So tell us...is being skinny worth it?

hedean

I know someone who lost weight and maintained it for a bit, but then realized he wasn't able to enjoy life as much. He sort of thought "life is too short to be worrying about being thin". He has gained back the weight and now is a jolly, older man with no regrets regarding his lifestyle.

I have such high hopes for how much better I will feel without the extra weight, but is it actually worth it? Does life then become less enjoyable because we're not quite as free-spirited when it comes to eating food?

tahneesummers88

In my experience, when i was lighter.. I had more confidence. And that to me, is worth more than overeating and not watching my cal intake. :-)

keshabbaker

I believe in living life to the fullest so I cheat on my diet when I want to but the good thing is now that I am trying to get this weight off I don't want to often so that's the great part. It's mind over matter and portion control,eat what you want just not all the time and don't over eat.

hedean

Yes I believe that I'll one day agree with you. I can't imagine finally reaching my goal and then saying eh, I'd rather just be fat and lazy again.

snowflakeln99

I'm no where near there yet but I can't imagine it NOT being worth it. I know that when I'm at a lighter weight, I feel healthier, stronger, & am ready to get outside & enjoy nature (not to mention LIFE) so much more. Curious to see what type of answer you get here.

Heirgreat

I had more energy & less highs/lows mood wise, much better at a normal weight--for me it's the sugar addiction, now that I am more careful no more high/lows & sleeping better as well as looks, jolly old fellow maybe but popping Meds so to control high blood sugar or hypertension not so very merry-- it is the ultimate end directly related to obesity - not so jolly and in later life it is what gets ya, I,ve been in medicine 25 yrs, know better so trying to get it together now because stroke free healthy old is better for me......

Llamapants86

While I am not quite at my goal yet, the improvements so far are totally worth it. I have learnt new coping skills, I am happy, active and a great role model for my children. There are so many facets to how I improved myself over the last 9 months, and really I don't find it to be that much of a drag. Ever time I truly want to indulgent in food, I do. Sometimes I make smarter decisions and sometimes I don't. Personally, I think that if it is that much "work" to lose weight or maintain your lighter weight, you are doing it wrong.

hedean

Personally, I think that if it is that much "work" to lose weight or maintain your lighter weight, you are doing it wrong.

Thanks for that! I think you are definitely right. I think that when people really go off the rails with weight loss, it's because something is wrong. I will think of that lots from now on when my mindset is that it's too hard for me to keep going.

determinedbutlazy

I don't think being "skinny" was really my goal, I wanted to be healthier and improve my fitness.

Being able to go for a six mile run when I'm stressed out has improved my coping skills.

Being able to regulate my food intake and being conscious of what I eat has allowed me to feel control over my eating and body that I lacked at 240+lbs.

Being able to be naked and not feel uncomfortable with my body has made me more relaxed and happy in my relationship.

Being able to fit in clothes where I live (Asia) instead of having to import them from the UK or US has saved my bank-book.

Being able to quit smoking and drinking in order to help me meet my fitness goals has lengthened my life.

Being able to eat and drink what I like but exercising MODERATION has meant none of this has felt like a chore.

So, although I am happier with what I see in the mirror, my life has changed in many more ways than just being "skinny". So IMHO, yes. Totally and utterly worth it. You couldn't PAY me to go back.

greeneyes0809

For me it has become just doing things to be happy. I wasn't happy when I was at a heavier weight so I did something to change it.

Now, exercising makes me happy, eating good food makes me happy because it keeps my energy up. At the same time, eating cookies and ice cream makes me happy too. It's really all about finding a balance

It's not so much that being "skinny" makes me happy, but living a healthy life does and is definitely worth it for me at least.

GertrudeHorse

People often buy into this idea that being thin will solve all your problems. It doesn't. You're the same person when you lose weight just a smaller version. There are pros and cons to being at higher or lower weights!

Keepcalmanddontblink

I know someone who lost weight and maintained it for a bit, but then realized he wasn't able to enjoy life as much. He sort of thought "life is too short to be worrying about being thin". He has gained back the weight and now is a jolly, older man with no regrets regarding his lifestyle.

I have such high hopes for how much better I will feel without the extra weight, but is it actually worth it? Does life then become less enjoyable because we're not quite as free-spirited when it comes to eating food?

I've never been thin, so I don't know if its worth it the struggle to lose it. I do know that it sucks being overweight. I am tired of my legs and feet hurting. I am tired of having asthma. (Since I dropped 25 lbs, I only have to use my inhaler when I get a bad cold.) I don't like feeling out of shape and uncomfortable and embarrassed over my weight.

It has to be worth something to not feel like crap, and if giving up sugar or crap food means meeting my goal, than yeah, its worth it.

On the plus side, I haven't given much up food wise. I just am mindful of serving sizes, and getting more exercise. :flowerforyou:

SherryTeach

While being skinny was never my goal, I can say that having been at maintenance for a year and half has been happy and positive. I never restricted my food choices, so moving into maintenance just meant more of the good things I was already eating. I have mastered the science and art of managing my food and exercise to sustainable levels.

I have all new clothes, I have a lot of energy. I sleep well. What's not to like about that?

strangeone25

I agree with what others have said, it was not about being skinny but healthy and active. Being able to go jogging and walking without being in pain is incredible, I still cant get over the difference in how I feel.

becalm

I think it is worth it. When I lost weight, i felt more confident and wanted to do more things and go out more. I am happier and healthier.

Sharon_C

When I first started MFP my goal was to be skinny but that has changed over the last two years. Now I want to be fit and healthy. I don't know if skinny will make me happy but I do know that when I don't eat right I feel awful. I want to feel better about myself and not feel yucky like I did when I ate bad all the time. To me that's more worth it than looking skinny.

BinaryPulsar

I've personally always preferred being slim and fit. I eat around 2000 calories a day. Have vacations of eating 2500 to almost 3000 calories a day. In many ways I am very free spirited. Skinny dipping. Sexually. Etc. I love dancing. I love hiking, being active. But this is just my preference.

andysmom

People often buy into this idea that being thin will solve all your problems. It doesn't. You're the same person when you lose weight just a smaller version.

This! For sure. But if you don't go into your weight loss journey expecting it to fix everything in your life, you'll find that losing weight can help you learn how to deal with those other things better. I have been up and down my whole life, between 140 and 240 (mostly over 200). Now at age 52, I am currently at right around 160 and I don't think I've every felt better! Do donuts still sound good? Sure. Do they still taste good? Who knows? Cause I know it's just not worth it. Yesterday I started a one month boot camp. Today while doing glute lifts, I looked down at my stomach and legs and thought, "Wow! Not bad!" For me that's better than a donut any day!

Hang in there and trust yourself. I think you'll find it's worth it - and then some!

fificrazy

I was never so self-conscious in my life as I was when I was about 10 lbs "underweight". Naturally, that is. Still, strangers I didn't know comment on my body, ask me what size I was, make assumptions about what I did/didn't eat. I didn't want to wear tank tops or t-shirts, because I would, without fail, get a comment from sad middle aged woman about how tiny I was, and how did I maintain such a body? What's my secret, hmm?! So rude, invasive, embarrassing. People would assume I couldn't lift things, I was constantly mistaken for being 13-15 (I'm turning 21 this year...), bleh just a whole bunch of embarrassing things. Which is the reason I joined MFP, actually. To gain and maintain! I've got a petite frame, technically only meet a BMI of 18.something, but I fully fill out a size small now (up from XS) because of the way my weight sits on my frame, and the comments have finally stopped. I feel less androgynous, less boyish and finally a lot more feminine and womanly.

So, is SKINNY worth it? I wouldn't say it's something you should aspire to.... find a healthy medium/body type that works for you. Where you don't have to restrict or obsess over calories to maintain a certain weight, but also where don't feel like giving up and hiding under big t-shirts in the summer.

fificrazy

double post

One_Last_Time

Who said you had to be skinny? You can get to a normal healthy weight and maintain. You can enjoy foods with out overdoing it. I just had 1/2c ben and jerry ice cream. Didn't need the whole container.

BinaryPulsar

I'm assuming that when the op said skinny she meant slender, fit, a healthy weight.

shortntall1

I'll never be skinny. It's not my body type but I'll be healthier. I'm short with a stocky build.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Worth what? It's really not that hard...

brevislux

"Skinny" is such a bad word to use here... And a bad thing to aspire to.
But there are so many things in life to enjoy, and having good health and being in good shape will allow you to enjoy life more. And for longer of course.

AHack3

I tried be skinny before many times and hit goal and then put it all back on plus some many times....now my goal is be healthy and fit and skinny is just an added bonus and yes it is worth it and I have every intention of remaining healthy and fit with the added bonus of being skinny!

wheird

It doesn't have to control your life. But it ultimately depends on your life goals.

I think being able to hike up and down hills and valleys is pretty rad.

GertrudeHorse

Personally, I think that if it is that much "work" to lose weight or maintain your lighter weight, you are doing it wrong.

Agreed!

jenilla1

I don't know what your friend was talking about. You can enjoy food and be slim. I eat whatever I want - I just don't eat a crap ton of it. I just now had a Peanut Butter Snickers...and I enjoyed it. Tomorrow I'm going for a hike and I'm packing potato chips as a snack. One of my favorite hobbies is planning, cooking and eating gourmet meals. But I also keep the portions reasonable and enjoy many physical outdoor activities as well. My balanced lifestyle is very satisfying to me.

You don't have to be deprived or punished to be at a healthy weight. Your friend probably used unsustainable means to lose the weight and then just reverted back to his old, comfortable lifestyle when he got tired of sacrificing. It's easy to use "miserable diet food" as an excuse.

If you design your lifestyle change to be a fun and positive experience it's easy to maintain. I've been maintaining here for 3 years now. :drinker:

krawhitham

To a point, yes and no. I am about 5'3.5" and I've been muscular and 125 lbs (size 2 thin) And able to run 10 miles at a time, I felt invincible. My body at this time was lean and mean, it was a machine! I could go out for a run on a whim, I'd run to the grocery store and back, it was incredible!

Then, life got in the way and I gained about 10-15 lbs, and I was 135 or so for a while. I actually *really* enjoyed being 145 and realized that I do not like being as muscular as I was back when I was heavy lifting at 125 lbs.

I know a lot of people here advocate for heavy lifting, but it's not something I can be into. I don't like having a rock hard body. I like having a bit of a mooshy butt, to be honest.

Well, then work really got in the way of my health goals and I gained a ton of weight and ended up being 172 lbs. That's obese at my height. It was HORRIBLE. I was always out of breath, could barely go up stairs. Every pair of pants I own, I now have a hole in the crotch just from walking in them because my thighs rub together so much. I would literally cry over how fat and miserable I was.

I think finding that "happy place" weight is the best. I know I can be 125 lbs, all muscle, running a bajillion miles at a time, but oddly enough I felt more like "myself" at 135 lbs - I had a bigger, softer butt, bigger boobs and a little extra on my thighs & arms... AND I was still able to run 10 miles and stay in shape. It really all depends on your own personal comfort level!

In my opinion it's just important to be within "normal" weight limits for your height.

bajoyba

There's no way I would rather go back to being 235 pounds.

I was happy at 235 pounds and had pretty great self-esteem. I ate what I wanted with reckless abandon and felt good about who I was as a person, but I didn't feel well physically, I couldn't do a lot of the things I wanted to do, and finding clothes that fit comfortably was difficult.

My goal is not to be skinny, my goal is to be healthy and active. I'm much happier now, at 160 pounds, not because of what size I wear or what the scale says, but because of how good I feel and all that my body has become capable of. I want to run races, bike to the next city for a weekend, and climb a volcano. My knees no longer hurt, I can go jogging or biking or take my dogs for a long walk, and buying jeans is no longer a day-long ordeal. Regular exercise and good nutrition has also alleviated a lot of my anxiety.

I eat all of the same foods I ate before - I just watch my portion sizes and make food choices based on my body's nutritional needs, which also helps me feel better and more satisfied overall. I would rather fit a single serving of Ben & Jerry's into my day and maintain my current lifestyle than have a giant, indiscriminate bowl of ice cream and give up any of my strength or endurance. I truly enjoy practicing moderation, and I find it very freeing.

But ultimately, it's a personal choice. What makes me happy may not make you happy. I don't think it's wise to base your happiness on the way your body looks or what the scale says, because some day we'll all be saggy and wrinkly, but you have to decide what will allow you to get the most out of life. It's different for everyone.