Everyone who reads my posts know I now weigh 175.5 pounds. This past couple of weeks people who I am related to and people I work with have made comments about how much weight I have loss and asking when I am going to stop losing. Well my true goal is 140 pounds even though my first goal is 160. When I tell "these people" I want to lose around 30 more pounds they are amazed. They go on and on about me being too skinny. To shut them up I have been telling them my true weight (I am really getting self-confident ). No one believes that I weigh that much. Now I have always been able to "hide" my weight. Anyone remember the carnival game where they guess your weight and you get a prize if they are not close? I always won the prize, but I have never been 30 pounds over weight and been able to hide it. I have been coming to terms with the fact that I may never see the scales read 140 or even 150 for that matter. Even though I am still going to monitor my weight, my goal is to look good in my clothes, not what the numbers on the scales say. My new goal is a comfortable size 8 (size 12 now).

What do you think? Is this progress in my way of thinking or am I just being delusional? Has anyone else came to this conclusion?

Susan ( AKA Northwest)
207/175.5/160/Size 8

Susan -- How wonderful to be able to "hide" the weight. I'm not nearly so lucky. At your weight I was in snug 16's and now at almost my goal, I am 10s and 12s. I have thin arms and legs, so therefore carry most of the weight in the middle. I can camoflauge it to some extent, but am quite pleased to be able to wear tucked in shirts again.

Don't stress over the weight you still have to lose vs. what others say. I did that all summer. When I finally decided to enjoy where I was, and feel good about shrinking out of all my old clothes, it finally seemed to start dropping again. (Of course the refrigerator withdrawal that comes with the start of school helped too.) By the way.... I generally don't say how much I've lost or what I plan to still lose. That way I don't get all the comments that could send me off track.

Judy

180/142.5/138
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill

I have the same reaction, Susan. I'm currently at 173 and my first goal is 150. However, when ppl comment on how they can tell I've lost weight and how much more do I want to lose, they look at me like I'm a freak when I say I plan to lose another 20. Granted, I'm 5'8.5", but I'm certainly not being unrealistic. I've gotten bold with time as well and I tell them what I weight now too and they rarely believe me !!
When I was 26, I weighed around 140 and if I got too close to 130, I looked terribly, terribly thin.....hip bones popping out etc.
150 would make me very happy
I've really had to "get over it" too...my marathon running, ex-showgirl mom is 5'11.5" and weighs 125 - at 62 she still looks HAWT in a bikini and definitely turns heads everywhere she goes. I'll never be 125 and healthy and I'm okay with that.
So funny how different weight is on different people...

Hi all, I don't post often, but I know the feeling on this one. I get the same reation when I say I have another 15-20lbs to go. My sister, whom, I asked to do this with me, has the same reaction from people. She was at a party yesterday and her DIL asked her what size her pants were. Now when she was a sung 14-16 nobody would ever think to ask that question. We were talking this am and she said that its weird that her weight is around 155-58 at 5.4" and she is now wearing a comfortable 10. My mother says to me the other day, you look better with some meat on! I told her, no I don't I am 5 8" and right now weigh around 143, and wear a comfortable 8. I have also always been able to hide my weight well too, but when you are bigger, nobdy ever asks what size do you wear or how much do you weigh, or how much weight have you gained, but they will ask after they notice that you have lost weight. I am probally rambling here, but just wanted to throw my 2 cents in on this one. Congrats on all the continuing weight losses.

Darla

FIRST, let me say: Congrads on you success and continued success, I can't wait till this is my problem.

This is a pet peeve for me. I have lost weight a number of times (like a lot of you Im sure) and because I too have been able to "wear it well" every time I get around 180 people tell me Im beginning to look sick.

The only problem with me being 180 is Im not happy with it. Its hard to work hard toward a goal when everyone is tell you to stop. I think that it may more be a case of 1) what you look like now VS what you looked like them, folks simply just not being uses to what you look like now. 2)people who just aren't comfortable with the fact you have lost weight and are truly reaching for a goal. And last but not least 3)if your are like me you think if I was just a size 14, than you become a 14 and say if I was just a size 12 and so on and so on.... When Im not trying to lose weight I see anyone smaller than I am who I think "if I could just look like that" but when Im working toward a weightloss goal my outlook and opinion is totally different.
All in all Im going to try it this way this time. WHEN (not if When) i get closer to my goal I will cross that bridge when I get to it. I think at that point I will take it one pound at a time, and for the folk who will ask me about continuing my efforts I going to say. "Im just eating right and excerising I will let my body stop when its ready to stop." I know that won't satisfy them, but if you know like me nothing does.

If God is for me, who can be againist me?

Yes, congratulations Susan, and keep up your good habits until you feel comfortable.

This is also a pet peeve of mine. Just b/c you were heavy at one point does not give other people the right to decide when you are "healthy enough". I almost always get comments like this from people who are thinner than me. I suspect a lot of this comes from passive-aggressive diet sabotagers.

I think an 8 is the perfect size for a lot of people. To anyone who has ever worn a 14 or larger, and 8 always sounds so "skinny" - so when I'm wearing an 8 I will feel great about myself. But most of us still carry enough weight at an 8 so that it is a relatively easy size to maintain if we continue a woe that is healthy.

The most important thing is feeling good about yourself. I realize that at 130 (only 15 lbs to go!), I will still not look like a super model. Guess what? At 105, I wouldn't look like a super model either Put the focus on putting healthful foods in your body, feeling good about who you are, and getting to a place where you feel optimal.

ATLynn
180/145/130
Started LC 12/16/2002

I can relate. My mother says I am too skinny. I am just now back in 12s. I am 5'8" and I look great in 10s. Have a wonderful wardrobe in closet waiting for me. I have 7 more lbs to lose I will be 145 and that is reasonable for me.

Lynn
6/6/03
163/152/145
38/33/39.25 5'8"

I have also been able to 'hide' my weight, and when I tell people what I weigh (188lbs) they don't believe me. I doubt they realise I was 217!! I'm quite happy today because the first person ever, my hairdresser, said 'You've lost weight' without being prompted by me.

Like you, I don't know if I will be able to make it down to 140. I'm almost 50 years old and it's harder to lose weight, also on low carbing, my weight loss has slowed down to about one pound a week (if I'm lucky). I'm content as it's pure fat that's going.

I think you will know when you are at about the right weight. Your body will feel comfortable.

I don't know whether it is the woe or what, but just about everyone here comments that they look slimmer than they weigh. It must be to do with the way fat is lost.

Btw, my hairdresser also said my skin looked 'radiant'. I told her it was a benefit of Atkins that we are encouraged to drink the water - Atkins has a bad press over here and I try to 'advertise' it when I can.

Susan, congratulations on your weight loss. Hope that I'll be able to join you on the maintenance board someday.
Clare

Good to see posts from the "Tall" people in this forum. I, too, am 5"8.5". I have been able to "hide" a lot of weight over the years. I was very skinny most of my growing up years until about 40. Then I began to gain. Slowly, at first, and then rapidly as a stressful vocation caused me to choose to deal with stress through junk food. 60 lbs later, I stopped having pics taken, bought larger and larger clothes, and no one said a thing to me! (Except my 4'11" Mom, God rest her soul now)
Now that I've lost 30 lbs. few people even notice! Though, some do and that is nice. I'm comfortably in a 14 now, and heading toward a 12. (Down from 18-20) Interestingly (to me) is that I just can't seem to get my head around wearing a 12. I know that it's okay with my head, but a part of me thinks that a 12 is too small for me. I have small bones (though no one would have known), and used to wear "8's" My tummy still sticks out, and that hampers my size.

I'm rambling. Sorry. Just thought I would add. I'm struggling with being smaller.
Peg
1/1/03
205/177/165 5'8.5"

Peg

You and me both! I was thin until my 40s. I am 5'6" with small to medium bones. I have a hard time imagining myself in size 12. I have this problem with clothes on my top half - I could probably wear a size smaller than my UK18 (US16?) but my big tummy shows up too much. I've heard that we can lose weight from the top down, and I do hope that more comes off my middle and thighs soon.

Susan, everyone, are you exercising? I have not been very good about this. I know I should do it, but it's not very 'me'. I have been doing 'some' lately, but not enough....
Clare
217/188/140
since May 30th 2003

I think we lose from the top down, and the bottom up, and just sort of skip the middle. My top half (down to my chest) is ok, my legs are great (I forgot I used to have killer legs for being short!).. The middle part.. well.. what's goin on! Geeeeeeze. My hips and my waist need some serious help, and ab crunches don't seem to be doing it.

(296/223/135) 04/01/03
The Downward Spiral Begins

>>Susan, everyone, are you exercising? I have not been very good about this. I know I should do it, but it's not very 'me'. I have been doing 'some' lately, but not enough....
Clare<<

Yes, I got back into exercise: walking, badminton, folk dancing. Regular walking alone made a huge difference.

For me, if the exercise isn't recreational, I just won't do it. I can't go sit on a stationary bike or do weight machines. Whatever I do, has to have a pleasure beyond just getting some physical exercise. I do admire those who have the fortitude to go the the gym and work out.

~~~Teelbee

174 (Mar. 2002, highest weight), 164 (Jan. 2003, begin LC)
164/133/137-134
remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic

I'm different I lose weight in my legs and belly first , and then finally in my arms. I have chubby arms, that I hate. When I was 11 I had a doctor tell my I was too skinny , then he grabbed my arm and said oh no you're healthy. I never noticed until that day, and now I hate them.Stupid doctor.

I love all of the comments. It is "funny" how we "see' ourselves differently than how others see us.

"I think that it may more be a case of 1) what you look like now VS what you looked like them, folks simply just not being uses to what you look like now. 2)people who just aren't comfortable with the fact you have lost weight and are truly reaching for a goal. And last but not least 3)if your are like me you think if I was just a size 14, than you become a 14 and say if I was just a size 12 and so on and so on". Hartensia, these are great comments. I never thought about how they were use to seeing me :-). I am a great deal like you~~I will probably never be satisfied. I remember saying I would be happy wearing a 12, and now it is an 8 {I just skip right pass the 10}.

Lynn, congratulations on being so close to your goal.

AtLynn, who wants to be a supermodel anyway . From what I have read lots of them do not feel a bit good about themselves, and they do not eat anything.

Clare, my hair dresser keeps asking me if I have changed my brand of make up. She keeps telling me my skin looks so good now. I did not attribute it to eating since I started using a new face medication. I will have to tell her this one. Her SO has started eating low carb. We will be maintaining together eventually .

Judy, Peg, Claire and everyone else who has the weight in their belly, I have a big tummy too. Judy, I still will not tuck in my shirts . I am really hung up over that one--just what I need more hangups .

Back 31 years ago when I first met my husband I weighed 120 pounds (I am 5'5" and big boned). I just cannot even imagine looking good at that weight now. I would really get comments about looking sick .

Thanks for all of your responses. They were very good comments.

Susan ( AKA Northwest)
207/175.5/160/size 8
LC since 4/03