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

Feeling good and looking good is incredible!
It shows the world that you value yourself and your health more than a few minutes of endulgence every meal.
Everyone has there own motivation. I love clothes and fashion! I used to see so many different outfits I loved, but knew I could never wear them. The joy I get out of choosing my clothes for the style and not for how they make my body look is fantastic, so yes, being fit is worth it in my opinion.
Besides, Its not like you have to give up any of those foods to be skinny. There is no rule book that says if you eat a cookie ever in your life again you won't succeed. The great thing about all this is you CAN have your cake and eat it too!

I'll say that I had a much more relaxed relationship with food before I started all this. Food was just something I ate to get me through the day. I would eat when I was hungry, never planned my meals, never really gave it a second thought. Back then I always said if I could take a pill and not have to eat I would. Unfortunately I was just ignorant, naive and made bad choices cause I didnt know any better.

I'm much happier with how I look now, I can share countless NSV's, I'm able to physically do pretty much whatever I put my mind to and I can wear almost all the clothes I never could before. The positives seriously are AWESOME

However, I know this isn't the case for everyone. I Have a very obsessive personality and I've always become really good at whatever I wanna get really good at. I've spent a LOT of time reading, researching, learning how to cook, reading labels etc that calorie counting and food has almost taken over my life. I've developed a very bad relationship with food even tho on the outside I seem to be doing everything right, and I am most days. Its the internal dialogue and just constant battle in my mind that bothers me. I know too much about food now. I cant relax about it like I would before. When we're out for dinner I'm always wondering how much oil they've used preparing the food, estimating calories, wondering if/what I should leave on the plate so I dont over eat, never chosing what I WANT from the menu, but what I know will fit in my day. Food isnt 'enjoyable' anymore cause I'm not letting myself enjoy it.

I KNOW that I can easily slide over to the dark side if I'm not careful. I know I'm smart enough to not do it but its hard man... I'm telling you. Its a toss up for me deciding if my mental state now is worth the weight I've lost. I'm gonna say yes for now but If I knew then what could happen I'm not sure I woulda started the journey.

:noway: :ohwell: :flowerforyou:

Nah, I don't want to be skinny. I want curves and muscles and strength.

I'll say that I had a much more relaxed relationship with food before I started all this. Food was just something I ate to get me through the day. I would eat when I was hungry, never planned my meals, never really gave it a second thought. Back then I always said if I could take a pill and not have to eat I would. Unfortunately I was just ignorant, naive and made bad choices cause I didnt know any better.

I'm much happier with how I look now, I can share countless NSV's, I'm able to physically do pretty much whatever I put my mind to and I can wear almost all the clothes I never could before. The positives seriously are AWESOME

However, I know this isn't the case for everyone. I Have a very obsessive personality and I've always become really good at whatever I wanna get really good at. I've spent a LOT of time reading, researching, learning how to cook, reading labels etc that calorie counting and food has almost taken over my life. I've developed a very bad relationship with food even tho on the outside I seem to be doing everything right, and I am most days. Its the internal dialogue and just constant battle in my mind that bothers me. I know too much about food now. I cant relax about it like I would before. When we're out for dinner I'm always wondering how much oil they've used preparing the food, estimating calories, wondering if/what I should leave on the plate so I dont over eat, never chosing what I WANT from the menu, but what I know will fit in my day. Food isnt 'enjoyable' anymore cause I'm not letting myself enjoy it.

I KNOW that I can easily slide over to the dark side if I'm not careful. I know I'm smart enough to not do it but its hard man... I'm telling you. Its a toss up for me deciding if my mental state now is worth the weight I've lost. I'm gonna say yes for now but If I knew then what could happen I'm not sure I woulda started the journey.

:noway: :ohwell: :flowerforyou:

I have the same mind set as you do unfortunately. My whole day revolves around fitness and food. I can't stop thinking about how certain foods will effect me or I feel as if the world is going to end if I don't work out. Im also isolating myself from any activity that involves food I'm not comfortable with. Like the movies, going out to dinner, amusement parks. The worst part is the strain its put on my relationships. I feel my boyfriend of almost 4 years and I are growing apart in some ways because he isn't into fitness like I am and I dedicate so much of my time at the gym it makes it hard for us to spend quality time. My hope is once I lose these last 10 pounds I can relax a bit more and adventure out of my comfort zone and spend much more time with family and friends.

This question has been haunting me. I'm far from skinny, but the forty pounds I've lost in the past two years has had an undeniably positive impact on my health. Tracking calories has become a game for me, and I continue to enjoy my favorite foods in smaller portions. The daily exercise has increased my stamina. In most ways I'd say the lifestyle changes have been worth it.

Still, to be honest, part of me longs to be a lazy lumpkin eating as much as I want of whatever I want.

Being skinny is lacking muscle, so no it's not worth being skinny. It is however worth being lean.

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?

Life is good being skinny! Feels good. Looks good. Energizes one in a good way.

I guess you have to ask yourself, is food your life?

I am doing this because i would rather my life be about strength, fitness, energy, experiences rather then my life be around stuffing my face with food that restricts me. i want food to only be fuel and that's it.

So i guess it depends, if someone is a chef or a foodie i would understand that it's important but for me i don't want my life to evolve around it

Losing 30 pounds has been a game changer for me. I'm now a mindful eater, happy to get out an exercise (unhappy when I can't) and actually enjoy trying on clothes at the store. I don't huff and puff with physical exertion like I used to...very few pains in feet like I used to have...less aches overall. I'd rather be sore from a good work out than hurting because I'm sedentary!

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Being fit and HEALTHY is more important than being skinny. Because being skinny doesn't mean you are healthy. Regular exercise, 30 minutes a day, regular dr visits, good mental health, and a positive outlook in life are the keys to being healthy and happy, not the numbers on a scale or the size of your jeans.

My ultimate goal was never to be skinny. It was originally to lose excess weight because my doctor's told me that it was impacting my joints and causing unnecessary wear and tear. I also wanted to lower my blood pressure, since it was starting to be high for the first time in my life, and I didn't want to resort to medications to do that. I have lost 50 lbs, and in the process the importance has definitely shifted to being mainly about health and not so much about weight.

I have a special needs child and want to be around for her as long as possible. I want to be able to chase her when she runs off. I want to run without getting winded and overly fatigued.

So being healthy and fit is worth it. I think if that is your ultimate goal, and not just seeing numbers drop on a scale, you will be making changes along the way so that maintenance isn't difficult at all. By that point, it will be a new way of life and your relationship with food should have changed.

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.

Everyone is different.

It sounds like he reached his goal, then got to the point where he realized that he couldn't just relax and eat the "cheeseburger" he wanted whenever he wanted. That's cool and all, and up to every individual if you're able to weigh the consequences and all (meeting your desires versus remaining healthy and all that)...

As for me, I had been up and down on a 75 pound roller coaster three or four times with different diets and attempts, so I get it. When I was at 327, I was miserably unhealthy but happy to eat whatever I wanted. When I was at 250, I was unhappy that I couldn't be at 200, and unhappy that I couldn't just have the "cheeseburger" whenever I wanted.

It's a trade-off, so I get it...

Now, after my health started failing en-masse, I made the decision that I couldn't do it on my own and went the Roux-en-Y route. My various health issues are subsiding. I'm back down at 255 and dropping, and I'm never truly hungry (physically) which is -- so far -- exactly what I needed.

My only remaining hurdle is the mental cravings that hit me whenever someone nearby is eating something yummy.

Wayne

I couldn't be skinny if I tried. I'm naturally built too big and too muscly. However I can be fit and toned and tbh that would suit my lifestyle better as I actually like to eat food.

I didn't do the weight loss to be skinny I started having back pains and could barely walk down the street or do anything without pain. It was more of a wake up call than the other problems that I had from the weight - the diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, etc - you name a weight complication, I had it

I originally would have been happy under the 200 lb mark - but now? No diabetes meds, no cholesterol meds, no more sleep apnea. I just take 1/2 of a pill (as opposed to 3) for my blood pressure.

I eat better and with more variety than before I started the weight loss - I do eat out less often, but the food I cook generally tastes better to me anyway and cooking at home is better on my wallet, so that is an added bonus as I have more to spend on other things.

I do pick and choose food more carefully now and with some thought - but I would say being healthy is worth it (not necessarily being skinny)