Overweight all your life?

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Danette73
Danette73 Posts: 76
in Motivation and Support
I just read a post that basically talked about being overweight all of your life and they wanted to know how you cope and/or deal with that.

I too have been over weight all of my life. I don't know what it's like to be a healthy weight. I have done Weight Watchers before and was successful (I lost 75 lbs), but within a year of losing it, I gained it all back, plus some. So it's been a roller coaster all my life. I can't blame it on having kids or even stress. It just is what it is.

But I wonder if I am "afraid" of what comes with being healthy.. does that make sense? Everyone knows me as the overweight friend, the one who is always bigger than the other ones, the one who shops in the plus size section and all the friends go into the smaller ones. But it's easy, or so it has been for me in my eyes. And I just wonder, when I lose this time, will the fear of the unknown keep me from keeping it off for good.

Sorry to ramble, but just wanted some other opinions. Thanks!

Replies

  • MikMont
    MikMont Posts: 49 Member
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    I have been trying to lose weight for so long! My husband and I were talking about what it would be like to just have to maintain a healthy weight.

    Um in my mind cheaper clothes come with being healthy & better quality of life. I don't really have thin friends (haha if yall see this!) so my main concern is what are we supposed to do once im not trying to go out to eat all the time??? lol.
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
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    I know what you mean.
    I'm not sure if I've been overweight all my life, but definitely since my last years of high school and my time at university I knew I was overweight but never did anything to change it.

    I think the important thing is to not go on a diet. It's a temporary fix and when you go back to what was normal for you before you will, without a doubt, put all that weight back on. I'm making changes to my lifestyle - changing my eating habits for good, ie, making a healthy sandwich instead of hitting subway or mcdonalds for lunch before/after work, picking up an apple, orange or banana (3 of my favourite fruits) instead of a chocolate bar or bag of crisps for a snack, bringing healthier snacks to the cinema to replace high calorie popcorn or nachos and the biggie - exercising more.

    It sounds as though you've accepted the fact that you're overweight and you always will be. It's easier to stick to what you know - shopping in the plus size section but are you happy sticking to what you know? You also say you're afraid of the unknown...is it that you're afraid of losing your identity as 'the overweight friend' as you put it? Make changes to your lifestyle to make it more healthy and as people start to notice youre new attitude to fitness and health, you will be known as the 'healthy friend' or the 'awesomely fit friend'.

    Moving out of your comfort zone will be hard and it will take some getting used to (that's the whole point) but it is a good thing trying different things - stop thinking of them as daunting and scary, embrace them! I used to be terrified of having to do push ups, crunches, lunges, crazy yoga poses, jogging - but I challenged myself and can now do modified push ups (with bent knees), I can jog on the spot for 30 minutes straight and I look forward to working out and breaking a sweat! It's turned me into a new person and I love her!

    Embrace the unknown - you might end up loving it and it could be the best decision you ever make :smile:

    I've ended up rambling as well now :tongue:
    Feel free to add me if you want to chat some more or for support and motivation (I'm on here nearly all the time!):smile:
  • Danette73
    Danette73 Posts: 76
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    Its funny, I never thought that I " have accepted the fact I was overweight and would always be" but I guess somewhere in my mind I did. It was "comfortable" I guess.

    But I decided to do it this time. No diets, no doing things quickly. One day at a time, no matter how much it kills me ya know. I have three of the best kids in the world (although I am sure you all think yours are too,... mine really are : ) ) and they are overweight too. Mind you, all of us are tall, but still, overweight. Being a single mom, working and in college, its so easy to stop and pick up a pizza or fast food and have dinner. I have and will continue tonot do that anymore. I make an effort to go home and cook dinner, lean meats and veggies every night. I think my middle child is actually losing weight as well. I want thm healthy and around a long time and I do not want them to pick up on any of my bad habits with food.

    Thanks for the encouragement!! It means alot!
  • parisiantwyst
    parisiantwyst Posts: 41
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    I was a size ten and 150 from the time I was 10 to the time I was 16. After that, I gained weight, and reached an area I never wanted to be in.
    My mother also struggles with her weight, (esp her body image) and began harassing me about gaining so much weight (about 10 lbs a year since Freshman year of college).
    I want to get back into shape for me, but to be honest, its also because my mom has REALLY hurt my feeling in the past six months when it comes to my weight.
    Sure, I could manage at 150, but I haven't been that weight in years. I think part of me is afraid to be thin again because of the things that came along with it emotionally- I was tired and stressed out, depressed most of the time and in a horrible relationship. Part of me thinks that if I get thin again, that same person might come back to haunt me and could sabotage my current state of well being.

    Sorry for the rambling-
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    I'm with you! I have NEVER been at a healthy weight...ever!! I have no idea what it's like!! I've always been at least 100 lbs over weight. I'm comfortable in my own skin, and I've always been ok with it... but now as I get older (I'm 27), I realize that if I don't do something now while I'm young then I am at the risk of cutting my life short due to all the diseases that come with being overweight. I want to be healthy, I want to have kids, and I want to be able to keep up with my kids until I'm dead!! It's time to do something about it :)
  • ericaashley25
    ericaashley25 Posts: 6
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    Danette I hear you huney. I been overweight my whole life too and I wonder about the same thing its a long hard battle. WEIGHT sometimes i wish we lived in a society where it didnt matter but weight is a major health issue and sista we on a road and battle together . We will be healthy))
  • BetterMe82
    BetterMe82 Posts: 2
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    I have always battled with my weight. Rather to thin when i was a child or to much this and to much that as I aged and when I have decided that I was taking control of my health/weight, i realized there is some mental baggage I needed to lose too. The same fears I had as a plus size chick I was carrying over into becoming a fit one. What will people think of me? I have always been the cute but thick friend (i really hate when people say that)and the thought of ' Will I finally feel better about myself'?

    So I started surrounding myself with only people I knew loved me for who I am on the inside. I joined MFP and met some of the most awesome and inspirational chicks there are, then I started working on not just my physical health but my mental and spiritual health as well. Because just like I'm motivated to lose the weight and keep it off, I want to lose the mentality of I'm ok with being a big girl, its just who I am.

    We all have what me and my BFF call the Big Girl syndrome. But just like all the hard work we are putting in physically to change, we have to do it mentally so we won't end up back where we started....

    Go luck all. We will succeed :)

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