What is one thing that totally amazes you about yourself, post-WLS?

Hi there WLS friends!

I had a total "aha" moment during spin class last night, and then two things happened on OH today that made me think it's time to start a thread. I think all too often we are all caught up in the number on the scale or the saggy skin or the thinning hair, and we aren't thinking about something truly amazing about our new, healthier selves. So it's time to be proud - what is something that amazes you about yourself, post WLS?

Last night I got to spin class about five minutes early and threw my coat over the bike to my right, for my gym pal, Linda. Another woman came in and took the bike to my left and I realized I knew her! My stepdaughter baby-sits her kids and she lives in my neighborhood. We chatted a bit and then class started. Well this woman was a BEAST on the bike. Her legs were going so fast she was lapping me! So I sped up! And I was sweating my butt off and it felt good! And I realized that I was subconsciously trying to compete with her (not in a ****ty way, but trying to improve my speed and resistance to be as strong and capable as her). And I was struck that my whole life I tried hard in school and I try hard at work and I have normally put my best foot forward and tried to excel at most everything. But for some reason I never applied this to my physical self. I didn't participate in sports because I was big. Now that I am quote/unquote "normal" sized, I realized that I amaze myself at what I am capable of in the gym. Now don't get me wrong, I am never going to be an Olympian or anything, but I am amazed that my 41 year old body, after being SMO for so many years, is capable of spinning and boxing and lifting and walking and doing so much. I feel proud of myself.

What amazes you about you?

One of the things that really amazed me a few weeks ago was my having to climb into my husband's very small sports car through the driver side window. ( long story ) That NEVER would have happened at 293 lbs. I doubt I could have even fit into the car at my pre-op weight. He may not have even bought it if I hadn't had WLS. Hm.

One of my daily "whoa" moments is just...living my life as a woman who is at an normalish weight. I no longer get stares, or whispering as I pass by, or thought of as stupid, sloppy, or a glutton. I totally blend into the crowd. I'm just a short, dorky 47 year old woman bopping along through life-totally anonymous. I love that.

Sometimes I am struck by how easy it is to exist in the world at a normalize weight. Bopping around is a perfect description. I almost can't recall what it was like to have aching knees, and constantly be calculating how far of a distance two places were, or going onto a restaurant website to see what their seating was like. My god, the extra effort that just existing required...

PS I am super curious why you had to fit through the window of the sports car! LOL!

I hear you. I'm forgetting the physical ordeals I went through as a SMO woman. I won't ever forget the emotional fallout, but...I'll take what I can get!

As for the car:

My husband's car broke down one night on his way home from work, roughly 15 miles away from home. I had to go rescue him, we drove home to pick up the car trailer so we could get his poor, dead car home, and headed back. Our neighbor happened to be near by so he "babysat" the car while we were gone...lol. Anyway..it was quite the task to get the car on the trailer since it would not budge. I can't even remember what broke, but it was something crucial...lol. So the guys finally get it pushed halfway up the trailer, but someone ( moi ) had to steer it the rest of the way onto the trailer. The door wouldn't open all the way because of the position of the trailer's fenders, so I had to climb in through the window. Once we got the car on the trailer and I managed to climb back out ( doors still wouldn't open all the way ), I fist pumped and yelled "I did it, and I didn't screw up!" I have a history of being not very helpful when I try to help with car stuff.

You may be short and you may be 47 but you are not dorky nor are you anonymous. You are you and that is wonderful. Whose to say what normal is, anyway?!

Funny about this post.

I just got back from safeway. In the past I was always embarassed about what was in my cart, whether it was healthy or not I felt judged by ppl in line or by the cashier.

Well, I'm baking today and my basket was full of butter, sugar, and chocolate chips. But I didn't feel embarassed. I was like any normal sized woman who is shopping for a bake off and is not planning a binge. In the past I thought I was going around with a neon sign on my forehead "shopping for a binge"!

Oh, I so know that feeling. Mine was always at the buffet. "Normies" would go by with their plates loaded but not me. I was afraid if I got all I wanted, everyone would be thinking, "Well, no wonder she's so fat." So I tried to be sneaky and eat several small helpings. Actually, if you actually looked at what I was eating, I probably ate less than a lot of "normies".

Funny, I got upset today at a lunch meeting offering and people could see it in my face. I was told they would have something I could eat. Well...... Here's the menu I saw - BBQ pork with sauce already in it, Bun, Mac and Cheese, Creamy Cole Slaw, Peach Cobbler and Sweet Tea. Apparently the lunch menu offering was called "a little bit of the south". Now my old self would have had double portions. Today I got slightly p'd off and had to eat my afternoon snack and emergency chicken bar for lunch. I laughed at myself after the meeting, so this thread was timely.

But more seriously, the freaky thing is woman actually look at me and come up to talk to me now. I mentioned this to my trainer and she confided that she's had a couple female gym members ask her what my status was and said they had been checking me out. Just weird and surprising. I never thought of myself that way or at least not in the last 30 years or so.

I love your post Em!

I'm proud of myself for continuing on to lose 75 pounds more than my (wonderful) surgeon told me he could help me reach. The surgery was powerful and life-changing, but it was my determination that took it all the way to where I am now, and I am proud of that. As for being amazed, I am amazed that I can happily, comfortably, and easily stride along in beautiful high heels once again. I had been wearing flats for a very long time, other than when my brother and then my kiddo got married, and I was unsteady and uncomfortable in those heels on both occasions. Now I'm can lope along, joyfully adding 3-4" to my height, any time I so desire. It's fun! Of such little moments my pleasures are made!

LOL, I didn't wear heels before and I still don't. Never could master those things. I'm a creature who likes comfort. But I bet those heels make for very shapely calves.