Are "before" pictures worth taking?

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  • harpmark
    harpmark Posts: 5 Member
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    WOW!!! Great job, whatever you have done to get where you are, keep doing it!!
  • SkinnyFatAlbert
    SkinnyFatAlbert Posts: 482 Member
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    I'm guessing one of the motivations for wanting to lose weight is to look better (it was/is for me) so a visual record seems a good way to gauge that. That said, performance gains are good motivators. That is, if you can only run a certain distance or lift a certain amount try to improve.
  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
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    YES!!

    I didn't think there was much difference in my weight loss until I found a photo from 2009 - I showed it to my walking buddy and her reply, "OMG where have all your chins gone!!!!" She said this was a compliment lol

    Because we see ourselves every day we don't notice the difference in ourselves but unfortunately or fortunately however you look at it the camera NEVER lies!

    Use it as an incentive/encouragement x

    Absolutely! And I agree - looking at old photos of myself from within the past 5-8 years REALLY makes me see how much of a difference there is! Because truthfully, when I started this journey in January, I was at 220 pounds, but looking at some pictures of myself, I may have been closer to 230 or more at my highest weight.
  • JamericanBoy
    JamericanBoy Posts: 484 Member
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    Most definitely. There are even a couple apps that will allow to you to take pics and setup a side-by-side montage to best visualize progress.
  • losttogain
    losttogain Posts: 84 Member
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    Unfortunately my ticker is messed up and I have more like 60lbs to go, but I'll definitely take "before" pictures this evening so I can actually see my progress. Perhaps this is the motivation that I've been missing!

    Thanks y'all!
  • losttogain
    losttogain Posts: 84 Member
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    Most definitely. There are even a couple apps that will allow to you to take pics and setup a side-by-side montage to best visualize progress.

    Do you have the name of some of these apps? I'd be curious to see what they're like.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Abso-freaking-lutely! :)

    For me, they also serve as a reminder of what I used to look like, how unhappy I was and why I should never go back!
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Yes, take them. I have to take mine soon, I've gained and I know I'm not going to be happy. But you will be glad you did in the long run.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    no
    people are wacked in the head.
  • Slinn1985
    Slinn1985 Posts: 58 Member
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    Take the pictures, send them to an old email so you don't see them.

    check them after 2 months.

    What I did.
  • SNLover87
    SNLover87 Posts: 101 Member
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    Yes. 100% yes. They're great to look at when you're frustrated or needing motivation.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
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    I use Photogrid. Or InstaCollage (which allows you to type the dates on the pictures)
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    Yes! I was too embarrassed and discouraged to take before pictures, but now I wish I would have just so I can see how far I've come.
  • cateyedkp
    cateyedkp Posts: 70 Member
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    Um.. YES! Because there WILL be days when you're frustrated, ready to give up, just see absolutely "no change" in the mirror... and someone will suggest taking progress pics. You won't want to do it, of course, because you just "know" you haven't made any progress an d this is just a big fat waste of your time... Do it anyway and you'll be surprised and find the motivation to keep going.

    This, this, a thousand times this! I had a big stall on the scale, and was totally baffled. In those weeks I increased my training (started Body Revolution and upped my running) so I was quite depressed that the scale basically stopped moving. I only lost "2 lbs" in that amount of time, but this was the visual difference:
    9693190791_9338a88cb7_z.jpg

    Mad me feel WAY better and keep my motivation up.
  • igotabulletproofheart
    igotabulletproofheart Posts: 104 Member
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    Only if you want to.

    I'm not one to take pictures but I have got before pictures for my current journey so that after my final 20lb loss, I can look back and think WOW! and admire my hard work. :happy: I don't like looking at pictures of myself so I don't use the picture as motivation because it just makes me feel bad about myself so I've really only got it to compare to the after picture. :D
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,052 Member
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    If you do not take them you will be searching for something to show where you started...
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    I've never really taken "before" pictures prior to beginning a weight loss push/journey. From experience, does anyone find it really helpful or motivating to have before and after pictures? Has anyone been really disappointed?

    I'm just looking for some way to really track my progress that isn't subjective, but I'm not really one to take pictures.

    it is VERY important to take before pictures. The scale lies, and you can measure wrong, and look like you have not made ANY progress.

    this is me in 2009. I weighed about 195lbs. I know I was between 199lbs and 188lbs.
    8193374926_e25182cc2b.jpg
    0120100909 by crochetmom2010, on Flickr

    this is me in November of last year, same shirt, `196lbs.
    8211731868_5394684d1d.jpg
    IMG00856-20121123-0837 by crochetmom2010, on Flickr

    this is me in March and April of this year, 195lbs. same shirt.
    8681875038_8398899acd.jpg
    march and april 2013 by crochetmom2010, on Flickr

    the scale barely moves, despite busting my butt in the gym 4-5 days a week. I measured too snugly about a year ago, so it looks like I am not losing inches either. I haven't lost a clothing size in 15 months...but my pictures show that I am DEFINITELY making progress.
  • brillmer
    brillmer Posts: 1,268 Member
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    exFfp1i.jpg?1?2065

    hell yes.

    they are the only thing that allowed me to actually SEE my progression. your mind plays tricks on you, pictures do not.
  • allieandlanie
    allieandlanie Posts: 42 Member
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    ABSOUTLY!!!! I have tried to loose weight off and on for years and this time around I took pictures this time for my own personal reference. I don't see a change in the mirror but the pictures have a slight change. It really helps on days where I feel like I am not doing good.
  • YogaNikki
    YogaNikki Posts: 284 Member
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    I don't know........ You tell me???

    B4andafter.jpg


    OP Yes before Pictures are important.... I keep a picture of that guy on the tractor on my visor in my truck and every time I go to the gym or to the park to workout I can see just how far I have come....

    Best of Luck

    You kick *kitten*. That is all.

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