Vanity Pounds?

SenoraMacias
SenoraMacias Posts: 305 Member
edited September 2024 in Motivation and Support
Anyone ever have the problem of people saying "Why are YOU on here?? You don't need to lose weight!" I've had people say this very thing to me, and tell me that all I'm doing is trying to lose "vanity pounds". Well the truth is, my BMI is high, and my body fat percentage is high also. Plus, I carry all my weight in my mid-section, which is the most unhealthy place is your body to have extra fat.

Why do you have to obese to want to lose weight??

Replies

  • juicygurl1
    juicygurl1 Posts: 195 Member
    no, i don't have that problem, i know wy i am on here.
  • chubbyandawkward
    chubbyandawkward Posts: 71
    I totally agree, I have a healthy BMI (just) but I feel awful.
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
    I'm with you there... "you look great, you don't need to work out anymore!" - I'm still 5lbs overweight.
  • brbetha01
    brbetha01 Posts: 179 Member
    Believe me - I know where you're coming from. It drives me crazy when people say those exact words to me yet my body fat composition (when I started) was close to unhealthy. Plus, this is a total lifestyle changing task - I don't want to worry about changing my ways when I'm older and my life depends on it.

    Do it for you. In the end, you'll be happier and healthier.
  • innerfashionista
    innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
    Who's saying it? That's kind of rude. There's nothing wrong with wanting to change your body fat percentage or get closer to the healthier range of your BMI.
  • VeganGal84
    VeganGal84 Posts: 938 Member
    You don't have to obese or even overweight to want to lose weight. I'm in a healthy weight-range and I want to lose a few "vanity pounds".

    For me, it's so much harder to lose the last few!!! And not because I'm trying just as hard as I used to try and the scale just won't budge, but because I'm not trying as hard as I used to. I don't have that 50, 60, or 70+ extra pounds hanging off of me as a constant reminder anymore.

    The vanity pounds are TOUGH to lose, but I want to lose 'em, so... don't let anyone tell you that you can't or that you shouldn't. Do what you need to do for you.
  • JENIFER_AZ
    JENIFER_AZ Posts: 235 Member
    I'm on here too for a couple vanity pounds and for MFP to help me focus on keeping healthy and active. Just keep doing your thing girl!
  • silkysly
    silkysly Posts: 701 Member
    Anyone ever have the problem of people saying "Why are YOU on here?? You don't need to lose weight!" I've had people say this very thing to me, and tell me that all I'm doing is trying to lose "vanity pounds". Well the truth is, my BMI is high, and my body fat percentage is high also. Plus, I carry all my weight in my mid-section, which is the most unhealthy place is your body to have extra fat.

    Why do you have to obese to want to lose weight??

    I can’t stand hearing that I’m skinny or I don’t need to be so obsessed with health. (I’m not skinny…, but that’s not issue.) I just tell people that I take my health seriously & I’m not going to consume myself with unhealthy choices. If it’s Little Debbie’s or Fruit.., duh? I also tell them I am on MFP to stay on track. Stand up for what you believe in…, even if you are the only one standing. Good luck!

    (Friend me.., I'm in your boat!)
  • dragonbug300
    dragonbug300 Posts: 760 Member
    Great post. Nice to know that I'm not alone.

    I do understand, though, how insignificant it may seem to a person who needs to lose 100 pounds. And how depressing it may be for that person to hear others that are below his/her goal weight to say, "I need to lose xx pounds!"

    It's all about perspective. I remember when I was severely underweight, anyone in the normal range seemed larger to me. Now that I'm in the normal range, people I once thought were large are in fact very, very tiny.

    My mother has lost a bit of weight as well. Through the process, her perspective has also changed to some degree. However, she still would consider any woman under 150lbs 'skinny' and would probably (definitely) discourage their weight loss.

    Perspective. Since I understand that this website is mostly populated by those with higher BMIs with a lot of weight to lose, I tend not to mention my weight unless it's relevant. I'm here mostly for the supportive community and my wonderful MFP friends.
  • Schraudt814
    Schraudt814 Posts: 496 Member
    Ugh I hate that! I just had that conversation with a friend...I was talking about going for a run and they immediately said "what? you're good you don't need to workout." I suppose it was supposed to be a compliment but I was a little irked that they assumed I was doing it for weight loss! I mean I am, but can't I run to be healthy too??? I too am trying to lose vanity pounds and it drives me nuts when people tell me oh you don't need to...Doesn't matter if I need to or not! I want to be healthy...you go eat your pizza, I'm going for a run!
  • Jamcnair
    Jamcnair Posts: 586 Member
    Yes! I learned that people assume that if you're thin 1. You don't need to eat right or exercise 2. They can comment on your weight freely and 3. You obviously have a "problem" Ugh!! When I wasn't even at my lowest, I was probably 130'ish, an older man said to me "You're so skinny...you'd better not be anorexic! Eat some meat and potatoes"...now...this man is a very sweet guy and was saying it in a "concerned" way...but...wth!? Nobody would say "Go eat a salad!" to me when I was overweight...but once I lost 20-30 pounds...I got all kinds of "are you okay?" comments from people at church...YEAH. I'M GREAT! I EXERCISE EVERY DAY AND EAT RIGHT
  • SenoraMacias
    SenoraMacias Posts: 305 Member
    And I wonder if no one thinks we're thinner BECAUSE we watch what we eat??? If we didn't exercise because we "don't need to", or ate junk because we "are too thin to be eating a salad", wouldn't we no longer be thin????? The logic makes zero sense...
  • luv_lea
    luv_lea Posts: 1,094 Member
    I don't have that problem on here (unless they are thinking it to themselves..which doesn't bother me either way) but I experience this a LOT in life. Everyone is always making sniddy comments anywhere from co workers, to family. "Her and her diet!" "Don't know why you do that stuff, Your already skinny!" & the worst one I'll never forget..."What, are you planning on becoming anorexic??"

    I'm doing this for myself and my son. I want to tone my body up a bit, but also have a healthy lifestyle out of it. My son see's me doing this and is picking up on these things. He now asks for water, and wants to exercise with me a lot. (makes me so happy!)

    The bad comments have been pretty constant, and I've actually had struggles getting through some of them. But anymore, I vowed to not let anyone make me feel bad for my goals/decisions on MY body, or my life, and from there, I just ignore everyone's opinions or bad comments!! F*** em if they don't like it! haha
  • khrys1
    khrys1 Posts: 444 Member
    Yep, or if you finally get to maintenance and want to maintain, you're also questioned why you're on here. Hello??? It worked to help me lose the weight, why not stay on??? Good luck to you!
  • kater8er
    kater8er Posts: 364 Member
    Omg I hate that. My sisters are always telling me to eat a cookie or something, and I'm just like....if I did that, I wouldn't be as little as I am. So stupid. I have had a girl defriend me because she said she didn't want any "already skinny" people on here. Girl please! My BMI just left the obese range!
  • Midori_i
    Midori_i Posts: 91 Member
    I know the problem... I'm perfectly healthy and fit now, not the least bit overweight, but I used to be fat and I don't want to go back to that. Also I want to tone some more and lower my body fat percentage. But when I mention going to the gym, decline a piece of chocolate, complain about there not being any healthy options on the menu or say I don't want anything alcoholic because of the calories - I pretty much always get stupid remarks like 'come on, live a little' or 'you're way too obsessed with you weight' or 'what's you're problem, you're skinny enough!'.

    Some people don't get it that when you're finally thin, healthy and happy with yourself and your body, that is worth way more and adds way more to life's quality than having desert every day, spending all your free time on the sofa or saying yes to every treat or snack you're offered. Instead people call me obsessive and accuse me of robbing myself of all fun in life because I won't have that chocolate cake, because I buy skim milk instead of whole milk or because I take the stairs.

    Sometimes I just want to scream at them... I look this good BECAUSE I do all those things, I don't do them in spite of it! And if I stop caring, I'll gain my weight back and be unhappy again! And most importantly, although this seems to be really REALLY hard to understand to some people: I DO NOT crave fast food, or chocolate, or soda most of the time. So why should I eat them? I LIKE my veggies and my lean meat. Eating that stuff makes me happy. And when I really DO crave something unhealthy, yes, then I go and have some, cause that doesn't happen very often anymore these days.
  • kater8er
    kater8er Posts: 364 Member
    I know the problem... I'm perfectly healthy and fit now, not the least bit overweight, but I used to be fat and I don't want to go back to that. Also I want to tone some more and lower my body fat percentage. But when I mention going to the gym, decline a piece of chocolate, complain about there not being any healthy options on the menu or say I don't want anything alcoholic because of the calories - I pretty much always get stupid remarks like 'come on, live a little' or 'you're way too obsessed with you weight' or 'what's you're problem, you're skinny enough!'.

    Some people don't get it that when you're finally thin, healthy and happy with yourself and your body, that is worth way more and adds way more to life's quality than having desert every day, spending all your free time on the sofa or saying yes to every treat or snack you're offered. Instead people call me obsessive and accuse me of robbing myself of all fun in life because I won't have that chocolate cake, because I buy skim milk instead of whole milk or because I take the stairs.

    Sometimes I just want to scream at them... I look this good BECAUSE I do all those things, I don't do them in spite of it! And if I stop caring, I'll gain my weight back and be unhappy again! And most importantly, although this seems to be really REALLY hard to understand to some people: I DO NOT crave fast food, or chocolate, or soda most of the time. So why should I eat them? I LIKE my veggies and my lean meat. Eating that stuff makes me happy. And when I really DO crave something unhealthy, yes, then I go and have some, cause that doesn't happen very often anymore these days.

    What you said is so true. Do you ever think people get jealous when you start looking better and then they try and wheedle you into your old ways? I have a friend like that--I'm seeing her next week and the last time I saw her I was 10 lbs heavier. I know she'll probably try and make me feel bad for caring about myself.
  • ckidd311
    ckidd311 Posts: 68 Member
    I have the exact same issue you do. It really isn't healthy to carry the extra weight around your mid section and that's what I'm trying to get rid of as well. That and to be accountable to staying healthy ;) Props to you for sticking to it and reaching out for support!

    When I came on here, I did friend invites for people with the same 'weight loss' goals as me. I thought it would be more motivating and they would understand more the things I was stuggling with.
  • Midori_i
    Midori_i Posts: 91 Member
    What you said is so true. Do you ever think people get jealous when you start looking better and then they try and wheedle you into your old ways? I have a friend like that--I'm seeing her next week and the last time I saw her I was 10 lbs heavier. I know she'll probably try and make me feel bad for caring about myself.

    In the case of my sister I KNOW she's jealous of my weight loss. I love her and we get along great, but she's always been the beautiful one and I've always been the brainy one. Now I'm still brainy, but I've lost weight and she's gained some, and I'm skinnier than her on top of it. So she constantly tries to get me to eat more when we're together (which isn't all that often) or to get me to eat really calorie-denese, fatty things. She'll even go so far as to bake a cake for me :p And she tries to keep me from working out.
    Other people are probably not directly jealous of my weight loss, but my determination and dedication remind them of how they let themselve go too often and splurge too often and they blame me for feeling guilty... That's just my guess anyway. I used to be jealous of people who seemed to have an easier time at maintaining a healthy lifestyle than I did.
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    pffff all the time! jk.gif
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    The 'vanity pounds' are the hardest to lose, plus once you lose it, the battle is over but not the war. Lifestyle change is about changing your life for the rest of your life, whether it's losing 10 lbs or 100 lbs. doesn't matter. Besides, it's easier to lose weight than to gain weight (muscle) and you have to count your calories even more for gaining. So anyone who complains about something like that probably just has an axe to grind. Maybe they're jealous.
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