Alternate title: Continuation of Saef's real women's abdomens suggestion.
I read a lot of threads of folks that are scared of what their bodies will look like after a large weight loss or are disappointed by what they see when they actually get there. So I made a promise that I would post "the ugly truth" when I got to 100 lbs. down.
My stats - Carried around that extra 100 lbs for 20 years. Gained the weight very fast (all in one year). Have lost fairly slowly (@1.4 lbs. per week). I exercise @6 hours/week, combination of stationary bike, walking/hiking, lap swimming. Some aerobics and yoga. Teeny tiny amount of weight lifting for bat wings.
So first picture is showing it all and yep, not terribly attractive. On the other hand, 2nd picture is clothed and think that body looks pretty hot for a woman who will be 51 next month.
Thank you SO much for posting the pictures. I also have 105 lbs. to lose, lost 40 so far. I have been concerned about what my skin and body will look like after losing it all.
I think you look terrific. You have so much to be proud of. Determination and persistence have definitely paid off for you. Thanks again very much. Your success story has made me believe that I can actually do this and not feel bad about my body image after I get there.
For those starting out, like me, perhaps we should take a picture of ourselves in our underwear now to compare to our after. I'm much more afraid of seeing myself naked now than what I will look like after my hard work pays off.
Kudos, Carysings, and Wow! You look great. Thanks for your post, because this has been bugging me for a while....
Two things that come to mind are:
All of us who have lost "the weight" look great in clothes. We should be asking ourselves how many ppl really see us nekkid, and if it is a large #, we may have more issues than loose skin!!!
I just don't understand ppl worrying about this issue prematurely. I am not talking about those of us close to goal who now realize we have some "excess baggage", but I have read dozens, literally dozens, of posts of us who have just started, have 1oo#s to lose, and are worrying prematurely about this ..c'mon, if we have a significant amount to lose, first things first..worry about the skin issue once at a healthy weight.
Good for you, Angie..I agree with you!
milmin2043, congrats on 40#..you will succeed and look as hot as Cary!
I just don't understand ppl worrying about this issue prematurely. I am not talking about those of us close to goal who now realize we have some "excess baggage", but I have read dozens, literally dozens, of posts of us who have just started, have 1oo#s to lose, and are worrying prematurely about this ..c'mon, if we have a significant amount to lose, first things first..worry about the skin issue once at a healthy weight.
Not to mention...if you feel like you're no better off, you can always gain it back and fill that skin right out again.
Personally, I'm more worried about how I'd look years from now being unable to care for myself because of illness brought on by the extra weight. I think you look great, caryesings!
I'm more concerned about the long term health consequences of staying at my current weight than I am of what I will look like once I lose it. That hadn't even crossed my mind, to be honest.
I think you look great. Much better than I do, but my starting weight was higher than yours and I am shorter. Even though my skin is sagging, I would not fill it up for any price!
And fine, I worry about it! Maybe its because I haven't had too many "man, I am too fat to do that" moments that make me take myself out of the shallow end of the thought process.
I worry about it, but not too much. I've promised myself that if I need it, I'll skip having new cars and get a plastic surgery loan instead of auto loans.
You look fantastic!!! Thank you so much for posting REAL pictures. I think the mind imagines how we will look after weight loss as either an empty bag of skin or a bikini model, neither of which are accurate. Your picture shows that what we get is to look hot in clothes with a few extra wrinkles underneath. That and we have our health with which to enjoy our new hotness.
This just shows we should not let the skin worries stop us. Like someone else said, how many people see us naked anyway. For me, it's just medical personnel who are under oath to be professional about what they see anyway.