Turning points and persistent body image issues after major weight loss

Man, make up a fib for me this time. 🤣

My first impulse is to reply defensively here. Yet some of your points hold up. Clearly I react too strongly to criticism. You don't really know who I am after all. I'm not the type of woman who prioritizes thinness above everything else. My current choice to skip intense training for a more defined physique comes from actual obstacles in my life. What one person calls soft might not match what another thinks. In my view falling short of top performance in strength or speed against all other women in the area would make me inadequate. This all or nothing approach to many areas leaves me dealing with constant frustration and negative self views these days. During my active period I handled sets of curls with thirty five pounds and hit a maximum of fifty. How many typical teenage girls without performance enhancers could match that level? I also completed large numbers of abdominal exercises in a row and held positions for extended periods. My education costs were covered thanks to my dedication and physical condition. So I understand the effort required for building strength. Certain ongoing medical problems currently make physical activity much tougher than before. For that reason my appearance doesn't match what I prefer. On top of that I maintain connections with relatives and companions even when their views differ from mine or they express concern. Handling difficult discussions is necessary for grown up bonds and caring for each other involves addressing issues regardless of agreement. I refuse to label people as harmful and cut ties simply because they don't validate every choice especially when I'm mistaken. I can accept guidance admit errors and handle uncomfortable realities. Although your assessment isn't entirely off it seems based on a simplified take of my words and the delivery lacks compassion.

Yeah that seems like a clever idea for the step after this.

Quite some time in the past while on an earlier effort to drop excess weight I tried out that particular measurement pod and it counted as the top reference back then. I am curious if the scan device has now become the current top reference.

I understand that perspective completely. Being female myself, I've experienced weights from one twenty up to one ninety. My body carried those pounds differently depending on the time in my life. When I weighed around one twenty to one twenty five during my early twenties, I appeared very thin and bony, yet it suited me then and felt right. On the day I married, at one thirty five, everything seemed balanced and well. After having children, there were fluctuations, and during lower periods I reached one thirty. Photos from then surprise me now because I seemed so slender without noticing it at the time. My target is one forty where I expect to feel comfortable, while building strength since recovering muscle becomes tougher with age. Recently at a swimming area I noticed my legs, especially the one hurt in an incident months ago, haven't fully recovered. So I must emphasize building power to manage skiing season ahead. I hope dropping pounds won't lead to any clinical label for disordered eating.

These days my looks seem average, though my strength falls short of what I'd prefer. Getting fitter just for looks doesn't motivate me much, especially with how sick I've felt lately. What really drives me is wanting to stay on top among the women playing softball in the local league. Right now a teenager half my age is outperforming me, which is funny.

It's really cool to get a dexa scan so inexpensively. A three-dimensional scanner is available locally for similar cost, yet dexa scans typically run much higher each time.

Body changes after having children really hit hard. That distorted view of your own shape is definitely a thing. Back in university with visible abs I still saw myself as unattractive and pudgy. What a ridiculous way to think. After my first baby and the added pounds I reached the higher end of normal on the scale and felt completely useless for the first time. Those chemical shifts go wild. Wishing you a great time on the slopes this season! Looks like loads of fun!

Really glad you shared your thoughts here. It helps me see the whole situation in a clearer light.

Hmm, I suppose those kinds of forecasts amount to nothing except sexist attempts at control. People might accept them or expose them for that.

Keep crushing it! Even though you're not as old as I am, these days I think of building power more for staying healthy longer instead of appearance. I've always had good strength naturally, yet getting older has reduced it somewhat, which pushes me to hold onto what muscle I can. Recently I tried squats while holding my feline friend. The little guy tips the scale at fourteen pounds, meaning extra resistance beyond my body alone, plus he's very affectionate. Lol

🤣🤣 Maybe I ought to try squatting while holding the pup. At twenty four pounds he'd probably tolerate the motion fine lol. The cat would leave me hurting if I tried though.

Which of us are you labeling as anti-women, me or the other guy who kept babbling nonsense?

Those trails around the huge canyon look fantastic. Wishing I could regain my drive and resume doing them the same way you managed.

That reply came across as very caring and helpful 💖

My usual tiredness is getting worse because I haven't been getting enough protein in my diet lately, leaving me more tired than normal. There was a period when I felt much more energetic following my lupus episode, but now things seem off again. Fainting spells have returned. I'm thinking about beginning iron pills since I've had low levels before. A heavy bleed during my cycle recently probably lowered my iron stores further. I should have additional tests done. It might actually be helpful to be past menopause, though I doubt I'll feel that way once it arrives. 😅🤣

Those experiences stood out as truly wonderful times. Months went into building up endurance beforehand. The bulk of that long route got covered by running, spanning forty two miles along with two point five miles of total ascent. Comments from others often focused on going slow just to take in the sights around the gorge. My response pointed out the eleven hours spent right there inside, which allowed full observation of all details. What stood out most though was the sense of peak condition making movement almost effortless, with the ground feeling easy with every step forward. Ignoring current health concerns for a moment, opportunities for new tests of ability still exist ahead. It seems your own inner push to compete echoes the one from my younger times. Now at nearly sixty nine, greater happiness comes from those past accomplishments than from having missed out on them completely.

Man, I sure do crave that effortless glide during tough training sessions. It’s something I crave deeply now. Bounding skyward with ease and covering long stretches on foot without panting at all. Boy, those recollections feel pretty great.

Skiing is such an exciting activity for me. The rush feels incredible, especially when I sense the terrain beneath as I manage my movements at any pace I pick. It brings so much joy and a real boost of confidence.

I find the desert has a unique and calming quality. My home was there for quite some time, and I really liked going on hikes through the canyons. It wasn't like your level of passion for it, but I did like doing that when the day was nice, definitely not during July 😛

At thirty two and dealing with some medical concerns I just shrug and adapt using my current situation to channel ambition into activities that let my competitive side show through.

I decided to be a little daring. That mood is sure to pass before long, I reckon haha!

That was what I expected all along, yet it remains an eye-catching accessory anyway. ❤️

The arid lands have always appealed to me. This is the sole location I chose to relocate to deliberately. All prior moves came from employment reasons, career shifts, education, or similar factors. Nearly four decades have passed since my arrival. One aspect that stands out during treks through these dry expanses is my avoidance of tunes. In professional settings, domestic tasks, or while driving, audio is essential. Yet on footpaths here, silence prevails. Instead, I notice wind rustling, avian calls, and footsteps on the path. Any soundtrack would feel disruptive to the experience. Moreover, ear coverings would mask the warning sounds from venomous reptiles.

Trying to recapture earlier days won't achieve anything. Shedding more fat relative to muscle improves overall body makeup positively. My percentage of body fat has decreased by over half and is nearing a two thirds drop. This represents true body recomposition. Some claim muscle wasting can't be reversed, yet what makes that permanent? Scans showed my lean tissue reduced by nine pounds while total weight fell fifty four pounds. I've continued losing another eighteen pounds after the final scan, reaching ninety three pounds altogether. With one third less bodyweight, less muscle is needed just to move around daily. Halting this ongoing thousand calorie daily restriction after nine months should allow my stored energy to return partially. Including creatine and regular weight training sessions, reaching higher lean mass levels than at the year's beginning seems possible. Peptides serve as my main tool for controlling weight without any food limits or physical activity required to sustain the deficit.

I stopped teaching at university when I turned thirty-three and switched to working with horses full-time across America and Europe. By thirty-six I had a lovely Brazilian kid who competes in show jumping. Most of my grown-up years I looked like an overweight scholar, yet I still carried the strength built from years of physical labor on farms throughout my adulthood. I know my thirties won't return, and I'll leave my forties soon enough, which doesn't bother me. I'll keep going out on my old horses at a gentle pace until it's time to switch to others that are a bit less old. I'll remain active with a positive attitude, content, and focus on being the healthiest I can in my circumstances 😂

That's fantastic news! I totally share your view. It's surprising the way such things can shift your path entirely.

When I reached my second target around 165 pounds I tried easing off but kept lowering the intake every four weeks from ten milligrams down to six and still shed an extra ten pounds anyway. I began eating bigger portions with things like potatoes plus pasta and other carbohydrates while having more beer yet the pounds kept coming off and especially the abdominal fat vanished. Some weight returned later though it could have been just fluid retention. That remark matches exactly what my current weight is at 165 considering my age and how things stood back in high school.

That's a fair question to ask. My partner isn't bothered by my weight in any way, yet he seems truly glad when I feel better about myself and we end up being intimate more often after I drop the extra pounds. At the moment he doesn't see me as skinny, but I guess that might shift in the near future.

Was this a whisky post?