Weird Things That Happened When I Lost Weight

I was a cancer-survivor, a new mom, and battling several chronic health issues when I decided to go plant-based for my health. Since changing my diet and lifestyle, I have regained my health and lost 80 lbs in the process. For details on this, please see My Story and How We Lost Over 100 lbs.

I was inspired to write this after seeing Brian and Jessica Krock discuss “Bad” Things About Weight Loss. I experienced several of the things they discussed and appreciated their honesty. I have also experienced different “weird things” during my own weight loss journey.

Before losing 80 lbs, I had a perception in my mind of what weight loss would be like. I thought I would look and feel a certain way, but the reality didn’t quite match up to my imagination. Several unexpected things happened after losing weight, and I thought it would be fun to share!

1. Feeling Cold

Prior to losing weight, I was never someone who felt very hot or very cold unless I was in extreme weather. Now, I always need extra layers to keep warm. It’s weird to get used to always feeling cold.

2. Shoe Size Changed

Some of my shoes still fit, but I’ve had to part with some of my shoes because they were so big that they would rub on my heels and give me blisters. I didn’t think my shoe size would change after losing weight!

3. Weird Reactions From Others

All of a sudden your body becomes a subject of conversation in a way it never was prior to losing weight. As an obese woman, my weight was never discussed. After losing weight, people are shocked and want to know what you’re doing and ask “what’s your secret?” When I would tell people that I went plant-based, I would get interesting reactions from “Oh…” and they would immediately lose interest to “That’s great! I could never go vegan” or “What do you even eat?” In certain cases, I wasn’t even recognized! People also make really strange comments like, “Where’s the rest of you?” or “OMG! You lost half of yourself!” Most of the time people are well-intended, but it’s been very interesting to have such different reactions and conversations. 

4. Self Perception Catch-up

This shows up in many different ways: 

I can feel my bones – I notice my bones poking out and can feel them in a way I never could before. 

I don’t take up as much space as I think I do – When maneuvering out of someone’s way or trying to fit through a small space, my judgement of my own body size is often way off. I think I take up more space than I actually do, and it’s weird to have that realization.

Shopping is weird – As my weight has decreased I’ve had to shop for new clothes quite a bit. It has taken me time to get used to my new sizes along the way and not just auto-piloting to my previous sizes.

5. Tie Drawstrings

This one may seem ridiculous…and I agree that it is indeed ridiculous. I never needed to tie my drawstrings when I was obese. My sweatpants would just stay up without tying the strings! It’s a funny change that I’ve noticed, and that oddly enough, I’m still getting used to.

6. Bed Seems Huge

After losing weight, I’ve noticed that our bed seems huge. I don’t take up as much space as I used to, and it’s very noticeable that our bed seems much more spacious.

7. Bony Butt Syndrome

I can’t sit in one spot for very long without my butt starting to ache. Chris (my husband) has talked about having this issue himself for years, and I never understood it until now. Before I lost weight I could sit on the floor and even do yoga without a mat with no issue. It is so weird to get used to!

8. Crunchy Elbows

If I lean my elbows on the table, I get a weird crunchy, grinding feeling in my elbows. It sounds terrible, but it doesn’t hurt or anything. It just feels uncomfortable and I have to reposition myself. 

9. Share Clothes with Chris (My Husband) 

Chris has always been a slim guy. My weight on the other hand, progressively increased over time. In the past, I would always joke with Chris that maybe one day our sizes would meet in the middle so we could share clothing. (I was hoping he would gain some weight and I would lose some weight.) I was thrilled when I discovered that we could share shirts and pants! I know not all couples would want to share clothing, but it’s really exciting and fun for us!

10. Loose Skin

I have some loose skin! When I initially lost 60 lbs in my first year of going plant-based I didn’t notice any loose skin. Now that I have lost a total of 80 lbs, I definitely notice loose skin on my stomach, arms, and legs. It’s not anything super dramatic, but it is noticeable and sometimes bothersome. Please let me know if you’d like a full post about my experience with loose skin.

So, those are the 10 weird things I experienced after losing weight. They are mostly funny and odd things that are not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I would definitely experience all of these weird things again and again over being chronically ill and obese. I will always be so thankful that I found my way to a whole food plant-based diet and lifestyle. I’ve been able to regain my health and now I can do all of the things I want to do…play with my son, run, dance, yoga, lift weights, and do calisthenics.

Let me know if you would like a part 2 to this post. There are other weird things I have experienced that I can share if you’re interested.