To those that kicked butt and lost the weight...

Tracey_B_72

There aren't a lot of pics of me bigger as I hid from the camera but if I find any, and there are some scattered around the first thing I make is a comparison pic with me now so I can see the difference as I'm only just getting my head around my size and shape now.

OkamiLavande

Seeing old pictures of me causes me to remember to struggles I had with coming to terms with my mental health problems and the effects the medication had on my body, and how far I've come in learning to make what I have work for me. Old pictures of when I was skinny are just a much of a reminder of unhealthy habits as are the overweight ones. I don't have any pictures from when I was 176 pounds but I remember what I look like. I remember how hard it was knowing I was that size and how hard it was to change that. But many years later and lots of attempts down the road, here I am proud of how I look and even happier I have my life under control.

lady6starlight

I think to myself, "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me how big I was?" I recall wanting to diet and having people tell me that I looked fine, though I know I didn't. I kept deluding myself with thoughts of "oh, clothes are just made small these days," or "I don't eat THAT much!" People kept lying to me and I kept lying to myself, and I'm upset about that. But I'm glad I've made changes.

Mexicanbigfoot

I love this thread. I still have a long way to go. I think I'm finally ready now and reading some of these comments inspire me to keep going. Good luck to all that are still on their journey and congrats to those of you who have met your goals!

shafa4321

my gym id is me plus 90 lbs

they keep asking me if I want to change it and i say no, it is a reminder of where I have been and who i was

seeing older pics of myself keeps me motivated but i am trying to not dwell negatively on those images. Thats who i was at that time. It does not change the fact that i was a person with a job and a son and surrounded by people who loved me. I had good moments when i was overweight and i want to remember the moment for what it was, outside the fact i was unhealthy.

Good point

kaseyr1505

They motivate me. I can see that I'm uncomfortable, I remember the crappy emotions, the insecurity and all that. It helps me stay on track, and helps me remember how much my life has changed.

Bennettlizzy81

When I see old pictures, I mostly just feel sad that I didn't lose weight sooner. But, I realize I just wasn't ready back then.

I think this is a great way to look at it. Also I figure everything happens for a reason. Some peoples' battles are invisible and some, like weight, are VERY visible. But everybody has something that they struggle with, regardless of whether it can be seen.

seltzermint555

I think to myself, "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me how big I was?" I recall wanting to diet and having people tell me that I looked fine, though I know I didn't. I kept deluding myself with thoughts of "oh, clothes are just made small these days," or "I don't eat THAT much!" People kept lying to me and I kept lying to myself, and I'm upset about that. But I'm glad I've made changes.

Eh...I view this exactly opposite to the way you do, so I don't want to come off like I think you're wrong and I'm right. But I think it's actually great that others treated you kindly and didn't tell you that you needed to lose weight, it was probably their way of reassuring you without malicious intent at all. Unless you were at a weight that did cause physical problems, limited mobility and/or disease, etc, and they were enabling you...I think it's pretty likely they were just seeing you for the person you are, whom they love, and trying to make you feel good about yourself regardless of weight. In my book that is kindness.

I do agree with you about lying to oneself though and how dangerous that can be.

Losingthedamnweight

I think to myself, "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me how big I was?" I recall wanting to diet and having people tell me that I looked fine, though I know I didn't. I kept deluding myself with thoughts of "oh, clothes are just made small these days," or "I don't eat THAT much!" People kept lying to me and I kept lying to myself, and I'm upset about that. But I'm glad I've made changes.

So you're saying I should tell fat people around me they're fat, just in case they forget. Got it

MamaEngineer

I actually feel neutral towards those pictures. Yes I was overweight but I was still a pretty active and healthy person, just with some extra padding.

Those extra pounds were clinging onto my body after having my two beautiful children, so really I feel no shame or regret for them. It just is what it is, some extra fat. Otherwise I am still completely the same person.

Iwishyouwell

I don't have any pictures at my largest. That was on purpose. But I do have some fat photos and I did take before shots, shirtless, in my upper 200s.

It's mainly disbelief. I became aware that I was fat in about the 6th grade and it ALWAYS felt wrong. It was as if I was give the wrong body. Nobody fat shamed me either into that perspective, it just didn't feel "me" even at that young age. So the fact that I lost weight, regained the weight, and doubled it, shocks the hell out of me. It's like getting released from prison and then turning around and walking right back in. I hate being fat with a passion so old pictures just make me shake my head in disappointment, shame, and outrage disbelief.

kezzola

To be honest when I look at old photos of myself I can't see any difference. I think I may have to work on my self image because I still can't see that I look thinner - even though I've gone down 2 to 3 clothing sizes. The only way I can tell is when I put on an old large item of clothing and it hangs off me.

JustSomeEm

For me, it's disbelief that I actually managed to lose the weight. Disbelief that I ever could have let myself get so unhealthy, and being grateful that I finally woke up.

BigT555

So many emotions, to be honest.

Shame, embarrassment, disgust, and disbelief. But then I also feel proud, confident and strong for getting to where I am. There is also a good shot of disbelief that this is really me....that I'm not still that girl. It can be very emotional.

this.
i see a picture of my old self and find myself wondering how i let myself get to that point. but at the same time its a reminder of how far ive come

missdibs1

That was me?

mommy22alyns

I was too ashamed to ever be in front of the camera.

Mykaelous

I think "I never want to see that guy ever again."

MyMalfunction7

I keep them around, but not publicly - I have a locked album on facebook full of photos of my weight loss journey that only I can see, for example. I like to look at them occasionally to remind myself that whether or not I've hit a plateau, or gained a pound, I've still made a lot of progress and deserve to be proud of myself. The idea of other people not aware of my weight loss looking at them makes me uncomfortable, though.

MyMalfunction7

I think to myself, "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me how big I was?" I recall wanting to diet and having people tell me that I looked fine, though I know I didn't. I kept deluding myself with thoughts of "oh, clothes are just made small these days," or "I don't eat THAT much!" People kept lying to me and I kept lying to myself, and I'm upset about that. But I'm glad I've made changes.

I actually agree with you, to a certain extent. When you talk about losing weight to people, they do rush to assure you that you don't need to (especially if you're thinner than them). My cousin, who's gained some weight in the last year, actually told me I should gain ten pounds back. There are better ways to react to people talking about weight loss - like a simple congratulations, or a that's nice, or a complete lack of response. Any of those would be better. I feel like people occasionally tell you you don't have to lose weight so they don't feel like they have to lose weight, like how the drinking buddies of alcoholics always tell them they don't have a problem.

Linnaea27

There aren't many pictures of me at my highest weight, but there are a few (from last fall/early winter). When I see them, I'm like, "EW! I was fat! I will never go back to having that gross stomach!" I just generally wince and remind myself to never look like that again.

The thought of having a tummy like I did before is, I think, enough to keep me on track now. I hated my stomach passionately, and I have trouble seeing that it is actually pretty thin now.

It's very weird thinking about being larger, and now being so much smaller. I still look in the mirror and see plump me, until I notice my collarbones and my actually slender waist. And I've been shopping a couple times to get new pants or skirts and it is very hard to get my head around the fact that sizes that were formerly several sizes too small for me are now the right size.

PennyVonDread

My value as a person never had anything to do with my weight.

Linnaea27

. . . I think I may have to work on my self image because I still can't see that I look thinner - even though I've gone down 2 to 3 clothing sizes. The only way I can tell is when I put on an old large item of clothing and it hangs off me.

Sometimes this happens to me too. I don't FEEL smaller or think of myself as much smaller, except when I run or something and no longer feel flabby zones. Like someone else said, it's kind of a mindf*&^ sometimes.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

"I cannot believe I let myself get that porky. How did I NOT realize it at the time??"

AllOutof_Bubblegum

My value as a person never had anything to do with my weight.

Great....uh, good for you...I think? That wasn't what OP was asking, but we're all happy for you, anyway. :flowerforyou:

CindyMarcuzAdams

Its an embarrassment really. Me a relatively intelligent person letting herself get to 333lbs. Sure I have my excuses, so called good reasons for over eating but looking back they were crutches.
I still have a long way to go but hey...no more lame excuses... this is the real deal. ONDERLAND HERE I COME

eslcity

What i do with my old pictures is let others at the gym see them... because they can't believe I was ever overweight...

It is so hard for many to believe i wasn't born... in a gym....^^

WW_Jude_V2

I kind of enjoy looking at them. They help to remind me that even if I don't always think so, I'm strong enough to take control of my life and make big changes.

just4nessa

Now that you've lost the weight, how do you feel seeing old pictures of your fat self? What goes through your mind?

I'm grateful that someone cared about me enough to want to forever capture the moment I was experiencing without judgment, and I accept that I am the only person that is/was overly critical of my weight. I regret deleting or discarding so many old pictures because I thought I didn't look good enough and didn't want to be remembered that way. I can not relive my life so I cherish every photo that I do have because there is so much more to the story than the number on the scale.

PennyVonDread

My value as a person never had anything to do with my weight.

Great....uh, good for you...I think? That wasn't what OP was asking, but we're all happy for you, anyway. :flowerforyou:

He asked what we thought when we look at old pictures.

Meerataila

Part of me thinks, "Never again!"

Part of me thinks well at least i didn't have to be stressed out hoping for a better life because I had no hope.