This is basically just going to be me being angry.

theartichoke

I couldn't tell anything, at all, until 30lbs lost. As another person mentioned, the fat makes its home around organs as well and decreasing fat mass from there, though wonderful, isn't going to give you much to look at. My body seems to pick from different places to mobilize fat stores based upon..I don't know what. Apparently based upon wherever the hell it feels like, meaning NOT my belly.

You're almost there! Keep at it and you'll see the difference soon.

Pssst...enjoy your McDonald's. I have to whisper this so the health police don't drag me out of the house and put me in the Pillory.

JonathonMars

Stop eating fast food. Do you know what is in that crap? Watch "Fast Food Nation!" and eat something that is actually food. Good luck!

I think I have a pretty good idea--but outside of traveling an hour to go grocery shopping (something unfeasible for me) I'm not sure how much difference could be made. I think if I were interested in being a vegetarian (which I am not, because I think I need meat for protein) it would be kind of difficult to do much better and still eat safely. Produce is easy to get here organically, but meat? I'm not sure if the meat in most chain supermarkets is better--I guess I would have to investigate that more, but it seems to me that the preservatives pervade most products. I live in a place that really struggles with questions of community and agrarianism. It's fascinating to me that some people believe everyone should grow their own food, and perhaps it would be best--but is it feasible? I'm not sure. There is a lot of media out there, and I'm not saying that the stuff against fast food is wrong at all, but I'm a naturally skeptical person when it comes to issues on almost every front--it's hard for me to buy into organic, new age things just as much as fast food hype about "healthy options". Both are forms of propaganda. Another issue that arises is: What constitutes good changes or bad changes? Was everything about the per-industrialist world bad? Again, not things I am educated on enough to make determinations on. And as someone with other intellectual interests, I'm not sure how much time I can spend on them. I'm not trying to justify my eating fast food--I detest it--but I just don't know where the lines of "good and bad" lay.

JonathonMars

Oh stop, you know that you are a total hottie!! Keep up the good work. My only thing is 'maybe', just maybe ... did you wear your clothes baggy because you were self concious about your weight. Maybe people can't tell because you weren't showing off the goods before.

Keep up the good work.

For some reason, only girls tell me this.

theartichoke

Why are there 2 choices in the gay community? Waif or Daddy. Tiny little thing or big muscle Daddy man. What is that?!?! It makes me wonder if all men are that way instinctively. When women are thrown into the equation the criteria changes for some reason. But many gay men love them some boobies...but hell to the no if you have moobies. Can you explain this to me?

JonathonMars

Why are there 2 choices in the gay community? Waif or Daddy. Tiny little thing or big muscle Daddy man. What is that?!?! It makes me wonder if all men are that way instinctively. When women are thrown into the equation the criteria changes for some reason. But many gay men love them some boobies...but hell to no if you have moobies. Can you explain this to me?

I really cannot. Breasts disgust me.

I think maybe the thing about their being two choices--is that gay men maybe want someone who seems to intentionally look the way they do. Me, I am kind of a conundrum, because I am, essentially, a 5'7", 120 lbs. blonde boy who danced as a child on the inside. On the outside, I am a somewhat chubby, balding eccentric person. It confuses people. They don't know what "product" they are getting. There is really no one for me to relate to--I will be single all my life. I have known this for some time. I can't even imagine what kind of person would make a good "partner" for me--I doubt that person exists. And so, I go through life, a somewhat sexless, ungendered thing outside the realm of normal life.

LoosingMyLast15

I mean this in the nicest of ways - it's about FREAK'N TIME a GUY goes through this! BAH!!! lol. jk! and every other one you can think of. oh and end with a

So, I'm losing weight according to the scale--it's not been hard really, but I'm young and male, so I guess it is somewhat expected that it might be easy to me. But my scale is really crazy, I can step on it three times and weigh one weight...wait a minute or so, and then weight a totally different weight...

So you are thinking, why don't I take measurements? I've tried, and there doesn't seem to be much difference. I guess I'm losing inches from my ears (actually, considering my ears that would not be a bad thing). Last night, I was looking at shorts online (I have this fantasy where I buy all new clothes, and someone starts to think I am beautiful) and the size chart said that if your waist was this size you needed this size pants--supposedly they correspond exactly. If I measure at the slimmest part of my waist, it is 37 inches. I usually wear a 32-34 in pants, and for most of my life, my pant size has hovered in that area. I thought maybe it was just their sizing, but all the size charts seem to say they are "true" to size. Yeah...right.

I guess I could try pictures, but I think that would probably depress me too--but I guess I can try and see. I just am amazed that someone can lose 20+ pounds and there not be much difference. It makes me feel like I should change my goal to weigh 130 or something--which would probably NOT be healthy for me, or a good look. I guess, given my body type, I should just give up on being thin, and just lift a lot of weights, and become that guy who huge arms and chest and shoulders...AND stomach?

Krys_140

Yes, I must definitely work on my food preparation skills. And at the beginning I was tracking water intake and doing really good, but I have definitely slacked! I know this sounds crazy, but any tips on taking pictures? Ha. I just realized my camera has a tripod insert on the bottom...that could help.

And a perfectionist, to boot! Jonathon - have you not seen the pics of people holding up their camera next to their face in the mirror? This is not MyFotoPal - it's MyFitnessPal, and we do not care if your pics are professional quality. If you have a camera and a mirror, you have all you need.

p.s. Congrats on 18 lbs lost! Don't discount the work you've put into that. Whether you see it or not, it's real, and it's progress. You earned those lbs!

JonathonMars

Yes, I must definitely work on my food preparation skills. And at the beginning I was tracking water intake and doing really good, but I have definitely slacked! I know this sounds crazy, but any tips on taking pictures? Ha. I just realized my camera has a tripod insert on the bottom...that could help.

And a perfectionist, to boot! Jonathon - have you not seen the pics of people holding up their camera next to their face in the mirror? This is not MyFotoPal - it's MyFitnessPal, and we do not care if your pics are professional quality. If you have a camera and a mirror, you have all you need.

p.s. Congrats on 18 lbs lost! Don't discount the work you've put into that. Whether you see it or not, it's real, and it's progress. You earned those lbs!

Me, a perfectionist? And I would NEVER, EVER post pictures of myself on here--at least, not the kind you all are talking about. Even if next year I have a six pack and am going out to clubs with my entire torso bedazzled and glittered, I shall never do that!

Lesley2901

Yes, I must definitely work on my food preparation skills. And at the beginning I was tracking water intake and doing really good, but I have definitely slacked! I know this sounds crazy, but any tips on taking pictures? Ha. I just realized my camera has a tripod insert on the bottom...that could help.

And a perfectionist, to boot! Jonathon - have you not seen the pics of people holding up their camera next to their face in the mirror? This is not MyFotoPal - it's MyFitnessPal, and we do not care if your pics are professional quality. If you have a camera and a mirror, you have all you need.

p.s. Congrats on 18 lbs lost! Don't discount the work you've put into that. Whether you see it or not, it's real, and it's progress. You earned those lbs!

Me, a perfectionist? And I would NEVER, EVER post pictures of myself on here--at least, not the kind you all are talking about. Even if next year I have a six pack and am going out to clubs with my entire torso bedazzled and glittered, I shall never do that!

Awww , disappointed those pics sound interesting. Seriously though you have done well to lose 18lbs, maybe you are a bit of a perfectionist and because the difference isn't quite what you wanted you are not giving yourself enough credit.

theartichoke

You made an interesting point about knowing the product. That makes perfect sense. As if being gay doesn't bring enough of its own struggles then you all have to deal with this aspect too.

As for being single, give it time. It's your age that's hindering you, not who you are. Those two specific molds become less and less important as the years go by. My best friend didn't find his partner until he was 32 and he expressed, on many occasions, the exact same sentiments you did. Keep being the dancing child no matter what the outside looks like. What a beautiful thing to have as we get older. What an amazing thing to bring to a long term relationship! As the years go by, you'll still be dancing. Any man would be blessed to have that, even if he does have to be older to realize it. Maybe you need to be a bit older to embrace and own how wonderful you are too.

lindalee0315

I just bought some new scales as mine told me I was 5 pounds different over night and I don't think I retain 5 pounds of water.

My new scales are wonderful and I am now 14 pounds lighter than the old ones told me I was. It's a very easy fix =p

I want that scale!

julepgirl

First, as for the thing about no guys liking your body type or whatever you were saying, my guess is that you don't live in a metro area with much of a gay population? Among other interesting things I've done, I've spent a LOT of time at a particular gay country-western bar in a particular big city and two-stepped with a bunch of gay cowboys and cowbois and cowM2Fs and cowF2Ms and cowbutches and cowfemmes and (ok now I'm just getting carried away). And knowing all those great people, and judging by the little bitty glimpse of you (picture and personality) that you've given us, you'd be snatched up faster than a wink. When the population is big enough, it's no different than the straight community - there are always people somewhere that like the you that you are.

I'm not going to go be a diary stalker, but I used to eat (and still dream of eating) McDonald's all the time. I've actually reached a point where my McD craving can be satisfied with a happy meal (yes, with apple dippers), and then I've got a corny toy to give to the next pissy coworker who apparently needs cheering up.

JonathonMars

You made an interesting point about knowing the product. That makes perfect sense. As if being gay doesn't bring enough of its own struggles then you all have to deal with this aspect too.

As for being single, give it time. It's your age that's hindering you, not who you are. Those two specific molds become less and less important as the years go by. My best friend didn't find his partner until he was 32 and he expressed, on many occasions, the exact same sentiments you did. Keep being the dancing child no matter what the outside looks like. What a beautiful thing to have as we get older. What an amazing thing to bring to a long term relationship! As the years go by, you'll still be dancing. Any man would be blessed to have that, even if he does have to be older to realize it. Maybe you need to be a bit older to embrace and own how wonderful you are too.

I find older men attractive as much as younger men, but I do think there is some truth in me needing to be older. A lot of things about living a gay life kind of play into extended adolescence--so many things happen a bit delayed. I think I'm fine being single though. When I was younger, I was obsessed with the whole idea of having a boyfriend--now I just look at the pretty things and move on. This only happened after I realized that real relationships are a lot of work, and require the two participants to not be insane--something people take for granted. I believe some people are meant to be single, or should resign themselves to being single. Not everyone is built to be in a relationship.

I think I have always thought I was a good person. I think I am also a lot to deal with though. I'm not sure I can ask people to do that, and am almost to the point that I totally keep people out of my personal life so I don't have to ask them to. There has always been for me, this idea of wearing a mask, of keeping my background a sort of secret. Hmm.

JonathonMars

First, as for the thing about no guys liking your body type or whatever you were saying, my guess is that you don't live in a metro area with much of a gay population? Among other interesting things I've done, I've spent a LOT of time at a particular gay country-western bar in a particular big city and two-stepped with a bunch of gay cowboys and cowbois and cowM2Fs and cowF2Ms and cowbutches and cowfemmes and (ok now I'm just getting carried away). And knowing all those great people, and judging by the little bitty glimpse of you (picture and personality) that you've given us, you'd be snatched up faster than a wink. When the population is big enough, it's no different than the straight community - there are always people somewhere that like the you that you are.

I'm not going to go be a diary stalker, but I used to eat (and still dream of eating) McDonald's all the time. I've actually reached a point where my McD craving can be satisfied with a happy meal (yes, with apple dippers), and then I've got a corny toy to give to the next pissy coworker who apparently needs cheering up.

Hahah. I guess that's true. But I think I kind of become a piece of furniture to most people--even though I'm very funny, so in certain situations, people grow to love me. As for my McDonald's--my most commonly consumed items are oatmeal, apples, the Southwest salad, and round eggs or Canadian bacon. If I am low on protein, I will sometimes eat a Angus Snack Wrap or a Grilled Chicken Wrap. And there is every once in a while that I will have something else--heck, last night I had two HUGE Lindt chocolate bars, so good!--but I have found that I don't need to restrict myself too much to lose weight. Maybe when I get closer to my goal, or decide I need to look like a fitness model I will be more discriminating, but really--who needs to look like a fitness model? Not me. I couldn't handle that sort of attention.

theartichoke

Some people are better off single...not to mention sparing others from having to deal with them. Charles Manson comes to mind.

You're not a psychopath.

I know this "sparing others" thinking all too well. It's safe there. Stay as long as you need to but remember this. There is another you out there. Many you's actually and you're all keeping yourselves from each other!

A little less comfortable and more difficult to rectify within our minds is "for now". There are no periods on the ends of the sentences and that can make having a quiet mind difficult. Here's what it does...it lets the light in. While you stay here, don't forget to let the light in sometimes. That light very well could be another "you" peeking around! That's how my husband caught me.

JonathonMars

Some people are better off single...not to mention sparing others from having to deal with them. Charles Manson comes to mind.

You're not a psychopath.

I know this "sparing others" thinking all too well. It's safe there. Stay as long as you need to but remember this. There is another you out there. Many you's actually and you're all keeping yourselves from each other!

A little less comfortable and more difficult to rectify within our minds is "for now". There are no periods on the ends of the sentences and that can make having a quiet mind difficult. Here's what it does...it lets the light in. While you stay here, don't forget to let the light in sometimes. That light very well could be another "you" peeking around! That's how my husband caught me.

Thanks for all the great advice.