Anyone else have those? I am looking at one now, makes me cringe! Its not cause of my body but because I know that I am trying to smile when I am really thinking "uggggh another pic of me and my fat pants again"
I don't have too many of those, mostly because I avoid cameras! However, I do have some exactly like you describe. I suppose that's how I went through life in public too - smiling and acting like I was oblivious to the fact that I was obese, while inside I was cringing.
I became very, very good at avoiding photos while I was heavy but there are a few floating around and I absolutely hate looking at them. I'm smiling in the photo but I relive the feelings of fear and anxiety from when the photo was taken. Always having to hide and feel ashamed of myself was so terrible!
I've noticed that I'm terrible at looking happy in a photo when I'm unhappy inside. It's almost scary, haha. My family can always tell when I'm miserable but smiling in a photo.
I usually have an uncomfortable half smile. Depends really though if I was dressed up and felt ok about myself and could suck it in for the picture and smile if I was in a good mood haha, but if it was taken and I was unaware.. hmm..
Yep. Mostly all of them at my higher weights. And a lot of them now (but it's getting better).
But trust me, when you lose a bunch of weight, you'll be glad you have those old pics to look at to help remind you why you started being healthier. I have one in my room, actually - me and a bunch of other people. I never carried my weight well, either.
It's sometimes nice to see them and realize that you don't look like that anymore (the old pics help when your mind is way behind where your body is).
Last edited by LiannaKole; 03-28-2012 at 10:08 AM.
A picture just like what you're describing is one of the contributing factors to my committment to be a healthier person. In October, at a festival with my mom, sisters and some extended family, one of my sisters wanted a picture of me, my mom and sisters. I have my hair fixed, makeup on, decent clothes and am smiling, but there is nothing happy about that girl in the picture. I can see it even though my family thinks it's a great picture. That picture really made me see how unhappy I really was.
The good news from all of this is two weeks ago at my one sister's bridal shower, I made them take another picture and I actually look happy this time, not just smiling.
A picture just like what you're describing is one of the contributing factors to my committment to be a healthier person. In October, at a festival with my mom, sisters and some extended family, one of my sisters wanted a picture of me, my mom and sisters. I have my hair fixed, makeup on, decent clothes and am smiling, but there is nothing happy about that girl in the picture. I can see it even though my family thinks it's a great picture. That picture really made me see how unhappy I really was.
The good news from all of this is two weeks ago at my one sister's bridal shower, I made them take another picture and I actually look happy this time, not just smiling.
I had the same experience. There's a pic of me in a flattering light, but it was when I was regaining weight from emotional eating. I hate that pic because I know that I was crying on the inside.
I love pics and my friends always take a ton of random pictures doing all kinds of things and it was wonderful when I was thin...not so much anymore. I have all of five pics with my fiance because I hate how terrible I look. And with my friends I always hide behind things or just show my face and only with my chin up so you can't see my double chin, or at an angle so you can't see that i'm so fat you can't see my cheekbones. With proper makeup and shadowing you can hide!
Haha, I think every picture taken of me from the age of 11 was me being unhappy! It's strange because my family were over the other day and we went through all the old pictures. In all the ones of me as an early teen I re-lived all the emotions I felt - like I was different, fat, ugly. I generally felt really uncomfortable all the time. There were some pictures where I would see what I was wearing and remember EXACTLY what I thought: "I look stupid in this." It was very surreal!
Pics where you are smiling but secretly unhappy?
