Size Versus Appearance

lisafred24
lisafred24 Posts: 306 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
The other day I was working out with my trainer and he asked me if I could be any size what would it be. My immediate response was "2" (said through laughter), my body structure would never allow me to be a 2, which was his exact response. My serious response was "an 8". His response was "do you want to be a size 8 or do you want to be a size 8 that looks good". It took me a second because my immediate thought was if I am a size 8 wouldn't that look good? He explained that we could help my cardio, focus on cardio and lose the weight quickly and get me in a size 8 but losing it quickly without the strength training was going to leave me flabby and "hanging".

I thought about it for about a 1/2 second and said if I am putting in the work to get to a size 8, then I damn sure want to look good when I get there...clothes on or off.

So my question to you is....do want to be a certain size and only the size matters or do you want to be a size that looks good with clothes or without?

Replies

  • NuttyBrewnette
    NuttyBrewnette Posts: 417 Member
    I want to be healthy. Fit. Strong. Looking good is an added bonus.
  • Kelly_1981
    Kelly_1981 Posts: 472 Member
    I like you would say "SIZE 8-10" but I want to be happy and I am not letting the scales tell me when or clothes as long as I am happy with me then thats good for me.
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    For the past 15 years of my life, I've been living with people in various shapes:

    --thin and extremely athletic, six pack and all
    --underweight, hardly any visible muscle tone
    --chubby
    --borderline obese

    And I can definitely say I don't want to be in the "thin without good muscle tone" category! I'm a female, and I want to have a build that is somewhere between a tennis player and a boxer. I want to look strong without being too bulky. It will take a long time, but it's a goal worth pursuing.
  • flutterbee3
    flutterbee3 Posts: 49
    I want to look good in a swim suit and I can't do that with flabby skin! I want to feel comfortable in my own skin and I want to have the confidence to know that I am ok with what ever size jeans I am wearing. Secretly, I have a size in mind but we'll see if I make it. If not, oh well!
  • buryherdead
    buryherdead Posts: 23
    That is such a true statement! Some of my pants/skirts are size 8's but I'm still not where I want to be. I definitely need to work on toning and getting to where I want to be. Sounds like you have a smart trainer!
  • 1234lbsgone
    1234lbsgone Posts: 296 Member
    I could care less what size I am as long as I look good. Then when my 100 pound skinny-fat friend reminds me that she is a size 0, I can show her my abs and cellulite free thighs and say, yeah, but I have this going for me:tongue:
  • shamandalie
    shamandalie Posts: 21
    Size is meaningless I think, it's about looking how you want to look.
  • kalelwifey
    kalelwifey Posts: 172
    My Goal now is to be happy......everythign after that is a plus
  • ivansmomma
    ivansmomma Posts: 500
    I love this topic. So many of us (as I've done before) get caught up in the number on the scale. We need to look at ourselves in the mirror and see the changes our body is making through our exercise AND healthy eating. I've always had this problem and am now realizing that it's not the number, but the appearance that makes all the difference. I am just working towards becoming stronger through exercise and good, healthy eating. The number decreasing is an extra, added bonus.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    I dont even think its about 'looking' good, its about FEELING good, literally, in your own skin!

    I definitely would prefer to be muscle fat than flabby thin! Put it that way..... feeling stronger in your body, makes you feel tall and confident. I'm finding that the more muscle toning I do, the better I feel. And I still have enough fat to lose.

    You gotta do both cardio and resistence work. Its beneficial in a ton of ways.........

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • LikeNoOneElse84
    LikeNoOneElse84 Posts: 475 Member
    I just want to feel confident about myself. No huge pregnant looking belly, and no ugly back rolls. If I can make that happen, I would be okay with whatever size that comes with.
  • buryherdead
    buryherdead Posts: 23
    I want to look good in a swim suit and I can't do that with flabby skin! I want to feel comfortable in my own skin and I want to have the confidence to know that I am ok with what ever size jeans I am wearing. Secretly, I have a size in mind but we'll see if I make it. If not, oh well!

    this is how i feel!
  • funfitfoodie
    funfitfoodie Posts: 630 Member
    Appearance for sure, even at my heaviest I could still squeeze into the smalls (and sometimes even extra smalls) but that didn't take away the fact my belly was sticking out like I was up the duff or the rolls of fat under the clothes.
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
    I just want to feel confident about myself. No huge pregnant looking belly, and no ugly back rolls. If I can make that happen, I would be okay with whatever size that comes with.

    Like :)
  • DropsOJupiter
    DropsOJupiter Posts: 131
    My first big "thrill" was to finally realize I could get into clothes at ANY store, not just the large size stores. That was such a big achievement for me! Now the goal is to be healthy inside and out, mentally and physically. So for me, clothes size is secondary to being a healthy size.
  • oxFaithxo
    oxFaithxo Posts: 160 Member
    this is so true... when i started lossing weight my goal was to go from 175 to about 145... now i am ONE lb away from 145 and I still look kinda flabby, dont get me wrong i am SO PLEASED with my accomplishment but i understand NOW is the time so start strength training and get my flab to fab!
  • funfitfoodie
    funfitfoodie Posts: 630 Member
    And I can definitely say I don't want to be in the "thin without good muscle tone" category! I'm a female, and I want to have a build that is somewhere between a tennis player and a boxer. I want to look strong without being too bulky. It will take a long time, but it's a goal worth pursuing.

    I agree! People tend to think I'm aiming for just "skinny" with a 110lb goal - but that numbers really just an estimate! I wanna be toned and strong!
  • sbwood888
    sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
    I will NEVER again look good naked. That train left the station years ago. I want to look nice in my clothes. :glasses:
  • bmw4deb
    bmw4deb Posts: 1,324 Member
    I would love to be a size 4, not sure if i will ever get there
    but i have to say i'm getting happier each size i drop
  • BJC78
    BJC78 Posts: 324 Member
    Great post! Isn't this a great realization :) I love it!
  • momofJandA
    momofJandA Posts: 1,035 Member
    I would like to say I just want to be fit and healthy but I would be lying- the number on the scale and the size on my clothes is a factor for me- not the only factor but a factor.
    So . . . both. I would LOVE to look at myself in a bikini and say "damn I look good" that's when I can say I accomplished the goal. I am guessing that will be a size 6 and 120lbs but not sure we'll see how I look and feel when I get there
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    i would like to look acceptable naked...not great, but something where i look in the mirror and go "okay, you can walk out in front of your husband naked without cringing!" i want my clothes to look good too (probably more than i want to look good naked) and realistically my happy size is probably around a 12-14...i am big boned so i won't be able to get much smaller than that i'm guessing!
  • amberaz
    amberaz Posts: 328 Member
    I am living proof that getting to a certain size or weight does not equal happiness or even contentment with your body. I am 5'3", 111 lbs and a size 0/2/3. I am still not happy with the way I look. I started strength training about 6 weeks ago and last week I started Chalean Extreme. I am finally starting to see the results I have been wanting, though it will be at least a few months before I achieve what I really want. I feel like the past 6 months have been wasted on cardio and diet and I should have been strength training all along, BUT I feel really healthy :laugh:
  • jmgj27
    jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
    Absolutely size is far less important than how you look when you get there - I am now a UK size 12 and have a relatively flat stomach and toned legs - other size 12 colleagues and friends (generally shorter ones if I'm being honest) look flabbier than me.

    That said - I was a size 16/18 for years and years and years. I would rather eat my eyes with a cold spoon than get back up to that size again because I was so unhappy at it. So - that way round, yes size matters! If I went into a shop that cut clothes incredibly small (in California maybe!) and I would have to buy a size 16 for the item to look good - I wouldn't buy it. I haven't come this far and shed nearly 50lbs just to buy a damn 16 again!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I care a lot less about the number on the scale than looking fit and defined. That said, I'm shooting for a size 4/6 (currently a 14).
  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
    I want to be healthy. Fit. Strong. Looking good is an added bonus.

    I am in agreement with this statement! This is exactly how I feel about it. It's not about "looking good or hot" for me. It's about how I FEEL and how healthy and fit I am. :)
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
    Since I had my son and gained so much weight, all I cared about was getting back into my prepregnancy clothes, which were a 6. That was my total focus. Now that I have reached that goal and am actually in a 4, I do not like the way I look. Yes, I am a lot smaller all over but I still have the flabby bum-bum, cheesy thighs and do not have my flat tummy back. SO, with that being said and totally embarrassing myself, I have now decided I need to look good at a size 4. So I am exercising (just started) but hopefully by the end of this year I will be well on my way to not being embarrassed to wear a bathing suit next summer!
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