Why my old pictures are memories and not disgusting.

Firemansam79
Firemansam79 Posts: 416 Member
in Motivation and Support
Weight has been a challenge since I started my full time career 8 years ago. I started my job as a Service Rep in 05. I was 21 and 260 some lbs. My job was then mostly sitting at a desk. I snacked all day and drank lots of pop. By Winter 07 I was 312 Lbs. I had a friend help me get some motivation to head to the gym and lost a good deal of weight. My biggest loss wasn't until the following year is 2008, when I had met a girl who I thought was "The One" shattered my heart. I got myself down to 238 later in the summer of 2008. I healed up, holiday came and went. Meet my wife in spring of 09 and gained alot of weight back. Then lost 10, gained 10 and so on. This past winter of 2013 I decided enough ups and down. I want to be healthy and have the energy to keep up with my 2 kids.

Here is my timeline of photos. They do not disgust me. I can't find a single one of them that doesn't bring back an awesome memory. They do remind me of the depression and struggle to keep moving forward plus the hard work that is involved in losing weight. The biggest reminder of all though is how EASY it is to gain back.

Don't look at your old pictures with disgust.

Hope this works... (looks like it downsized it a ton, sorry dont know how to make it bigger)

timeline_zpsa0726fcb.jpg

Replies

  • jaimie120
    jaimie120 Posts: 39 Member
    What a great way to look at things. Congrats on your weight loss.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Thank you for posting this.

    For years I would not let anyone take photos of me. I have so few with me and my husband. I've gotten better about it in the past two years, by thinking "This is who I am now. It may not be who I am later, or who I was in the past." If I can't remember what I looked like before, how will I know how much I've changed?
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Preach it!
  • Naomi0504
    Naomi0504 Posts: 964 Member
    I love your pics! Thanks for sharing :smile: I'm one of the "disgusted by my befores", I like your perspective :smile:
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    LOVE your attitude!! Yay :-)

    I have a similar outlook. I also think with age I have gained more perspective and can look back at unflattering photos and see my happiness or excitement at whatever was going on and feel tenderness toward myself. That is a big step to self love in my opinion!

    As for the up and down weight, mine has done that some over a long period. I was always a big/tall/chubby kid and preteen and was around 180-190 lb in 8th grade (my current goal is to get back to that). From anxiety, stress, and a bad diet, I was 240 lb by the time I got my driver's license at age 16. Stayed that weight for years until I was 22 and in a dysfunctional relationship and had a spider bite which required steroids. Suddenly I found myself at 299 after breaking up with my then-boyfriend :-( Over a couple of years I slightly improved my diet, got more activity, and was down to my all-time low of 227. Met my ex husband and started getting too comfortable, back up to 240, then 260-270 for years. At age 31 I was at my all-time high of 307. Slowly got back down to 260-270 and then joined MFP in March. My ticker says 215 but this AM's weigh in was 213.2 I'm psyched!
  • Firemansam79
    Firemansam79 Posts: 416 Member
    Your all welcome!

    :) also like to see that I use to have hair I top of my head and not just my face. But I wouldn't trade a full head of hair over not being healthy!
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
    What's cool about your pictures is how happy you look in all of them. You look great!

    I'm not disgusted by my older, fatter pictures, but I notice that I always look self conscious and uncomfortable. My more recent pictures look more natural and happy.
  • Firemansam79
    Firemansam79 Posts: 416 Member
    What's cool about your pictures is how happy you look in all of them. You look great!

    I'm not disgusted by my older, fatter pictures, but I notice that I always look self conscious and uncomfortable. My more recent pictures look more natural and happy.

    I noted for being smiley. :bigsmile: If I'm not, people ask whats wrong.
  • sarah456s
    sarah456s Posts: 98 Member
    I can't see the pics as they won't display at work, but I just want to commend you for your attitude!

    My mom refused to be in many photos, as she thought she looked disgusting. She died when I was 11, and seriously I had about 4 photos of her total to look back on when I was a teenager. I've since acquired a few more as relatives have dug them out and given them to me over the years. She never looked that happy in photos and you can tell she was always worrying about how much weight she'd gained and how she might look. The kicker is that she wasn't even that big. And who cared anyway? She was my mother, and I loved her as is. I guess today it is different, as we're all in so many more photos due to camera phones, but I still know too many people who hide behind others or squirm.

    Get in the photos, people! Smile about what's going on in your life even if you're not super happy with how you look!

    ..../off soapbox.
  • artsycella
    artsycella Posts: 121 Member

    I have a similar outlook. I also think with age I have gained more perspective and can look back at unflattering photos and see my happiness or excitement at whatever was going on and feel tenderness toward myself. That is a big step to self love in my opinion!

    Yes! Both of you are awesome and have a wonderful perspective. Made me smile to read, thanks!
  • lisamlucas82
    lisamlucas82 Posts: 11
    What a great blog! I am going to work on that in my journey... I have yo yo'd for about 10 years... I can't look at pictures of myself as the "big" me. Thanks for sharing!
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    I love your outlook!! I could probably learn something from it for sure.:flowerforyou:
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    Love this.
  • Terrytriesharder
    Terrytriesharder Posts: 50 Member
    What a fantastic and inspiring way to look at it :)
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    You're excellent.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    :heart:
  • Firemansam79
    Firemansam79 Posts: 416 Member
    I can't see the pics as they won't display at work, but I just want to commend you for your attitude!

    My mom refused to be in many photos, as she thought she looked disgusting. She died when I was 11, and seriously I had about 4 photos of her total to look back on when I was a teenager. I've since acquired a few more as relatives have dug them out and given them to me over the years. She never looked that happy in photos and you can tell she was always worrying about how much weight she'd gained and how she might look. The kicker is that she wasn't even that big. And who cared anyway? She was my mother, and I loved her as is. I guess today it is different, as we're all in so many more photos due to camera phones, but I still know too many people who hide behind others or squirm.

    Get in the photos, people! Smile about what's going on in your life even if you're not super happy with how you look!

    ..../off soapbox.

    Pics are so important. Our kids are 2 and 5 and really fast. My wife and I decided we wanted to get good shots of them all the time so we spent a bunch of money on a fast camera. Its amazing. We will be able to share alot of memories with their kids down the road!

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