I noticed there are two kinds of goals on this thread, and for me, both have been valuable.
One is the kind that we can change NOW. Me? I used to skip health appointments, delayed going to the dentist, and let myself grow a skunk stripe every six months because I was too lazy/self-concious to go to the the beauty salon.
I mean, that was a symptom of what was wrong with me. I was worth it then, just as I am worth it now! There are many fabulous beautiful sexy women who are heavier than I ever was. Weight is not worth. I was totally confused about that. One thing I'm grateful for is that early in the process, the ladies at 3FC motivated me to go to the pool in spite of my weight and the grandma swim dress I was wearing. I still go to the pool all the time, but I no longer wear the swim dress! I have a normal bathing suit, and I can walk around the pool not the least self-concious in it even though I still weigh 226 lbs.
On the other hand, there were things I could NOT do before, and it is incredibly inspiring and motivating to see the world's possibilities open up to me as a result of my own hard work: my clothing options are much less limited. I can wear heels. I can run. I am excited about biking and hiking in the spring.
So, I think we should do both. Love ourselves and pamper ourselves as much as we can at every weight. Figure out what is holding us back. Is it really our weight (I could not hike at 295. I wasn't fit enough) or wearing a bathing suit (my self-conciousness was holding me back, not any physical disability.)
Each baby step leads to more doors becoming open to us, but if we don't start with the principal of self-love and self-care at ANY weight, then I think we are doomed.
Wow there are so many great and inspiring things on this thread, I love it!!
Hmmm there are so many things I can't wait to do when I am thin. I guess at the top of my list is going swimming with my kids, taking sexy pictures for my husband, buying lingerie (and actually wearing it) etc.
Fun thread! I really want to do a cartwheel again.
I mainly want to be able to wear regular sizes again and be able to buy cute used clothes. And wear skirts with cute boots. that will actually fit my calves.
This isn't directly related to weight loss, and is dependent on lots of other factors that aren't under my control (dammit), but I'd go out there and the guy of my dreams would see me and would not give up until I'd agreed to marry him (which would take him some time as I'm learning to regard myself better than a piece of trash that just falls for any guy who looks twice at her. Don't laugh. It's freakin' painful).
But I may need to work on more than just the weight loss for that to happen.
Never give up hope in this department. I was without a beau for 18 years. My 50th birthday present was delivered to a neighbor in the next block because I was away on a birthday road trip. The neighbor was a 53 year old man who then came looking for me when I got back (there's a single woman, my age, in the neighborhood? he realized), and we've been dating since.
Here's the weight loss irony. This man is really turned off by fat women. While I have lost a fair amount, I am still obese. Once he saw me, he intended to be "just friends". However we took 1 walk together and something about my body confidence completely hooked him, I certainly wasn't trying to get his attention, as I didn't intend to "start dating" until I reached goal.
So if you're like me and had negative dating experience while fat and think that men just aren't going to find you attractive until you've reached your goal, I'm proof that it can happen even after 18 years of bad/no dates.
