Can't Imagine Myself Skinny

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sapphire1166
sapphire1166 Posts: 114 Member
in Getting Started
As a kid, I was super skinny. Until I hit a very early puberty and blew up in both height and girth. I was very active as teen and very toned and muscular, but was never under 180 lbs at 5' 7". In college I ate horrible and have weighed at least 215 lbs for all of my adult life (I'm 32).

When I see success stories on the message boards, I find it insanely difficult to imagine myself ever being "skinny". To barely slip into the "healthy" BMI range I need to weigh 155 lbs. I don't think I've weighed that since I was 13.

I keep thinking of this imaginary girl who's not actually me being the "skinny" person I'll become if I continue on this journey and I'm afraid I'll be disappointed that I'm not living up to my fantasy and get discouraged, if that makes any sense at all.
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Replies

  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    Stay positive and work towards your goal.

    I'm in the best shape of my life at 40

    29509743.png
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    Do you need to visualize yourself as looking "skinny"? This is a weird concept to me personally (I don't visualize myself as anything really), although I think I understand where you're coming from.

    The only thing necessary for success is maintaining a caloric deficit. You'll probably end up hotter than you could ever visualize in any case!!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Why worry about what might or might not be? Why not just worry about the next month, or the next 5lbs? See where the journey takes you, not obsess about the finish line (which will probably change as you lose weight and near your goal anyway).
  • Jennisin1
    Jennisin1 Posts: 574 Member
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    I'm 163lbs, size 8 at 5'10 and I never never ever was this thin. I was a 165lbs size 12 at 13 years old........ it has taken a lot to get use to this new me...
  • dfranch
    dfranch Posts: 207 Member
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    I know how you feel, while I don't know I would call myself skinny, I am 20 lbs lighter than at any point in my adult life, so it is possible. That said it takes a long time. We're conditioned to expect instant gratification, and that just doesn't happen.
  • sarah_hite
    sarah_hite Posts: 41 Member
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    I know exactly how you feel. I too have been overweight since I was a teenager, and I have a hard time imagining myself as being skinny. But to some extent, that actually encourages me to continue working at it because I'm curious to see how I will look. It also helps to look at some of the success stories on here and see people who have achieved their goals. You can do it too! :)
  • jquijas
    jquijas Posts: 222 Member
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    When I see success stories on the message boards, I find it insanely difficult to imagine myself ever being "skinny". To barely slip into the "healthy" BMI range I need to weigh 155 lbs. I don't think I've weighed that since I was 13.

    Take it one step at a time. To say that you need to weigh 155 is a guess. With proper nutrition and exercise you could be a healthy BMI at 140, 150, or even 170! The scale is just a number that takes absolutely nothing into account other than the amount of weight placed upon it. Work on being a happy, healthy you and the scale won't matter!
  • Tingababoo
    Tingababoo Posts: 51 Member
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    Do you live with someone? It is a LOT easier to do this with someone at home, or better yet- someone at work! Work is where you have Breakfast and Lunch, that's 2 out of 3 major meals! Luckily, I have someone both at home and work who are on MFP and invested to make their goal. We keep each other in check. You also need to find what works for you. Some people need to work out while others just need to watch what they eat. Both worked for me so I did both and my weight dropped quickly. I set realistic goals for myself. I wanted to lose 25 lbs but i set it at 5 lbs instead and each time I reached my goal, it would push me to continue on.

    Good Luck! I know you'll be able to reach your goal one day, how fast just depends on how badly you want it ;)
  • SheGlows
    SheGlows Posts: 520 Member
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    I know exactly how you feel.

    I've never had a tiny figure, and now that I'm doing contest prep, it's really weird to imagine myself up on stage in a teensy bikini as one of the super lean competitors.

    I'm fairly certain that my expectations of this "fantasy bikini competitor" will be much different than the reality. We just have to know and make sure that we recognize that our bodies are not like anyone else's. The expectation will *always* be different than reality, because we've yet to see what the unique, original reality actually looks like. How can we accurately predict something we've never seen before?

    And that's just what your "skinny self" will be: Unique and original, and not like anyone else's "skinny self." Is that such a bad thing? I'd much rather have that than a carbon copy of someone else's body.. Except maybe Amanda Latona. Her body is like.. Mmph.
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
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    What's your definition of "Skinny" though?
    Mine is someone looking very bony with hardly any body fat! (i.e most Catwalk/Runway Models).
    Not my idea of a great physique. :ohwell:
    Looking fit and healthy, now that's different!
    Just concentrate on losing the weight slowly, add in some exercise and take it from there.
    I think you'll know when you've lost enough.
  • FatNFightingIt
    FatNFightingIt Posts: 22 Member
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    Makes perfect sense. I was "built" in middle school and early high school and then went up from there. I have never been a healthy weight as an adult. Until the last year I have been well over 200 with a high at 297 lbs at 5'3". Crazy. I have lost about 110 lbs over the last 3 years and still see myself as the big girl. I still have another 30-40 lbs to go and I am wondering the same thing. It's a weird mental thing that we can use as an excuse or we use it as a motivator to do the best we can. I have already readjusted my goal weight because I don't want to be skinny. I want to be healthy and strong. I think it will take time to accept the new you just like anything. You're not alone if that helps.
  • shaynepoole
    shaynepoole Posts: 493 Member
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    I never imagined myself as "skinny". My goal was to get healthy and out of the plus sizes

    Even now, as a size 4 and 145 lbs, just in the normal BMI range - I don't see myself as skinny - I just see myself as the healthiest I have been my adult life

    I would not worry about getting skinny - that is all a matter of perception anyway.
  • headofphat
    headofphat Posts: 1,597 Member
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    Don't even visualize it, just know it's coming.
    It's awesome when you grab something off the rack at the store that you just know isn't going to fit then you get in the fitting room and you'll get the biggest smile on your face.
    good luck.
  • HisStrengthCounselor
    HisStrengthCounselor Posts: 191 Member
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    Hey, your own body image is your own, you don't have to feel pressured to be 'skinny'. I have never been skinny either, and I don't ever want to be 'skinny', I have always been more muscular in the thighs/butt. I love my curves (and so does my hubby), I want to lose the extra fat that I have gained from being sedentary and eating horrible, and for me that is getting down to 150, I am 5'3, and naturally 'thick'. bmi says I should be 113, that's ridiculous. When I was 150, had no stomach, just nice butt/thick thighs, my blood presure was normal, my labs cholestrol/sugar ect were all normal. Even now at 197 people don't believe I weigh that much because of my plummpy hourglass figure. Please understand that bmi is actually not that great a measurement of your health, just using height and weight doesn't account for other things like muscle/stomach fat...Like others have said, set realistic long term goals and short term goals, figure out what YOUR goal weight is, not based on how you were in high school or inadequate bmi scales; How you feel in your body, how you want your clothes to fit, what you need to be healthy inside. This site is great for lots of advise, please understand everyone is different, what works for some, doesn't work for others, there is no 'magic' way, you have to find what works for you. :flowerforyou:
  • dlazyday
    dlazyday Posts: 6 Member
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    IMO you should set your goal for healthy not "skinny." In order to do that you need to listen to your body and how it feels. Take your measurements. Muscle weighs more than fat but takes up a lot less space, so you may never reach the skinny number on the scale but you can certainly reach a healthy number. Best of luck, you can do this!
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
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    Think "healthy," "fit," "strong," "able," not "skinny." Even take it a few steps back, and aim for healthier, fitter, stronger, more able. For me, little things like less body aches, not getting out of breath carrying loads of laundry upstairs, more energy, being able to easily pick up and buy the 50 pound back of rock salt instead of buying it 10 pounds at a time.... all that matters more than a number on a scale or the tag on my jeans.
  • Archerychickge
    Archerychickge Posts: 606 Member
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    I wouldnt try to visualize myself "skinny", I would however try to visualize myself healthy and fit. There is a HUGE difference and one that is easier to imagine. It all begins with changing your thought processes about food, exercise, and what you want out of life.

    This isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle change. You can do this, but it takes committment and dedication.

    Skinny is just a word, healthy is a lifestyle.
  • mom2my4boys
    mom2my4boys Posts: 148 Member
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    I get where your coming from. My goal weight is 150lbs. I started at 275lbs. Currently 180lbs. I have no idea what i'll look like. But like everyone else already mentioned, try focusing on healthy and fit. Eventually you'll get there and one day realize "oh, this is me at my goal weight." Good luck and have fun!
  • arwFTW
    arwFTW Posts: 83 Member
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    I have the opposite problem. I only imagine myself as skinny (and i'm totally not) so every time i see a picture of myself and i'm not that skinny version, i get mad.
    I'm trying not to focus on my idea of it and just go with the proof: numbers on the scale/measuring tape, and how far and fast I can run every week. :)
  • alligatorrawr
    alligatorrawr Posts: 144 Member
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    As a kid, I was super skinny. Until I hit a very early puberty and blew up in both height and girth. I was very active as teen and very toned and muscular, but was never under 180 lbs at 5' 7". In college I ate horrible and have weighed at least 215 lbs for all of my adult life (I'm 32).

    When I see success stories on the message boards, I find it insanely difficult to imagine myself ever being "skinny". To barely slip into the "healthy" BMI range I need to weigh 155 lbs. I don't think I've weighed that since I was 13.

    I keep thinking of this imaginary girl who's not actually me being the "skinny" person I'll become if I continue on this journey and I'm afraid I'll be disappointed that I'm not living up to my fantasy and get discouraged, if that makes any sense at all.

    I haven't been in the 150 range since 5th grade! that's why I want to get there so bad hahahaha. My first goal is to get under 200 pounds, then to a healthy body fat (NOT BMI!!! I have muscle and I am proud of it!) and go from there :) you got this!

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