Before & After Photos

jennerationx

So...I see a lot of these photos on here and you all look spectacular might I add. The transformations are AMAZING. I have not taken a photo in YEARS. I do my best to avoid cameras at all costs and when I do find myself in a picture I hastily delete it. The last picture I took was with my daughter for her 1st Holy Communion when she was in 3rd grade, sh will be in 7th this year. When I joined Medi Weight Loss, the nurse told me she was going to take a picture and I was in sheer panic!! Luckily, the batteries were dead and she could not find the charger, she was there again when I went for my B vitamin shots and mentioned the picture again and this time could not find the camera.....and this past week, new people, no idea that I never took that damn before photo.

I HATE THE WAY I LOOK, I cannot accept it, it is not me, I am trapped in here, I made this big fluffy body on the outside and it does not match the person I really am. I have to look in the mirror every day...I don't want a constant reminder around of what I look like. I am sure once I have reached my goal, I will probably feel differently, but seeing a camera now makes me want to throw up.

lindsaylove07

I have "before" pictures of me in a bikini *shudders* and I refuse to print them out or post them, one of these days I will take "after" pictures in the same bikini so I can appreciate how far I've come.

melizerd

Personally even if you do not look at them now I say take the pictures. In 6 months or a year you're going to want them to show how awesome you are and how far you've come.

I fought my husband on them but now I'm glad he did do it because it's helped keep me motivated AND help motivate some other friends of mine.

Also have someone take measurements (again even if they don't tell you what they are) because they matter later

You can do this. It's a long journey and not always easy but it's worth it! In just 15 days I'll have been here ONE YEAR and can't believe what a different person I am not from a year ago.

SarahofTwins

I wished I would have taken more before pictures but since I hated the way I looked I only took a few....it definitely motivated me though to see that I didn't want to be like that anymore.

athenaqueen

I understand how you feel, but you have to love yourself for who you are. You are Jennifer, right here, right now, and you are a work in progress. As you listed in your signature line, there are many people who love you: child, husband, parents, sibling, friends. And I'm sure they love you for who you are. They see you everyday and love you.

My mom passed and there weren't many pictures of her taken the last few years. My brother and I treasure those few photographs of my mom. Even though her "exterior" was altered by cancer and the drugs used to combat it, I treasure those photographs as a visual reminder of who my mom was on the inside.

watrmlon

I definitely understand why you don't want to take the picture but at the same time I think you will want one later to compare before and afters.

jennerationx

@athenaqueen, thank you for your post. My mom never liked taking pictures either. She was always turning away or putting her hand up. The only good photos we have of her are from my wedding. She had breast cancer and was already losing her hair from the chemo and was way to thin cause she couldn't eat but we LOVE those pictures. There was one photo that we have made copies for most of my family. She passed away 7 months after that.

I used to love taking pictures and having pictures taken of me, but now it is so terrifying to see what I have done to myself, how I have neglected myself so badly.....I am hoping to get the courage up to take some this weekend and post one. I need to do this so that I can show myself I am important and I am working hard to get away from that body in the photo. UGH......

Jenna70

I completely understand how you feel. I have very few photos of myself from the past 6 years or so since gaining so much weight... and I don't even have the pregnancy "excuse" as others do, simply my own damn fault. I have been angry at myself for years for allowing myself to become so big and unhappy. Somewhere inside is a much smaller me screaming to get out! Having joined the "over 40" group this past December I reached the breaking point... I am simply too young to feel this damn old!

Back to the point, I believe photographic evidence is necessary... I am taking some new ones tomorrow to serve as proper "before" photos so that I can look back later and remember why it is that I am now living a healthy lifestyle. I know I am going to want to know and see how far I've come once I get there and remember I never want to be that fat person again.
Feel free to add me as a friend if you like... I'd be happy to give support.

(from a fellow Jennifer)

jessradtke

My mom has struggled with her weight most of her life and doesn't really like having her picture taken, but she will do it for us. She doesn't always like to see the pictures herself, but she wants US to have pictures of her. She says that even though she may not like those pictures, the people who love her don't see the fat. They only see HER, and they will cherish those pictures some day when she's no longer here. She's absolutely right!!

athenaqueen

@jennerationx
You're awesome! You can take those pics. As others said, you don't have to look at them now. I know exactly how you feel. But, that is why you are here. You're making progress. All the other wonderful people here will see you through those bad days too. It is slow, but it will happen. And then you won't have to shy from that camera any longer.

My mom's cancer was breast cancer too. Now that is even more of a reason for us to get our butts healthy. I'll take some pics this weekend too, but I do not feel comfortable enough to post them at this point.

BTW, I'm a Jennifer too.

ayshamc

I know exactly how you feel.... I look at pictures taken now and I still see someone who is 20Kgs heavier and to me, hasn't changed in the slightest! I know this can't be true as the scales tell me so much different as do the people around me but I am not sure how to get out of the mindset of "oh my god, I still look huge". I don't know if that will actually EVER go away

I can see that it's necessary, I wholeheartedly agree that it's necessary but it's a mind-set thing with me that I just can't seem to shift either!

jennerationx

@ayshamc, it is sooooooo hard........ for something so simple to be this hard and having such a hold on me is pissing me off! I have to get past this......

ayshamc

It is hard hun, I totally agree....I wish I had the answers for you - i'd be following them myself if I did!

You will get there, i'm sure of it - there must be a point where you will just hit it and think "Wow, I did it"!! x