Fake success pictuers

AlbertPooHoles

I don't see what folks would have to gain by faking pictures.

The gal that I noticed doing it has legions of "followers", even a group dedicated to herself as "inspiration". She lost a ton of weight, and looks great. I don't understand the need to photoshop your head onto another body though.

leanmachinedream

Why are people so concerned about others? It doesn't affect you if so and so burns 1000 calories a day doing "light cleaning" and it doesn't affect you if they also photoshop their picture.

Focus on you, not other people.

TazzytheMotivator

What would be the point. But several of my friends who lives in Georgia see me everyday, so i would have a hard time faking it.
But this is the real me

QueenJayJay

Why are people so concerned about others? It doesn't affect you if so and so burns 1000 calories a day doing "light cleaning" and it doesn't affect you if they also photoshop their picture.

Focus on you, not other people.

:drinker:

Shutterpillar

I agree but when I see be for and after pictures that makes me wanna push myself even more but when I read they only lost 15 pounds and there picture looks like they lost 40.....SMH yeah that don't match up.

I am a shortie, and have lost just over 15 lbs. Because i am short, that 15 lbs looks like a LOT on my body. I was looking back on pictures from "before" and I couldnt believe how big I looked! And it was only 15 lbs ago!

We all carry ourselves differently. That 15 lbs on my pear shaped 5'4 body could look completely different on someone with a square shaped body who is 5'10. Its the same reason why you could know someone who weighs a lot more than you, but wears a smaller sized pant. We are all SO different.

superstarcassie

Also- if they are putting up "fake" pics, it is their issue. I try not to stress about others. I have found that letting go of other peoples issues, and focusing on myself and my success has made me the most happy on this weight loss journey. Its easy to look at others, get jealous, or feel bad when my scale is standing still. I always take a step back, rejoice in my success, and strive to live each day healthier than I used to!

lruthruff

IF seeing the the before and after photos motivate then use as a motivation. Those who fake photos are only cheating them selves.

p0stdramatic

Why are people so concerned about others? It doesn't affect you if so and so burns 1000 calories a day doing "light cleaning" and it doesn't affect you if they also photoshop their picture.

Focus on you, not other people.

My house would be so clean. SO CLEAN.

Amo_Angelus

Depends how they lost the weight. If they lost through just dieting their results will look a LOT different than if they did a lot of strength training as well.

For example, and this is my personal experiance. When I was younger and in college I did a lot of excercise due to dancing on a regular basis and doing performing arts, plus I lived on what my friend calls a mountain, very steep, very tall hills which I had to walk up to get anywhere. Well when I weighed 150 then I had a perfectly toned stomach and thighs. I looked incredible. I don't do anywhere near that ammount of excercise or toning now and I'm almost at 150 and I am a lot squishier. Same weight, different measurements and different look. You can really tell the difference in my before and after pictures from college to putting on a stone. Can't tell much of a difference between me having put the stone on and shedding it this time. I just look smoother and not quite as round in the tummy area. Basically I lost the stone for a dress, but you can't really see it. It just makes the dress look better than my little roundness did :P

nnapieralski

I've only lost 10 lbs, but my picture looks like I've lost 30 or so. People think my "after" pic is a size 4 or 6. Ha! I'm a size 10! I lost a lot of fat, but have developed a decent amount of muscle. And I have big boobs. Those still weigh a lot.

I for one don't care if people are posting fake "after" pics. They're only hurting themselves.

BADGIRLstl

Some people have lost weight prior to MFP. Some people change their goals. For instance, I've lost close to 30 lbs....but for the new year I started my ticker over at 0 lbs lost...because I want to see my ticker move for the last 30 lbs I need off...I was too comfortable see the 20 + lbs in my ticker. So, I would hope no one is lying.....or using fake pics....

hexrei

Obviously you lost a good amount of weight, but you're also doing some classic photo fudging here too- thick horizontal stripes for example make a chunky person look chunkier while black tends to slim. Your pose, posture, and expression are also worlds apart between these two pics, they look like how companies selling fat-loss or workout products tend to put their before and after pics together to emphasize weight loss. Regardless, congrats on dumping that forty pound belly.

Ticker and Pic R Correct for Me!

bluiz13

what difference does it make if it pushes you to work harder....if it helps you then let it....if they are lying about their progress that is there loss.....not worth even thinking about....
denise

I agree but when I see be for and after pictures that makes me wanna push myself even more but when I read they only lost 15 pounds and there picture looks like they lost 40.....SMH yeah that don't match up.

hexrei

Fat is going to occupy more space... there is a lot on these treads about this.

Reality is that a person who weighs 150 lbs and it is loose fat is going to look way much bigger than a person who weighs 150 lbs of lean muscle...

Exactly. I think OP doesn't know a whole lot about body composition. "SMH"

Ro0kins_Wedding

I don't think i've seen any fake success pictures on here. I have only seen lots of people proud of their achievements!

Take this guy for example...



He worked hard for those abs and he just wants to show them off.

marycmeadows

my ticker is not correct -- it says something in the 40's I think - but I've lost 102lbs. I started with weight watchers, and joined mfp in like june or july, 6 months into my journey -- so I'm hoping people aren't posting fake pictures, but maybe they're in the same situation I am.

p0stdramatic

Are you serious? What happened to you this morning that made you want to come on the internet and piss on someone?

Obviously you lost a good amount of weight, but you're also doing some classic photo fudging here too- thick horizontal stripes for example make a chunky person look chunkier while black tends to slim. Your pose, posture, and expression are also worlds apart between these two pics, they look like how companies selling fat-loss or workout products tend to put their before and after pics together to emphasize weight loss. Regardless, congrats on dumping that forty pound belly.

Ticker and Pic R Correct for Me!

teagin2002

But depending on the 15lbs lost it may *look* like more. They could be doing a lot of strength training so lost a lot of inches but the scale does not reflect a lot of loss. Also, depending on how much they needed to lose may also be a factor at how much 15lbs "looks" like. When someone is trying to lose 20lbs vs 100lbs - 15lbs willl make a difference in their apperance.

Also, like PP said - what is there to gain by photoshopping a Before & After pic? If it motivates you to keep going....who cares!

15lbs with strength training is a lot of inches. For example I am 5'4" and weigh 176lbs, but because I lift heavy I wear a size 8 US jean. My measurements are (37 hip, 25 waist, 37 chest). If I didn't lift heavy and weighed the same I wouldn't have those measurements nor would I fit in to a size 8.
That pic of me in the avatar was taken yesterday morning. I started out as a size 24 US jean and over 280lbs in 2010.

I don't think they are doctored up, it comes from perseverance and the willingness to study up and read about diet, nutrition and exercise.

I hope this helps luv, and if you like my message; to learn to love yourself (and your body) in to better health send me a friend request and I would be happy to add you :flowerforyou:

amymarie8709

Maybe they lost weight....joined MFP..lost more weight...and the ticker reflects their "MFP weight loss". It's ok....thinking is hard.

I lost a good majority of my weight training at the gym BEFORE my friend turned me onto this site! Just because some numbers may not add up on here, doesn't mean they weren't working towards their goal before they got on here.

crystal8208

Why are people so concerned about others? It doesn't affect you if so and so burns 1000 calories a day doing "light cleaning" and it doesn't affect you if they also photoshop their picture.

Focus on you, not other people.

My house would be so clean. SO CLEAN.

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D hahahahahahahahah I'm imagining a power cleaning session. Pledge in one hand, duster in the other, and pushing a mop with your feet!!!! ROTFL

crystal8208

I don't think i've seen any fake success pictures on here. I have only seen lots of people proud of their achievements!

Take this guy for example...



He worked hard for those abs and he just wants to show them off.

I vote that one as a fake. As a photographer and a graphic artist, I see photoshop lines. Sorry if I'm wrong, but I'd stake $$$ that I'm not.

amymarie8709

I don't think i've seen any fake success pictures on here. I have only seen lots of people proud of their achievements!

Take this guy for example...



He worked hard for those abs and he just wants to show them off.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Coccinellid

I've lost...
1" off my arm,
1.5" of my thigh
4" off my waist
3" off my hip
2.5% body fat.
Even though my body looks different my weight has stayed the same, so I guess the scales don't always give an accurate indication.

Mirth

Here's a fun video to watch;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M957dACQyfU


Video gimmick aside, I tend to believe the before/after photos here. I remain skeptical of if some of the people will keep the weight off or not, based on how they lost the weight and how quickly they shed it. I'm always more fascinated by the after-after photos; things taken a year or more after the initial weight loss, checking in on the progress they'd made. But I still find before/after photos to be inspiring.

LorinaLynn

Well, in my profile picture, I'm only down 2# from June to now. That's the short story of it.

The long story is that I'd actually lost about 10# from June to October, but then a combination of increased protein, increased calories, lots of strength training, followed by a month of self-medicating on chocolate while I recovered from a stress fracture and couldn't exercise, lead to an increase on the scale. Some might be muscle, some might be fluctuation and fluids.

So many people seem to live and die by the numbers on the scale that I think it's important to illustrate that it's only part of the equation.

I am very skilled at Photoshop, but I only use it on my own photos to crop or rotate as necessary, zap a zit or scar (I have a couple of bug-bites on my ankles that look like giant purple bullet wounds... they take ages to heal and fade), sharpen the image, or adjust the color/contrast balance.

crystal8208

He worked hard for those abs and he just wants to show them off.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Now I get it... LOL. D'oh!

Bronx_Montgomery

Maybe they lost weight....joined MFP..lost more weight...and the ticker reflects their "MFP weight loss". It's ok....thinking is hard.

I agree with this. My MFP ticker only says I have lost 16 pounds but I lost a total of 61lbs. I joined MFP after I had lost a good amount of weight

crystal8208

Well, in my profile picture, I'm only down 2# from June to now. That's the short story of it.

The long story is that I'd actually lost about 10# from June to October, but then a combination of increased protein, increased calories, lots of strength training, followed by a month of self-medicating on chocolate while I recovered from a stress fracture and couldn't exercise, lead to an increase on the scale. Some might be muscle, some might be fluctuation and fluids.

So many people seem to live and die by the numbers on the scale that I think it's important to illustrate that it's only part of the equation.

I am very skilled at Photoshop, but I only use it on my own photos to crop or rotate as necessary, zap a zit or scar (I have a couple of bug-bites on my ankles that look like giant purple bullet wounds... they take ages to heal and fade), sharpen the image, or adjust the color/contrast balance.

I love your photo... You show that it's not all about the numbers. Those 2 pounds are killer. You shaped so much!!! I put in a number in because I had to. I am going by jeans size. I want to be an 8 or so. You are a real inspiration with your 2 pounds = killer muscles photo!

Aperture_Science

I don't think i've seen any fake success pictures on here. I have only seen lots of people proud of their achievements!

Take this guy for example...



He worked hard for those abs and he just wants to show them off.

I give up. You win! Best post of the thread.

CoryIda

I can only speak for myself, but mine are definitely all unedited me.
Size 24W pants to size 6-8 pants. Size 20-22W dresses to size 4-6 dresses. Size XXL shirts to size S or XS shirts.
Approximately 56% body fat to around 23% body fat.
I also have a bit of loose skin and stretch marks, but I'm still proud of my progress and see no need to alter my progress pictures - I think they tell my story well enough as they are.