Things I miss..... (good read)

A really good read!!

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13018/5-things-i-miss-about-weighing-more-than-300-pounds.html

Funny , I just read that article today !

Awesome read! Thank you for sharing :)

Sorry but I have issue with some of the things she posted. I realise this is her experience  but It is not everyones.

Power. It is all about muscle whether you are big or small. I could lift more when I was younger but I can now lift more than when I was obese

Comfort. Yes I have bones. I could not lay on my stomach when obese. It was painful for my back. I have got used to the bony butt. It is better than the arthritis from being obese.

Perspective. I did not like any of my forgiving clothes. They were like tents that covered my body with little style or comfort. I love my new clothes and do not want to have the ability to gain 10 pounds without it effecting my clothes. It is a way of controlling my splurges.

Presence. There are a lot of people who have the inability to see the new you. You will always still have the old you with you. But it does get better and there are so many NSV's associated with this. Being able to sit in seats etc.

I love the new me and would never want to be my old self.

I totally agree Pat. I'm with you. I wouldn't trade my 173 lbs for my old 275 lbs ever. 

The only one for me on this list would be power. 

I have little upper body strength. In the old days I used to be able to throw my weight into things and have no problem lifting or carrying, now I am far more weak.  

I hate having to ask people to open jars. Lol

I can relate to some of these thing but not all.

The first one I don't get at all. I have way more strength now than I did when I was over 300 lbs. I couldn't even cycle for half a block then. Now, I can ride 10 km at a time without a problem. Can walk forever. And even lifting is fine. Like Pat, my arthritis pain in my shoulder is gone. So that's the only one I really can't relate to. Then again, I haven't gone all the way down to a size 6. Maybe I would be weaker of I got that thin, I don't know. If that's the case, then that reinforces my satisfaction with being where I seem to have landed, between 175-180 and a size 10-14 depending on the cut of the clothing.

The second one is true to some degree for me, but not completely. My knees hurt at night from knocking into each other, yes. And my butt used to hurt at first sitting when I first lost all that weight, but I seem to be getting used to it now, although I still can't sit for really long times in a firm chair. However! I also find that I don't have the aches and pains I used to have over 300 lbs. My chronic back pain is pretty much gone. My posture is easier to hold. I can cross my legs, which actually isn't all that great for me, but it's one more flexible way to sit when I need to shift positions. I'm not bending my back awkwardly when standing to perform tasks like dishwashing, which used to give me achy hips. And also, when I was over 300 lbs, it was really hard to sleep anywhere but my own bed. I'd wake up in so much pain that I could barely move when sleeping at a hotel or I someone's guest room. Now, I can sleep anywhere and rest well, no pain in the morning.

I agree with the perspective point mostly. I do think that living as an obese person has given me a lot more empathy and kindness than if I had never had that experience. It has informed my anti-oppression politics and contributed to the development of my personality, good or bad. I also agree that a couple of pounds up or down didn't matter when I was over 300 lbs but that they matter more now to the fit of my clothes. But like Pat, I don't mind that so much. I'd rather be as I am now than before. Again, perhaps if I were down to a size 6, one or two pounds might be devastating, but I feel like I'm in a comfortable place, where I need to watch it, but can go up and down within a 5 lb range without it making me crazy.

I don't agree with the friendships part at all. I haven't really noticed a difference in my ability to make or keep friendships, because my personality hasn't changed all that much. I am much more confident now, it's true, and I have noticed that people's perception of me has changed, especially people who don't know me. I get treated differently now. And I believe that I am seen as more competent now than I was before. I have had promotions since losing weight, and that is probably due to a combination of my increased self-esteem which made me more willing to really chase those promotions, and the perception of me by others as able to do it. But my friendships are largely unaffected. The friends I had before are the ones I have now.

The last one I don't really relate to either, but also probably because I'm not really tiny at this point and probably never will be. I don't have body dysmorphia, don't feel like my body doesn't fit my personality or anything like that. I continue to be amazed at the things I can do now with my body. Constantly discovering new things I can do. Probably the one way my perception is a bit skewed is when I underestimate what I can do physically. I assumed that I wouldn't be able to bike to work for months until I worked up to it. Nope. Did it on Friday. I assume that I don't have the strength to do this or that, and surprise myself when I eventually do get up the confidence or nerve to try it. However, the one thing I do relate to in her last section is that I don't hate my old pics anymore. I used to cringe and hate any pics of my fat self. Now I can accept them and even see some beauty in them. When I think now about what it would be like if I had to carry a 155-160 lb person around on my back all day, it surprises me to think that I could ever have gotten out of bed in the morning, much less walk half a block anywhere. And yet I functioned, worked full time, and managed, even with all that weight on me. It was horribly difficult, but I have a lot of respect for myself for dealing with such a difficult physical condition as well as I did.

Thank you for posting this, it was interesting to read.  There are definitely things I will miss about being obese. In fact, I would be perfectly content to stay obese were it not for the associated health problems. I am totally ok with myself the way I am right now and it took a long time to get to that point.  The idea of losing weight scares the hell out of me quite frankly, and is something I am working on with my therapist.  I am scared of feeling vulnerable and exposed without the extra padding on my body.  I have been having nightmares about losing something again and again - and I know I what I am afraid of losing is myself, my peace of mind.  From the other comments I know this is unusual but it is how I feel, and I agree that most of the items in the article are a concern for me too at this point in my journey. 

Thank you for posting this, it was interesting to read.  There are definitely things I will miss about being obese. In fact, I would be perfectly content to stay obese were it not for the associated health problems. I am totally ok with myself the way I am right now and it took a long time to get to that point.  The idea of losing weight scares the hell out of me quite frankly, and is something I am working on with my therapist.  I am scared of feeling vulnerable and exposed without the extra padding on my body.  I have been having nightmares about losing something again and again - and I know I what I am afraid of losing is myself, my peace of mind.  From the other comments I know this is unusual but it is how I feel, and I agree that most of the items in the article are a concern for me too at this point in my journey. Anyone else feel this way?