friends who can help support me and answer my questions has been a key to success!
17. Eating healthy can be a challenge. Whether it’s finding the right food in the supermarket, selecting the right option when eating out, or saying no to your favorite unhealthy foods, it can be challenging.
18. It’s a lifelong journey and it’s about lifelong changes. Watching what I put into my body is the new normal. I now find myself reading food labels, planning meals, monitoring my intake of desserts, and building my life around a healthy lifestyle.
19. I want everyone to live a healthy lifestyle. And now it frustrates me when I see others choosing not to take charge of their own personal health and wellness.
20. I didn’t realize that my story would inspire others. I’ve heard from so many of you and I want to help you achieve your goals! Feel free to ask me your questions!