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

atfirstblush · May 2014

As someone who was thin and fit for 42 years then gained weight my last 8 years. Yes it is worth it. Just losing 35 pounds in the last 2 months I am more fit, the pain in my joints is gone and I have so much more energy. I stopped eating processed food and I just feel so much better. I am also in a great mood all the time.

ahoy_m8 · May 2014

It's worth it to be healthy and a healthy relationship with food. As a recovering emotional eater with a huge sweet tooth, learning to eat less and enjoy food more was definitely worth it. When you don't absolutely love foods you used to crave, it does kind of feel like losing an old friend, but you know, I have better friends now!

About being a free spirit, there is an old monastic wisdom that, paradoxically, freedom is only truly found within the context of limitations. They mean it in terms of spiritual discipline, but a physical analogy would be only a person who regularly runs a few miles a day is "free" to enjoy a 10k race tomorrow. If you're not in shape, some options are just not on the table. More discipline puts more options on the table, i.e. more freedom. While eating whatever you want may feel like freedom in the moment, you aren't really free of the consequences later. Immediate gratification is sort of a prison of its own. If you have a healthy maintenance diet you enjoy, you are truly free to splurge once in a while and really enjoy yourself without the guilt or yo-yo effect. I hope that wasn't abstruse.

heatherloveslifting · May 2014

Yes! Yes, yes, yes!

George_Baileys_Ghost · May 2014

I would think it depends on what you do with it.

Merely being "skinny".....probably not. If you approach fitness and nutrition with the attitude that once you get there, you're left wondering "now what" then it's probably not.

If you approach it with performance oriented goals in mind, and intend to keep challenging yourself, then I would think it's definitely going to be worth it.

Victoria2448 · May 2014

I eat healthy most of the time and do not feel deprived or less of a free spirit at all. Healthy food is delicious! If you have a handle on your eating you can still indulge without sacrificing your health. Changing your mindset is the first step. If you go into this thinking you have to give this up or miss out on that...you won't succeed.

_Terrapin_ · May 2014

I would think it depends on what you do with it.

Merely being "skinny".....probably not. If you approach fitness and nutrition with the attitude that once you get there, you're left wondering "now what" then it's probably not.

If you approach it with performance oriented goals in mind, and intend to keep challenging yourself, then I would think it's definitely going to be worth it.

Ah yes, the voice of reason.

amusedmonkey · May 2014

I don't think being "skinny" was really my goal, I wanted to be healthier and improve my fitness.

Being able to go for a six mile run when I'm stressed out has improved my coping skills.

Being able to regulate my food intake and being conscious of what I eat has allowed me to feel control over my eating and body that I lacked at 240+lbs.

Being able to be naked and not feel uncomfortable with my body has made me more relaxed and happy in my relationship.

Being able to fit in clothes where I live (Asia) instead of having to import them from the UK or US has saved my bank-book.

Being able to quit smoking and drinking in order to help me meet my fitness goals has lengthened my life.

Being able to eat and drink what I like but exercising MODERATION has meant none of this has felt like a chore.

So, although I am happier with what I see in the mirror, my life has changed in many more ways than just being "skinny". So IMHO, yes. Totally and utterly worth it. You couldn't PAY me to go back.

I hear you there! I'm not quite where I want to be yet but when - for the first time - I was able to shop locally, that feeling alone was worth every single day I worked for this.

Two days ago I was at an event, and for the first time in a very long time I was not the biggest person in the room!

Go back to being out of breath after 30 seconds of walking? NEVER!

That person may have his own reasons, or probably he was restricting himself too much to enjoy life. Even now when I'm still dieting I allow myself to have "naughty things" whenever I want. It really comes down to what weight loss brings. To me it brought so many enjoyable things that I can't imagine my life without them now.

ladyofbugglake · May 2014

I'd say "no" if your goal is being skinny. I'd say "yes" if your goal is being healthy. Often, the two come in the same package, but not always.

I've been skinny (like really skinny: 130 pds @ 5'10") and people treated me so much better better than they do when I am fat. I was more successful professionally. But I wasn't healthy and I wasn't happy.

It wasn't until I was skinny and healthy (150pds) that I started to realize happiness. That is where I want to get back to.

liz89118 · May 2014

People always ask me how DO YOU FEEL now that you lost 115 pounds and I know they are waiting for me to say AMAZING!! To be honest I don't think I ever realized how big I was because I still went to the gym, I still went hiking, I still went out and to concerts and bars etc...nothing really changed was it harder to hike YES, did I get stares sometimes at the bars or at the concerts YES. I think what blows my mind more than anything is not scanning the room to wonder if I fit in a chair or a booth, getting on an airplane and not worrying about buckling the seatbelt or driving in my car and the steering wheel being so tight.

But I really thought losing weight would solve my being single status and it hasn't...I sort of thought I was going to be fairy tail you lose the weight and you find the man. Nothing has been further from the truth so I think what I realized now more is working on yourself not just in terms of a scale on the number but the bigger picture. I have problems mentally recognizing my weight loss I pass by a mirror and go oh that's me. It's a lot more mental then I thought this journey was going to be and not running to food when I have a bad day or to celebrate a milestone...that's what hard to focus on. Sometimes I wish I had less guilt about food and eating.

HWeatherholt · May 2014

Not quite the same thing, but when my grandma was living with us - advance stages of alzemierz/deminta, and in her 80s, she wouldn't remember what she ate 5 minutes before, even if we were still sitting at the dinner table and everyone else still had food on their plates and/or still in serving bowls. We got to the point were yes, we should have (and did to a certian extent limit the number of pieces of cake/pizza/etc, she had, but at the same time we figured she has lead a good life and if she wants another piece, she can have another piece.

I think the key is finding a balance.

Unknown · May 2014

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jorda13456 · May 2014

I feel the skinnier you are is the more eaiser it is to build confidence at least for me, I'm not toothpick skinny but I would have more confidence if I was skinnier.

sk_pirate · June 2014

I did a search for something else and this thread came up. It's the only thread that I have enjoyed reading and actually spoke to me. For that reason I am bumping it back to the top; I feel others may want to read this too.

Cheers :flowerforyou:

airplanes00 · June 2014

Personally, I think that if it is that much "work" to lose weight or maintain your lighter weight, you are doing it wrong.

Thanks for that! I think you are definitely right. I think that when people really go off the rails with weight loss, it's because something is wrong. I will think of that lots from now on when my mindset is that it's too hard for me to keep going.

Losing is hard and for me it personally sucks, but I know maintaining is great and easy and really not that limiting, especially if you find something that you enjoy doing for exercise. I hate counting calories and I hate not cheating as much as I would like. But it is motivating to me because I know if I am strict now, I can get it off in 6 or 7 months rather then a year (I have about 30lbs to lose) So I do the work I count the calories, instead of cheat days or weekends I have a cheat meal twice a month. Once I get to maintain again I can just chill out more. Good Luck

bullieforme · June 2014

Of course it's worth it !!!
Apart from the massive increase in confidence, improved mobility and the health issues !
I wish I had had the motivation to do it ten years ago ! But can't dwell on past - look forward to a better future !
And of course getting "skinny" doesn't cure all the problems in your life but for sure it'll mean a better quality of life and, hopefully, a longer one too ?

TminusFitnessN321 · June 2014

Eating satisfaction is temporary compared to long lasting results.

UnicornAmanda · June 2014

In my experience, when i was lighter.. I had more confidence. And that to me, is worth more than overeating and not watching my cal intake. :-)

This**

And also, when I was heavier I felt like crap about myself, hated going out, hated being around people, felt so lazy and disgusting. So the more I lose, the better I feel. To me, living life to the fullest isn't just eating whatever and over indulging; but instead, will be about all of the activities I can be involved in, whether in my community, or in my family.. and if I was the same weight I was when I first started, and had no intention of making any changes, I would not have the motivation or the energy to even partake in anything, really.

0somuchbetter0 · June 2014

I don't think the only choices are "fat" or "thin." I still want to lose about 47 lbs and then reassess, but even at my goal weight I won't be skinny. I love good food good wine and cooking for friends and going out to restaurants...I don't want to sacrifice all that to be a size 0. But a size 6 sure would be preferable (for appearance AND health reasons) to my current size 14/16...and definitely way way better than me 73 lbs ago in a size 24!

mayfrayy · June 2014

as long as you can still eat pizza, anythings worth it.

summertime_girl · June 2014

I enjoy life much more.

UnicornAmanda · June 2014

"Skinny" is such a bad word to use here... And a bad thing to aspire to.
But there are so many things in life to enjoy, and having good health and being in good shape will allow you to enjoy life more. And for longer of course.

This

pipertargaryen · June 2014

Never will I ever be "skinny". My body is literally not built to be a size 2 or 4. I think that with a lot of hard work, I can absolutey be a size 7-8, which will not be "skinny" for me. Even when I was obese, I had an hourglass figure. I've got a chest, and large hips. I've got some definition in my waist. I've also got thick, strong legs. Always have, even at my thinnest.

Strong, healthy, and slim-ish? I think I can do it. Even now, I just got back into size 11/12 today, first time since 2011, and let me tell you: there are people out there who would still point, laugh, and call me a cow. But me? I look and feel damn fabulous, and I certainly did not feel as such when I was a size 18. So for me, being fitter, and healthier, and yes - smaller, is absolutely worth it.

My confidence is through the roof now. I am nowhere near skinny. If I hit goal, nearly 30lbs away, I won't be skinny. So while I disagree with the term used: yes - watching your health (but indulging now and then!), and being strong and fantastic? Worth it.

staceylw31 · June 2014

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've never been thin, so I don't know if its worth it the struggle to lose it. I do know that it sucks being overweight. I am tired of my legs and feet hurting. I am tired of having asthma. (Since I dropped 25 lbs, I only have to use my inhaler when I get a bad cold.) I don't like feeling out of shape and uncomfortable and embarrassed over my weight.

It has to be worth something to not feel like crap, and if giving up sugar or crap food means meeting my goal, than yeah, its worth it.

On the plus side, I haven't given much up food wise. I just am mindful of serving sizes, and getting more exercise. :flowerforyou:

I so agree with you. I have Lupus and being heavy takes a HUGE toll on my joints. Plus being on medication that is prone to making you feel hungry CONSTANTLY is ridiculous. So, to me, it will absolutely be worth it to lose all this weight. I honestly do not know why your friend would feel that way. If he wasn't enjoying life, then maybe it was something more than simply not wanting to care about what you are eating.

macchiatto · June 2014

For me it is, for sure. And I don't say that lightly. I have PCOS and have had to work very, very hard to lose weight and figure out how to maintain. It's better for my overall health and well-being, easier to find clothes that fit well, I feel more confident ... I'm really happy to be where I'm at now, weight- and fitness-wise!
I reversed my prediabetes by getting back to my original goal weight and now am below that, so that was a major added bonus. (I wasn't technically overweight when I found out I had prediabetes but my body fat % was probably in the low 30s; BMI was 23 or 24ish.)

PrincessEliNa · June 2014

Fit and skinny? Absolutely!!!

Sparlingo · June 2014

Yep!

Wish I had been a little more diligent when I got pregnant again after my weight loss. I didn't gain a horrendous amount, but I miss being small! Working hard to get back there.

Some things I enjoy about being smaller: looking good in clothes, being faster, being stronger (lifting weights), being more energetic, fitting in small spaces, fitting in my husband's arms better, *ahem* relations *ahem* being easier/more fun.

Also, surprising one for me - because I *know* I look good at my goal weight, I actually spend less time thinking about what I look like. I just get dressed, look in the mirror, say "yep, looking good!" and go do life that day. When I'm bigger, I'm aware of my bigness and worry about/think about it. Now, I understand that's an attitude thing more than a size thing, but getting healthy and becoming thinner went hand in hand for me, so the effects of them are a little muddled together.

lilhope72 · June 2014

Well, I haven't reached skinny yet, but I'm no longer morbidly obese. And yes, it is so worth it. I told myself for years that I'd rather be happy. Problem was, I wasn't happy. I was unhealthy, embarrassed, depressed and always so tired. Not to mention the fact that I'm pretty sure I was making my doctors house payments and keeping the pharmaceutical companies in business. :sad: I've lost 118 lbs so far, and I feel great. I have tons of energy, I smile and laugh a lot, and I no longer have to take a single medication. And all it costs me is some empty calories and an hour or so to work out.

Mighty_Rabite · June 2014

I believe it's a balance.

It takes an initially pretty high level of dedication and stringency to get where you're going in most cases, but once you're there, it doesn't hurt to indulge once in a while.

carolinetayloruk · June 2014

Defintiely, i've still someway to go, but i think the biggest thing for me is my confidence, its gone through the roof. I'm comfortable in my own body now and I can't express how much of a difference this makes to your life. Not worrying how people perceive me, or if they are thinking 'look at that fat girl eating that'

JaneyB311 · June 2014

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.

I disagree with this staement to an extent. I was a massively unhappy person when I started this; I was insecure, miserable, had no energy or drive and felt like a complete failure. I just wanted to be invisible.

I can honestly say that I now feel like a totally different person to who I was 8 months ago. Obviously deep down I am still the same person with the same core values, but my outlook on life, levels of happiness, satisfaction and energy are totally different and that is all down to having a sense of pride in myself at last for my achievements (so far) & for doing the things I never thought I could, such as losing all of this weight, loving exercise and being able to run (Yes, me, running!!).

I think that losing the weight has not solved all of my problems, but it sure as hell has put me in a much better place for dealing with them and while I am not a different person, I am well on the way to be being the best version of me that I can be.

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

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