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

SezxyStef

Being skinny is not my goal...being fit and healthy is my goal.

One of the results of that is being leaner....

Do I continue to enjoy my life like I did before? No...I enjoy it more...

I wonder if the friend in the OP's post lost the weight by severe restriction and then never learned to maintain the weight by eating normal foods in moderate amounts.

I suspect this is the case...

I have no restrictions on the food I eat just how much and to be frank I don't want as much anymore...I am uncomfortable if I eat too much.

cmandd

Skinny? No
Fit, stronger and healthier? Yes

cuinboston2014

I've never been skinny so I have no idea... but I can tell you that losing over 110 lbs has been a life changer for me. I got my health back, I've got energy to spare (most days) and I got to cut up my Lane Bryant card (WHOOPPEE!!)

I never thought people really perceived you differently when you were overweight, because I've been overweight my entire life. But it's amazing how differently I'm treated now; especially when I walk into a store. When I was fat people would not smile at me, hold the door, or do the other "common courtesy" gestures for the most part. Now, people hold the door, say excuse me, are generally polite. HUGE difference. I also get service faster in bars.

So making the changes I needed to make (portion control, logging, diligent exercising) were completely worth it to me.

And those changes will stay with me for the rest of my life, because I never intend to be 300 lbs again!

This exactly. However, some days now I probably still eat more than I used to when I was 105+ pounds heavier. But I don't gain weight as I "earn" my calories for running for four hours on a Saturday. I have not sacrificed my life in any way. The only things that have changed are making time for the gym 6 days a week and making healthy substitutions. Some people might eat ice cream every night, i don't anymore. Most nights I skip a snack or have fruit... but when I have ice cream you better believe I'm going to eat enough to be uncomfortable!

The perceptions people now have of me, the way strangers treat me, the way my family and friends treat me has improved. I also am healthy and have so much energy. If I would've kept living my life as I was I wouldn't have been able to go roller skating with my daughter last night, put her on my shoulders as we walk around Disney world, or even run while she rides her bike. missing out on that stuff is not worth the extra weight.

theseus82

I find my healthy lifestyle invigorating and enjoy eating healthy. Good nutrition and exercise are as good as anti-depressants, something big pharma hardly wants to tell you.

When I eat like crap, I feel like crap. When I eat healthy and exercise, I get a natural boost to my day.

To me, it's not about being thin, it's about quality of life. I've lost a lot of weight, and I feel great about it. Has losing weight solved all of life's problems? No. But I'm more confident in public, feel better, think better, have more energy, and feel more empowered by my decision to pursue a healthy lifestyle over the behaviors that led to my weigh-gain in the first place.

I guess your friend felt differently about it. That's fine too. If he didn't mind packing a few extra pounds, that's great. We need to change our idea about body image so that people who are heavier are just as accepted as those who are thinner. Having unrealistic expectations is bad. Some people feel just fine at a higher weight, that's great for them. But I feel good about my own decision to improve my lifestyle.

breeshabebe

I don't like it when people relate overeating to living well. You choose your trappings in some ways...

You can overeat and not worry about what you are eating-- but you are still a slave to food. Or you can work hard and take time to consider how much you eat, lose weight, but still be a slave to worry.

The difference is that, after you do all of the work and then you work to maintain-- it will become natural.. living. Then you get both. Living healthy and carefree.

headofphat

to each his own.

i like being thin because my knees don't hurt walking up stairs, because my back doesn't start hurting after 6 hours in bed, because i don't have heart burn ever anymore, because a heart attack at 50 sounds like no fun.

This is why i think we should all concern ourselves with our own goals in life and not concern ourselves with others. good for your friend for wanting to eat whatever and be jolly and all that jazz. he knows what he wants and he knows the pros and cons and accepts them and is living life.

perfectlytrained

I'm not focused on being skinny, I'm focused on being strong and healthy.

Through watching food intake and lifting heavy I've been able to get off of my hypertension meds. That's huge for me.... I can also keep up with my 5 year old son at the park and take all the shopping bags through the parking lot and up the stairs to our apartment in one go.

Being stronger and healthier is definitely worth it, and the side bennies of looking better and the resulting confidence boost are nice, too.

DeadliftAddict

You have to be doing this fitness thing for the right reason's. Your friend not being able to enjoy life thinner is an excuse to go back to old habits. I'm sorry.

JoRocka

Being skinny, no.
Being fit and healthy, not a question in my mind it's totally worth it.
So much of life is easier when you're not hauling around additional fat.

this.

I would never want to "just be skinny" that's not good enough.

Being small isn't any different than being big (just a different stigma).

Being fit- being an athlete- being able to push through things- training. These things matter.

kmr0293

I get what he is saying.

allana1111

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

it is for some people

ItsCasey

I love food. I will not even try to act like people shouldn't see food as a source of pleasure.

But here's the thing ... when you get more happiness from the food you eat than from the things you are able to do and the people you have in your life, you need to seriously re-evaluate what you have going on. It is possible to be fit and healthy and still enjoy eating.

Now, if you'e healthy and you don't care so much about having visible abs or being able to hike through 6000 ft of elevation gain, then do your thing. But I can't see the logic in gaining back any significant amount of weight under the guise that enjoying food and being fit are mutually exclusive, so you're picking food. That's laziness.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

I'm not "skinny" but I am smaller than I used to be. The things I've lost and the things I've gained in the process were worth it to me.

eliseofthejungle

Honestly, for me, at this point it's a toss-up. I've gone from 220ish to 155ish but it's taken 5 years. I realize I'm not old by any means but I wonder if my age has something to do with it. I never felt bad when I was 220 and 24 years old - no aches, pains, energy issues, or health issues. I just didn't like the way I looked and I was tired of having a husband who was thinner than me. Now that I'm 29 and 155 I don't feel great. I don't have more (or any) energy. My health isn't perfect. I seem to have more backaches than I ever used to and I have one knee and one ankle that give me serious problems. More importantly I don't feel like I look THAT much better. My boobs are sad, my stomach is iffy, and my face is more angular and seems almost more masculine than it used to. I'm also hungry most of the time and miss being able to be satisfied by what I'm eating/drinking. I realize I'm not a special snowflake (or whatever snarky phrase is being used at this time) but I've been at this long enough to know that I have to eat a relatively small amount of food in order to lose or maintain and it will likely always be that way. It sucks. There are some things I love that I will never be able to fit into my day no matter how much I exercise and it's frustrating. I don't feel normal. I'm banking on there being serious health benefits in the future because otherwise it really hasn't been worth it to me.

rml_16

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'm miserable carrying even a few extra pounds, so yes, to me it's worth it.

thesupremeforce

Since "being skinny" was never my goal anyway, I'll say that where I am now has been worth it.

workout_ninja

im able to enjoy life so much more than before. I can wear what I like, do all the activities i want to do and there is no worrying about weight restriction. I have so much more energy and confidence and if that means taking 20 minutes out my day (if that) to log what I eat then its so worth it. I wasnt happy when I was fat, im happy now im thin. Not for everyone I suppose. Im sure when Im 70 years old, I wont care what I eat!

Orion782

I love food. I will not even try to act like people shouldn't see food as a source of pleasure.

But here's the thing ... when you get more happiness from the food you eat than from the things you are able to do and the people you have in your life, you need to seriously re-evaluate what you have going on. It is possible to be fit and healthy and still enjoy eating.

Now, if you'e healthy and you don't care so much about having visible abs or being able to hike through 6000 ft of elevation gain, then do your thing. But I can't see the logic in gaining back any significant amount of weight under the guise that enjoying food and being fit are mutually exclusive, so you're picking food. That's laziness.

All this.

This is why I Casey. She preaches it straight up.

You gotta have balance. I love having abs, and am working on getting them more defined and functionally strong every day. But, I also enjoy the heck outta some wings, beer, chocolate, pizza, etc on occasion, and refuse to deny myself those pleasures simply in the name of vanity.

I also feel so much better about what I eat and make smarter choices now that health conciousness is my lifestyle. In my mid/late 20's, I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted it. That only works so long, and eventually it caught up to me. Now, I'm in control, not the other way around.

Holly_Roman_Empire

I've been skinny, and looking back, it wasn't really worth it. But I went about it all the wrong way. I was maintaining on about 1700 calories and was a strict cardio maven.

Now I'm doing it the righ way. I have significantly more muscle than I did then, and because of that I can eat more. There's no reason you can't be fit and not eat what you want. I enjoy life to the fullest and enjoy being the girl in this profile pic.

BlueBombers

For me...being FIT and healthy is worth it. Why? Because I have more energy to do things with my kids...and honestly with the health problems I have on both sides of my family I need to take care of myself.

eimaj5575

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?

Yes! I am no longer crying trying to find something to wear bc it all looked so horrible and doesnt fit. I no longer wear hooded sweat shirts everywhere I go even when its summer. I still eat all the yummy stuff I used to just in a different more controlled way so I am not missing out on living life to the fullest. I have confidence and it has completely changed my life in every way! From my clothes size, to the job i have, to the awesome special boyfriend I have now. Of which I never would have had confidence to go for a great job or my awesome boyfriend. Changed my life for the better but this is just my experience.

blondageh

Isn't that the question? I was so hungry when I was skinny I was miserable. I am so sick when I am fat I am miserable. Can I ever not be miserable? There has to be something in between that isn't miserable. I just want to find my happy.

emmanap91

I'm already a healthy weight, and my family/friends/boyfriend tell me I'm a good shape. However, I have such fragile self-esteem that having even a few extra inches on my hips (pear-shaped, of course) makes me feel terrible about myself.

When I go to the gym, every time I see a girl who is thinner than me, I hate myself for the rest of the day.

Eating disorders and anxiety disorders run in my family, so I think this is probably a more extreme version of the envy/jealousy other people might experience.

However, last year I lost all the weight I was trying to lose (from ~130lbs down to ~115lbs). I got there through a strict 1200 net cal per day diet and a strict 60+ min per day exercise routine. I was miserable, I still hated myself, and I missed all the foods I loved eating prior to the diet. This was not what I had in mind when I imagined a thinner me.

I ended up gaining all the weight back and more (went back on birth control, a few extra pounds came with it). I'm re-starting my weight loss journey this time with a [hopefully] healthier mindset and a more relaxed routine (if I want to break my diet once in a while, I won't guilt myself this time around. plus my exercise schedule isn't as intense). This time, I want to be happy when I hit my goal, not miserable.

EDIT: I'm also working on appreciating my own fitness goals and achievements, instead of constantly comparing myself to others. This will be more difficult for me than losing the weight, to be honest.


tl;dr: Being thin/healthy CAN be worth it. It isn't if you go about it the wrong way.

R_Woodruff

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.

This ^^^ I feel the exact same way even though I'm not to my goals yet. I will be one day and I will have with me all the things i've learned on this journey. That right there inspires me to be that happy healthy person I strive to be everyday.

SkinnyMel78

I love being healthy! I never want to go back to the me that was 73lbs heavier! I still eat the things I love and still enjoy life. I think I am actually enjoying it more now that I'm fit!!

jennym194

There is a lot more to enjoy in life than food.

jennk5309

Yes, it's totally worth it. If you lose slow and steady it's a series of small adjustments over time, so it's not such a drastic, self-flagellating change. There are also times to indulge, and then you just make up for that the rest of the time by being more careful and exercising more. I think that's actually the key- falling in LOVE with exercise, then you can eat more.

And he won't be so jolly when he's in pain all the time from his back and joints aching under the stress or all the weight. Not to mention that my fat, jolly dad had several heart attacks and had to undergo quadruple bypass. He said afterwards that the recovery was so painful, that if he had to do it over again he'd rather have just died. They wired his chest back together and the wires still (2 years later) are poking out into his muscles and causing him severe pain, and they can't go back in to fix it.

I don't care what the fat acceptance movement says- being heavy causes health problems and pain. Maybe not when you're young, but when you get older it WILL catch up with you.

Also, sex is SO much better when you're not heavy. Especially when both partners are obese- all work for little fun in the bedroom!

karmstg

I agree it isn't about being "skinny" but being healthy and fit. For me, the weight loss is absolutely worth it, not because I believe there's anything wrong with being fit and healthy at a heavier weight, but because I was miserable at a size 14. It wasn't what I was accustomed to, and I felt every one of those extra pounds.

I'll admit I love pulling size 4 jeans from the rack, but mostly, I just feel better. This is a comfortable weight for me and I'm not having trouble maintaining it, because there's nothing I'm missing out on, food-wise. I've adjusted my diet and exercise to accomodate the "treats" I love. There's nothing I don't eat--I just eat less of it, and I'm fine with that because my smaller body needs less.

So for me, totally worth it--not because I want to be skinny, but because I want to be at a weight and fitness level that I'm comfortable with. That varies for everyone.

KariOrtiz2014

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. :-)

THIS

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