Article: What no one tells you about losing lots weight

Julia's website and work is fascinating for me, on several levels. Yes, she did lose 160lbs in a relatively short period of time but that doesn't detract from the basic points being discussed around self-perception and weight loss. At the end of the day, a lot of the failures of the flesh do require perception adjustments - but I'm curious - how many people would likely give up without some ideal driving force?

I hate that here I am, at 47, and for almost 15 years I led a very sedentary life - even if I never became morbidly obese, but letting go for so long means that today my potential is just so much less. This does reduce for me the drive to excel to a minor degree and I readjust, almost daily, to address what I hope are still more realistic objectives. Well, if you listen to the people around me, they think I'm crazy.

I'm troubled by the discussion of "realistic-expectations" because, as valuable as it might seem to help someone prepare and address for the end result it is also the "thousand deaths by paper cuts" of not striving for an ideal. Yes, I know I won't reach all the Everests of my mind, and that perhaps now each is a dirty, over-visited, common place but, dammit, I'm going to try and enjoy my journey there.

When we look at her "travelogue" of pictures on her "journey" despite the destination being more the back-alleys of Calcutta versus the expected Taj Mahal she seems to (mostly) have a great time on the trip - and dress like a little girl playing princess quite a few times. I think part of that is lost when we only consider the end result of loose skin, I saw the up thread discussion of the health benefits, and capabilities. Add to this that each day is a resetting of goals and expectations and self-appreciation.

Perhaps, I don't know, it just takes time to have more perspective of who and what you are becoming - whether you go fast or slow.

Wow. You nailed it. I wanted to say so much more on this thread when I commented earlier, but couldn't find the words. The part I bolded, I find particularly striking. I was troubled too, because I don't find having 'realistic expectations' very motivating, quite the opposite. I need to strive for the ideal, even if it is perhaps unattainable. I think most people like to dream big, and why not? There's no finish line anyway. :drinker:

You make a good point there is no finish line, but maybe the way I see it is someone coming at weight loss thinking they are going to have a perfect body what happens when those expectations are not met?

You can strive to have a better body, and maybe one can improve it just through exercise alone (when massive amounts of weight are lost) and the luck of the draw with good genetics. Your goal in life should always be to better yourself .

I guess since my mindset has always been all are nothing if I dont weigh X pounds then I'm not good enough. By saying you know if my blood pressure is great and I have swinging bat arms I've still reached perfection and for me acceptance starts change.

Just my thought, but of course big dreams come from big change.

Julia's website and work is fascinating for me, on several levels. Yes, she did lose 160lbs in a relatively short period of time but that doesn't detract from the basic points being discussed around self-perception and weight loss. At the end of the day, a lot of the failures of the flesh do require perception adjustments - but I'm curious - how many people would likely give up without some ideal driving force?

I hate that here I am, at 47, and for almost 15 years I led a very sedentary life - even if I never became morbidly obese, but letting go for so long means that today my potential is just so much less. This does reduce for me the drive to excel to a minor degree and I readjust, almost daily, to address what I hope are still more realistic objectives. Well, if you listen to the people around me, they think I'm crazy.

I'm troubled by the discussion of "realistic-expectations" because, as valuable as it might seem to help someone prepare and address for the end result it is also the "thousand deaths by paper cuts" of not striving for an ideal. Yes, I know I won't reach all the Everests of my mind, and that perhaps now each is a dirty, over-visited, common place but, dammit, I'm going to try and enjoy my journey there.

When we look at her "travelogue" of pictures on her "journey" despite the destination being more the back-alleys of Calcutta versus the expected Taj Mahal she seems to (mostly) have a great time on the trip - and dress like a little girl playing princess quite a few times. I think part of that is lost when we only consider the end result of loose skin, I saw the up thread discussion of the health benefits, and capabilities. Add to this that each day is a resetting of goals and expectations and self-appreciation.

Perhaps, I don't know, it just takes time to have more perspective of who and what you are becoming - whether you go fast or slow.

Wow. You nailed it. I wanted to say so much more on this thread when I commented earlier, but couldn't find the words. The part I bolded, I find particularly striking. I was troubled too, because I don't find having 'realistic expectations' very motivating, quite the opposite. I need to strive for the ideal, even if it is perhaps unattainable. I think most people like to dream big, and why not? There's no finish line anyway. :drinker:

You make a good point there is no finish line, but maybe the way I see it is someone coming at weight loss thinking they are going to have a perfect body what happens when those expectations are not met?

You can strive to have a better body, and maybe one can improve it just through exercise alone (when massive amounts of weight are lost) and the luck of the draw with good genetics. Your goal in life should always be to better yourself .

I guess since my mindset has always been all are nothing if I dont weigh X pounds then I'm not good enough, and by saying you know if my blood pressure is great and I have swinging bat arms I've still reached perfection and for me acceptance starts change.

Just my thought, but of course big dreams come from big change.

I thought she looked beautiful.

I think most people feel this way, and aren't nearly as put off by the appearance of her loose skin as she is herself. Which is something we should all keep in mind—we are always much more critical of ourselves than we would ever be of anyone else. And others are never as critical of us as we are of ourselves. So maybe do unto oneself as you would do unto others? :flowerforyou:

To be honest, I would have preferred my sons see nude women in National Geographic magazine rather than air-brushed porn.

REAL women come in all shapes and sizes.