What are you going to do when you reach your goal?

[ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop]

I thought it might be motivating to talk about the things people want to do when they get to their goal weight. If you're like me, you've probably put off loads of things that you wanted to do because you were worried about being too fat/heavy, but now that I've been on MJ for a while, I can actually see myself getting back to a healthy weight, and some of those things are genuinely possible in the future. For me, my main ones are:

• Start going horse riding again. I used to love it and did it from when I was a small kid right up until 15 years ago, when the weight started piling on. Most stables do have a weight limit, so once I exceeded that I couldn't go anyway, but even when I was overweight but still under the limit, I felt embarrassed about how I looked, and sorry for the poor horse! Also, the horsy world is full of tiny, wiry-thin people who make anyone else look like a big galumphing sort of creature, which is hard to deal with when you're bigger than you'd like.

• Buy a frivolous swimsuit. Yes, I could do this any time at any weight, but for me personally, I would feel daft in a frilly halterneck cossie with a bright pattern at 15 stone. I'm going on holiday in October and hoping to be at goal by then so I can choose something really impractical and not black!

I'm sure there are more things but those are my main two. Would love to hear from others.

I have just reached target and I’m on the hunt for a fabulous swimsuit for my holiday in April. I don’t really know what I’m looking for yet, but something different to the usual black mum costume.

I did get it in black and it’s probably a bit passe now because of the scallops trend passing but I recently bought myself this and absolutely love it!
www.marksandspencer.com/neoprene-padded-plunge-swimsuit/p/clp60721038?color=BLACK&extid=ps_ps-pla-pmax_ggl_ww_ch__-UK-_-_bau_smec_counterfactual&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD7g6bQ_x-iSH-AOtlU1qGdQHhLnV&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsMbdmJ68iwMV5oBQBh2WGBGLEAQYASABEgLDSvD_BwE
I think they also have it in green.

Horse riding is also on my list. So many things I’ve avoided over the years due to embarrassment about my weight. I’m 3 stone down now and, although I could do with losing another stone, I’m feeling ready to start doing stuff. Keen to try stand up paddle boarding and wild swimming and contemplating trying parkrun again for the first time in years.
Great idea for a thread x

Not sure, I did everything anyway, as nothing I do is weight limited, ie horse riding, and I simply bought bigger size swimsuits and cracked on😳

however I have bought a load of new clothes, and binned a lot of older ones, and I feel good again, comfortable with my appearance, and I like how I look in clothes, even though I’ve still a stone or so to go.(bought clothes that will fit a size down ie tops or dresses with some stretch and bought them in small or medium)

for me, I guess being able to dress in clothes I like, nice stuff, rather than what fit or what hid the fat rolls, just helps as a general mood booster.

@TheChosenTwo when I say "frivolous" I don't necessarily want to go mad - it must have proper arse coverage, for example. None of those thong abominations or anything. I quite like the scallopy one, and would get that for everyday swimming, but in my mind for my holiday is a 50s style halterneck thing with a tropical pattern or maybe polka dots. OK for going into a hotel pool, not much use for doing lengths at Everybody Active.

I almost bought this. It’s fabulous.

A few (well, about 9 🫣) years ago I did an active organised holiday thing which involved cycling around SE Asia (including mountains!) for a couple of weeks. Back before my underlying health issues and personal life dramas conspired to lead me to a 2+ stone weight gain!

I don't think I could do quite as strenuous a trip again now (aforementioned health issues lead to chronic fatigue and lack of stamina sadly) but I'm definitely planning something similar - maybe a walking holiday somewhere hot and beautiful! I'm working on going to the gym regularly too so I'm hoping for improved fitness alongside the weight loss 💪

Oh, and clothes. I live in leggings, hoodies and DH's t-shirts mostly and would love to fit back into some of my nicer skirts and dresses from when I was a bit less fat!

I'm going to get a tattoo! I've been thinking about it for a while and decided it would be something I'll do once I'm at goal. Nothing too outrageous, just something small somewhere discreet

Oh and I treat myself to an All Saints leather jacket. Obviously I’m too bloody cold to wear it 😂

I've got this on my wishlist! Our holiday is in June. They do have some lovely holiday stuff don't they.

I bought a Belstaff quilted jacket on Vestiare Collective last year which was meant to be a size 16, but I could barely get my arms into the sleeves, it was so small. Now, 3 stone down, I can zip it up briefly but can't breathe while I'm wearing it. By the time I'm at goal I might actually be able to wear it with something underneath. I'm glad it was only about £40!

Horse riding here too! Maybe even a horse trekking mini break next year.

And I’m hoping I’ll be brave enough to stand up on a stand up paddle board instead of just sitting down and paddling about.

I already don’t say ooof quite so much when I get out of chairs, so that’s nice.

What a lovely idea for a thread!

I've signed up to a half marathon! I used to love running but my post pregnancies weight gain just wouldn't shift. Plus I had a health condition where I was on and off medication, including steroids for about 2 years. I feel like the injections have reset my body to how I was before. And now running if joyous again rather than a painful slog.

I can't think of anything. I haven't really stopped anything or need to buy any clothes as such. But tbf I don't ever envisage getting down to the weight HCP's seem to think I should be. I was the same weight practically my whole life. If I just lose a bit more that'd be fine. I have more concerns about maintaining.

Losing weight on MJ has killed off my winter sea swimming. Body fat is great for sea swimmers so please don't let being larger put you off. It's the plump woman's super power.

The only side effect I have is feeling cold. I'm only getting in the sea on the weekends now whereas in previous winters it would be several times a week.

Horse riding is on my list too! I never did it as a kid (was given the ultimatum of ballet or horse riding by my DM... I chose to be the elephant ballerina in the class!) and have always fancied galloping along a beach somewhere on a beautiful steed.

I did try it once, in my early 20s. I was overweight (prob around 14 stone at the time) and was given a HUGE horse. But my boobs were so big and no one had warned me to wear a sports bra... I was so mortified that they were jiggling about so much, practically punching me in the face, I couldn't wait to get out of there. That was about 20 years ago now! I long to try it again and enjoy it.

Wear a bikini on my summer holiday

Up until a couple of months ago (health issues requiring surgery and a rough recovery) I had been a runner. Even at my biggest I’d still get out for a run BUT I was always too self conscious to wear any of the lovely activewear I see other runners wearing. It’s always been black full length leggings and a black baggy t shirt! I’ve got a few stone left before I’m anywhere near my goal but when I get there I will buy brightly coloured t shirts and patterned leggings. Maybe even shorts!

Other than that there’s lots of different sports and active type classes I’d love to try and, despite being quite fit, I never wanted to be the lone fatty in a room full of toned bodies. I always felt like if I didn’t pick it up quickly enough people would think it was because I was fat. I did pole fitness as a much younger, slimmer woman and I’d love to do that again. I want to wear a nice swimsuit on the beach and wear clothes that are bought because they’re pretty rather than because they cover my lumps and bumps!

@ThatPearlSeal I also got given the choice between ballet and horse riding! I remember at the time I was told that you couldn't do both because one gave you the wrong sort of muscles for the other, but I always assumed my parents were just saying that because they couldn't afford for me to do both. Anyway, I was extremely ungirly and thought tutus looked stupid, so riding it was. I'm glad on reflection, because ballet doesn't seem to be a thing that people keep up as a hobby into their 40s. Sports bras are definitely your friend if you want to ride as a grown-up, though.

Cry!

@ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop Wish I had chosen horse riding... I was about as graceful as a hippo in a tutu, and was constantly reminded that I didn't have the figure for it!

Ahhhhhhh 80s/90s childhoods.... they were the best! 😂

I've wanted to do climbing for ages but worried about what my arse would look like in a harness. Ditto various water sports / wetsuits, and yoga / leggings. I'd love to get really fit and strong, working on the strength right now but have stopped running temporarily because I can't stand the cold 🥶

But I'm planning to do lots of running and cycling starting next month and all through to autumn, will definitely go back to yoga and maybe join a gym when it gets cold again, for proper weight training and keeping up the cardio. And plan to hike up some mountains this year too ⛰️

Oh, and maybe wear a bikini. I have never worn a bikini in my life. I might feel ok in a high waisted one by the summer 🤞

To finally fit into an airline seat comfortably. Being a shortie leg room is not an issue but be able to move around the plane without my stomach/backside getting in the way will be fabulous. Plus not worrying about asking for a seat belt extender which I had considered in the past.

@RobinEllacotStrike I’ve been really struggling with my outdoor swimming too (lake though not sea), it’s so painful getting in. And I stay frozen to the bone for absolutely hours! The place I go has limited time slots during the winter/darker months so I’m only able to go Saturday and Sunday but during the warmer months I can go almost daily. However at the moment I can’t ever see myself having the motivation to go more than twice a week as I’m just so bloody cold!
I will also add that while I bought the scallopy swimsuit above, it’s not what I wear for my lake swims 😂 it was something I bought as dh and I were going to a fancy lido and my old swimmers were baggy!