I always forget I'm 40+ when I'm skiing...
I had some issues in my 2nd pregnancy which resulted in astronomical weight gain...which I've only managed to drop in the last 14 months.
BUT.
I wanted my girls to learn how to ski, as it was a source of great enjoyment for me as a kid, so size 22-24 and all, with my Columbia Bugaboo size 2x jacket, I got out, in rented equipment, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. For me, I skied a lot as a child/teenager, and I had a lot of lessons, so my technique was fairly solid - compared to say, my condition. So, even though I was in no physical condition to be on the mountain, because my technique was strong, I could manage. Stamina was severely lacking, but I could still ski the advanced intermediate runs without falling...Falling was a problem, being that large, getting up was an utter nightmare!
This became a game changer for me...and finally with surgical assistance, I've lost 121 pounds in the last 14-15 months. Now, obviously this is a good thing, and I don't have regrets, but still I am honest in saying I was holding myself back a bit with the joy / pleasure from getting myself 'back'....UNTIL last Christmas. After getting myself new boots, new ski's, and finding my balance again...because that's was all different too, for the first time since having lost all the weight, did I experience an exhilaration and joy from within, that I was actually rather expecting from such a weight loss.
I have myself scheduled for 21 ski days this year, but were there a meet up in March somewhere, I would consider going, as I do feel that skiing is my 'medium' of inspiration to a different life of me.
I'd be very curious to have someone film my skiing, I have no idea what I look like...and a clinic seems like a good idea to me. I don't have a lot of self talk in my head when I ski, it's mostly just lean forward in my boots, and bearing in my mind at all time, that my body is going to follow my shoulders, so should I panic and turn my shoulders, I'm likely to end up pear shaped between the trees.
I'm no where to being close to my top game in skiing...but having read this thread, I now see a possibility, that whilst I may not have the stamina to ski the number of 'top game' runs, it is totally possible to ski with the style, technique from before. The pleasure? Well, that's already mine