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People Reveal Which Small Things Their Significant Other Does That Makes Them Feel Loved

It's not just pet names or little gifts.


It's the little actions and the looks. It's the quality time. It's a swift kiss on the cheek or a perfectly cooked dinner.

There are so many ways your significant other can make you feel loved.

u/nokanjaijo asked:

[Serious]What is a small act your SO regularly does for you that makes you feel deeply loved?

Here were some of the answers.

Very considerate.

Giphy

I have chronic pain which is exacerbated by lack of sleep, and he snores, so he sleeps in another room. But I love falling asleep with him there. So he sits in bed and reads until I fall asleep and then sneaks out quietly.

MonkeyHamlet

As he should.

He rings me every single time he sees a cute dog. Like every time. And will describe in detail how cute/fluffy/happy etc the dog was and if possible will also send me pictures (if he's had the chance to ask permission), because he knows how happy dogs make me. It makes my day every time.

thelittledancingcat

The Little Touch

Giphy

He never passes me without contact. There is always a gentle touch somewhere each time and if I pass him instead then he always reaches his hand out for me. It's incredibly comforting and loving.

strawberrypops

That's nice of him.

Whenever I feel down he can tell and we have little therapy sessions. I don't open up about my feelings a lot and it's easier when it's just over the phone because I don't have to look at peoples faces and feel judged. We did it before we even started dating.

We're similar so he can help with a lot of my problems and when he needs it, I'm there.

LillaNerd

A Simple Convo

Every day, he leaves work at 4.30pm and he will call me and talk to me for the whole 45 minutes it takes him to drive home, I hear him pull up outside the house and he'll say 'bye, see you in a minute' then comes in and says hi and kisses me as though we haven't just spent the last 45 minutes talking.

He's done it for ages.

I look forward to my phone ringing everyday at 4.30pm. Even after all this time.

kebel23

Now THAT'S cool.

Giphy

Repairs my clothes. (She's a professional tailor so these things are really easy and quick for her.) If I lose a button or there's a tear in one of my shirts or something, I'll find the button replaced or the hole repaired, even if I don't mention it to her or notice it myself.

Occasionally, when she's done something more elaborate--since she's insists I just let her do the tailoring as opposed to spending money--she'll sew a note into a hidden place in the clothing. A pair of jeans has "Hey Handsome" stitched into the inside waistband, for example.

Steakasaurus-Rex

Details

He pays attention. If he goes to the store to pick up something he needs, he will bring back something I am out of or almost out of without my asking him to. This last time it was face wash - "I saw you were almost out so I picked some up for you" - and it was the brand and type I always use.

KaideyCakes

Very useful.

My boyfriend always charges my phone. I'm scatterbrained and my phone is on low battery probably at least once-twice a day, so he takes it without me saying anything and plugs it in for me.

It's so sweet.

Whynotmelody

Cute.

Giphy

There's no one small act for me and my SO. It's lots of little acts that show me that he loves me. It's the touch as I walk past, the glances when we watch tv or read our books, it's the times he cooks dinner even though it was my turn that night, or when he does the chores he knows I hate.

Every day I feel lucky to have found him, as every day he makes me feel loved.

sammichboss

Corn Corn Corn

Whenever I say, "Honey, I'm about to go *do some sort of task/activity alone* I ask, "Is there anything you need before I go?" (We have kids and they are Legion) When he doesn't have anything he needs help with, he responds, "I need you." and usually hugs me and won't let go for a bit. Corny, yes, but hey what can I say, I'm from Indiana and all I know is corn.

SubjectDelta28

How sweet.

He writes me a little note on the bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker every single morning.

Unbiased_Insanity

Home In Your Arms

Giphy

He'll always comfort me during thunder storms. I'm not afraid of bad weather, nor have I ever been, and I don't know where he got the idea from, but the way he wraps me in a soft blanket and cuddles me in his arms is so comforting to me. I've never felt so protected and loved in my life before.

pringle-prangle

That's the best.

Listens to me about my story ideas. Remembers my character's names and comes up with randomly little funny scenes with them sometimes. Remembers their accents and personalities.

He's the only person that really has ever acknowledged and paid attention to their personalities. Sometimes he even thinks about them when he's at work. If only he knew how much it means to me!

st-Astrifer

The Greatest

Since we aren't able to really see each other yet, she makes me profile pictures for my birthdays. She's very sweet, she actually made my current profile pic! She's the greatest sometimes.

Transbendobot

Beautiful

Giphy

Up until the day he died in March, holding my hand. Even in his deepest dementia, I could hold his hand and say I love you and he'd squeeze it.

chesscub

Shower & Shave

When we shower together, she'll grab my razor and shave my back while I lean against the wall under the stream. Then she'll wash my back and give me short massage. Finally, she'll wrap her arms around me, lean into my back and rest her head on my shoulder blades.

She knows I hate having a hairy back, she knows my shoulders are always tight and she knows that running water beating on my head, shoulders and back relaxes me like almost nothing else. Combine that with her holding me and I'll stay there until the hot water runs out.

MossyMav88

Take note, other guys.

He will always get me my favorite candy bar or snack when he goes to the gas station. Even when he asks if I need anything and I say no, thanks, he will still pick it up just in case I want it for work the next day. Super sweet.

SUCHajoke

Amazing.

Giphy

I'm almost four years sober. Whenever we're looking to treat ourselves to a night out for dinner, she always researches to make sure wherever we go has fun nonalcoholic drinks.

ignissancti

How sweet.

He always makes me a cup of coffee or tea, and when I'm sick or sad he will set me up in bed with a laptop and a hot water bottle and it makes me feel like someone is taking care of me in a way that hasn't happened since I was a little kid.

littlehoneypossum

Rainbows Always Mean Love

I come home and find that all my shirts have been organized in the closet according to color, forming a rainbow-like effect (with dark colors on the left and lightest colors on the right).

Likewise, the socks drawer is arranged by color, so it's easy and convenient to find what I'm looking for.

These are little things, but very thoughtful and much appreciated.

Back2Bach

It's the little things

Giphy

I have a small glass of water that I keep on the kitchen cabinet. He always makes sure it's full. If it's empty he fills it. If it's half full he fills it. Never once have I asked him to do this. It started because I would try pouring water from the Britta pitcher while the top was full and filtering, but it's turned into the always filled glass of water.

It's such a tiny detail, but never fails to make me smile.

hey_sjay

Shower or sleep?

He wakes me up in the morning and asks if I want to take a shower with him. Usually I do, but some mornings I just roll over and fall back asleep. He makes sure I'm covered up and kisses my forehead before he leaves for work.

AStarNamedAltair

Every introvert needs this.

Being my social "shield", he handles all the small talk when answering the door, in an Uber, at a party where we don't know anyone etc. I can just sit back and not come up with water cooler topics, huge relief for me.

misanthropistreina

Awww

Giphy

When he's half asleep, he'll often mumble my name and tell me he loves me, or he'll reach out for me to hold me, almost like I'm his teddy bear.

Similarly, whenever he wakes up from a bad dream, the first thing he does is call out for me and look around frantically for me. It's just really sweet and genuine that I'm his first thought in those moments.

Saravaw

Very important.

Reminds me to take my psych meds.

timcard1988throw

You & Me & All Other People

On the weekends when he wakes up in the morning, we lay in bed and he plays with my hair while we plan out our day. It may be small, but it's the only time that we aren't rushing around and have time to just enjoy each other's company. He's done this every weekend for the past 10 years. ❤️

UnicornsFartGlitter9

Thoughtful

Giphy

I doubt I'll ever have a SO again, but I did get to watch my parents have little things like this. My favourite is that my dad would make my mom's favorite sandwich for her the night before so she could have it for lunch the next day at work.

He'd wrap it up and put it front and center in the fridge. He did this for almost 43 years.

kimblim

Thinking Ahead

He leaves tea on my nightstand and kisses me goodbye even when I'm still asleep. And on Mondays he puts an extra sugar cube in my tea to motivate me.

I sometimes find sweet notes in the morning. When I started my first job in the US I was a little nervous, and I found a note taped to my steering wheel that first morning, saying how proud he was of me and how he knew I was going to do great, etc. etc.

uhno28

Wonderful

He makes sure that I eat everyday (recovering from an eating disorder and having multiple allergies makes it hard for me). When we go out he checks the restaurant menu beforehand to makes sure that the place has alternatives for me.

Kitsunemikan

Happiness Is A Hand Hold

Giphy

If we are walking around the city and about to cross the street, he grabs my hand, walks ahead and looks both ways to make sure I'm safe to enter the road. We are both grown men and it can seem a little silly, but it makes me smile every time.

SomeKindOfKong

You saw nothing.

I'm a coffee addict. Every time she goes grocery shopping and see a sale, she surprises me with new coffee grounds (I drink just about any coffee).

Also whenever she comes over, she'll "discreetly" put in new coffee filter in the machine for me. If she got caught, she'll exclaim "you saw nothing". So lot of time I play dumb, but it always put big smile on my face.

BrushGod

How sweet.

I dated a girl who would run her fingers through my hair while I slept. I have some childhood trauma and ptsd and that caused nightmares. By doing this she ensured once I went to sleep I didn't wake up from a night terror.

She never once complained about it, never threw it in my face. I truly miss her.

joshuabeebe

Yum.

Giphy

Sometimes he prepares little surprises for me in the kitchen like a homemade lemonade or just cutting up a fruit. When I try to enter the said kitchen, he screams "It's a surprise go awayyyyyy! It's the little things.

AnneCat1238

What an awesome boyfriend.

When I work mornings, he'll make me coffee and a bagel to go.

When he notices I'm having trouble walking cause of my intense foot pains he'll help me if it involves stairs or when I'm standing up.

He'll make sure my arms and such are covered when out in the sun because of my sun allergy, or stand in a way to shade me.

He's truly wonderful.

dandelionchamomile

That's the best.

The ability to do our own thing and have out own time separate but together. Like she can draw, I can write or play video games, not say or do anything to each other but be completely happy together regardless.

Crash4654

A Little Bit Neat

Giphy

I never make my bed, he is neat and organized and I'm a bit chaotic, but every time he stays over he makes my bed in the morning for me. I'll be getting ready for work in the bathroom and when I go into my room to change, I smile every time I see my perfectly made bed.

dayna_bunny

Sounds like it.

Every morning when I wake up there's a hot cup of tea next to my bed. He's awesome.

nick717

A Moment Of Solace

She runs her fingers through my hair as I lie on her chest. Between her warm and smooth skin and the head massage I get extremely calm and comfortable. My mind tends to race with one random thought after another, but when she does that, I am at peace.

Shiny_Mega_Rayquaza

He loves you too.

Giphy

He goes to work very early in the morning while I sleep, and after finishing buys croissants before coming home. He wakes me up with a kiss and tells me breakfast is ready.

He makes the best ham and cheese croissants in the world. I love this man.

sweet-chilli-sauce

Yay!

He asks me to dance every day. In the living room, in the driveway, in a parking lot... anywhere. We'll put on a song and just take a minute to dance. Sometimes they're slow dances but sometimes we do something silly like the Macarena hahah!

He always tells me he liked seeing me come out of my shell so by doing this it kinda makes me go out of my comfort zone. We've been together just about a year and we have so much fun doing this!

I love that he always makes sure to take a few minutes to stop and just be together. It's kind of our "pause" button.

areemkay

Boop the snoop.

If he sees that I'm upset, he plays this game where it's his goal to get me to laugh or smile at least once. Usually, he can get it to work by just poking me on the nose and going "boop the snoot".

That and he ALWAYS gets me a snack at the gas station. Even if I don't ask for one.

PinkLemonade15

A great relationship.

Giphy

She works part-time in the afternoon, so usually I'll get up earlier than her to eat breakfast, hit the gym and take a shower.

Before I leave for work, I'll cuddle up to her and hug her. She'll always semi wake up, let out a affectionate "sigh" and call me "love."

I can feel she feels loved and loves me back, and it gets me every time.

cruz-me

One Step Ahead

I always tell my husband that i hate doing this, but he would help me oil my hair and condition my hair, because i don't like to do it all the time, but its really sweet of him to do that. Also he would critique my makeup and watch make up tutorials. He's just the sweetest guy.

TrashiestPanda69

Candy Kisses

He drives me to work every morning, and before I get out of the car he kisses me. Every morning. And if I try to get out of the car without my morning kiss, he will say "Hey, where do you think you're going?" Until I turn and kiss him. And if he's particularly needy, he'll kiss me a few times, and as I go to pull away, he'll look at me and say "one for the road?" Before kissing me again.

alyssa5100

The Keeeeeees

Giphy

My husband always touches me as he passes, usually a head scratch because he knows they're my favorite. If he gets up to grab a snack he'll ask if I need anything. If I say no he'll go "not even a keeeees?" I love the way he draws out the word kiss in such a silly tone. He will act absolutely insane and ridiculous and when I ask him wtf he'll loudly proclaim "it's all for the laughs!" Because no one can make me laugh like he can.

Goodbyepuppy92

That's kind of him.

Money is tight. Always.

My husband and I share all our money in one bank account.

But sometimes my husband gets cash in addition to his monthly salary, and my husband will hand it over to me and say "here, buy yourself something you need"

And "something I need" can be anything. A manicure, toys for our son, dinner out, etc.

A lot of people hate the idea of a husband giving his wife an allowance, and let me say that's not what this is in our case.

My husband and I don't have "extra" money, but when we do, he gives it to me and doesn't question what I spend it on.

SuddenTerrible_Haiku

Contagion

Whenever we're together, she'll very often just stare at me with a light smile on her face while I'm doing just about anything. I can feel when she's doing it so I'll look at her and her smile will widen and I can't help but just smile back at her because her happiness and love is so contagious. We're almost two years in and it feels like we still grow closer and closer every day. I'm such a lucky woman.

debooji

Something to be proud of.

Giphy

Tells me he's really proud of me when I get through grocery shopping without having a panic attack. To a healthy person it should be nothing, but to me it means the world.

Spantac_Riber

Fun while it lasted.

We used to spend about 15 minutes together every morning having coffee. Looking back 9n that small about of time, quiet, and affection was one of our foundations for our relationship.

We are still close today but not in a relationship. Distance wasn't for us.

Tedbastion

Helpful

He moves uneaten food from my plate to his because I have this irrational fear of being judged for not eating everything.

SomniacDreamer


People Reveal The Weirdest Thing About Themselves

Reddit user Isitjustmedownhere asked: 'Give an example; how weird are you really?'

Let's get one thing straight: no one is normal. We're all weird in our own ways, and that is actually normal.

Of course, that doesn't mean we don't all have that one strange trait or quirk that outweighs all the other weirdness we possess.

For me, it's the fact that I'm almost 30 years old, and I still have an imaginary friend. Her name is Sarah, she has red hair and green eyes, and I strongly believe that, since I lived in India when I created her and there were no actual people with red hair around, she was based on Daphne Blake from Scooby-Doo.

I also didn't know the name Sarah when I created her, so that came later. I know she's not really there, hence the term 'imaginary friend,' but she's kind of always been around. We all have conversations in our heads; mine are with Sarah. She keeps me on task and efficient.

My mom thinks I'm crazy that I still have an imaginary friend, and writing about her like this makes me think I may actually be crazy, but I don't mind. As I said, we're all weird, and we all have that one trait that outweighs all the other weirdness.

Redditors know this all too well and are eager to share their weird traits.

It all started when Redditor Isitjustmedownhere asked:

"Give an example; how weird are you really?"

Monsters Under My Bed

"My bed doesn't touch any wall."

"Edit: I guess i should clarify im not rich."

– Practical_Eye_3600

"Gosh the monsters can get you from any angle then."

– bikergirlr7

"At first I thought this was a flex on how big your bedroom is, but then I realized you're just a psycho 😁"

– zenOFiniquity8

Can You See Why?

"I bought one of those super-powerful fans to dry a basement carpet. Afterwards, I realized that it can point straight up and that it would be amazing to use on myself post-shower. Now I squeegee my body with my hands, step out of the shower and get blasted by a wide jet of room-temp air. I barely use my towel at all. Wife thinks I'm weird."

– KingBooRadley

Remember

"In 1990 when I was 8 years old and bored on a field trip, I saw a black Oldsmobile Cutlass driving down the street on a hot day to where you could see that mirage like distortion from the heat on the road. I took a “snapshot” by blinking my eyes and told myself “I wonder how long I can remember this image” ….well."

– AquamarineCheetah

"Even before smartphones, I always take "snapshots" by blinking my eyes hoping I'll remember every detail so I can draw it when I get home. Unfortunately, I may have taken so much snapshots that I can no longer remember every detail I want to draw."

"Makes me think my "memory is full.""

– Reasonable-Pirate902

Same, Same

"I have eaten the same lunch every day for the past 4 years and I'm not bored yet."

– OhhGoood

"How f**king big was this lunch when you started?"

– notmyrealnam3

Not Sure Who Was Weirder

"Had a line cook that worked for us for 6 months never said much. My sous chef once told him with no context, "Baw wit da baw daw bang daw bang diggy diggy." The guy smiled, left, and never came back."

– Frostygrunt

Imagination

"I pace around my house for hours listening to music imagining that I have done all the things I simply lack the brain capacity to do, or in some really bizarre scenarios, I can really get immersed in these imaginations sometimes I don't know if this is some form of schizophrenia or what."

– RandomSharinganUser

"I do the same exact thing, sometimes for hours. When I was young it would be a ridiculous amount of time and many years later it’s sort of trickled off into almost nothing (almost). It’s weird but I just thought it’s how my brain processes sh*t."

– Kolkeia

If Only

"Even as an adult I still think that if you are in a car that goes over a cliff; and right as you are about to hit the ground if you jump up you can avoid the damage and will land safely. I know I'm wrong. You shut up. I'm not crying."

– ShotCompetition2593

Pet Food

"As a kid I would snack on my dog's Milkbones."

– drummerskillit

"Haha, I have a clear memory of myself doing this as well. I was around 3 y/o. Needless to say no one was supervising me."

– Isitjustmedownhere

"When I was younger, one of my responsibilities was to feed the pet fish every day. Instead, I would hide under the futon in the spare bedroom and eat the fish food."

– -GateKeep-

My Favorite Subject

"I'm autistic and have always had a thing for insects. My neurotypical best friend and I used to hang out at this local bar to talk to girls, back in the late 90s. One time he claimed that my tendency to circle conversations back to insects was hurting my game. The next time we went to that bar (with a few other friends), he turned and said sternly "No talking about bugs. Or space, or statistics or other bullsh*t but mainly no bugs." I felt like he was losing his mind over nothing."

"It was summer, the bar had its windows open. Our group hit it off with a group of young ladies, We were all chatting and having a good time. I was talking to one of these girls, my buddy was behind her facing away from me talking to a few other people."

"A cloudless sulphur flies in and lands on little thing that holds coasters."

"Cue Jordan Peele sweating gif."

"The girl notices my tension, and asks if I am looking at the leaf. "Actually, that's a lepidoptera called..." I looked at the back of my friend's head, he wasn't looking, "I mean a butterfly..." I poked it and it spread its wings the girl says "oh that's a BUG?!" and I still remember my friend turning around slowly to look at me with chastisement. The ONE thing he told me not to do."

"I was 21, and was completely not aware that I already had a rep for being an oddball. It got worse from there."

– Phormicidae

*Teeth Chatter*

"I bite ice cream sometimes."

RedditbOiiiiiiiiii

"That's how I am with popsicles. My wife shudders every single time."

monobarreller

Never Speak Of This

"I put ice in my milk."

– GTFOakaFOD

"You should keep that kind of thing to yourself. Even when asked."

– We-R-Doomed

"There's some disturbing sh*t in this thread, but this one takes the cake."

– RatonaMuffin

More Than Super Hearing

"I can hear the television while it's on mute."

– Tira13e

"What does it say to you, child?"

– Mama_Skip

Yikes!

"I put mustard on my omelettes."

– Deleted User

"Oh."

– NotCrustOr-filling

Evened Up

"Whenever I say a word and feel like I used a half of my mouth more than the other half, I have to even it out by saying the word again using the other half of my mouth more. If I don't do it correctly, that can go on forever until I feel it's ok."

"I do it silently so I don't creep people out."

– LesPaltaX

"That sounds like a symptom of OCD (I have it myself). Some people with OCD feel like certain actions have to be balanced (like counting or making sure physical movements are even). You should find a therapist who specializes in OCD, because they can help you."

– MoonlightKayla

I totally have the same need for things to be balanced! Guess I'm weird and a little OCD!

Close up face of a woman in bed, staring into the camera
Photo by Jen Theodore

Experiencing death is a fascinating and frightening idea.

Who doesn't want to know what is waiting for us on the other side?

But so many of us want to know and then come back and live a little longer.

It would be so great to be sure there is something else.

But the whole dying part is not that great, so we'll have to rely on other people's accounts.

Redditor AlaskaStiletto wanted to hear from everyone who has returned to life, so they asked:

"Redditors who have 'died' and come back to life, what did you see?"

Sensations

Happy Good Vibes GIF by Major League SoccerGiphy

"My dad's heart stopped when he had a heart attack and he had to be brought back to life. He kept the paper copy of the heart monitor which shows he flatlined. He said he felt an overwhelming sensation of peace, like nothing he had felt before."

PeachesnPain

Recovery

"I had surgical complications in 2010 that caused a great deal of blood loss. As a result, I had extremely low blood pressure and could barely stay awake. I remember feeling like I was surrounded by loved ones who had passed. They were in a circle around me and I knew they were there to guide me onwards. I told them I was not ready to go because my kids needed me and I came back."

"My nurse later said she was afraid she’d find me dead every time she came into the room."

"It took months, and blood transfusions, but I recovered."

good_golly99

Take Me Back

"Overwhelming peace and happiness. A bright airy and floating feeling. I live a very stressful life. Imagine finding out the person you have had a crush on reveals they have the same feelings for you and then you win the lotto later that day - that was the feeling I had."

"I never feared death afterward and am relieved when I hear of people dying after suffering from an illness."

rayrayrayray

Free

The Light Minnie GIF by (G)I-DLEGiphy

"I had a heart surgery with near-death experience, for me at least (well the possibility that those effects are caused by morphine is also there) I just saw black and nothing else but it was warm and I had such inner peace, its weird as I sometimes still think about it and wish this feeling of being so light and free again."

TooReDTooHigh

This is why I hate surgery.

You just never know.

Shocked

Giphy

"More of a near-death experience. I was electrocuted. I felt like I was in a deep hole looking straight up in the sky. My life flashed before me. Felt sad for my family, but I had a deep sense of peace."

Admirable_Buyer6528

The SOB

"Nursing in the ICU, we’ve had people try to die on us many times during the years, some successfully. One guy stood out to me. His heart stopped. We called a code, are working on him, and suddenly he comes to. We hadn’t vented him yet, so he was able to talk, and he started screaming, 'Don’t let them take me, don’t let them take me, they are coming,' he was scared and yelling."

"Then he yelled a little more, as we tried to calm him down, he screamed, 'No, No,' and gestured towards the end of the bed, and died again. We didn’t get him back. It was seriously creepy. We called his son to tell him the news, and the son said basically, 'Good, he was an SOB.'”

1-cupcake-at-a-time

Colors

"My sister died and said it was extremely peaceful. She said it was very loud like a train station and lots of talking and she was stuck in this area that was like a curtain with lots of beautiful colors (colors that you don’t see in real life according to her) a man told her 'He was sorry, but she had to go back as it wasn’t her time.'"

Hannah_LL7

"I had a really similar experience except I was in an endless garden with flowers that were colors I had never seen before. It was quiet and peaceful and a woman in a dress looked at me, shook her head, and just said 'Not yet.' As I was coming back, it was extremely loud, like everyone in the world was trying to talk all at once. It was all very disorienting but it changed my perspective on life!"

huntokarrr

The Fog

"I was in a gray fog with a girl who looked a lot like a young version of my grandmother (who was still alive) but dressed like a pioneer in the 1800s she didn't say anything but kept pulling me towards an opening in the wall. I kept refusing to go because I was so tired."

"I finally got tired of her nagging and went and that's when I came to. I had bled out during a c-section and my heart could not beat without blood. They had to deliver the baby and sew up the bleeders. refill me with blood before they could restart my heart so, like, at least 12 minutes gone."

Fluffy-Hotel-5184

Through the Walls

"My spouse was dead for a couple of minutes one miserable night. She maintains that she saw nothing, but only heard people talking about her like through a wall. The only thing she remembers for absolute certain was begging an ER nurse that she didn't want to die."

"She's quite alive and well today."

Hot-Refrigerator6583

Well let's all be happy to be alive.

It seems to be all we have.

Man's waist line
Santhosh Vaithiyanathan/Unsplash

Trying to lose weight is a struggle understood by many people regardless of size.

The goal of reaching a healthy weight may seem unattainable, but with diet and exercise, it can pay off through persistence and discipline.

Seeing the pounds gradually drop off can also be a great motivator and incentivize people to stay the course.

Those who've achieved their respective weight goals shared their experiences when Redditor apprenti8455 asked:

"People who lost a lot of weight, what surprises you the most now?"

Redditors didn't see these coming.

Shiver Me Timbers

"I’m always cold now!"

– Telrom_1

"I had a coworker lose over 130 pounds five or six years ago. I’ve never seen him without a jacket on since."

– r7ndom

"140 lbs lost here starting just before COVID, I feel like that little old lady that's always cold, damn this top comment was on point lmao."

– mr_remy

Drawing Concern

"I lost 100 pounds over a year and a half but since I’m old(70’s) it seems few people comment on it because (I think) they think I’m wasting away from some terminal illness."

– dee-fondy

"Congrats on the weight loss! It’s honestly a real accomplishment 🙂"

"Working in oncology, I can never comment on someone’s weight loss unless I specifically know it was on purpose, regardless of their age. I think it kind of ruffles feathers at times, but like I don’t want to congratulate someone for having cancer or something. It’s a weird place to be in."

– LizardofDeath

Unleashing Insults

"I remember when I lost the first big chunk of weight (around 50 lbs) it was like it gave some people license to talk sh*t about the 'old' me. Old coworkers, friends, made a lot of not just negative, but harsh comments about what I used to look like. One person I met after the big loss saw a picture of me prior and said, 'Wow, we wouldn’t even be friends!'”

"It wasn’t extremely common, but I was a little alarmed by some of the attention. My weight has been up and down since then, but every time I gain a little it gets me a little down thinking about those things people said."

– alanamablamaspama

Not Everything Goes After Losing Weight

"The loose skin is a bit unexpected."

– KeltarCentauri

"I haven’t experienced it myself, but surgery to remove skin takes a long time to recover. Longer than bariatric surgery and usually isn’t covered by insurance unless you have both."

– KatMagic1977

"It definitely does take a long time to recover. My Dad dropped a little over 200 pounds a few years back and decided to go through with skin removal surgery to deal with the excess. His procedure was extensive, as in he had skin taken from just about every part of his body excluding his head, and he went through hell for weeks in recovery, and he was bedridden for a lot of it."

– Jaew96

These Redditors shared their pleasantly surprising experiences.

Shopping

"I can buy clothes in any store I want."

– WaySavvyD

"When I lost weight I was dying to go find cute, smaller clothes and I really struggled. As someone who had always been restricted to one or two stores that catered to plus-sized clothing, a full mall of shops with items in my size was daunting. Too many options and not enough knowledge of brands that were good vs cheap. I usually went home pretty frustrated."

– ganache98012

No More Symptoms

"Lost about 80 pounds in the past year and a half, biggest thing that I’ve noticed that I haven’t seen mentioned on here yet is my acid reflux and heartburn are basically gone. I used to be popping tums every couple hours and now they just sit in the medicine cabinet collecting dust."

– colleennicole93

Expanding Capabilities

"I'm all for not judging people by their appearance and I recognise that there are unhealthy, unachievable beauty standards, but one thing that is undeniable is that I can just do stuff now. Just stamina and flexibility alone are worth it, appearance is tertiary at best."

– Ramblonius

People Change Their Tune

"How much nicer people are to you."

"My feet weren't 'wide' they were 'fat.'"

– LiZZygsu

"Have to agree. Lost 220 lbs, people make eye contact and hold open doors and stuff"

"And on the foot thing, I also lost a full shoe size numerically and also wear regular width now 😅"

– awholedamngarden

It's gonna take some getting used to.

Bones Everywhere

"Having bones. Collarbones, wrist bones, knee bones, hip bones, ribs. I have so many bones sticking out everywhere and it’s weird as hell."

– Princess-Pancake-97

"I noticed the shadow of my ribs the other day and it threw me, there’s a whole skeleton in here."

– bekastrange

Knee Pillow

"Right?! And they’re so … pointy! Now I get why people sleep with pillows between their legs - the knee bones laying on top of each other (side sleeper here) is weird and jarring."

– snic2030

"I lost only 40 pounds within the last year or so. I’m struggling to relate to most of these comments as I feel like I just 'slimmed down' rather than dropped a ton. But wow, the pillow between the knees at night. YES! I can relate to this. I think a lot of my weight was in my thighs. I never needed to do this up until recently."

– Strongbad23

More Mobility

"I’ve lost 100 lbs since 2020. It’s a collection of little things that surprise me. For at least 10 years I couldn’t put on socks, or tie my shoes. I couldn’t bend over and pick something up. I couldn’t climb a ladder to fix something. Simple things like that I can do now that fascinate me."

"Edit: Some additional little things are sitting in a chair with arms, sitting in a booth in a restaurant, being able to shop in a normal store AND not needing to buy the biggest size there, being able to easily wipe my butt, and looking down and being able to see my penis."

– dma1965

People making significant changes, whether for mental or physical health, can surely find a newfound perspective on life.

But they can also discover different issues they never saw coming.

That being said, overcoming any challenge in life is laudable, especially if it leads to gaining confidence and ditching insecurities.