THE SHRINKING EFFECT - Weight Loss Part 11

So, you go on a diet, and suddenly, you actually start losing weight! Not just a couple of pounds, but a considerable amount that makes a noticeable difference to both you and others!

At first you don’t really notice any difference because you see yourself in the mirror every day, but then that once tight pair of jeans aren’t so tight anymore. You start needing a belt to hold them up. Actually, now they’re simply too big and look stupid… Excellent!

It seems I can now fit in one leg of my old jeans!

They might look stupid, but what a sense of achievement! That feeling when you’ve gone down four or five dress sizes is incredible! When you stand next to someone and actually feel normal for a change! You no longer feel like that self-conscious fat blob you once saw in the mirror. You no longer hate seeing photographs of yourself. You feel beautiful for the first time in years.

You feel strong, like you can achieve anything!

These are amongst the many feelings I’ve had over the past eight months since my journey began in February, and what I call “The Shrinking Effect!”

I’m shrinking, but in a good way!

In this blog I’ll share how losing weight has changed both my physical and mental outlook. Some of the things I used to struggle with and how good it feels to no longer have these problems. And finally, what it is I'm looking forward to most the closer I get to my target.

In my last blog about setting goals I talked about being able to tie the seatbelt on an aeroplane with ease. When I got on a plane the thing I dreaded the most was not potential turbulence, nor a bad landing, but tying my seatbelt or getting to my seat and discovering that the other people in my aisle were already seated and I'd have to squeeze in somehow.

The seats themselves were a tight squeeze and putting the armrest down was an embarrassment as they never went down all the way. Likewise. the fold down tray tables often didn't fold out properly because my legs were in the way. Tall people possibly have a similar problem for a different reason.

When it came to tying my seatbelt, I'd have to make it as long as possible, breath in, squeeze and cross my fingers it would tie! Sometimes it didn't, sometimes (always when I was travelling on EasyJet to and from Germany for some reason) I'd have to ask for an extension. Understandably this was often a humiliating experience. 

24th September 2017

The feeling of finally being able to sit down with ease, put the arm rests down properly, and tie your seatbelt with ease is one I will never forget!

Chairs have been a serious struggle for years!

In many cases it’s the arms that were the problem. Going into a meeting and all the chairs round the table have arms, but when I sat in them it would be a tight squeeze, and after a few minutes I'd have to readjust myself because the arms were digging into the side of my thighs.

Going to a pub and making sure I chose to sit on the bench, or grab a stool. Going to an outdoor café where the choice is plastic patio chairs or picnic benches. Always going for the picnic benches in fear walking off with the chair if I stood up. Sitting very carefully on foldup chairs in fear of breaking them.

The list goes on!

Luckily, I no longer have to worry about these things. In fact I have now purposely chosen to sit in chairs with arms just because I can!

Another thing that goes with bars, restaurants and cafes is the gap between tables. It can be difficult enough to manoeuvre between tables for an average sized person, but for a plus sizer, you are in constant fear of knocking something over or accidentally touching a stranger. Even worse when you ask people to move their chairs in and they don’t! You find yourself apologising before you’ve even attempted to get through!

The aisle on a train is similar. You hit every armrest as you walk through, and if you are going in the right direction all the armrests fall. You attempt to go sideways to avoid this but that’s just awkward and you end up accidentally hitting people with your bag. The stress! Thank goodness, I don’t have to deal with that anymore!

The car! Now, that’s an interesting one… I remember going to look at a second hand Micra and taking it off the list as I could only just tie the seatbelt and couldn’t move freely enough to operate the car comfortably and safely. There is also a slight problem when someone else has been driving your car and they’ve pulled the seat forward and you can’t get in without first moving the seat back again!

I have now adjusted my seat twice because my bum has shrunk so much that I could no longer reach the pedals comfortably. Must be a positive thing!

Going Kayaking for the first time since I was 12 was such an exhilarating experience! I've wanted to go kayaking again for years, but couldn't because of my size. I've lost two more stone since and now feel confident to try other activities which were off limits because of my size.

Rock climbing and karting next I think!

*DISCLAIMER: Just a wee reminder that this is what has worked for me. There's no guarantee that it will work for everyone as we are all different. I’m not a professional!