Being a fat girl most of my life and hating it, losing weight has been an aspiration for so many reasons. I’ve always envied slimmer girls and dreamed of all the amazing things I would do if only I could just wake up in their bodies.  Well, I lost 50 pounds (25kg) a few years ago and here are a few things I learnt:

1.  You Will Not Look Like Kim
Nope, chances are you will not emerge with that hour-glass figure. You probably already know that different people have different body types (whether you’re an ectomorph, endomorph or mesomorph). So lower your expectations and accept that under all this excess fat is a skinnier you who is healthier, stronger and perhaps more beautiful, but isn’t Kim or Kate or Beyoncé.

2. If You have Big Breasts (D cups and above), They Will Sag
I know. We don’t like to talk about saggy tits but they are a reality. When you lose weight, depending on how much, you big voluptuous boobs will deflate. I mean, think Pure Water or bathroom slippers in extreme situations. If they are of different sizes, as is fairly common among us, that difference will become sadly apparent.
Don’t let anyone deceive you; no chest exercise or tool will resurrect your saggy breasts (except surgery). Accept them in their new state and adjust the straps of your bra. Hell, get new ones if you need to. Luckily, most men battling to take your bra off aren’t really concerned with the perkiness of your tits at that point. Be happy.

3. Stretch Marks in Strange Places
Yes, you will probably find them in strange places like your armpits and behind your knees. What is most annoying is these are places you can’t see by yourself, so it is kind friends or family who will inform you of their location. Lose enough weight and you might see a Bengal Tiger looking right back at you in the mirror (lol. You know I’m joking right?)

4. Not Every Dress You Like Will Fit You
Being fat, finding flattering clothes is challenging and when you do, chances are they will not have it in your size. When you lose weight, this will still happen, just not as often. Believe it or not, shops go out of stock on sizes and some designs will not fit perfectly. Those clothes were made using a generalized measurement. They don’t have your exact measurements. Mango/Asos/Gap isn’t your personal tailor. Prepare to buy clothes and have them adjusted to fit you better.

5. Sitting Will Hurt
Being chunky, you have a lot of padding you certainly are taking for granted. When you lose weight you lose the cushion. Prolonged sitting will hurt more quickly and you’ll have to sit by on alternating sides of your bum.
Be Ready.

6. “I Can Finally Eat Everything I Want”
No you can’t or you will just as quickly get fat again.

7. Your Insecurities Won’t Go Away
All the new clothes you can now fit into will excite you. You will want to go out and show off! Compliments from friends and family and even strangers staring occasionally will boost your confidence. But the truth is, all this will fizzle out and you will go back to you normal self. If you aren’t a confident person, losing weight won’t make that happen. You still have to deal with your insecurities.

8. All Your Problems Won’t be Solved
I was obsessed with getting a slimmer, stronger, healthier body I forgot It wasn’t the “be all end all”. Your bills will still come in regularly. You will feel lighter and stronger but you won’t have any wings and fly even if you feel like you can.

Not everyone will like you. Some men will still not find you (even remotely) attractive. Your new body is new only to you. A size 8 is really common

9. There is a 90% Chance You Will Gain All that Weight Back

The National Institutes of Health and other studies show that 98% of people who lose weight gain it back within five years. And 90% of those gain back more weight than they lost”
-Natural Life Magazine.

This is primarily because sugar has been proven to addictive and some people are more prone to addiction than others. This is why a change in lifestyle (healthy eating habits and exercise) is often recommended.

10. There is No “Easy” Weight Loss
As a serial dieter and pitiful runner, I will tell you now that no weight loss method is easy. Dieting or starving are just as hard as running a mile if not harder. Surgery too has its challenges. All methods test your will. So try to respect everyone’s weapon of choice. We are all fighting the same battle individually.

Final Note
Weight loss takes commitment and hard work and it should be celebrated along with many other successes in life, just be realistic about its benefits.

Any surprising thing you learnt after losing weight? I’d love to hear about it in the comment section below!