What's it like to lose 100lbs?

[lauraellen80 855]

My surgery is next month probably and it seems sureal to me. I feel line there's no way I'll actually lose 100lbs even though I'm projected to lose more than that. I guess I feel like weight loss is simply impossible and it won't happen. After such a big weight loss, do you feel thin or do you still see yourself as fat?

Like you, I could not even begin to imagine losing 100 pounds. I originally set my goal weight at 145 because I simply could not conceptualize ever weighing less than that again. I still have days where I find it hard to wrap my mind around that fact that I've lost so much weight. I'm 9 months post-op, and I hit my goal of 135 around Christmas, so it's still really new to me. I started at about 235 and am at 116 now... I went from a size 20W to a size 2... I've lost over half my body weight!!! Physically, I feel SO MUCH BETTER. My feet don't hurt, my back pain has lessened, I'm not popping Tums constantly, my sugar is normal, etc.

I'll be honest, though--I'm not yet used to seeing myself as a thin person rather than a fat one. And as I've talked about in another thread, I'm still struggling with feeling ugly, not good enough, etc. I recommend finding a therapist that can help you through the mental and emotional aspects of this process, because it can be a roller coaster ride.

[NYLux12 50]

I've lost 90 lbs, and only in the past 2-3 weeks have I noticed an actual change in my appearance and how my clothing fits. But, I have about 150 left to lose. I started big. I do still feel fat. My back doesn't hurt all the time anymore, and it's easier for me to fit on small furniture and to get up from a deep couch. Little victories all the time!

[RoscoColetrain 103]

How you feel after losing that amount will depend on how much you have to lose all up...

I was a bit non-plussed after my first 100...

But then I still had another 200 to go...

My second hundred was much better...

It made a bigger difference to the way I felt and looked...

Now that I'm into my third hundred, I can really see things changing...

I'm still all screwed up in the head tho...

I can't see the changes like others can see the changes...

But apparently they're there...

And who am I to argue with people who want to pay me compliments??!?!

Are you me by any chance? I'm approaching my 1st 100. I'm starting to feel some differences. My car seems to be growing for instance. Physically I feel different.....but I've also increased my activity level 4000%. When I'm not exercising I don't really feel any different. But I never felt as fat as I was either. I think that was part of my problem. My brain treated my body like it was an exceptionally out of shape 250.

I still get annoyed at myself when exercising because I can't go as hard and fast as I want. But then I think, wait... if you weighed 185lbs. You would carrying a 205lb rucksack. Last year it would have been a 305lb rucksack. Or carrying one of these. I'd need more than the one Heineken though.

Edited March 25, 2016 by RoscoColetrain

[Heather I 500]

I like these pictures of the bike and @@Dub's dog food thing. Sometimes you have to have that physical object to wrap your head around. I still remember being blown away by Oprah's 89 lbs of lard in a wheelbarrow a million years ago.

Heck, even at Bjs, the bulk 20 lb bag of flour is killer to wrestle! Five of those added to our bodies, if not more? Amazing.

I can't wait. I need to lose 100-140, and 140 would be exactly half of my current weight. Seems inconceivable to me, too!

[sprocket 104]

I've lost 118 lbs. so far with another 9 to go to reach my personal goal of 135. It's an amazing accomplishment and I'm so happy with my progress. I started at 262 lbs., with 249 being my day-of-surgery weight. It wasn't until I was at about 200 lbs. that most people began to notice (co-workers, etc.), or at least began to say anything.

I didn't feel the difference though until I'd lost about 110 lbs. and reached a size 8 (I was in a size 22 pre-op). For whatever reason, I could finally see and feel the changes at size 8. Now I'm in a size 6, and more than likely will be in a size 4 by the time I reach 135. I just feel so much lighter.

[Ruth1ess 494]

I weigh 285 and I am projected to lose 90 lbs. I'm going to fight for more. It was only 10 years ago that I saw my lowest adult weight of 185, so I can imagine it, but can't imagine lower. Like, it's impossible. I secretly hope I'm one of the lucky ones whose body let's them get lower with a lot of hard work.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

[Proud2BMe 1,016]

I was excited at first but quickly got over it because it was only half of what I need to lose. Now I'm looking forward to getting in "one-derland", which I haven't been since 1999.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I lost 111 pounds total and fluctuate between that and 106 pounds lost. Because it is such a gradual process you don't really notice it. One day though you notice that your feet aren't swollen anymore, that your legs don't bump into the steering wheel, that you can do things like flip around a playground, jump on a trampoline, and do cartwheels without being winded or landing on your face, and that no you fit into normal sizes in stores where you couldn't even shop before. Although I've been at goal for 1 week less than a year, I still enjoy my 100+ pound loss and while you will be miserable for a few weeks after surgery, in the end it is all worth it.

[Daisee68 2,493]

I think maybe @@AvaFern said it best (except I have never been able to do a cartwheel and not likely to try now! ). Mostly I cannot quite wrap my brain around it, but that is partially due to the denial I lived in that I actually weighed well over 300 pounds. Somehow, I just never really saw myself like that - and because I avoided pictures - I never had to see myself like that. I honestly think that only in the last 15 pounds or so have I really started to notice how much easier things are. I mowed the lawn last week for the first time in a few years and realized when I was done that I wasn't dying. Seriously, I used to have to come in after that and take a nap after lying on the floor for an hour to recover. I went for a 2 mile walk (in 35 minutes) with my skinny sister last week and realized at the end that I kept up a conversation and wasn't winded at the end. I went to get my haircut yesterday and used to, I could barely fit in their chairs. Now, I have LOTS of room on either side of my legs. (I have lost 10 inches from each thigh! How in the world did I fit in anything before?!)

I remember when I first joined this board last year and saw all the massive losses, I thought there was no way I could possibly do that. And then even after surgery and I was (only ) loosing about 10 pounds a month (instead of the 20+ pounds some people say they lose), I thought "man, I am never going to get that small". And here I am 10 pounds post-op only 15 pounds from goal and 15 pounds to losing 150 pounds. (I lost about 27 before surgery but trust me those 8-10 pounds a month or 2 pounds a week add up.) Just cannot wrap my head around it.... I texted with the medical assistant at my surgeon's office (who is someone I have known for 35 years but lost touch with and had no idea she worked for this surgeon or was even in the medical field when I walked in to that office last January - but I digress). Anyway, I texted her yesterday and told her to tell the surgeon that I had beat her goal of 200 pounds and was down to 189. Her response was "WTF?! Are you eating?!" Um, yes. Yes, I am. I'm just following the rules.

Ok, so I think I got totally off topic. How does it feel - FREAKING FANTASTIC!! Now excuse me while I am off to a "normal" (non-plus sized) clothing store for the first time in 30 years (oh who am I kidding, first time in my life!). I am able to fit in to XL tops and all the pants at Lane Bryant are now too big. I am actually sort of anxious about this venture.... wish me luck!

PS - Just realized this was sleeve board not general. Just wanted to clarify I had bypass, but my 134 pounds still feel just as good.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Daisee68

[ssflbelle 829]

KindaFamiliar was correct in what he said. "How you feel after losing that amount will depend on how much you have to lose all up..."

Having lost 210 pounds and still having 132 pounds to go, I am finally beginning to see in pictures and Non scale Victory changes I didn't see after the first 150 pounds that I had lost on my own without the surgery. Since surgery I can now get out of the bed with out using a tow rope attached to my window frame to pull me out. I can reach places on my body I couldn't reach before. Heck I am now able to get on a tricycle and bike 4.31 miles in 44 minutes.

Rvamom After you lose your weight you will have so many NON-Scale Victories you never thought you would ever have and it will feel awesome!

[Alex Brecher 10,516]

@@Rvamom,

Everyone’s different, and also it depends on how much weight you have to lose, but I think we can pretty much all agree that losing 100 lbs is WONDERFUL! No matter how much weight you have to lose, losing 100 lbs feels fantastic.

For me, I had more energy. I could move better. I could do more activities. I liked the way I looked. People treated me better. I had more confidence. It goes on and on.

Looking at your starting weight and goal weight, you’ll basically be at goal weight when you hit 100 lbs down. I think you will feel fantastic and will be so proud of yourself when you get there.

As for your question about whether people feel thin when they’re down 100 lbs…again, everyone’s different. I see myself as okay. I don’t think of myself as fat anymore, although I do always remember that I don’t want to be back there again! Do remember that even if you’re happy with your goal weight, you won’t automatically look like a movie star or model. You’ll still have flaws. Hopefully you’ll be able to accept and enjoy them.

Good luck! Keep us posted! Let us know how it feels to lose 100 lbs.

[sja 38]

I'm only down 35# and that feels amazing. I can't even imagine 100! I had a 9 day stall at about 3 weeks and my head kept saying "See? This won't work either!!" But I've started to lose again, feeling good and I'm looking forward to the day when it's 100#!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Edited March 28, 2016 by sja

[OneDayAtATime71 4]

It is freaking awesome to lose 100lbs!!! I feel so much more flexible, I can tie my shoes, bend over, squat, cross my legs, and run without being to winded. I have gained back 22 pounds in the past year and I'm going to get myself back on track. One Day At A Time is what we have...

[Profkf 19]

Life changing. I constantly feel like I'm floating. Currently down 122 lbs. 8 months out. Training for a half marathon in Oct. regularly run 3-4 miles at a time. Can buy off the rack, fit in airline seats with no extender, comfortable in theater seats, restaurant booths, no more meds of any kind. sleep Apnea gone, no more CPAP machine. A ton more energy.

That's how it feels

[LisaMergs 2,857]

Omg you crack me up

Do you have pets?????

Go to the nearest pet store......hoist up two of their largest bags of dog food and walk around the store with it.

There ya go.

That's 100lbs on hoof.

Feels damn good to get rid of it.

You'll never want it back....PROMISE !!!![/quote