Are "before" pictures worth taking?

Yes, yes, yes! Oh good Lord above, yes.

I was a fat boy. I can't even begin to tell you how much this obliterated my self esteem, and completely blinded me to how I truly looked. Being fat took the kind of devastating emotional and psychological toll on me that is more often ascribed to young girls. I ended up losing about 60-70 lbs when I was 18/19 years old; went from mid to upper 200s down to my 180s. Objectively speaking body changed radically, and yet for me I can't really "see" it. I never weighed myself during the journey; I randomly got on a scale as part of a requirement halfway through exercise class and was shocked to see how much I'd lost. I didn't take a single before picture, I was completely disconnected during the various phases of my (half accidental) weight loss journey.

BIG MISTAKE. I had no sense of what my body looked like, no sense of how much I'd lost, how far I'd come. I had likely some form of body dysmorphia; I was no longer fat, but I always felt I was, and that I really didn't look that different. People kept telling me I looked awesome and I didn't see it at all. Crazy stuff.

I gained back all my weight, and then eventually, over the years, another 50 lbs. It took me years to finally come to terms with my image problems. Thank God I did, but it left me having to lose the weight all over again at the end.

I WISH I'd taken before pictures during my first journey. Some visual proof that I had changed, how far I had come. I was partially able to get fat again because I had no idea just how close I was back then to my ultimate goal. I was so blind then that I couldn't even describe to you now how my body looked then.

This time around is different. Unfortunately I didn't take pics at my highest, but I do have progress pictures. They aren't pretty, but they're evidence of the journey. I'm celebrating EVERY phase now, trying to embrace the journey and not just the finish line.

I'll have days where I question myself, wondering if what I've done so far really is all that big of a deal. Those pictures prove to me that I've come a long way, and while I still have miles left on my journey, they also remind me that I want to NEVER go back.

I never actually occurred to me to take pictures before. I guess a combination of ...

1. I don't have that many pictures of myself anyway
2. Although I was "theoretically" overweight, I didn't really think I was. I knew I was bigger than most people that I worked with - but then I work with a bunch of super competitive 20/30 year olds - so thats to be expected, right?
3. I didn't really expect that much of a change. Although my goal weight was 82kg (from 100kg), I never really expected to go below 90kg

I wish I did have some before pictures. Although I don't notice changes day to day, the reaction of people I haven't seen for a year tells me I must look very different!

In fact ... I'm off to look for some old pictures now!!

WOW Ed Davenport! NIIIIIIICE!!!!!!! And I agree! I knew I was overweight obviously...but I flew home for a family thing and when my sis n my mom sent me their pix of our visit holy ca-rap! I looked like that girl in willy wonka - AFTER she blows up! I was mortified, I had no idea I was that chunky! Sometimes they are a great reality check. I used mine to motivate me like Ed did - seriously, I put em everywhere food was. the other significant thing was the look on my face! I was like, whoa when I noticed that! I weighed 240 lbs at that time...Got down to 170, then fell off the ol' wagon around the holidays...but I also have pics of when I met my goal, and use them as inspiration that yes I can do this, I've done it before! I have documentation! Hopefully MFP will end the 30 year yoyo cycle! So yeah I highly recommend photos before during after!

Oh yes!!! Everyone else sees the weight loss way before we do ourselves and its also a great reminder of where to not go back to! I only wish I'd also kept one pair of trousers as a reminder lol !!

I don't know........ You tell me???




OP Yes before Pictures are important.... I keep a picture of that guy on the tractor on my visor in my truck and every time I go to the gym or to the park to workout I can see just how far I have come....

Best of Luck

WOW! Awesome progress! You sir are an inspiration!

I think so....you can see your progress and you also have something to show how far you've come.

From my personal experience, they can be very motivating when you are feeling like you aren't seeing enough results! I pull mine out every few months so I can see that all this hard work is worth it!! Good luck!

Absolutely! Our minds and memory can play little games with us ... having the proof of where I was to where I am now; keeps me going to where I want to be. Snap away!

Absolutely! You can see a huge difference in just a couple weeks so it's worth taking them.