So tell us...is being skinny worth it?

I was never so self-conscious in my life as I was when I was about 10 lbs "underweight". Naturally, that is. Still, strangers I didn't know comment on my body, ask me what size I was, make assumptions about what I did/didn't eat. I didn't want to wear tank tops or t-shirts, because I would, without fail, get a comment from sad middle aged woman about how tiny I was, and how did I maintain such a body? What's my secret, hmm?! So rude, invasive, embarrassing. People would assume I couldn't lift things, I was constantly mistaken for being 13-15 (I'm turning 21 this year...), bleh just a whole bunch of embarrassing things. Which is the reason I joined MFP, actually. To gain and maintain! I've got a petite frame, technically only meet a BMI of 18.something, but I fully fill out a size small now (up from XS) because of the way my weight sits on my frame, and the comments have finally stopped. I feel less androgynous, less boyish and finally a lot more feminine and womanly.

So, is SKINNY worth it? I wouldn't say it's something you should aspire to.... find a healthy medium/body type that works for you. Where you don't have to restrict or obsess over calories to maintain a certain weight, but also where don't feel like giving up and hiding under big t-shirts in the summer.

Exactly! being healthy is worth it. There is no point aiming for a body type because if you look around there really isnt one type. Being able to do the things you want and your body not holding you back is the aim I think, whether it be mentally or physically. If its a chore then your doing it for the wrong reasons, do it cos you WANT it otherwise you will fail.

I know someone who lost weight and maintained it for a bit, but then realized he wasn't able to enjoy life as much. He sort of thought "life is too short to be worrying about being thin". He has gained back the weight and now is a jolly, older man with no regrets regarding his lifestyle.

I have such high hopes for how much better I will feel without the extra weight, but is it actually worth it? Does life then become less enjoyable because we're not quite as free-spirited when it comes to eating food?

Skinny to me means "scrawny" so no, I wouldn't want to be skinny again. I chose strong instead. I not only can do lots of cooler/funner things, I can eat a lot more without gaining, and I don't have to face all the side effects that the extra body fat will bring with it later on.

I know someone who lost weight and maintained it for a bit, but then realized he wasn't able to enjoy life as much. He sort of thought "life is too short to be worrying about being thin". He has gained back the weight and now is a jolly, older man with no regrets regarding his lifestyle.

I have such high hopes for how much better I will feel without the extra weight, but is it actually worth it? Does life then become less enjoyable because we're not quite as free-spirited when it comes to eating food?

With all due respect ... I transport a lot of "jolly old" men who are unfortunately quite sick or slowly dying due to comorbidities associated with being overweight. So he might not have regrets NOW ...

I've never wanted to be THIN. I want to be strong and lean. And I enjoy the challenge of feeding my body good things with some "fun" eating in there once in a while.

I echo what others say ... being healthy is always worth it.

It's not about being skinny. It's about being healthy, fit, and active. You don't have to be a twig to be fit. You can be skinny and unhealthy. Lets know the difference!!!

being skinny, hell no, ripped yeah

When I was very overweight, I had no energy to do anything other than going to work (office) and sitting on my butt watching TV.

For the majority of the time I have focused on increasing performance. Initially that was running, then mma and now powerlifting. I have always tracked cals during this time as I have a big appetite and realize that you can't out train a bad diet.

This doesn't mean that I obsess over going over by 100 cals or eating "junk" food. It makes it nice and easy to see if I need to tighten things up from time to time.

I still go out and party and eat too much food from time to time. ( I do eating competitions also) But because I enjoy training and trying to become the best me possible it's easier to do that and not go back to being a fat slob.

The one downside I can see from my path is joint pain and injury. The harder you push the more likely you are to injure yourself (in any sport). But if I didn't do anything then I'd be MUCH more likely to be at risk of diabetes (family history) and metabolic syndrome. So I'll take a little bit of joint pain over much more serious health issues any day.

And not that I have a big head or anything but I went from very low self esteem to feeling much more comfortably about my physical appearance too.

And FWIW, from all of the people I know and have trained I've never seen anyone completely reach their goal weight/physique and gone back to their old ways. Plenty give up along the way though. Typically, these are the ones who are in the sprint not marathon mindset with very restrictive eating habits.

This was the answer one lady gave on a post years ago when I first started on MFP. I saved it, and read it from time to time.
“ Is being skinny worth all this logging in food and exercise.”
I loved her response.

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.

I think there's a bit of give-and-take... my lowest weight (in my adult life anyways) was 125 and although I wasn't able to enjoy food as much I WAS able to enjoy never having to worry about my weight or how I looked in my outfits. Then my schedule changed drastically and I started putting the weight back on but over-eating didn't make me 'feel' good, sure it tasted good and was something I used to relieve stress but at the same time I always woke up feeling ashamed and I can't imagine just letting myself keep going with that...

People often buy into this idea that being thin will solve all your problems. It doesn't. You're the same person when you lose weight just a smaller version. There are pros and cons to being at higher or lower weights!

This exactly.

Being at a point where you are comfortable in your own skin is SO worth it. And my response when hearing people who've lost weight say life's too short to not eat all the naughty stuff... well you can still eat whatever you want and maintain your weight - just don't be a pig! Overeating on junk all the time doesn't exactly make you feel happy ever anyway, does it?? It makes me feel sluggish. And on counting calories... it becomes second nature eventually. Eventually you'll have a rough idea in your head of how much energy is in the food that you're eating.

I don't think of it as working towards skinny . . . I'm working towards healthy.

And I think it'll be worth it. I've only lost 12 pounds since I was at my heaviest but I already have noticed a difference in my stamina and physical abilities. I can go up and down the three flights of stairs to my apartments and not get winded. I can take my dogs on long walks and hikes and I love it. In January of last year I started working for a cardiology practice (doing billing) and we have quite a few patients who are seen for issues related to obesity/morbid obesity. I absolutely do not want that to be my future.

I know someone who lost weight and maintained it for a bit, but then realized he wasn't able to enjoy life as much. He sort of thought "life is too short to be worrying about being thin". He has gained back the weight and now is a jolly, older man with no regrets regarding his lifestyle.

I have such high hopes for how much better I will feel without the extra weight, but is it actually worth it? Does life then become less enjoyable because we're not quite as free-spirited when it comes to eating food?

It depends on how you choose to live: if you think that to enjoy life the only way is to eat whitout limits, IMO, you are doing it wrong. You can enjoy life in a lot of ways. I choose to live in a different way and to use his words 'life is too short to stop every 50 step to regain your breath and not be able to run'

Balance in all things.

I know someone who lost weight and maintained it for a bit, but then realized he wasn't able to enjoy life as much. He sort of thought "life is too short to be worrying about being thin". He has gained back the weight and now is a jolly, older man with no regrets regarding his lifestyle.

I have such high hopes for how much better I will feel without the extra weight, but is it actually worth it? Does life then become less enjoyable because we're not quite as free-spirited when it comes to eating food?

I wouldn't say I'm "skinny," but I'm at my goal weight and I wear size 6-8 jeans (depending on the cut) quite comfortably -- down from squeezing uncomfortably into size 14 jeans a couple years ago. I want to keep improving my fitness level, but don't really care either way if I ever get any smaller. I am much more "free-spirited" with my food now than I was before. Some days I can't believe how much tasty stuff I get to eat. That's because I am now much, much more active than I used to be. I never used to run, hit things, lift heavy stuff, dance with a hula hoop, row in a boat race, or any of the other crazy fun things I get to do now. I never used to think of climbing stairs as fun, let alone running up them. At my favorite sandwich shop, I'm told I'm the only woman who ever orders "double meat" on her sandwich... today I had them add bacon too, and yesterday I had several peanut butter cups for dessert. I still plan my foods -- well, except for my somewhat bingey approach to those peanut butter cups :embarassed: -- but I have tremendous freedom in the selection.

It's nice to look better, no question there. And to be able to wear whatever clothes I like without worrying too much over whether an outfit "hides my flaws" or "skims my curves." It's also nice to feel better, and I do. Not just stronger and more active... I can breathe easier and my joints don't get as achey as they used to all the time. Unexpected little things like riding cross-country in an airplane and having enough room in a coach seat(!!!) make a big difference. Bigger things, like having a surgery go smoothly and recovering quickly, are payback enough for every day of weight loss.

Bottom line: My life is much more enjoyable now than it was before I dropped some weight. Worth it? Oh, hell yeah.

OP, I wish you success with your goals. :flowerforyou:
ETA: Your starting weight and goal weight are identical to mine... it took me about 4-6 months to get there. Imagine hitting your goal before the holidays. Oh, hell yeah! :happy:

I don't believe being slim stops you from enjoying life. If i want something, i sometimes have it even though it comes from a place of boredom but then i workout twice as hard to compensate, it is that simple for me. How many calories a day did your friend want to consume that what he had was not making him happy? I guess as long as you're happy, then people are free to do what they want and no one should judge em for it.