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

brandiuntz

It's more than worth the work for me. I'm now healthy and fit and have a very active lifestyle. I changed my lifestyle, though, didn't "diet". I have the same hobbies I used to, but I'm also way more active with sports. Life is more enjoyable for me, and my high energy and fitness contributes. As others said, you have to have your own issues in check, too. I had worked on self-esteem and such before deciding to get healthy and lose my excess weight.

GummyHuman

I know I am having way more fun with 45 less pounds on me. :drinker: :bigsmile:

kelly_e_montana

No, being "skinny" is not worth it.

If you want to focus on strength, endurance, flexibility, mobility, and general physical and emotional health, then yes.

If you want to focus on being "skinny," you will have the same problems you had when you were fat. I say this from experience.

brenn24179

I wonder about this also. I would just like to jolly well eat whatever I please. Of course I would like to spend money that way also. But hate the consequences. It is a strain hanging over your head when you are in debt or when you are heavy. You don't feel free. Of course you don't feel free when you have to count calories either. Like people have said on here it is hard, pick your hard, hard to be fat, hard to count calories.

I know I have more confidence, if you are dating you are much preferred over obese, in the work world you are much more able to get a job because if you are fat they think you are slow and lazy and don't take control of your life. You are looked down on for letting yourself go and for not have taken care of yourself.

I just know I was feeling bad about myself 45 lbs heavier, I am more confident now. I am figuring stuff out now rather than eat which feels good. I am able to sleigh ride with my grandchildren, go to parks,go down sliding boards, ride rides and not be embarrassed if I could not fit into a ride. I can walk around places all day without pain unlike my heavy friends. I can go to the doctor and weigh and not be embarrassed, I can fit into clothes and I use to have to wear everything with stretchy waist. Yes, I believe it is worth it, I am happier when I am smaller. I feel like I am accountable, taking control and being successful just like I felt when I paid bills down in my earlier years and got out of debt. Cant have everything and find a balance.

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Mini_horse_lover

I wouldn't say im skinny but losing the weight has made me a lot happier in myself and have a lot more confidence.

MelsAuntie

If you really mean SKINNY, then NO. It's unhealthy and horrible. I have a friend who is about 5 feet 5 and weighs at most 100 lbs. She has no strength, no resistance, gets sick all the time, has no stamina, and looks like a bundle of sticks. She hates it, but can't gain weight no matter what she eats. Doesn't help that she smokes like a chimney, too. We were co-workers, and I could work rings around this girl. She couldn't wrestle a thirty pound package into her mail car.

starshine420

being skinny isn't worth it, being healthy is.

Mischievous_Rascal

If you do it right, you can be fit ("skinny" is a dirty word in my house) and still enjoy all the food you want.

ObtainingBalance

I'm miserable when I am overweight.

I feel much more energized when I am eating right, concerned about fitness, and when my weight is at a healthy number.

I think it's worth it, but I have lost weight in the past and allowed myself to gain back. Not because I woke up one day saying "Oh, I was happier that way...I need to get it back, I should eat a bag of chips."

No, it was more because I have bad impulse habits, like overeating. I eat when I am lonely, bored, stressed - and I let myself go back to those old coping ways.
I should have kept taking care of myself, the end result of that is always more wonderful than overeating and not being active.

jillian769

Well let's see...I've probably lost the same 50 pounds and gained it back about 6 times, most recently I lost over 100 but have gained about 20 back! If it was the most amazing thing ever and all my problems went away and life was perfect being thin, then I probably wouldn't keep gaining it back! Lol
I feel better, healthier, have more confidence, enjoy wearing smaller clothes and fitting into a booth without fear of it bring too small, but maintaining is hard!!! I gain weight super quick...all I gave to do is skip a few days of exercising and eat out a few times and the weight comes back on like wild fire. It's very depressing and I always feel deprived. I would say trying maintain a "maintainable weight" instead of being super thin and super hungry is the better way to go.

Timshel_

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

The phrasing of that tells me there was too much focus on look and not on health. Being healthy is NEVER about skinny or you weight in numbers. It is about being active to maintain muscle and cardiovascular systems. It is about eating healthy to support activity and the functions of your body.

RenaHewitt

Bump for later!!

elisa123gal

I've been thin, I've been overweight. Thin is better than anything can taste.

SugaryLynx

Thin is better than anything can taste.

You may feel this way but I'm going with no way. If I had the choice between giving up the food I love or being thin, I'd stay overweight. No questions. Thankfully, I don't have to do that ever.

MelsAuntie

Thin is better than anything can taste.

You may feel this way but I'm going with no way. If I had the choice between giving up the food I love or being thin, I'd stay overweight. No questions. Thankfully, I don't have to do that ever.
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ABSOLUTELY! There is such a thing as quality of life.

AglaeaC

I feel like this is an issue with moderation.

Once you have achieved a healthy weight and actviity level, it is not AS MUCH work to maintain it. Weight LOSS is a lot of work, weight MAINTENANCE is less work.

For me the whole point of a lifestyle change is to be comfortable enough in the new lifestyle that it doesn't feel like "work" anymore. For example I won't be counting calories then because that's what the lifestyle change phase is for, to learn all the new tricks and tools, after which I will count on my brain to recall when needed. I also believe there is a limited number of times one can look at a new portion size, before one should be able to know things by heart; information that inevitably sticks whether you try actively or not to remember (compare to knowledge of road signs; might be tricky the first few times but then you know them and only in the case of a rare sign you'll have to consult a manual later).

Changing my lifestyle is ranging from Yeah! to Hate this! right now, with mostly okay days in between, so I'd call it "work", but that's because I'm not used to all of it yet. In other words, changing habits can be painful depending on the circumstances of each given day.

Once I've adapted to the new, healthy way of living, I hope for it to be like second nature - thanks to all the new habits put in place. And I can't say I'm done changing habits until they truly are changed, so currently I can't tell how long it will take me to reach the "end point". And once I'm "done", I'm convinced there will be some days when I might go backwards a step or two (because innate behaviours can go much deeper than expected at this point), but I really can't see how most of the new habits can still feel like work if they are genuinely a part of me then.

AglaeaC

I've been thin, I've been overweight. Thin is better than anything can taste.

I believe in the School of Moderation. Even now I'm not depriving myself of anything, because I do have a sweet tooth and while I have taught it not to crave so much, I still enjoy the occasional, exquisite baked good, chocolate, ice cream or such. I don't see this preference going anywhere, which is why I think it's important to make informed decisions, so that if I include a decadent dessert as Sunday dinner finale, I'm prepared to pay the cost through exercise. If I know the cost, I'll make an informed decision whether it's worth it to me that day or not. Moderation without deprivation is true quality of life if you ask me. If my palate thinks something tastes good, then why not make the necessary adjustments to enjoy in small quantities?

katznkt

Yes. You should still have times to enjoy good food, but those days skills just be limited to special occasions so it doesn't deprive you if the other enjoyment of life.

I get more chronic enjoyment from being able to walk comfortably in heels, or up stairs, or chasing my kiddos or not getting funny sad looks from strangers than I do for overeating for the equivalent of an hour a day.

And bonus, I enjoy my new food as much if not more than the bad stuff when I do have a food focused day.

Jestinia

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.

I feel the same way right now, but then again, Spring allergies always get me down, and when I'm depressed and boogery, nothing in the world is good.

But it's hard, and it hasn't done much for my life, and I still don't look in any way acceptable naked (I do look damn good in clothes, though). I am also not a super human health specimen. My knees gimped on me and I can't jog anymore (that was depressing for real) I still have asthma and I still wheeze, and even though being thinner helps my social anxiety a lot, it's still not enough to make me actually want to be around people. Hell, that might not even be anxiety, maybe I just don't like being around people.

Anyway, the people who brush it off as breezy easy, just get to goal weight and eat at maintenance, have perhaps never used up energy that could have been used elsewhere wrestling with hunger all day. It's not cheap in any way to be a healthy low weight. Along with energy, I find it far more expensive on my already very limited wallet.

So is it really worth it? Maybe. Jury still out. If I ever decide it's not worth it, I can always get fat again.

SheridanLT

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 sums it up perfectly!!

Sonj8D

I have managed to pile on a stone and a half just from giving up smoking and I want to lose that. I just don't feel right in myself and know that I will be happier and more confident when I am slim again

AusAshMommy

I was just thinking about this very topic this morning - is it worth it, overall Yes! I am healthier, happier, and all around a better person...

Sometimes I think to myself "Are all the hours in the gym and counting calories worth it?" I'd love nothing more than to skip the workouts - but alas that's a no go either...

I've always said do what works for you so long as your healthy, that's what's important.

BodyByBex

I'm getting stronger. And the health benefits alone make it worth it for me.

MissLeelooDallas

If you really mean SKINNY, then NO. It's unhealthy and horrible. I have a friend who is about 5 feet 5 and weighs at most 100 lbs. She has no strength, no resistance, gets sick all the time, has no stamina, and looks like a bundle of sticks. She hates it, but can't gain weight no matter what she eats. Doesn't help that she smokes like a chimney, too. We were co-workers, and I could work rings around this girl. She couldn't wrestle a thirty pound package into her mail car.

Ok... I get that some people aren't into the term of "skinny" or what that means. Completely understandable, especially if you do a lot of strength training and are very into fitness.

What I don't get is "thin-shaming". Your friend may not be healthy (which is unfortunate), but that doesn't excuse you saying that she "looks like a bundle of sticks". You even said she can't gain wait and does try to do so. Why insult her body? Would you want her insulting yours?

*edited for typos

dearannna

I am so far from a healthy weight I can't even picture it but the changes I have made recently have totally been worth it. I sleep better at night, I have more energy during the day, my skin glows. I can walk for miles without feeling uncomfortable, in the gym when I push my body it responds rather than gives up. I feel strong and successful, rather than weak and a failure.

My overall 'why' is that I just want to be able to live my life without my weight affecting my day to day. To shop for clothes wherever I want. To go on holiday and not worry about fitting in aeroplanes or baring flesh in a swimming costume. To take part in family activities without worrying I might have to walk further than I am able. To just meet someone new and not worry that my weight is negatively affecting their view of me. I could continue this list for pages...

I still have a long way to go and am not out of the woods yet. I am a yo-yoer and am still worried that one day (maybe tomorrow) I'll wake up and for no particular reason eat a box of donuts for breakfast and then gain all of the weight back again. But every day I make good choices I feel stronger.

kmr0293

I feel like this is an issue with moderation.

Once you have achieved a healthy weight and actviity level, it is not AS MUCH work to maintain it. Weight LOSS is a lot of work, weight MAINTENANCE is less work.

My suspicion is that this person got skinny through some crash diet, or fad diet, or some marketed system. And didn't know how to transition into maintenance (OR was trying to maintain an unhealthy weight, or maintain without activity).

It's not like the two options are Skinny or FAT. There's a world of grey and plenty of spots that work for each of us.

The fact that he thought his options were skinny or fat means there is something in his thinking that isn't quite right. But more power to him if that works for him. I just don't think its indicative of anyone else.

This right here....it's like all or nothing...my way or no way at all.

Thom_Kat

Some aspects of being my most comfortable size are worth it but other aspects are harder to justify. For me, it is really hard work to maintain about 140 lbs, where I feel the best. Physically, I look better, mentally I feel better about my body. The problem is that I feel like I have to give up a lot of things just to get to that point. It's so hard to maintain, so I fluctuate a lot. I tend to let myself gain a little bit of weight so I can be fat and happy for awhile. I will spend months focused on the gym and my diet and then I will completely backtrack because I get tired of it. There is a fine balance there and I'm hoping that I will one day find it. I suppose the alternative is to just be comfortable with the 10-20 pounds I constantly gain and lose but that isn't quite what I want either. I think the real struggle for me is accepting the ebb and flow of my fitness lifestyle

in_the_stars

I'm not the one that said "fat lazy sex" but your post is pretty harsh. I'm naturally skinny, it's hard for me to gain.

To whoever said that "fat lazy sex" isnt any good....... have you tried it? If not then please do not talk about what you do not know. I have a friend who told me the only thing a "skinny" girl is good for is to toss around a bedroom but when he wanted good lovin' he got it from a bigger girl. Even my husband tells me he loved the sex more when I had more meat on my bones because he doent want a skeleton to make love too. Fit sex is good but so is BIG SEX and BIGGER SEX. Please stop being so shallow and realize that everyone looks better with some meat on them cause only dogs like bones.

Jollyin14

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.

Well said!!