So since the subject of sizes came up ... I remembered that I bought some stuff in the end-of-summer sales which included a pair of jeans. I believe at the time I was bloaty vacationy about 132. They did up but looked horrid! So I figured they'd be a good goal jean for that last bit of fluff.

Weeelll ... I couldn't help myself. I tried them this morning (er most of the way on). Oh dear .... but as I said ... they're a good goal jean.

Susan -- I have a pair of goal jeans too, they fit last year, but on January 1st I tried them I couldn't even bring them above my thighs, let alone over my hips and tying them up ...

Today, not much happening in my neck of the woods....

Allison, I know what you mean - I'm the same way. It's not that I'm classified as overweight or are out of the normal BMI range, but I know what I looked like before I got my tummy and I want to look like that again!

I'm a little sensitive about telling people that I'm trying to lose weight though. Last year (when I actually WASN'T working out, eating well, or trying to lose weight), I had this weird issue where I was cold all the time. My doctor couldn't figure it out, sent me to a nutritionist who had me keep food logs, and the nutritionist said I was anorexic and lying about what I ate. When I said, "do I LOOK anorexic?", she jumped all over me saying that clearly I had body image problems if I thought I was fat. I don't think I'm fat; I just think I'm not in the shape I could be in, and I'd like to look my best. I'm always worried about how that comes off though!

Being a Featherweight is difficult I agree... People think you're when you say you want to lose weight ... But hey, if we just aren't comfortable in the clothes that used to fit us, we NEED to lose weight ....

Just back from a leg workout at the gym... 45 mins...

or is that spelled butt ? I too am one of the not at all fat but would really look FAB with a bit less fluff. I'm almost at the goal and I do look much better (and fit into, for me, teeny jeans).

It is vanity weight loss now but hey, the whole north american continent is obsessed with body image so why not me too?

Dagmar (the snow shovelling wonder)

Laura~thankfully no one could ever accuse me of being anorexic--I love food too much! Perhaps that's not such a good thing when trying to lose weight, though. It was wrong for your nutritionist to accuse you of being anorexic. I've had friends who are, and believe me, you can tell.

And I have a pair of jeans that fit, but would look so much better if I lost a few pounds. But then recently I bought a new pair and if I lose, they'll be too big. Which is worse? I think I would prefer having the one pair that's too big!!

Someone asked me if I was sure I wanted to lose more and I said something about knowing it was ok, because it wasnt like I am anywhere close to too skinny.

Not that skinny is a goal, but I am cautious about image distortion. I was defining it really pragmatically, 23% body fat -you cant see my ribs at all, I am not too thin already and just distorting my perception. She said "you have to understand that what you see in the mirror is wrong..you are NOT FAT".

Did I say I was FAT? No, I never even said that when I WAS fat. I just said I wasnt too thin. It is sometimes like there is no world between fat and skinny.

and while we are on the subject...can I do a mini rant? I really feel that for some reason my friends are weirder about me losing weight than other people. Its not a sabotage thing. When my 5'8 122 lb friend gains 2 lbs and is saying how fat she is and how she has to lose those lbs they are all supportive. When my 5'10 friend lost almost 100 lbs they were all very supportive. But I want to lose and I get the "oh but you dont NEED to lose weight". I dont get it.

Hi guys

I've been away for awhile and have just been catching up reading the posts. I'm so glad to see that everyone is struggling like me. I don't mean that I'm glad you all are struggling, it's just that I'm glad I'm not alone. That's one of the reasons I have been away. I thought I would try a couple of new diets. They failed . I have decided to go back to counting calories because it seems to work best for me. I just seem to have the problem of eating OP for a few days and then I mess up and eat badly for a few days. Then like everyone else, I have this terrible feeling of guilt. I guess I have to learn (as Dagmar said) to eat better more often than I eat bad.

Anyway, just wanted to check in and I just wanted to say that this is why I love 3fatchicks. We can all admit to each other (without guilt) that this weight loss journey is not an easy road.

Yep, that's where we Featherweights are, unfortunately...

Welcome back abbyin

I'm definitely at the point where no one but me thinks I need to lose weight. When asked, I'll often just lie and say that I'm maintaining, so that I don't have to deal people getting all worked up about it. In the right clothes, I look pretty good and very few people see me without clothes. But I know what I looked like when my weight was under 115 and I'd really to get there again.

Susan, I didn't mean to discourage you from getting back on track or wanting to lose more weight (God knows, I'm in touch with that emotion). You're clearly making healthy choices and if you want to lose some more weight, you absolutely should. You just sounded so down on yourself. I was trying to point out that the choice isn't necessarily between accomodating your life and being fat; there is a little wiggle room in there for the occasional off-plan meal, day, week, etc.

I do not recommend those at home scales that calculate your body fat - through the soles of your feet apparently. That in itself sounds pretty lame to me.

I got on my client's scale this morning and registered 50% body fat . Last time I looked (this morning in my client's full length mirror) I'm still a quite muscular short person who weighs 132 lbs .

So I would not take the body fat measurement on any home scale too seriously. It's a nice gimmick (as is the hydration measurement) but not too reliable.

Dagmar

Oh no Barbara ... I thought it was funny. When someone talks like that in real life, I say something like "Barbara, honey, let's think about this a minute ...." The bold just reminded me of me straightening somebody out ... gently ....

Barbara, honey, you are never discouraging. (picture here me patting an arm)

I too am eternally grateful to have somewhere to go where folks understand the need to be something else besides just lighter. I appreciate you all sooo much!

Hi! Can I join?

I'd like to lose about 17 lb (8 kilos, really, since I function "metrically" ) but I'm not horribly motivated - I want to, but I don't really believe that I can, if that makes sense?

I really hope that I can lose weight by exercising regularly - I have a gym membership and I do enjoy going there, but I haven't been there for over a month because life kind of got in the way (first I was away for 2 weeks on vacation, then I was very stressed because of university), and going back is turning out to be hard.

I'm trying to avoid calorie counting, because I'm lazy. But if the exercising alone doesn't help, I'll have to work on my diet too.



Re: body fat: I have one of those scales at home that measure body fat and water, and last time I checked (some months ago) I had about 25% fat and 48% water.
I hardly ever use that feature of the scale, though.

My scale is utterly crap...it has said I was about 36% body fat from the get go. I was at 180 and I am at 130...so apparently I am losing HUGE amounts of muscle...NOT

lalala - most of us have had to focus on diet. Once you get to know me you'll know I am an exercise junkie. But exercise alone is not enough....because the more I exercise, the hungrier I get. I managed to gain weight training for a marathon. So here I am running and lifting(when I can) and still couting those calories.