What would you tell your old self?

Halleeon

Forgive yourself and others, take small baby steps...and cauliflower is amazing...keep trying.

Pintado

I would tell myself about BMR and TDEE, to make myself understand that you need to eat so many calories just to exist every day. Starvation diets don't work, and you can eat to live!

fitphoenix

If I could go back to teenage-me...

First, I'd go back with a handful of photos, particularly the one that helped kick me down the weight loss path (for realz, not for sort-ofs). We'd talk about being a total fatty and the life that it lead to up to "the decision."

Then after letting teenage-me seeing the pictures, I would slap teenage-me. Hard. Hard enough to leave some kind of forever mark. This would serve two purposes - first to try to get myself to wake up a little. Second to prove/disprove that part of Looper with the scars (no spoilers, sorry).

And after that I'd talk to teenage-me about some of the more stupid things I've done in my life and the things I regret the most (sorry, not open for public discussion). And the things that are absolutely wonderful and that I love (wife, two wonderful kids, the runner's high after a 10 mile run, which pales in comparison to the first two on the list).

Then I'd probably wonder how the f**k I'm going to get home (remember that whole wife and kids thing...I'd want to get back to them)

Of course, if I were to do all that, I'd have to wonder...if I could have actually changed my past, would the "future" that lead me to do any of that happen? And if it never happened, would I have the impetus to go have that conversation. And if I didn't have the urge to change my former self (because my former self, as I know it today, never existed) then I wouldn't have changed anything which leads to teenage-me making all the same bad decisions which leads to me going back to change things which leads to change which to me not needing to change things which leads to.......you get the point.

ROFL. I have this exact conversation with myself during every time travel movie/book/tv show I ever watch. I totally let it go and just suspend disbelief, but I run through the paradox in the back of my head anyway. ^_^

ekalexm

* Don't stop playing sports
* Binging on Monster Munch, chocolate and Coke every weekend not a good idea
* If you have a desk job, don't sit down all night too!
* Get a grip on yourself, what's the matter with young people these days??
* When I was your age, I only got an orange for Christmas.

rainbow198

Stop eating all day and start moving girl!

Inshape13

I would have told the old me to stop doubting myself and know that I am stronger than I was giving myself credit for, that I was more than capable. and that I should have started caring for myself a lot sooner.

DanerTee

I would tell the old me "look, I know it seems bad right now and the road ahead looks way too long but YOU are strong and YOU can do it. Just keep plugging away."

LassoOfTruth

Put the damn food down, and go exercise.

ktsmom430

Why did you wait so long.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

Stop with the 1200 calorie thing, Atkins, South Beach, etc.

Start lifting.