Feeling time pressure!
 

Hi all!

I know this might sound crazy, but does anyone else feel time pressure to lose the weight before they get any older? I'm 25, and sometimes I feel panicky... like... I was always a pudgy kid growing up, and in high school and college, and what if I never get to be a hot young person???

I know that that's kind of silly, because it's important to be healthy your whole life... and technically I'm at a healthy weight/BMI (though just barely). But I feel such a crushing sense of failure (because I haven't reached my goal even after all these years) and pressure to be super-hot while I still can... not that older people can't be hot... but you know what I mean. And then of course that always makes me overeat... because that's my reaction to stress! :o

Just wanted to know if anyone has felt the same way... or if you have any tips on how to shake off that feeling so I can stop sabotaging myself... thanks :D

I feel that way too. I'm almost 23 and I feel like I've missed out on 5 years of a license to be hot. Lol. I regret being obese throughout all my college years and totally feel like I would have had a lot more fun if I hadn't been so reclusive and shy because of how I looked.

I remind myself there's lots of fab looking people in their 30's and 40's too!! It's also a lot easier to lose weight when you're young so I figure no time is better than now if only for that reason. More than anything, I hate the years that tick by when I know I would be out living life if I was thinner and better in shape. I know you probably don't have that problem, but I hate being afraid that I won't fit into amusement park rides, airplane seats, movie theatre seats, etc. It's like I'm always waiting for my life to begin when I weigh under 200 lbs.

My only advice is to please please please believe me that it's easier to lose weight when you are younger! I never believed all the older ladies who told me that and they were right!!! Physically it's easier plus you might not have the regrets in your life that I do. I wish I took control of things when I was your age.

Not telling you what to do, just don't want you to make the same mistakes I did. I missed out on so many things by gaining weight and I don't wish this on anyone.

Get into a healthy way of eating and make exercise a routine and you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life.

Good luck!! You can do this!!

Yeah I feel that way too. I'm like "I'll never get to go back and be that hot young 20 year old girl" (I'm 23).

I also hate that I look back thinking the same thing every year "I wish I lost weight last year, I wish I lost weight last summer, I wish I lost weight last winter".. and so on. I'm sick of always "wishing I'd lost weight" or "trying to lose weight". Very frustrating!

^^i feel the same way as most of you, especially what candeka wrote.
but i feel like i look better and better each year lol and i'm still evolving and going trough some kind of tranfsormation. not trying to sound self absorbed but people have their peaks at different stages in life. some girls will have their body and beauty peak in young age or as teens and some women peak and look their best in their 30s even 40s. it's npt late yet girls ;)

Thanks to everyone for the advice & encouragement! :hug: I am so glad I'm not the only one who feels/has felt this way.

elvislover324, I am definitely gonna take your advice to heart... I don't want to have any regrets! The good news is I already exercise pretty regularly, it's mostly just the food thing that has to change. I eat like crap and I'm sure that'll come back to haunt me when I'm older unless I fix it.

Candeka, I totally hear you... every single year I make a pledge for this to FINALLY BE THE TIME... and it never is! I guess all you can do is never give up... still... it can be discouraging sometimes. Right now I'm trying to shape up before summer hits and because I've failed so many times before, I'm not sure if I can do it. But I'm sure gonna do my best! :^:

Yep. I feel that way a lot. I turned 27 a week ago and I've got the post birthday blahs. I know that 27 isn't old, but I feel old these days. I feel like I wasted the best years of my life both fat and with the wrong partner, and I'm bummed out about it. There would have been so, so many better ways to spend my 20s.

Yes! I can so relate! I'm 24. I love Halloween and dressing up. For the past couple years I've had to settle for a costume I didn't really want and just got it because it fits. And I tell myself the same thing every year " I'll just lose weight and next year I'll have an amazing sexy :D costume" Well its been like 4 years!!! This IS my year I swear! 200 days to go till Halloween and I'm gonna be ready this time! ;)

OMG. This is me!! Every single halloween its always "next year, I'm going to rock that sexy costume!"... has yet to happen though. It's just another reminder of "another year of "I'm going to lose weight!"

Absolutely agree with a lot of things said above. Also, seeing friends who are younger than I am get more attractive as they age (into their 20s) while I seem to be going in the opposite direction (gaining weight) is discouraging. And makes me want to stay at home and hide behind the computer in my sweats even more often :(

I feel the same way. I'm 23, and I feel like I've wasted too much of my youth being fat and not let myself really live because of it. I need to get to be a hot girl while I'm still young!

You have no idea how many times a day the bolded goes through my mind. I'm 23 and the fact that I'm turning 24 this year makes me bummed because I feel like I've wasted my 20's so far and I worry that I will end up wasting all of them. The fact that I've wasted my early 20's makes me especially bummed. It's why I didn't make a big deal out of my 21st by going bar crawling or anything. What's the point if I can't wear little dresses or cute clothes like the other girls? And when I do go, I'm usually bored because no one wants to dance with me.:(

Right now, I'm trying to lose weight by using everything BUT appearance for my motivation. If I focus on my looks I will likely just continue to feel depressed, angry and bitter. Instead, I'm working on getting in shape for a zombie themed 5k in October. Because I remind myself that it isn't just about being hot, I want to be able to do stuff like that! Sign up for 5k's on a whim. Be able to rock climb again (any maybe venture onto the intermediate wall.) If I can do all that, there's no way I could not be in shape.

I think it was Beyonce's personal trainer who said, "If you focus on being as healthy as you possibly can, there's no way you're not going to look like a million bucks."

Another reason why it would be great for you to lose now, is I am feeling time pressure- as I want to lose as much weight as possible before trying to start a family.

I'm turning 30 years old next year and we'll be starting then. Maybe I wouldn't have lost this year if I was at a healthy weight. However, I read a number of studies that show being an obese mother raises a child's risk for birth defects significantly. I was NOT willing to risk my future children because I liked to eat rice krispie treats.
http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...878549,00.html

For me- being a good mother starts before actually becoming a mother. So I've dropped 35 pounds since January and have almost completely eliminated all processed foods out of my diet. I'm also working on beefing up my Vitamin A and Magesium stores.
http://www.mommypotamus.com/the-real...ning-sickness/

I actually have a whole pinterest page dedicated to preconception. It's important stuff, yup. :: nods ::
http://pinterest.com/seasonallove/pr...rep-fertility/

So yes...the pressure is on. BIG TIME. I want a baby.

Yep, I've felt this my entire life since I turned 16. Even when I was 155. I feel like I've lost the ability to be the young hot person because I turn 29 this year but I keep trying to remind myself that being nearly 30 doesn't mean I'm not youngISH, hehe. I want to rock the sexy Halloween costume. I also want to lose the weight BEFORE I get pregnant. I want people to actually know I'm pregnant and not just fat. I want to be healthy so it's easier to lose the baby weight, and so I actually know how to lose the baby weight. I read that if you are fit that labor is easier and that your abs will bounce back more quickly. I also don't want my children to grow up with an overweight mother, I want them to be healthy and know what healthy eating is.

I was a bit goofy looking in high school and college. I avoided makeup like the plague, I had no idea how to make my hair look nice and not frizzy, I had no idea how to dress even though I thought I did. I feel like I'm one of those late bloomers, I'm significantly more attractive now than I was in high school even if I am 40lbs heavier. And not all of it is thanks to makeup and hair styling. My overall bone structure is more attractive. So I'm hopeful I get to be that youngish hot woman :D

This!! It's stressed me out so much that I missed out on being really attractive in my teens and early twenties. I'm 24 now and I want to be smoking hot for the rest of my twenties. I think being chubby has held me back from having real relationships (not just because I think guys aren't attracted to me, but also that I'm not confident enough to go out and try to pursue relationships) and I'm tired of being alone. I also want to feel good in my clothes and in my body.

Also, if you wait too long then your skin will lose its elasticity and it won't bounce back like it will now. My mom lost 100 pounds and has to get a bunch of skin removal surgeries so she doesn't have tons of loose skin. I don't want that!

As you can tell from all of us, absolutely no! I feel this all the time and I guess I'm still trying to figure out how to get out of the 'wasted time' mindset. I have noticed that when I actually try to go and change something and set my heart to it, I forget about the past. I really thought last year would be *the* year that I would lose weight and I'm still beating myself up over it . . . and really I deserve it, if I think about it. But all I can do is tell myself: "yeah, you are an idiot for not sticking with the plan, but instead of whining about it, do something about it." Maybe next year will be the year we both have no regrets!

Also I forgot to say that I'm 23, going on 24 (yikes) and have been obese for my whole life. There is a bright side to things though: I've avoided a lot of boy-girl drama that I've witnessed my friends go through just because they were too young and immature.

I'm turning 25, and usually I'm happy people assume I'm older than I am (usually because I run with an older crowd and give off this totally false vibe that I know what I'm doing) but there are days when I wonder if people think I'm older because I'm on the heavier side. I don't think I've missed out on my prime years, but I am really looking forward to a freaking fantastic next decade or so, and I want to be in my best shape ever for it.

I feel the same i am 23 and now is the time my career in the entertainment biz is what makes me feel like I need to be present... I have been being present cannot wait to start it and it is scary to me but it is my destiny ;-)

I'm in my late twenties, so I feel this so hard I feel it in my sleep. But just sitting there and regretting isn't going to get you anywhere. Besides, look at it this way: being hot in your teens is just an accident of nature. But being hot when you're older because you worked hard, you earned it. I feel you should be more proud of that.

I'm with you on this. I turned 27 last year and for some reason it was rough on me. I don't feel old... I just feel too old to not have done something with my life by now if that makes sense. I thought I'd at least be on the path towards marriage/family and have my career settled.

Instead I'm perpetually single, and I've gained 25 pounds back from a couple of years ago. I know it's illogical, but I already feel like any attempts at becoming hot and going out and having fun are over. I even feel like the time to meet new friends is past me since my college days are over.

But I'm working on it. I've restarted an exercise program and I'm determined to get down to my goal size/weight. I'm starting a Master's program in the fall, and even though it's mostly online classes I'm still hoping I can get out there and meet people and make connections and leave the awkward teen/early 20's me behind.

I DEFINITELY feel that way as well. I'm 24 almost 25 and I think to myself, "I have been worrying about my weight for almost 4-5 years now. I'm wasting my time worrying about it rather than just trying to get in shape". I don't worry about the "time" as much anymore. It's coming off slowly and I know I'm dedicated to it and I'm trying my best, so if it takes me another 6 months to get my "dream body" so be it. It doesn't matter how old I am anymore, only that I feel confident and I am healthy.

I'm in that boat too. I'm so sick of being so self conscious about my appearance. I'm sick of not having energy, I'm sick of trying to find clothes that look good or at least don't enunciate my fat. I haven't had much luck in the guy department because of my appearance, and my awkward self consciousness about my appearance. I'm turning 25 in July and I'd love to be thin and healthy by then but that's a tall order. I'll settle for not falling off plan at all until my 25th and maybe I can loose at least 25 by 25!

Oh gosh I could swear I wrote this thread, Everything you feeling, I am going through it as well. I just turned 29 yesterday, always been a big girl but now I am on a mission to get to my goal weight before I turn 30. I am scared that after 30, it will be almost impossible to lose weight. And I have struggled in the boyfriend department and I have always associated this with my weight. I do have a boyfriend now and he supports my efforts to lose weight. So I have exactly one year to get to goal, I am hoping to get there in the next 3-4 months.

Yes yes yes! I'll be 27 in June, and there was only ONE summer in my twenties that I felt okay wearing a bikini, but just barely. I feel like I've wasted so much time, and I'm just getting older. I feel like I missed out on all the fun/hot girl styles.. and now crop tops are back in style! I don't want to miss it AGAIN!

Feeling exactly the same way as all of you. Nothing really to add. I've been saying a lot lately that I feel like I wasted a decade of my life.

I'm only twenty years old, but I've never been thin. My older sister however is almost twenty four and she's about the same size as me, and I know she seriously hates how she pretty much stays inside all the time doing nothing. I'm very much the same, and I decided I gotta make it happen now, because I don't want that to be me in four years, nearly half way through my twenties and still waiting to live. It's scary! I definitely feel the pressure.

I have never been thin, and I am going to be 24 this year. I totally feel like I have wasted most of my life, and I know I will never feel like I am losing weight fast enough until its gone. I want to be my goal weight by the time my son turns 3, and he will be 2 next Friday.