is being skinny worth it?

foodie178

really, is it worth all the time and effort that women put into eating foods they don't really love, exercising when they'd rather not, and just not being truly happy to be "skinny?" what do men/women really think about skinny women, and what do you women think about society and feeling like you must achieve a certain body image to be considered attractive? do you wish you could just eat and not exercise and let your body do what it wants and be happy like that, or do you feel content with eating diet foods or restricting calories, daily exercise, and feeling the pressure to be skinny?

this is not meant to offend anyone of any body type, i'm just curious as to what you all think! society frustrates me sometimes.

MyOwnSunshine

I don't necessarily think being skinny is worth it, and that was my goal when I started this endeavor.

I do think that being fit, healthy, confident, strong and more emotionally balanced is definitely worth it.

I believe that being free of the shame and guilt I felt when I would binge and attempt to fix the difficulties in my life by consuming massive amounts of food is worth it.

I believe that the pride and sense of accomplishment, not to mention the endorphin rush, that I get when I accomplish a workout or fitness goal that I never dreamed I would be able to do is worth it.

I believe that my daughter would tell you that having a healthy, active mom who isn't ashamed to attend events and socialize with other parents is worth it.

I believe that being able to do things without worrying about a weight or size limit (horseback riding, amusement park rides, flying on a plane) is worth it.

Would I put forth this much effort simply to be a size that society deems attractive or acceptable? Probably not, but I've learned that there is a lot more to this than a number on a scale or a size on a tag in my jeans.

faireplay

I am not dong this to be skinny, I am doing this to be healthy and improve my quality of life. I want to enjoy all the fun things with my kids, grand kids and friends that being over weight prevents me from doing.. I am enjoying challenging my body and seeing what it is capable of. I never think of my exercise regimen as something I don't really want to do. I like the way it makes me feel.

quirkytizzy

I think, if I were eating foods I didn't like, or if I were doing exercises I didn't like, then I would feel a lot more bitter about it all. But I am making sure that I am doing this in a way that I DO like, so that I'm not overwhelmed with feeling like I'm just trying to fit a number that society says I should be.

katz22

I used to always want to be thin, when I was a teenager I was influenced by other kids at school and all the fashion magazines. It led to me being unhappy and doing the starve/binge/purge thing. I put on a tonne of weight when I was 15 and stopped throwing up. After that I always wanted to be thin, and kept on trying crazy diets and fasts intermittently until I was 20 (they never worked). Then at that point I stopped caring about my weight and started going out every weekend, and picked up some bad habits which led me become underweight without me trying. It's a bit odd because all the female friends were giving compliments, saying they were jealous, but all the males that I knew were saying I was unattractive. I thought I looked amazing wearing clothes, but then when I had just hopped out of the shower and looking in the mirror I would think I needed maybe a bigger butt or bigger boobs. I never felt 100% happy with how I was. Especially when at my lowest weight and I could see my ribs too easily. When I sucked in my stomach and stood sideways to the mirror it just looked grim. I slowly put weight back on once I had stopped partying every weekend and got a desk job, then I decided to get into health, and finally I have felt like I have broken away from the feeling of having to eat a certain amount and be a certain size. Food is now fuel, it is not the enemy. I no longer feel jealous of people who say they have dieted to be smaller then me as I feel there is more importance to strength and fitness rather than size.
So to summarize - I believe there will always be a pressure on people to conform to the current fashion, but it is possible to break out from this.

weightnomore33

I'm a nurse. You need to change your focus. Not skinny, healthy. You are decreasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes. Keep pushing.

GCLyds

Yep. I want to live longer, and be healthy. Everything else is a bonus. I also endulge every now and then, and I cant really say I eat anything that I dont like.

kelly_e_montana

Skinny is not something I want to be. Strong and healthy is what I want to be, and I definitely think it's worth it.

_Katastrophic

You don't have to be "skinny" but ummm YES it is worth it to be healthy and fit!!

RoadsterGirlie

It's about feeling good both physically and mentally. Fitting into small clothes is just a bonus.

rose313

I want to be skinny but also strong. Yes, it will definitely be worth it.

adm603

I believe it is worth it to have a healthier lifestyle. I am changing habits so that I can be a healthier me. Instead of nothing for breakfast I now eat oatmeal. Not eating was unhealthy. Instead of 2 portions I now eat 1 at dinner. I drink more water. I choose healthier snacks that I do like. I don't eat ice cream everyday, I eat it once in awhile. I don't work out everyday, but i do try and do something 5 days a week. I want to be around longer and I want to feel comfortable in my skin. I want to stop pulling at my shirt because I think people are staring at my fat rolls. So yes I do feel it is worth it.

LoveMyLife_NYC

i actually think healthy food is delicious and get moody when i need to skip a workout. my body is fit, and i love the way i look. i love being strong and healthy. i don't care what society says about my eating and exercise habits or the body that results from it.

cristina_marie

For me, I choose not to eat badly because I want to be healthy and fit. I enjoy eating healthy. Yes, I would love to be able to eat burgers and french fries and giant pieces of pizza but only if those were "healthy". I want to live a long healthy life. Eating horrible foods also makes me feel so lazy and I hate that, relaxing on the couch every once in a while is great BUT have an adventurous day, a productive day, or just active day feels SO much better in the long run! I don't feel that being skinny is important, but being healthy and in shape IS.

lovechicagobears

I don't eat foods I don't like. I eat healthy foods that I like, and I eat some of my favorite "junk" food in small quantities. I never feel deprived. I think a lot of people are intimidated to lose weight because they think they have to eat nothing but celery and egg whites and can never touch a piece of pizza again.

Honestly, I missed some of my favorite binge foods at first, but the longer I've kept at it, the more I don't want them. Eating junk like that makes me feel sick and bloated now. I feel so awesome on the days I get lots of protein and healthy foods that I can't imagine ever eating like that again.

I don't kill myself with exercise. It's 80% diet / 20% exercise, remember? If I'm not feeling well or my feet hurt from shopping all day, I rest. If I want to go for a walk, I do. If I want to lift weights, I do. I get about 4-5 days of exercise per week, and I do things I like so I don't feel obligated. If I didn't like any form of exercise whatsoever (which I can't imagine - everyone likes *something*), then I'd just eat fewer calories and lose weight that way. My mother has mobility issues, so she's just watching what she eats and making healthier choices. She's lost almost 20 pounds already.

I don't feel pressure to be "skinny". I'm doing this because I don't want to be fat and unhealthy anymore. I often tell people I'll be happy if I can get down to 165, my high school weight, because even though I was about ten pounds overweight and a little bit chubby, I could do whatever I wanted. I didn't have to buy two seats on an airplane, nobody looked at me with disdain, I could go on zip lines, I could climb rock walls, I didn't have to worry about seats at theatres and baseball parks, and I was never out of breath or sore. That's my goal - to be healthy. Sure, I'd love to hit my goal weight, get toned, and look absolutely awesome in a bathing suit or dress, but that's for ME, nobody else. When I weighed 165, I didn't give a rat's behind what anyone thought of me.

WinnerVictorious

skinny or not skinny doesn't mean anything. healthy vs. not healthy does.

worry about being healthy and fit and everything else will fall into place. :happy:

paxbfl

I'm a nurse. You need to change your focus. Not skinny, healthy. You are decreasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes. Keep pushing.

EXACTLY what I was thinking. I have 3 good friends who are suffering from adverse health effects related to obesity. One of them has diabetes and high blood pressure and nearly died.

And more than just health, it's about QUALITY OF LIFE. Right now, I can run around with my kids and not get tired. Heck, I may be in better shape than they are.

It's being healthy to live for years, to get married, have kids, see them grow up and get married, have grand kids, the works!

It's being fit so you can do the things you want to do without being too tired, too embarrassed, too fat

it's feeling good about yourself, having self-confidence, taking pride in yourself, having your physical appearance reflect yourself in a positive way. Match your outside to your inside.

It's just feeling good in general - being healthy and fit contributes to a more positive outlook on life, fights depression, etc.

I'm doing this for all those reasons. I'm doing this for myself and for my wife and kids.

And I couldn't care less about what society thinks.

Rocbola

I'm a nurse. You need to change your focus. Not skinny, healthy. You are decreasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes. Keep pushing.

I was going to say it! I agree with this. If you focus on health, being trim is just an added bonus that you don't have to work for.

TheFitHooker

I don't wanna be skinny, I wanna be fit lol.

Yes it is worth it but I refuse to eat food I don't like but luckily for me there isn't much I don't like. I enjoy working out for the most part.

djc315

Is being skinny worth it? No.

Is being healthy worth it? Yes.

I am not cutting out any foods I enjoy or eating foods I don't like. I am just adjusting the volume of foods I eat that are "bad" for me. I ate a cupcake today. It will fit into my daily/weekly goals and I am happy I ate it.

LorinaLynn

really, is it worth all the time and effort that women put into eating foods they don't really love, exercising when they'd rather not, and just not being truly happy to be "skinny?" what do men/women really think about skinny women, and what do you women think about society and feeling like you must achieve a certain body image to be considered attractive? do you wish you could just eat and not exercise and let your body do what it wants and be happy like that, or do you feel content with eating diet foods or restricting calories, daily exercise, and feeling the pressure to be skinny?

this is not meant to offend anyone of any body type, i'm just curious as to what you all think! society frustrates me sometimes.

Do I wish I didn't have to exercise and eat right? Kind of. In the same way I wish I didn't have to pay bills or obey the speed limits or wear clothes all the time.

But I'm an adult now, and I have to do some things I'd rather not.

I don't eat "diet foods" or restrict myself, though, beyond making sure I eat fairly healthy. I enjoy the exercise I do. And I feel no pressure to be skinny.