So, I’m sure I can not be the only person to lose weight, even an appreciable amount, and have nobody comment. I understand that people don’t comment because they think you may be ill …

Yesterday I bought some new tops, three sizes smaller than my usual tops. So no longer wearing the ‘baggy ‘ stuff, although they are still loos, and had an immediate comment tonight!!! “You look so much thinner. You’ve lost an obvious amount of weight’.

Maybe people don’t comment/notice when we lose weight because we still ‘hide’ ourselves in old baggy clothes!! We need to get more confidence and just dump the baggy stuff!!^

Verano – how lovely to buy new tops 3 sizes smaller. You must have felt great when people noticed your weight loss.

I lost almost 3 stone by 10th December 2016 but waited until the January sales to buy my new work clothes. When I started back to work in January a lot of people were so shocked because they thought I had lost all the weight over the 3 weeks I close down over Christmas.

I had lots of smaller clothes from all the other times I had lost weight – none of which were suitable for work. So people who saw me in the smaller clothes over the months I was losing the weight noticed my weight loss – but my clients who saw me in the baggy stuff didn’t notice. It made sense not to buy new stuff until the sales – but there was an element of fear also. I was scared that this would be like all the other times I had lost weight before and piled it all back on in record time and I didn’t want to waste money on new work clothes only to wear them for a few short weeks.

My best friend – who just like me has struggled with her weight over the years – has just told me she has lost 46lbs. I was quite upset with myself that I hadn’t noticed but reading your post I realised the she was still wearing the same clothes and they were hiding her weight loss really well. So you are right – we need to just dump the baggy stuff.

Yes Krysia I remember the ‘clown’ work clothes you used to speak of. Can you believe it’s nearly a year since you dumped them! Also I think if we do hide behind the ‘baggy stuff’ it’s easier not to notice the odd couple of pounds we may occasionally put back on and that’s the beginning of the slippery slope. I think your friend’s experience just adds to the point. It seems to be so easy to become despondent when nobody notices the results of our hard work. Self sabotage comes to mind! Yes lets just dump the baggy stuff or at least buy just one item in our new size to show off the results of our hard work!

Verano – the baggy ‘clown’ work clothes were absolutely ridiculous. Now – when I think about them – I can hardly believe that I thought it was ok to leave the house in them! It was such a wonderful January day when I walked into the Rohan shop in Norwich and bought my lovely new size 10 work trousers and tops and then went back home and dumped the clown trousers and tops.

I was also very brave and bagged up all my too big clothes and took them to the local animal charity shop. I had been on diets since 1965 and had always carefully packed up the big stuff for when I put the weight back on. This time I have no big stuff – which does give you a big incentive to keep on keeping on at maintenance.

Of course the two major things that have kept me on track are (1) keeping on this forum, and even when I don’t post I always read the new posts every day, and (2) keeping of the bad carbs. If I keep off the bad carbs the carb monster stays safely locked away and it hardly takes any willpower to stay on the BSD.

On December 10th it will be a year on maintenance. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such an outcome when I started the BSD on 30th April 2016.

Great story Krysia! I so love to read about these successes it really makes me smile and helps me through the rough patches. I have also been maintaining when I really should still be in losing mode, but I have followed your lead and disposed of most of my ‘baggy’ clothes now, even the ones with the labels still on that I never wore, but for some reason I’ve been clinging onto my tops. Anyway, well done, your journey is quite inspiring.

I agree with Verano, Krysia – you are an inspiration to us all. A year on maintenance will certainly be something to celebrate!

I have just booked a fabulous safari holiday for next Spring and reading your post made me realise that it will coincide with my “first year maintenance anniversary” (please God I get that far!) What a way to celebrate – I’m sure there will be too much food and drink involved (but hopefully lots of activity too), so will have to make sure I have plenty of wriggle room before I go.

I too have donated all my large clothes to charity, so if I put on any weight, I genuinely “won’t have a thing to wear!” I am, however a little miffed because I had kept some absolutely beautiful and very expensive clothes from some years ago and only finally got rid of them last November on the basis of finally accepting that I would never, ever be able to get into them again! Huh!!! If only I’d known about BSD then, and hung onto them for just a few months longer, I could be wearing them all now………………..grrrrrr!! Though, come to think of it, they were all size 10s (UK) so would probably have been too big now!

As far as people noticing weight loss, I agree, most people didn’t for quite some time – or at least they didn’t comment, and those that did were very reticent in case I had lost weight because of illness. I even have the odd friend (generally ones who are a bit overweight themselves) who constantly tell me that I have lost too much – I think that may be a bit of the green-eyed monster rearing his head? Now people comment so often that, frankly, I have got to the stage where I would really like them to stop mentioning it every time I see them and just accept this as the “new me”.

Hi ladies, it is fantastic to hear so many maintenance stories of
late. Krysia, WOW! One year on maintenance! I’ve been maintaining
for 5 1/2 months following a 146 lb loss, but feel that I have so much
to learn before I feel comfortable and confident with it. I’m 12 lbs
under target and 21lb within a healthy BMI, so I’m doing this very
imperfectly, to say the least!

Theodora, I know what you mean about comments from others!
I don’t see this as a “new me” however, but as a return to the “old
me” before I took a 17 year detour into obesity. I don’t know
if this qualifies as a green eyed monster story, perhaps it’s simply
a passive agressive one. I have one sister whose major claim to
fame is that she’s remained a good 10lbs. underweight for the past
35 years. Recently she had this to say “Allie, your weight loss is
commendable, but I think you looked a lot prettier before you lost
the last 25 lbs.” Fortunately, I don’t have to see her too often! 🙂
I was inspired by your anniversary try on of your wedding dress.
I’ve kept mine, too, and decided to give it a try. The gown went
up well, but, alas, the set of bat wings that swing from my arms
made them too tight. Oh well, I can certainly live with it.

Wishing you all a great day!

Allie

I think – although the BSD is brilliant – it’s this forum that is the magic ingredient. I have learnt so much here – there is just so much knowledge on this forum. Also – everyone is so kind and supportive – especially when we are going through rough patches. Just reading about everyone’s journey is so inspirational.

Yes, Krysia, 5 thumbs up on the benefits of this forum. I agree that
it is the way forward for me. The support is phenomenal. So happy
to meet you all!

Allie

Morning I’m so glad you all post and are so positive it’s really helping me out at the moment. Whenever I read these ‘happy’ posts it really lifts my spirits. I love the idea not of a ‘new me’ but rather the rediscovery of an ‘old me’. I am still in the process of ‘uncovering’ the ‘old me’ but it’s lovely to have the constant reminder that the ‘old me’ is a possibility in the future.

Last night I revisited my weight loss days on fatsecret to check just what I was eating when I was losing well. Needless to say it was a lot less than now! I’m just thankful that I have control of this WOE and I’m only gaining and losing the same couple of pounds. I think it’s time for me to leave the ‘challenges’ as I’m finding them rather counter productive. I won’t leave the boards as everyone is so helpful. Just going to take one day at a time and re-read ‘the book’, yet again, for added motivation. So its onwards for me towards that ‘other person’.

How exciting Theodora! I went on a short safari many years ago which left me with two abiding memories. One was the sheer ‘blackness’ of pure light and seeing lightening streaking across the sky many, many miles away. The second, and something I’ll never forget, was a line of elephants coming out of the bush in the twilight, tail in trunk, it was just amazing. A lovely treat to dream about Theodora.

What a lovely conversation

The rediscovery of the old me after a 17 year detour into obesity – Alliecat, that’s a great way of putting things. I’ve been on BSD for only 10 weeks, but I started to diet last year. Altogether, so far, I’ve lost 2lb short of 3 stone – my BP and my Bsg levels have both gone down – I’m really pleased, particularly about the latter. But the thing that really thrills me, and puts a smile on my face most mornings, is that I can feel that old me coming back!

I’ve always wanted to go to Africa – what lovely memories, Verano, and what a fantastic holiday to look forward to, Theodora.

KrysiaD – the forum is the magic ingredient – and the people on it. They inform, educate, make me smile, sometimes soothe me, and lift my spirits, as you say Verano. I see all your names on these forums and always read what you have to say. Magic.