To wonder what it feels like to be thin?

[sunshine5997]

I'm 24, married and quite frankly I am fat.
I hide away in black clothes and coats. It's my fault I'm fat (size 16).
I see some lovely photos of people in their early 20s stick thin in lovely short skirts or crop tops.... and all I think is, what does it feel like to be thin and confident to wear those lovely clothes? So what does it feel like not to have saggy over hangs or horrendous chafing in summer???

(Ps i have had some wine!!)

I recommend the podcast Wobble with Jules and Sarah. Find it on the podcasts app of your iPhone/iPad, if you have apple, or do a search online for where to listen to it. It's about body positivity and self confidence. Sarah and Jules are so lovely and funny and it's a really interesting listen.

@VolcanionSteamArtillery i’m sorry you think small life changes are a crap idea. My thought was that often trying to make huge changes all in one go means the goal becomes unattainable and one enters a cycle of giving up and feeling more shame every time one tries to change.

At the age of the OP I reckon she could change bits and bobs which would add up and the effect might mean that she ends up with a slow but steady change that is sustainable for her long term.
She needs to find what works for her.

(Actually it's just called "Wobble")

I've been a size 16/18 a size 10 and currently size 12/14.

The main thing being slim was just being able to get dressed and go out - not having to try on several outfits, look sideways in the mirror checking which clothes made me look less fat , which hid my stomach or my flabby arms.

Similar to you, I've often wondered what it feels like to be naturally pretty/attractive. When I was slim and not worrying too much about clothes I was still stressing about my spotty skin, uneven eyes, pointy ears and lank hair that wouldn't hold a style.

I guess we all have our own issues, whatever our size.

Indeed, some of my naturally skin friends who have been size 6 or 8 for life are absolutely naturally stunning to me with gorgeous figures .

One has major hang ups about her nose and also still worries about flab (of which I really don’t think she has any)
The other wishes she was bigger and had more curves.

I wonder this often too. I get a bit of envy every summer.

Wow losing 5 stone is amazing!

I'm 35 and was a size 8-10 until I turned 30.
Then I piled on 4 stone in less than a year through binge eating and was a size 16 until March this year. Like you I wore black, baggy clothes. I avoided the mirror and never had my photo taken.

I began exercising first, in the gym I definitely wasn't the biggest but there were a few women with lovely slim figures, wearing leggings and crop tops. I went every day and introduced a healthy diet too. I was determined to be wearing the same as the fabulous gym ladies by the end of this year.

I'm currently 3 stone down and a size 10. I look even better than when I was this size before because now I train, I'm more toned and so less flabby. I actually can wear the nice gym gear now too (not that I do though).

I would say it makes me feel happy. How I look is important (albeit not the most important) to me, I was so unhappy when I was heavier. I enjoy wearing nice clothes now, I wear a lot less makeup now too which makes me look fresher and even younger. My sex drive has returned. I feel good. I can run up the stairs without having a heart attack. I can chase my kids around. I can easily get down on the floor to playwith them and more importantly, I can get back up lol. I was always aching and had loads of joint pain, now I have none.

I still want to lose another stone so I'm still going but I have a much better understanding of calories needed and I know I won't allow myself to put all that weight back on again.

i was plump as a teen but never fat.
So now my BMI is around 21.
I think what that means is I can fit in seats, squeeze thru spaces in crowds, won't wear out the furniture very fast.

Friend is about 5 stone overweight. She's faster at swimming or cycling than me but I have better stamina (I keep going when she needs to rest). I'm good at long distance walks which I appreciate very much. My joints aren't worn out or wearing out too fast which is nice.

I don't care about clothes or fashion.
I've got a chafe problem in a sensitive place, btw, OP!

Thing is, just because I'm thin doesn't make me pretty sadly..

I had an ED in my late twenties, then piled on weight due to an auto immune disease (medication causing increased appetite and pain meaning I was less active). Now managing my condition and a healthy size 10/12 so have seen both sides of the coin. I don’t know if it’s vanity but it is nice that most clothes fit ok and I don’t need to feel uncomfortable in shorter clothing in the summer. I feel really grateful for what my body can do (especially as it was attacking itself for so long) and have a new found respect for it even if I still dislike my lower stomach and love handles at times. I hope you find some peace with your body OP, although I know it’s often easier said than done.

I haven't been really slim but I've been average (size 10-12), down from my normal size 16.

It felt nice in many ways. I felt comfortable in clothes, it was nice to wear some shorter things. I felt less embarrassed just walking around, knowing I looked better.

However many people have commented that I must feel physically so much better, and I didn't. It felt the same to walk around, exercise and do activities. I didn't feel lighter on my feet or have more energy. I think this is because when you are bigger you have more muscle - to support your larger frame. A smaller person has less, even if they exercise (unless its a male doing a lot of weight training). Basically you always have the amount you need so carrying yourself around never feels any different.

I know a few people who lost huge amounts of weight 150 lbs+.
It took them yrs to move differently, to walk differently. Their understanding how to walk was how their big body had to move, not how their new body could move.

@16LadyFuschia your absolutely right but the same problem also happens with small life changes. Eg Swapping to a smaller doesnt work if you fill it with high calorie food choices (or you eat 3 chocolate biscuits at bedtime).

It took a complete life overhaul and the understanding that because im not a natural skinny id probably need to keep an eye on it permanently. Theres sone evidence to suggest that shake meal replacements at the start of the diet are conductive to long term success, researchers suggested it was to do with having a total break from food reducing the appetite etc. They have a point but being on those diets is shit, if you stick at it for a month or so it probably shows youve got the determination for change. You also see the numbers going down quite quickly which is very motivating. Then it was a complete diet overhaul.

I think you can do the small changes if its a small amount you need to lose. So for me now every now and then i just need to clean up my habits, but the fat to thin that was major.

Incidentally, OP i originally started it because i wondered what feeling thin felt like (i had been a size 16+ since about18).

It doesn’t feel like anything.

Of course it does littlechocola

It's alright.

I wonder what it feels like to be rich. There's always something we want to change I guess.

I feel light on my feet and enjoy being able to move about walk,dance, play with the dog. I feel the cold though. Size 16 isn't very big OP- just cut out big portions and junk food and you will immediately start feeling lighter.

I lost 3 stone from a big size 14 to an 8-10. I'm slim, but not thin. I will be honest and say I'd like to be thinner, but I know I have a nice healthy figure and that I am slim. It didn't solve my body image issues like I thought it would, but I am a lot more confident now I'm slimmer. In many Ways losing weight has made me more aware of my body image issues because I still have fat days and have days when I criticise my appearance. It's made me realise how external factors cause this, and how that's not solved by simply losing weight.

What does feel amazing though is being fit. Knowing I can put my trainers on and run 20km is something I never^^ in my wildest dreams thought I would ever do and I have to pinch myself sometimes. Being fit feels amazing, and slimmer comes with it so it's win/win

Not as good as pizza tastes

I used to be very slim and now I am pretty overweight. I was fitter then and could walk further etc and fit into more clothes. But honestly in terms of my emotions I was a mess. I was bullied loads, hated my body and ate loads as I was desperate to put on weight. I am far happier and more comfortable and confident now. I could definitely do with losing weight so I am healthier but OP being slim isn't a magic thing that will make you happier. It really isn't. You can learn to he comfortable in your body and happy whether you are slim or overweight.

You've already lost 5 stone! That's amazing. cut yourself some slack I'm sure you look great.
I'm a size 10 but jiggly bits everywhere especially my tummy.
I'm not slim thought I'm very curvy, big hips biggish boobs but a teeny tiny waist and I'm only 5.4.
I totally have to watch what I eat all the time and I do work put a lot. if I didn't I'd be lot lot bigger, but luckily for me I love working out and tbh with you if I didn't I just wouldn't. I'd rather live my life being happy and enjoying myself

I was once very overweight, and lost 12 stone over almost 3 years. I felt bloody brilliant. I had lots of confidence, and absolutely loved clothes shopping for the first time. Not only that, but I just felt incredibly healthy as well, which was fantastic.

I then got in a relationship and have put 2 stone back on, which I hate, but I'm struggling to shift it as I'm a lot busier than I was at the time, so can't spend as much time hammering exercise.

I am very glad I did it, and fully encourage you to take the plunge and really make a change.

What does feel amazing though is being fit. Knowing I can put my trainers on and run 20km is something I never^^ in my wildest dreams thought I would ever do and I have to pinch myself sometimes. Being fit feels amazing, and slimmer comes with it so it's win/win

This ^

I've honestly never thought about my size, always been slim whatever i ate. Now I'm in my 40s I'm having to.watch what i eat which is quite annoying. I've never been on a diet so don't know quite where to start tbh.

It’s a pay off. I either eat what I want and am a size 16 or I really restrict my food and am a (current) size 12. I definitely enjoy my legs not rubbing together uncomfortably and being able to wear 90% of my wardrobe. But the flip side is a spend a lot of time hungry.