There's a thread in the triple digits club on which people are posting their sunshine moments. I thought I would start one here, because even though my stats indicate that I need/ed to lose more than 100 pounds, I feel kind of like a voyueur there. I feel more like I'm halfway between a triple-digit person and a "short timer."

So on to sunshine moments. Sunshine moments are little joyful moments during your day when you realize or have something occur that enhances the LCing process. Here are a few of mine to get us started:

1. The day I noticed my wrist knuckle showing on my right arm (my left won't show because of a childhood injury).

2. Seeing my neck for what feels like the first time. It's short, so it hides easily.

3. Realizing that my weight is coming off differently this time, mostly off my tummy -- I think it indicates that I am losing only fat, not muscle.

4. When I realized it actually felt good to walk.

5. The veins starting to show on my hands.

6. My knees are starting to look knobby.

7. Fitting into clothes 2 to 3 sizes smaller than anything else in my closet (don't worry, I bought some).

So what are your sunshine moments? I'm sure they are happening daily. They are the little joyful moments that keep me going!

;-Deb

Deb,
What a neat posting this is. People always seem to dwell on not being able to eat this or that, or I have to exercise and don't feel like it!!! but this is really neat to look at the positive sides ... even as small as they may be!!!

I have only a few that seem to keep me going....

-I don't have the belly that I used to...
-When I lie down, there are actually hip bones ....
-I have shoulder blades!!!
-I have wonderful wonderful energy that I didn't have before I started.
-My self estime has skyrocketed ... I'm more outgoing and less self conscious and more confident of myself.
-and because of that, I have a longer temper and go with the flow easier.
-I wake up each day and feel wonderful ... and go to bed each day and feel that I've accomplished something when I've concentrated on my eating habits for the day...
-I have a waist line
-My rings fit looser.
-My clothes feel more comfortable

I could probably go on, but I don't want to take up everyone elses ideas....

Thanks for the wonderful idea... this is really great!!!
Hope to talk again!!!!

Great thread idea! Deb, cheers for your success!

- My uniform pants now fit. They were too snug when I got them - but they were the closest fit. They're a tad loose now!

- Rediscovering the produce section of the store and the farmer's market. Such nice veggies and berries. I had forgotten what they were.

- Going through the afternoon, getting things done and feeling good, instead of feeling run down, wanting to go to bed and sleep. I hated the afternoon slump - now I rarely get it.

- Eating a meal and being satisfied. Not thinking about food all the time!

Here's some of my sunshine moments...

Putting on a pair of jeans that were tight when I started this WOL a year ago and having them fall to the floor when I let go.

Being able to look down and wave hello to my feet again.

NEEDING to buy new warm weather clothes because everything from last summer is now ridiculously big.

Seeing my cheekbones and collarbones for the first time in years....wow! They really ARE still there!

Weighing LESS than my husband for the first time in 6 years.

Having my husband hug me and tell me how glad he is that I'm loosing weight because he wants to spend a long and healthy life with me.

DebPenny,
What a neat idea for a thread!!! It's sure to bring many smiles and nods of agreement.

A couple of mine:

1. Every time my hubby calls me the incredible shrinking lady
2. Conquering a new recipe
3. Discovering a new vegetable and actually making something delicious with it
4. My biggest sunshine moment was the day I looked down at my thighs while sitting at the diningroom table, and realizing I could see the chair seat on both sides again

many of my sunshine moments are similar to what has been posted but i think my best one is first being able to kneel on the floor (couldn't do that for years) then lo and behold i was able to get up!!

I've had so much fun reading everyone's submission ... This is really great!!!


I want to read more and more!!!

Great job everyone!!!

A few of my sunshine moments - when I saw my ears peeking out from behind my full moon cheeks. When I slid into a restaurant booth w/o rearranging everything on the table. When the table overlapped me instead of vice versa. When I could roll over in bed w/o using block and tackle. When my legs looked like legs again, not tree stumps.

This is so neat ....
Thank you Deb for starting this thread ... I hope it goes for along time coming!!!

1. I know it has been said, but my wedding ring is starting to fit! I got married 2 and a half years ago and it didn't fit then. I kept putting off resizing it because I wanted to lose weight. There were times I couldn't wear it because it hurt and left a great big indent in my finger! But now I can wear it and it is almost a perfect fit!!

2. The day that I didn't have to tell my husband what he weighed. See he used to call me when he was standing on the scale he couldn't see over his belly to see how much his weight was. He would have to call me and have me bend over and tell him. Now he can do it on his own! (He was 240 is now 205, 5' 7", 27 yr. old, and started this WOE 1-26-2002)

3. The day I tucked my shirt in! I NEVER do that, I feel more comfortable wearing my shirt out to cover my belly. I am a tucker now! Now that feels great.

4. The day I realized that I am a good person, I can do this and just about anything I put my mind to. (Since this WOL I started in Jan. I am learning how to drive which is my biggest fear, also signed up for college and I start in the Fall.)

5. The day I was walking around without clothes on after a shower with my husband in the room and I didn't want to cover my body because I wasn't ashamed of it anymore. I didn't care if he saw me, I was proud of my body and felt good about myself.

6.Waking up in the morning and logging on here to go to my journal and seeing all the friends I made that support me. They tell me that I am a good person and make me want to be a better person. I have found more support and good friends then I ever thought I would.

7. The morning when I got out of the shower and my towel wrapped around me with out having a huge gap of my side/stomach/butt where the towel didn't reach the other end of the towel.

8. The day I was on this board and read a post about heart murmurs and realized that I haven't had ANY since I started the WOE. I started having them allot for awhile before I started. I was REALLY worried about it.


I am taking MY life back. I am in control of my eating and myself. I am learning to love and respect myself. I can't think of anything else that I could even dream for.

Jess

*Just added, I made a mistake above and said since Feb. I meant Jan 25. (Still only 6 days difference) Sorry, That is what happens when you have to kids, trying to make them lunch and typing at the same time. Yes and Alyssa threw her food and part of it stuck to the wall! Just love 1 year olds!!

And getting our lives back is the biggest ray of sunshine of all those mentioned.

Jess and everyone else, thank you for posting to this thread. You don't know how inspiring it is to me to read your sunshine moments.

Let's keep the sunshine moments coming.

;-Deb

Oooh oooh oooh!

I'm afraid my sunshine moments are mostly shallow ones .....

1) Being able to walk into any regular store and fit into a size. Including the Junior department!! I hovered for so long on the 14/16 fence....too big for regular stores, too small for the plus sizes. I am sooooo happy to indulge my fashion obsession again.

2) Have people who haven't seen me in a few weeks come up to me in shock saying "Oh my god, you look so skinny!" and "wow, you look great" constantly. It's such an ego boost!

3) Knowing my boyfriend loves me the same here as he did when I weighed 190. Seriously, he is such a great guy....even when I gained 15 pounds in two months on the pill, he ALWAYS made me feel beautiful.

4) Being able to fit into my roommates' size medium clothes (there it is, those clothes again...can you tell I love clothes )

5) Being able to have my arms hang at my sides and form a straight sillouette....I always hated that slight arm bulge, I have countless pictures of me with my hands on my hips, or my arms behind me....

6) Speaking of pictures....I'm no longer afraid of them! I no longer feel the need to "arrange" my body in it's most flattering position. Now I can just smile

grace

PS: Way to go Jess! Wow, your weight loss has been incredible since Feb.! And college....I hope you have fun

A great sunshine moment for me was when I actually lost the 30 lbs I had gained.
I am 5'3", and I got up to my heaviest weight of 160lbs.
I was sluggish, lethargic, had constant headaches, nasty oily skin,
constantly bloated with gas, and couldn't breath through my nose. I was also up half the night with heartburn and acidy stomach.

Now I am fit, trim, down to a reasonable weight (131lbs) which I would have thought too much when I was in my 20's, but it is perfect for me now.

I can breathe (that is when allergy season slows down!)
I look good, my nails, skin and hair absolutely glow
I still get compliments on my loss
I can wear Junior sizes again
MOst of all I have alot of energy, I sleep better at night and
I 'm healthier than I've ever been
My self esteem has risen!
I have bones again.
I haven't had an antacid for quite some time now. (every once in awhile when I do bad, I need one but other than that NONE!)

How's that for sunshine!

This thread is wonderful....has brought tears to my eyes reading other people's sunshine moments. I'm so happy for you all!! And for me, too....

1) When I stopped myself just in time from having to go buy a new, larger size wardrobe because the 16's were getting too small. I found Atkins and this forum and now I'm back in my 14's!....got plenty of those in my closet!

2) When I BEAT my 5:15a alarm in the mornings anxious to start my BFL workout.

3) When I relish the taste of a strawberry or the crunch of broccolli and realize that my perspective on food now is so much healthier.... I eat to live, not live to eat.

4) When my husband tells me I look sexy in my workout clothes even when I have "hospital hair", no make up, and 30 lbs. overweight.

5) Realizing a new-found determination, confidence, and ZEAL that I've never experienced before....and figuring out that this is what is known as a "runner's high"!! And I've got one!

God bless you all!!