Is Vanity Bad?

I've roller-coastered with my weight since I was 18, but it's never been a severe one. I was 125lbs at 17, went up to 138, and people would make comments about how chunky I was getting...looking back, I fail to see how 138lbs on ANYONE could be considered "chunky", especially a 5'4 person, but eh...
I hit 207lbs after my second baby, and was pretty much treated like I should have been needing a forklift to get out of bed (my ex's mother would continually ask me AND my mother if i had embarked on a weight loss program yet). I then went down to 145lbs, and suddenly, I'd get compliments on how "good" I looked (like everyone who loses weight does)
I'm currently 172lbs, and I don't get treated badly, but i definitely don't get treated like the "hot girl" in the room. My query is, is anyone else trying to lose weight because their vanity is striking up? They're tired of being that "invisible" chic?

Replies

  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I'm not invisible, but yes, my motivation is vanity.

    And on my small frame, at 5'3", 138 pounds is chunky.
  • riccoismydog
    riccoismydog Posts: 319 Member
    I look very chunky any weight over 135. I'm 5'5. I have very small bones, and not very much in the hip department, so it becomes obvious Nothing wrong with vanity.
  • My motivation is almost 100% vanity at this point. I hadn't been told I "needed" to lose weight for any health reason, but I'm not an idiot and know that I wasn't happy and I felt lazy all the time. I still got plenty of attention 30+ lbs ago, but now the added attention & compliments help to fuel me when I want to slack.
    Also my own confidence in myself and how much happier I am looking in the mirror, or going clothes shopping is a huge motivator. I say bring on the vanity!
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    It's the source of my motivation, too. And I am not at all ashamed.
    I look very chunky any weight over 135. I'm 5'5. I have very small bones, and not very much in the hip department, so it becomes obvious Nothing wrong with vanity.


    Me too. (except I'm 5'6)
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    For me, it's part vanity, part actually caring about myself enough to want to look good.
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    I've always been the big girl with the pretty face and contagious personality. Being the hot girl with the bangin' body and pretty face and contagious personality is my #1 motivation for getting fit.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I was healthy many pounds ago. At this point, it's pretty much all vanity for me, and I don't give a flying crap if that's "bad" or not.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    vanity & bad-assery
  • vanity & bad-assery
    THIS.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
    Health made me lose the weight, vanity made me keep going.
  • i agree with you guys. Vanity is a huge motivator and I am not afraid to say it. I started trying to lose weight when I saw someone else who was 36, but with this incredible body. I thought "Why'd I give up? I remember what it was like to be the hot girl."

    Having been successful at losing the weight, let me tell you it feels even better to be the girl with the good body at 36 than it did at 26. There are way fewer of us at 36, making it even more of a commodity.

    So my message is to stick with it and get it accomplished bc it can be done, and i want everyone to feel like the hot girl :)

    (5'8.5", 135 lbs.)
  • my motivation to get healthier has definitely been vanity. And the answer the question, I don't think its a bad thing.
  • yaseyuku
    yaseyuku Posts: 871 Member
    My motivation was originally because of vanity. It has changed now to other things (getting stronger, etc), but I still hope to look much better as well.
  • luvsherhubby
    luvsherhubby Posts: 135 Member
    Dang I would love to be 138 and im 5'1! LOL 135 is the highest "normal" weight for MY height. I cant imagine how on a 5'4 person it would be chunky. I guess it all depends on your amount of LBM at any weight. Any ways this thread made me sad.
  • Rawr1978
    Rawr1978 Posts: 245 Member
    no reason to be sad lol
    i've been told recently that vanity is the wrong reason to lose weight, while i think it's a valid one. I just wanted opinions
  • mrst17
    mrst17 Posts: 14
    Vanity is my top motivator too.

    Family functions - my mom is always so quick to point out that "so-and-so has really put on weight". When I went from 145-160 over the course of a year, my Thanksgiving visit was practically ruined because I kept thinking that my aunts and cousins must be saying that about me. My brother, if he even sees an overweight stranger says "wow, how does anyone let themselves go like that? Gross". I was packing on the pounds myself when I heard him say that and felt really self conscious, wondering what he must be thinking about me.

    Super rude, right? That's the typical MN "nice" - be nice to people's faces and mean behind their backs. KNOWING that people will actually talk about me behind my back is a huge motivator. I want them to be saying "she looks SO hot", not "wow, she really let herself go".

    So I guess my opinion is that it's a bad thing. But, good or bad, it is what it is. No one wants to be the victim of unkind words or thoughts from the people who love them. I think that vanity is a perfectly acceptable reason to be trying to loose weight - if you want people to see you for who you really are rather than only seeing your physical appearance.
  • Rawr1978
    Rawr1978 Posts: 245 Member
    Dang I would love to be 138 and im 5'1! LOL 135 is the highest "normal" weight for MY height. I cant imagine how on a 5'4 person it would be chunky. I guess it all depends on your amount of LBM at any weight. Any ways this thread made me sad.

    I haven't seen anyone my height who was in the 130s appear chunky, but that's subjective, i suppose. What is thin to someone may not be thin to another.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I think it is the BEST
  • LovelyLumos
    LovelyLumos Posts: 44 Member
    no i dont think its bad thats a large part of my motivation because in high school no boy ever wanted to go out with a 230+ girl i always wanted to be the pretty girl and now i am getting TONS of attention now i like it and i think if he thinks im pretty now then just wait until i lose the last 10 pounds watch out world!! lol
  • mrst17
    mrst17 Posts: 14
    in high school no boy ever wanted to go out with a 230+ girl

    YOU LOOK AMAZING!
  • frenchfacey
    frenchfacey Posts: 237 Member
    im selfish and vain as ****, is vanity bad? no. not if it drives you to take care of yourself!
  • HeyGoRun
    HeyGoRun Posts: 550 Member
    Dang I would love to be 138 and im 5'1! LOL 135 is the highest "normal" weight for MY height. I cant imagine how on a 5'4 person it would be chunky. I guess it all depends on your amount of LBM at any weight. Any ways this thread made me sad.

    I haven't seen anyone my height who was in the 130s appear chunky, but that's subjective, i suppose. What is thin to someone may not be thin to another.
    It all depends where they carry there weight, and if they are toned or flabby.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    No vanity is not bad. If it is the reason that motivates you and helps the new habits stick - then use it!
  • bwright9752
    bwright9752 Posts: 125 Member
    I came to this thread thinking ... Vanity is good, it keeps bathroom sink from sitting on floor and allows us to stand while washing our face. Then I realized you were talking about a different type of vanity. Sorry for the intrusion.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member

    I haven't seen anyone my height who was in the 130s appear chunky, but that's subjective, i suppose. What is thin to someone may not be thin to another.

    If you've always weighed 115-120....and then you're at 135 then yes.....you'd feel overweight. If you've always weighed 200 lbs and got down to 135, you'd feel amazing.
  • kkveggie
    kkveggie Posts: 56 Member
    No not at all. I'm already at a healthy weight but I want to build muscle now to look firm all over because that's what I think looks good. Last summer one of my friend posted a picture of me wearing a bikini on Facebook and I was a little shocked about how I looked, so I said f**k this I'm going to work my butt off and the next time a picture like that shows up I'll be proud of what I look like. Different people require different motivation, nothing wrong with that.
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
    I came to this thread thinking ... Vanity is good, it keeps bathroom sink from sitting on floor and allows us to stand while washing our face. Then I realized you were talking about a different type of vanity. Sorry for the intrusion.

    And this is why I get along so well with men...:drinker:
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
    Vanity is not my motivation, but I say that what ever moves you is a useful tool! My motivation is my daughter...who will need life skills and sees me as her role model.
  • bwright9752
    bwright9752 Posts: 125 Member
    I came to this thread thinking ... Vanity is good, it keeps bathroom sink from sitting on floor and allows us to stand while washing our face. Then I realized you were talking about a different type of vanity. Sorry for the intrusion.

    And this is why I get along so well with men...:drinker:
    must be a CLE thing