What would you say to your pre-weight-gain self?

Drop the chalupa!

put the fork down and get up off your *kitten*

I would warn myself to believe the doctors next time.

folgers86 wrote: »

I'm...actually the same way. I've always felt heavy even when I wasn't. I recently saw a pic of myself when I was a teenager and saw how thin I was and all I could think about was why I ever felt fat and insecure (feelings probably leftover from my pudgy pre-pubescent days). I would love to tell myself then to go try on a bikini and quit covering up so much. I'd also tell myself to exercise more and eat better food or I'd really find out what being overweight feels like.

This sums up what i would say to myself perfectly.

I would also add on to myself, that if you are insecure now, wait until you have gained almost 30lbs (as i did); cue not leaving the house and bailing on social events because i didn't want people to see how fat i became.

I've lost almost half of that and am feeling so much better in myself, but i didn't realize how long it takes to lose the weight the healthy way....all that cake suddenly doesn't seem worth it

I've been up and down my entire life. There are a few different significant times in my life where I would love to say something to myself.

To teenage Julie: You used to love being active, don't lose that to depression. Get off of the couch and out of the fridge.

To 29 year old Julie: You have come so far and made so much progress. You are only 5 pounds from your goal weight. You busted your behind to get there. Don't allow yourself to drown your sorrows in food and get yourself to where you don't think that it doesn't matter anymore. You still matter.

To 34 year old Julie: You have worked so hard to get yourself back to where you were, not just physically but mentally. You are accomplishing so much. Losing weight, getting stronger, feeling more confident in yourself. Don't allow yourself to wipe all that out because of comments from family members. Remember that you can't control what others say but you can control how you react to it. The way you reacted to it has only hurt you, not anyone else.

It's been a bumpy road over the years but I'm not giving up.

I don't think I would want to tell a kindergarten kid anything about their weight.

I could tell my teen self to Google calories in / calories out.

I would tell my just-inducted-into-the-USAF self that the military is going to raise the weight standards 10 pounds shortly and so I should:

1. Eat more during Basic Training despite the food being disgusting
2. Bring better running shoes to Boot Camp
3. Don't do the extra running on your own time because that plus all the marching in combat boots will mess up your shins and you don't actually need to lose more weight
4. Don't lose 25 pounds during Basic Training because you don't actually need to lose anything at all and that will set you up for a lifetime of yoyoing
5. Drink less booze during your time in the military
6. Go scuba diving more while on Okinawa
7. Start yoga earlier in life

I have no idea because I do not have a pre weight gain self. I was fat my entire life until my 40s.

I've always been bigger, taller, always. So I don't really have a pre-fat self. It's kind of a difficult mental picture to wrap my head around, to be honest. Interesting question. I know a lot of people look at fat adults and just assume we can't put the fork down or whatever, but after major surgery at age 9 I couldn't really move for a long, long time. I would've loved to be able to get up and run the way I see people running now. So I guess I would say to my child-self, it's ok to be active in the way you can be active, and you don't have to be like everybody else, and don't let your parents' fears for you define your view of your own body's capabilities.

Start lifting weights.
Invest in Apple or Microsoft.
Don't marry him twice.
Oh wait, is this just about weight? SNORT!