How does weight loss affect your day-to-day life?

[tayloranne]

Hi all,
Bit of a random one, but I’m curious. For those of you who’ve lost a fair bit of weight (say a couple of stone or more), how did it actually change your day-to-day life?
I’m on a GLP-1 (SheMed Programme) and keep hearing about the health benefits of weight loss, but I’m more wondering about the real-life stuff, like how you feel getting dressed, running around after the kids, doing the school run, social stuff, energy levels etc.
Did it make a big difference to your confidence or routine? Or did life just carry on as normal, just with smaller clothes?
Would love to hear honest experiences, good or bad.
Thanks x

Ive lost a stone on ozempic and notice when I go for a walk.and can just walk more quickly . I reach the top of the steps without getting out of breath etc.

I don’t look like a fat fucker anymore. Im not embarrassed to leave the house in car I see someone I know. I’ll happily have a photo taken now. I don’t feel judged for being overweight
I’ve lost 4 stone

Lost 2.5 stomes on MJ (still 2.5 to go) and i feel fantastic, a lot more confident and i feel sexy again!
i also feel like i want to be stronger and as a redults ive started doing more regular exercise, something that was really hard to stick to when i wasnt on the jab. I love feeling stronger too.

I lost 5 stone around 2 years ago. I do a manual job so moving around at work is much easier. I feel good about myself.

A more extreme example here, I've lost nearly 11 stone so my life is unrecognisable.

At my biggest I could walk but my back would be in agony after only a few minutes now I can walk miles, in London last month we did 28,000 steps sightseeing one day.

I never used to be able to buy clothes from high street shops so mail order all the way whereas now I love clothes shopping.
I'm happy to pose for photos, made new friends and and so much more confident about everything

It was such a shame I wasted so many years before I finally did something about it, with no help from jabs I hasten to add

I just feel like me again. I only became obese for the last few years after hitting perimenopause and changing to a less active job. I’ve lost 3.5 stone in the last 6 months and gone from obese to healthy.

every day getting dressed I’m spoilt for choice as my old wardrobe all fits again.
all my jeans and winter coats fasten up with room to spare.
I can run around after the kids, walk up hill, run up the stairs etc without getting out of breath.
my blood pressure is back to normal from hypertension.
I don’t hate seeing myself in the mirror/on video calls.
I don’t put off meeting up with old friends as I’m ashamed for them to see how big I’ve got.
It’s broken my unhealthy relationship with food as comfort and I don’t binge every time I’m stressed. I enjoy nutritious meals that fuel me and still manage the occasional treat just in much smaller quantities.
I drink far less.
I don’t hide from DH to get changed any more, or need the lights out…
I fit comfortably in plane and theatre seats which had become snug.
I don’t worry about getting on things like my DD’s trampoline/bikes/scooters in case i break them.

I’m sure I could go on, but honestly, I can’t believe the impact this has made. I feel like I was spiralling into increasing obesity and still can’t quite believe it’s reversed in such a short time. Many other things in life are still hard but having control of this makes day to day life so much better.

And no, I don’t have any loose skin (luck), or a sunken face, still have curves and I look my age which is fine, with no major side effects.

I've lost over 10 stone, it has made an incredible difference to every aspect of my life. Obviously everything physical is easier, I now run 3 times a week, I can walk fast without getting sweaty or out of breath and I can walk all day if I want to. My BP is now optimal where it was high even on medication before.

I have an entirely new (to me) wardrobe now, nothing from before fits. I mostly buy things on Vinted as I am still losing weight so can't spend a lot on clothes. I have got some excellent bargains, and love all my new clothes. I feel significantly more confident, people interact with me very differently now - it is very noticeable who and how people speak to me these days.

Each day I choose the clothes I want to wear based on what I fancy, rather than what will cover me up and make me the least noticeable. I like my reflection in the mirror now!

I have lost 87kg (around 13 stone 10lbs?). My BMI is down from 59.5 to 27.1, dress size down from 36 to 14. Diabetes in remission (Mounjaro is much better than liraglutide in keeping it under control, I'm sure that is what has allowed me to keep losing weight, though slowly, as I get closer to normal weight for a person of my height), blood pressure down from 150/88 to 114/62.

It's lovely being able to shop the sales without being restricted to the few women's clothes shops that do sizes above 30. Though sad that my old friend Ulla Popken doesn't make anything smaller than a size 16. (I'm hoping that the prevalence of GLP-1 medications will persuade them to rethink that decision).

I had expected to feel light as a feather and almost float across the landscape, considering that I am no longer hauling around the equivalent of 87 litre bottles of milk or more than four sacks of compost everywhere I go. It is a source of niggling annoyance that I still can't walk without pain, or bend and flex my stiff, sore right leg. I feel vaguely cheated, but at least I have finally got an explanation - lupus tendonitis in the groin tendons, and lupus myositis in the thigh and shin muscles. Buggrit!

I try to console myself with the thought that I'd be a lot worse off by now if I hadn't lost the weight. I'm eagerly anticipating the day when the GP can no longer blame any and every symptom I bring up as being due to my being overweight. Of course, now that I'm pushing 70 the chances are they'll shut me up by telling me that whatever it is is "only to be expected, at your age".

At least I no longer need to worry about needing a double wide coffin, when planting season rolls around.

7st lost for me. I Def feel so much better now. Before I felt like I'd pass out walking up one flight of stairs, now I can run up several. I have so much energy now and exercise is my favourite hobby.
I love getting dressed up now as well. It's fabulous to be able to buy a size 8/10 and look good in it rather then trying to hide in a size 22/24.

Wow! You ladies have done brilliantly!

I lost 3 stone, had to buy all new clothes or have a few favourites taken in as I dropped 3 dress sizes, the only new clothing items I haven’t had to buy new of has been socks.

I look so much better, I’m just five feet tall but was 11 stone so looked very tubby and generally bought clothes that hid my fat stomach, now I wear more fitted clothes that I feel confident wearing. I wear a bikini on holiday instead of big pants tankinis.

I was struggling to walk half a mile, mainly due to a disc condition, now I walk upwards of 3 miles per day. I didn’t have the confidence to take up something I enjoy, now I do an activity once a week and love it. I can run around after my GC, which is such a joy. I have overhauled my diet and eat much more healthily although I do give myself a treat from time to time.

I’ve lost about 14 stone over the last 3 years. It has made my life a lot easier! simple things like getting around and not being in pain or out of breath which is really liberating, I just fit in to the world a lot better. I’m not especially attractive so now I’m not very large I don’t stand out for any particular reason and I can just go about my business without being stared at or whispered about. I can buy clothes from shops I’ve never bought from (or not bought from since I was a teenager), but I don’t know what on earth I’m doing and get a little bit overwhelmed. A while back I rode a horse for the first time since I was a child which was fun and a bit emotional. I don’t worry I’m going to be told to lose weight when I go to the doctors, health wise I’m doing great - kidney function has much improved, blood pressure is excellent and I don’t have sleep apnea anymore. So overall, it’s been life changing!!

I’m not far off 5 stone loss now (no WLI so no side effects other than hair loss) this year.
I have been on two hiking holidays to the Lakes and managed 100 miles in six days, and 150 miles in 13 days (worse weather and shorter days).
I did go hiking with 5 stone more, but couldn’t get up the same mountains / do the same distance as now. I still get very sweaty very easily (streaming down my face), but now I don’t feel as judged for it that it’s because “I’m fat”.

I can find clothes in all stores now, previously at a size 20 it was more challenging and my go-to was Yours.

I fit better into the horrible 3-3 seat configuration on Southern trains without being embarrassed. The other day I dropped my headphones under the train seat and was able to retrieve them - I wouldn’t have been able to bend between my and the front seat before!

I don’t get sweat sores under my belly anymore. And I can cross my legs properly!

I don’t hate looking at myself in video calls anymore.

My GERD is more under control, though it’s unfortunately not gone, so I still have a massive list of trigger foods. But at least I can eat again without bringing up mouthfuls right away as happened quite often before.

I don’t worry about having to go to specific hospitals for surgery - I have private health insurance through work and my nearest hospital won’t treat over a certain BMI.

And… I can go and see my family at Christmas, without getting stupid comments about how fat I am from my aunt or grandmother. Yes, the latter one is a shame, but the last memory I have of my great aunt before she passed was her grabbing my cheeks and telling me I’m fat. When I last met my aunt months ago (different country) she looked up and down on my and said wow, you’re fat now. (Note - she’s been obese all her adult life herself!)
My grandmother told me I should stop eating. I’m sure I’ll still get a stupid comment - but I can counter, as far as family peace requirements allow.

My home country is generally very “judgy” and people stare, so they have one reason less to now.

I am sure there is loads more!

4.5 stone weight loss about 5 years ago. Mostly I just feel and move better. My knees were starting to hurt and now i have no issues. I don’t snore like hog or have heartburn anymore either. Confidence is better and it’s nice to feel good in clothes. It was well worth the effort and I don’t plan on going back to the way I was.

2 stone loss, I was not super big before but definitely had unhealthily excessive belly fat. The thing that has shocked me the most is I seem to have a better immune system. I'm working in a new school and should have come down with one virus after another by now (esp with kids literally coughing on me all the time) but apart from a couple of days of feeling grotty, I've been fine.

I also feel better on walks. I was starting to feel my weight on them. And buying clothes is a much nicer experience. My fat distribution was awful so I just looked terrible in everything that wasn't an oversized jumper. Now I'm wearing all sorts.

Downside, I'm colder.

I feel more confident because I know I look better.

I can buy clothes without wondering if I’ll squeeze in to them.

I fit through smaller spaces Gaps in crowded spaces, gaps between chair/table in a cafe, gaps between barriers etc. I am very clearly smaller.

I can reach my feet more easily to put socks on (well actually I can now bring my feet up to the chair/bed to reach them).

I can walk further and faster without getting out of breath.

I’ve just had the first summer in years without chub rub on my thighs.

I don’t mind seeing my reflection in mirrors/glass windows etc.

I can wipe my butt more easily

I have lose 3 stone and am not looking to lose any more.

Haha... That did make me chuckle 🤭
Well done and love the wit!

Only downside is the loss of insulation in the winter.....Im much colder then I was before!
(but now I can wrap up in several layers without looking like Godzilla so it doesnt matter!😄).

NSv. On holiday and haven’t suffered with chub rub at all. This usually really affects me

Easier to go to the loo, because you can reach to wipe easier.
Easier to do any exercise where your boobs and knees need to meet, like yoga.
Easier to put your shoes on without feeling breathless.
Walk faster.

I am fitter, stronger, more confident, happier and have more energy. I am 4 stone down.

I can walk miles now at a much faster pace and my knees although not perfect are so much less painful. I can kneel down, do squats and lunges and I can sit in a deep squat for short periods now, building that up slowly. Had a knee injury a decade ago and really struggled with any movement that involved my knees for years so this is real progress.

Honestly, I feel great, there is no downside for me. I don't even miss my old diet of crap. I have been gradually reducing the amount of UPF I eat and don't eat much anymore and I am now contemplating reducing alcohol intake (which isn't huge) next year.