So What's The Difference?

Obviously there are good things about losing over 20 pounds. One is just being able to say it. You'd be surprised how often that works into my conversations. "Cooler weather today. I hope my sweaters fit, now that I've lost over 20 pounds."

Another bonus is the fact that I'm gaining another wardrobe. I haven't bought any more clothes, but I never got rid of ones that I outgrew either. Now I'm fitting into them again. I've pulled several skirts out of the "I have a dream" section of my closet, and I'm thrilled that they fit again. And I mean they seriously fit. No sucking it in so that I can zip them up, or having to change them after lunch. They actually fit!

On the down side, some of my tops don't fit as well. I mean they fit better; there's more room in them. But they're a little, um, lower than they used to be. Guess I don't have quite as much to hold them up? A side effect I wasn't expecting at any rate.

A few other odd things:  some of my rings are starting to twist a little more around my fingers. And I'm starting to slide around a little in some of my shoes. Nothing real extreme, just a little bit of oddness I wasn't counting on.

The guys in my family have been very supportive--in their own way. My husband is smart enough to compliment me often and encourage me in positive ways. The older boys cheer me on and manage to look interested for about 30 seconds when I announce my latest weight loss. The younger boys are earnest in trying to be supportive, but brutal honesty plays a role as well.

For instance, one morning as we were driving to school/work I announced the latest loss. They all congratulated me/told me I was doing a great job/told me I looked great. And then I made the mistake of asking, "Can you guys really tell I'm losing weight or are you just saying that?"

"We can tell," one of them answered. "You're arms used to be really big, but now they're getting smaller." I told them right then and there that a discussion of body parts and size comparisons would never end well, and I would forevermore be satisfied simply to hear that I looked great.

Clearly I will never have a problem with maintaining humility, no matter how much weight I lose!

As a side note:  When I started these posts, I had lost 23 pounds. Now that I'm finishing them, I've still lost 23 pounds. I'm beginning to wonder if accountability is once again cursing me!