[Pics] I met my goal and have maintained for 14 months! Here is my reflection.
I reached my goal weight 14 months ago after 11 months of keto and CICO. At 5’1”, I went from somewhere as heavy as 185 pounds to as little as 102. Since then, I’ve maintained within ~5 pounds. Here are some photos!
I’ve been off keto for almost a year now, but I’m still careful about my calorie and carb intake. I have thyroid disease and PCOS. I learned that loading up on bread and pasta was worsening my symptoms, so I still eat those in moderation.
Here are some things I’ve noticed about getting smaller:
People treat me differently
It’s not because I gained more self-confidence and opened up. I was fat, but I have always been gregarious, thoughtful, and brave. People just see me differently now. I’ve noticed that they don’t take as long to trust me. They don’t ask me a bunch of skeptical follow-up questions, and my ideas seem to be consistently better received. Strangers are politer to me. I know it sounds weird, but after all this time, the difference between before and after is very obvious.
On the flip side of that, I sometimes get sneering looks for ordering low cal drinks or entrees at restaurants. This part could be in my imagination, but I sometimes get “skinny bitch” vibes from servers. I once had a grocery store cashier ask why I was buying a lean cuisine if I was already thin.
Goodbye, chub rub
I’m not saying that thin people can’t have this problem, but I will say that, after losing weight, I just don’t experience it anymore. I used to wear holes in the thighs of all my pants. I thought it was a part of life. I didn’t even know that it was possible not to get it!
A lot of people ask me for advice and don’t take it
I am always happy to tell people how I lost weight when they ask. Often, they’re asking me so they can get started on their own fitness journey. I’ve spent a lot of time teaching folks about keto and calories and intermittent fasting... but 9/10 don’t keep it up for more than a couple of weeks. They usually sheepishly feed me some kind of excuse when I see them, but the truth is I don’t judge. It took me many, many tries before I was in a place to commit to losing weight. The only thing that grinds my gears is the time I lose explaining it all.
I still don’t know how small I am
Just today I held up an XS tee against my body and thought, “This will be way too small.” My friend insisted I try it on anyway, and lo and behold, it was loose. I still grab jeans off the rack that are 6 sizes too big for me, because when I see them, they look tiny. I frequently turn sideways to fit through openings that I could easily pass through walking straight on. People make fun of me, and I laugh with them.
I don’t hate summertime anymore
I always swore that I hated the heat. But now that I’m not trying to cover up as much of my body as humanly possible, the heat is much more tolerable, even enjoyable. I also used to think that I didn’t like the beach. Turns out it’s much easier for me to enjoy it when I’m not worried about how I look!
Warning! Too much of a good thing: a cautionary tale
Losing weight made me feel good, physically and emotionally. Each pound lost was exciting. When something traumatic happened to me, I ended up using calorie restriction to self-soothe. Just as it started getting serious, I asked for help—and luckily, I’m now in recovery and back to a healthy weight. It’s sometimes hard not to restrict again when I’m having a tough time, but I’m usually able to make the healthier choice.
No matter how much you have to lose or how long you’ve been maintaining, I’m proud of you. What we’re doing is not easy; it takes fortitude, discipline, and optimism. If my story inspires even one person who reads it, I’ll be happy to have made a difference.
See you in another year, you beautiful humans, you.
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