I am talking about even people who saw me during the journey - someone I saw just 2 months ago walked right by me not recognizing me. My good friend keeps doing double takes! I guess I really DO look different. She tells me that there is no way i still have 40-45# left to lose - well, I really do, but it still made me feel good!

-Size 16 (no W!!) instead of 26W or whatever I could cram myself into

-Comparable size to many of the women i know, even though I still have more to lose

-People are INVITING me to ride their horses! Offers I would have never gotten before. I am a good rider, it is just I was so dang huge!

-I can crawl in and out of the bed of my truck (hooking up the gooseneck hitch!). Could not have done that 6 months ago

-I no longer feel like I am made of glass and could break with the slightest stumble or fall.

-I can run, keep up with my dogs, horses etc.

Living the life I want - this is the dream!

So, the weird thing for me recently is clothes shopping. I feel like an intruder in the regular sizes section... like I will be tossed out when somebody discovers I snuck in...lol. I can't seem to find clothes that i like though, it is weird, it looks to me like the cute stuff is int he plus sizes. What the heck is wrong with me??? lol. i don't think I have any danger of becoming shopping obsessed.

So happy for you!!! ))

that is an awsome feeling for you !!!

That is awesome!!! Congrats on your success!

That's amazing!!! I can't wait until that happens for me. Keep up the good work~!!!

Jane,

I love this story! I have the same thing going on and I chopped my hair SUPER short so people are really shocked when they see me - IF - they don't walk past me - LOL! Funny for me, is I don't know what looks so different until I see myself in a picture. Now that I'm thinking that (as I'm typing) I think that's how it was when I was heavy too. I mean, I knew I was overweight, but the mirror made me think it wasn't so horrible; it was the PICTURES that couldn't lie!

Good for you to have a body that can now keep up with your head, heart and soul!!

I am talking about even people who saw me during the journey - someone I saw just 2 months ago walked right by me not recognizing me. My good friend keeps doing double takes! I guess I really DO look different. She tells me that there is no way i still have 40-45# left to lose - well, I really do, but it still made me feel good!

-Size 16 (no W!!) instead of 26W or whatever I could cram myself into

-Comparable size to many of the women i know, even though I still have more to lose

-People are INVITING me to ride their horses! Offers I would have never gotten before. I am a good rider, it is just I was so dang huge!

-I can crawl in and out of the bed of my truck (hooking up the gooseneck hitch!). Could not have done that 6 months ago

-I no longer feel like I am made of glass and could break with the slightest stumble or fall.

-I can run, keep up with my dogs, horses etc.

Living the life I want - this is the dream!

So, the weird thing for me recently is clothes shopping. I feel like an intruder in the regular sizes section... like I will be tossed out when somebody discovers I snuck in...lol. I can't seem to find clothes that i like though, it is weird, it looks to me like the cute stuff is int he plus sizes. What the heck is wrong with me??? lol. i don't think I have any danger of becoming shopping obsessed.

I so know what you mean about the riding. I got thrown last year and if I were fit, I could have landed on my feet or avoided it in the first place. As it was, I landed on the side of my posterior and messed up my lower back for 4 months. I was riding a Morgan horse so weight wasn't totally an issue with her, but still, there were many I could not ride.

Good rider or not, you just do not have the same balance, coordination or reaction time.

THAT IS SO AWESOME!!!!

So, somebody 'splain to me...... it's been years since i've worn anything without a "W" in the size. What's the difference between an 18 and an 18W? More fabric in certain spots? Wider? Longer? What's the dealio?

16W is for Women's....which means it's larger for a "woman" than a regular size 16. If you shop at Lane Bryant (or similar store) which I'm sure most of us ladies do or have shopped there....all of their clothes are W's. I remember when I started putting on the weight....I could still fit into a size 16 Lane Bryant but I could not fit into any "regular" store 16's...and so it began 10 years ago!!! I am so excited to read these posts and KNOW that I can get back to the old me. I can't wait for people not to recognize me! ...for being skinny and not fat....I went through that too...that is horrible.

CowgirlJane - you inspire me!!!!!

I understand the clothes thing...I am beginning to fall otu of my clothing. I have exactly 5 items I have bought for myself that are my size now, that are not tshirts. I literally wear my co workers hand me downs...

Sounds like alot of NSV's in your neighborhood! Good for you.

I'm so happy for you =) I am really looking forward to being able to ride again sometime, this really gives me hope!

Well, women's clothing are sized so crazy and very inconsistently. there is a lot of variation in where you fit. I am not a lane bryant shopper, so I can't say about their brands, but in general the 14W and 16W are a good size bigger then the "non W" sizes. I was at Macy's and all the plusses were way too big. Same with Fred Meyer (variety type store). I was at Costco and they had non stretch jeans - the biggest they had was a 16, I was thinking they would be too small, but they fit!

Last time I was in normal sizes, clothes were smaller for the same size. 10-11 years ago I got down to a similiar weight, but was still wearing 18W or 1X. Sad but true, clothes are "growing" with the nations ever increasing obesity epidemic. They call it vanity sizing. I wish they would just go to a simple numeric system more like mens clothes.

So, the weird thing for me recently is clothes shopping. I feel like an intruder in the regular sizes section... like I will be tossed out when somebody discovers I snuck in...lol. I can't seem to find clothes that i like though, it is weird, it looks to me like the cute stuff is int he plus sizes. What the heck is wrong with me??? lol. i don't think I have any danger of becoming shopping obsessed.

I totally get this. A few years ago, I was in a store looking for a gift. A sales person walked up to me and said "we don't have anything that will fit you here". I was hoping that I could go into that store and look around and then not buy anything as revenge. Unfortunatly they are out of business so I'll just have to live with the fantasy

I totally get this. A few years ago' date=' I was in a store looking for a gift. A sales person walked up to me and said "we don't have anything that will fit you here". I was hoping that I could go into that store and look around and then not buy anything as revenge. Unfortunatly they are out of business so I'll just have to live with the fantasy [/quote']

I cant tell you how many times i have been approached at certain stores and given a snobby "you are familiar with our sizes, right"? The only exception is Tory Birch where theywent out of their way tobe helpful

A sales person walked up to me and said "we don't have anything that will fit you here". ... Unfortunatly they are out of business so I'll just have to live with the fantasy

I'm so glad they are out of business! I think that is an even better revenge.