I saw this question posed on The View and I thought it was really interesting. It was when someone decides to lose weight, is it because they want to be thin or do they not want to be fat. I had never really though of it that way before, but I guess everyone has a different reason. If you don't want to be fat, you are running away from something, and if you want to be thin you are running toward something.
For me I think the main reason is I do not want to be fat anymore. I want to walk into a regular store and be able to fit in all the clothes without walking into the plus size department.. My eventual goal is to fit into a size 6 or 8. I am 21, 5' 6" and never have had any children, so I figure it is realistic.
My mom says when she was in college, she weighed 110, but wore a size 10. I cannot see someone who weighs 110 wearing a size 10. That was in the late 60s. Does anyone know if clothing sizes have really change that much in the last 40 years? Any thoughts on not wanting to be fat vs. being thin?
Clothing sizes really have changed since the 60's - based on what my mom says, 6's back then are more like 10's now.
Also, I am the same height as you, and I can wear 8's around 150-155, and 6's around 140-145. I know body sizes and types vary quite a bit, but that's just to let you see around what weight you might want to plan your goal.
I think I want both - not to be fat and to be thin. I don't need to be super skinny though, I just want to feel like I'm not self conscious about certain parts of my body. I am really trying to work on healthy eating habits for life, not just for a diet.
Clothing sizes have definitely changed in the 20 years since I was in high school. I wear a size 6 now, but it's pretty equivalent to a size 10 from my high school days. I am 5'7" and a size 6 and I think it's a great size! I feel pretty and slender in clothes.
There's this I Love Lucy episode where Lucy tries to starve herself so she can fit into a size 12 dance costume. That was in the 50s. Anyone who's ever seen pictures of Lucille Ball knows she was no where near a size 12 nowadays (yeah I'm a nerd, my mum got me hooked on the reruns as a kid). Also, could you imagine any dancer today being a size 12?
Your goal sounds great and very realistic. I think that is an interesting question. I guess I more want to be thin, than not want to be fat. I never had to go into plus sizes even at my highest weight and I technically could wear anything my friends wore - it just would look awful! Hahaha. I don't think I'm being that restricted by the excess weight I carry but I don't like it. I don't want it there and I don't need it there for several reasons. I'd love to fit in a size 4/6 and be completely toned. I like my muscles
I hate it that some brands I can wear a 14 and other brands I have to get a 17. It drives me nuts. It would make things easier if all brands had to follow the same size "rules".
I wanted to be thin and then I wanted to be healthy and now I want to remain fit and strong.
What I wanted changed with the amount of research and reading I did into healthy foods and lifestyles.
When I just wanted to be thin I dropped to 110 pounds - I'm 5'6 and was an Aussie 6-8 (US 2-4) - could never drop below that size because of my hip bones. Just about damn near killed myself trying to become "thin"
Anyways...thats what then prompted the wanting to be healthy and fit and so now I am a lean, strong size 8-10 (US 4-6) at about 138 pounds.
Clothing sizes really have changed since the 60's - based on what my mom says, 6's back then are more like 10's now.
I'm little bit confused... Did you mean to say 10's back then are more like 6's now?
This is the same for Korea too. My mom has a skirt from when she was about my age(20's). It has to be about size 2 if not smaller. But that was actually about US size 8 in Korea back then. (70's).
For me, I think wanting to be thin is stronger than not wanting to be fat, although that is also true. =)
not wanting to be fat .. i never wanted to be thin either lol .. i just want to be curvy and nice about a 12 -14 would be fine even 16 .. in some brands..
I want to feel normal.. not thin not fat just normal.. not perfect either ,just comfortable in myself
I don't think I ever really ran away from being fat or wanted to be skinny, I just wanted to get healthy. I mean, I was 17 and almost morbidly obese and already had high blood pressure, bad joints, high cholesterol and on and on. I wanted to get away from all of that while I still could, I wanted to change so I could live a longer, more fulfilling life.
I have never wanted to be "thin" or "skinny" I just wanted to be "normal" and "fit". At the moment I would like to be "hot" and "stunning" But "thin" is not what I'm going for. At one point I actually weighed around 148lbs and I looked like death warmed over. I accept my body is shaped the way it is, but a few enhancements don't hurt
It is interesting reading everyone's responses to this question. It shows the uniqueness of everyone.
Personally, I just wanted to get back to the athletic healthy person I once was in high school. Also, I didn't want to be fat and continue on with health problems that were rearing it's ugly head.
I've never thought I wanted to be thin, just not fat. I'm not a 20-something btw so adding an 'old' person's perspective here. When I was in my early 20s I mistook my curvy figure as being 'fat'. Most of my friends were 'thin' and I was the odd one out. Looking back now I realise that I just had a more 'womanly' figure before most of my friends. Back then I was not happy at 140-150lbs. Now having been as high as 290 I realise that I was actually well proportioned back then so my goal now is definitely just to be 'not fat' and for me I think I'll achieve that at around a size 12.
I don't want to be thin, I just want to be average and not huge. I have the right curves in the right places, I just need to slim down so my hourglass looks like an hourglass and not like a bottle of soy sauce.
I know how you feel about wanting to fit into normal clothes, not having to shop plus. I dream of that every night. No doubt it can happen.... ever see I can make you thin??
I also do agree with what most of you are saying. The most important thing for me is to get healthy and fit. Yes, it is true that I am tired of being fat, but I really just want to be healthy. Luckily I do not have any health problems now, but if I continue down the path I was on I am sure that health issues would start to be a problem.
As far as the pants size changing, my mom managed to find a pair of her old size 10s. They would be a size 2 or 4 now.
Being thin vs. not wanting to be fat
But "thin" is not what I'm going for. At one point I actually weighed around 148lbs and I looked like death warmed over. I accept my body is shaped the way it is, but a few enhancements don't hurt 
