As ever when I come and read through I here there's so many posts I mean to reply to... And then I forget them all by the end 😳.
Re your start month threads - I randomly j looked at the Jan 26 thread (thinking it was Jan 25 when I started so what would be "my" thread!) and the OP only has 2 stone to lose, is taller than me and their SW is less than I am currently a year in. Now it can be both true that for me that would be difficult AND I still believe the journey is real for them, their struggles are real etc. It's just our experiences are so very different and for me this group has been such an incredible support. But yes a group you start with can be great for all those new beginner niggles (and I had a shemed thread which I so appreciated as we were all starting the same study together so you can definitely support each other despite different weights but like someone above said a lot of people do finish fairly quickly relative to us!)
NSV. I can echo a few of those above. And I've bought bras too - I found some £10 M and S ones I like and I used that abrathatfits website as a guide as I realised I genuinely had no idea this far in. It's the second time I've bought bras since I started a year ago. I like a pp want to buy "nice bras" when I get near my goal. I want it plan a trip to bravissmo. I remember a really embarrassing trip when "I was too big for the big boob shop" and although I'd fit now (46 down to 38!) we're struggling a bit financially so I'm looking forwards to it as a final treat!
My other NSV is socks. I have lived in trainer socks and as I wear leggings that makes sense, but as well as fat I was inflamed and socks dug in. I've bought some new boots and realised I could buy normal person socks! I've also ditched last Xmas "big coat" my old boots (so wide!) and gone through my drawers realising how I truly can't wear my bigger things now. (size 26(well 28 really) down to size 18/16 depending on shop and top/bottom in a year!). I've also bought some new dresses in the sales and so loving my new figure in them. I still have a large stomach but I feel so different!
Im in a different job since September so people mostly don't know the very obese me. In my other job it did take a long time before most people commented. Some after I think 3 stone but I think there it was around 5 stone before it was that move from "still registers as incredibly fat person" to " quite fat person". Now I've lost 8stone (wahooo!) I'm getting comments from random other people as I think I've crossed visually into "overweight person" (event hough I've got half a stone to get out of obese by bmi!)
@PearlTeapot I'm so happy for you. Have a lovely weekend ❤️.
Oh I did the "get off the floor test" and cna do it without hands but not the way the video wanted. But can do it!
I love being able to cross my legs or just tangle myself up in a corner on the sofa like I used to, and the fact I can have a go at yoga moves without my stomach being the main issue.
So today is literally my year anniversary 😁. So feeling reflective as well as new year reflectiveness. I'm m genuinely so v happy about the journey on so many levels in ways only people on this thread would get! The relief somethings finally working (rather than what others think/sometimes say or imply that I'm "finally" making an effort...if only they saw the emotional cost of "making an effort" so very much every year and seeing it fail).
I've lost just over 8 stone this year and I'm still amazed at this when I look back to a year ago (again as ever so grateful to those of you here a year ago for all the support when I was so very very anxious. Like many of us my depression and anxiety had cycled around my weight as well as other things. @SilenceInside in particular I always remember your name and loving your sensible posts as well as being inspired by your story. You too {mention:TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne}@TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne and others!)
My life has changed beyond all recognition. Not least the new job, now working full time, but it also conincided with finishing counselling and having done a lot of work on weight related issues over the years. Being able to walk happened fairly quickly I think due to inflammation issues and I still get excited regularly at "look I can walk" to my kids annoyance. But this time last year my husband would be looking where to park the car or "bring it round" if we went out as my mobility was so reduced. It's been lifechanging (inflammation effects still make me wonder if I'll need this long term).
Eating wise I'm different to most I think on this thread that my aims have been a bit different. For me I wanted to eat how I'd been trying to for years and MJ enabled that. So for me I've actively not calorie counted, I make myself eat 3x a day, I moved away for UPF a few months before starting MJ ( loosened this over xmas but it's still there in the bulk). For other anxiety reasons I actively didn't want to lose fast either so wouldn't increase dose/would decrease dose around this - although I never expected to maintain the loss I was all year! (Finally slowing down now!) Its one of those things where I'm so excited I got to live to "the plan" I've wanted to since I first went to a disordered eatng group about 10 years ago 😬. (For me calorie counting, fasting, not being flexible in my eating would be unhelpful - and I compeltley get that for lots of other people it's the reverse! Another one of those things where so aware we're all different!)
My aim was also to eat as I wanted to long term - I wanted to be someone who was able to eat more at xmas/special occasions /eating out without guilt and that's been the case for me too this Xmas. I knew that the scales would do their own thing due to increased water weight due to salt /upf and it really didn't bother me at all. Which is huge. I've never had a Jan before without the associated guilt or feeling I need to purge the house and for me with my background that is a NSV in itself. I think it might have been Silence who when onsatrted talked about not being too worried week to week what the number on the scales was and I'm finally there! Obviously I want it to drop and I get excited at certain milestones but if it goes up or sts I'm not fussed as I understand (now) that weight loss isn't lonerar and that we cna change a few pounds in a day and water weight can change for so many reasons (time of the month, sleep, stress, upfs, something salty etc).
Im waffling away I'm so happy to be celebrating a year. And so grateful to every single person on this thread for posting and for sharing this journey with you all ❤️❤️❤️. I've got noone irl I can share this with and even though we're all different and have different ways through this we're all loving that "long journey from morbid obesity" and you're all truly lovley and amazing ❤️😁🥲. So grateful to you all for being honest and sharing stories and journeying together. I love all the laughs and fun things and even though I post sporadically I do love reading all the posts and following everyones journeys ❤️.