When I am finished, I will have lost about 100 pounds. As a 44 yo who has a jumbo-sized chest and carried two babies, I have no illusions about looking like I did the last time I was a healthy weight at 25. I will probably have tennis-balls-in-socks boobs and a sagging belly and loose skin around my knees and under my arms. I will not like it, I am sure!
It's important not to have unrealistic expectations for weight loss. Including, most notably, how you will feel about your body. Some of us will have the above-mentioned side effects. We'll never look like someone who was never overweight or obese in the first place. Some of us won't be able to see the weight loss in the mirror. Some of us will still feel ugly and out of place and worry about what people think of us. None of this is addressable via weight loss. Body image is a separate journey best served by good therapy, a supportive community, and daily practice.
If we won't necessarily feel more beautiful or attractive through weight loss, why do it at all, then? For me, the con list pales in comparison to the pro list. I used to be a healthy weight, so I remember just how good life is when I was.
Cons: Won't fix body image issues alone; sagging skin; stretch marks; people making comments; clothes fitting weirdly; worries about romantic partners seeing us naked
Pros: Improved A1C; lowered blood pressure; lower cholesterol; greater mobility; diminished joint pain; ability to tie shoes/paint toenails while still breathing; penis visibility; clothes fit off the rack; fitting in amusement park, airplane, and waiting room seats; less windedness with activity; longer life expectancy; lower food costs; better digestion; easier hygiene; often better sex (mobility, strength, stamina)
I'd rather work on body image issues on easy mode than hard mode, personally. If I can do so while distracting myself with a shopping trip in which the sizes I wear are stocked in-store, all the better.
I realize this may not be applicable to everyone, but if you are just starting out and/or having body image issues (who doesn't, really?), I encourage you to keep going, slowly, consistently, and give yourself the gift of easier trips around the sun.
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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3r4xmjg
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