I began losing wt. for health reasons but it didn't take long for vanity to take over. I used to think I was the grossest thing on the planet and although I know I don't look perfect I do take pride in how I look now. Even a trip to Walmart now has me putting on form fitting clothes, doing my make-up and such. Before, I didn't care and just simply didn't bother with it. Now, I love to shop and always check myself out in the long store mirrors. I often change outfits 4 times before leaving the house and look in every mirror at every possible angle. I don't mind having my picture taken now. I do still have a problem with tilting my head too far back in pic's to try to cover the double/triple chin that is no longer there.

I don't think I'm "hot". I don't think I'm "perfect". I do think I look "good". and considering where I started at, some days I could even say I look "damn good". So, yeah, I guess you could say I'm vain now.

lol, I am hoping that as I get thinner, I can gain a little... vanity. That is why I am doing this... I am always so hard on myself- so much so that it causes fights between my husband and I. I am doing this so that I can have more confidence... be a little more vain. I want to walk down the street with a spring in my step, knowing that I look good. So while I am not vain yet... I hope I am, at least just a little, when I am finished.

I guess vain is a word for it

I think I easily came across as vain (though I have gotten much better about it- not having to glance at every window I pass, etc...), but I think I was just so fascinated with the change in general. I had NEVER in my life had a body at a normal weight. It was just such a foreign concept to me that I HAD to look in order to convince myself that it was true. Although I approach my appearance differently in many regards now, I'm a lot more "at home" in my body and the "new car smell" has worn off a little bit

LOL That's a perfect way to describe it. I don't think of it as vanity as much as it is still just surprise and/or fascination to catch a glimpse of myself and think "Wow, I look "good, okay, great, better"". Whatever the feeling of the day is. I still catch glimpses of myself in mirrors, windows, etc and don't realize that it is me looking back at myself. So yeah, my glance may turn into a linger as I try to absorb that it is me.

I'm still smelling the new car.....

I am the same way - I look in the mirror and am just in AWE that there's no more blubber facing me! What's even better is that I have a nice, athletic physique and I've never been this fit in my life (I was thin for awhile, but not FIT like I am now!) It's an out-of-body experience to look in the mirror and actually see someone ATTRACTIVE looking back at me, as opposed to a chubby chick.

I wonder when the new car will stop smelling so good. Right now, I'm stepping inside just to sit in the driver's seat, sniff the "new" smell around me, put my hands on the steering wheel, and pretend I'm out on the freeway. In real life, this means look in the mirror, strike poses, and imagine being on stage again.

Holy Shmoly, Tammy! 160 pounds? That's amazing! You must just REEK of new car smell

Okay, time to fess up: I am vain as well. Although not in terms of make-up, cheking my hair, etc (fat or not, I can't be bothered for long about make-up and the likes, it's just not "me"). It's more about fitness. Yeah, I flex my arms in front of the mirror and strike poses and all that. I'm nowhere near any kind of really impressive goal in terms of muscle mass, but compared to the ultra-flabby blob I used to be two years ago, I find myself pretty now--provided that one considers a stout, mesomorph silhouette pretty, because I know it's not the regular beauty type enhanced by society nowadays, but meh. It's not the world who has to live with me 24/7, after all, so I might as well like myself the way I am.

I'm even considering buying a full-length mirror so that I can pose more easily. I guess that already says a lot.

Every morning, I'm excited to pick out another outfit from my new wardrobe and see how great it will look in the mirror. If I'm up visiting my husband in NYC, I do like sneaking peaks in the store front mirrors to make sure I'm looking as good as I feel in my head.

When I was the weight that I am now from high school through my late thirties, I always felt I was a little fat. I had no idea of the actual weight of other people and thought that my weight must be high. Now that I'm back to this weight, I feel skinny. It's all about perspective.

Tonight, I'm going out dancing, so I've got on a cute fuschia scoop necked empire dress (that lies flat against my tummy) and sexy black heals. I'm even going to put on mascara and lipstick - a rarety!

Oh yes ... in fact, remind me that I don't have lipstick on yet.

However ... this usually leads to amplified thoughts about flaws. I know that there is a roll hanging over the waistband of my size 2 shorts this morning. I'll cover it with a size 2 blazer and be odd feeling all through church.
I mean come on ... will there be one other woman in the entire congregation who doesn't have that roll?!

It's like a mixed bag of trying hard and knowing I didn't quite make it.
But would I go to church without a carefully constructed look?
We are our own worst enemies, yes?

I feel the same way, Susan. I am, of course, vain. I like to look nice and all that. But for some reason, the better my body has become, the more its imperfections bother me. It's hard to know at what point the whole enterprise stops being about being slim and healthy and fit and starts being narcissistic and stupid. If I would put the same amount of energy into my dissertation that I put into my food, my exercise and my body anxiety, well, I'd have a phd already.

Oh, Susan, how silly... a size TWO and obsessing over rolls? In all honesty, I don't blame you, if I was a size 2, I'd probably STILL be obsessing, too!

I am like baffled... the more fit I get, the more worried about little things I become. Back when I was "thin" I didn't obsess over my body quite as much as I do now. I ate things I enjoyed, rarely exercised (except I DID walk everywhere and sometimes my schedule was so hectic that I did not eat much), and actually liked my body because I had nice hip bones, an hourglass figure, and a nice stomach. Now, my stomach, though more firm and more defined, is also ravaged by loose skin and cellulite, making me sadly obsessive.

Back then, I often thought I could lose a couple pounds, but I didn't hate anything on my body. Now? OBSESS OBSESS OBSESS, but OH! I'm still SO vain... I love mirrors and love knowing that I'm pretty fit. I just think there will never be a time when I will sit back and... er... admire my work?

I can really relate to that, too. trying on clothes in the mirror is so fun now!

Okay...since you all are fessing up about this I will too! Yes, I definitely feel that I am somewhat vain... I love the feel of the curve of my hip...(though DH has taken to poking it when he wants to annoy me!!) I have hipbones!!! I have a neck!!! I have collarbones! Wow! I look in the mirror and even with the imperfections I have I can love what I see. I feel strong...I feel better about myself than I have...well...ever actually. It is a beautiful feeling.

I see nothing wrong with some self loving

I had such a low self-exteem most of my life, and I've already started to like the way I look even after losing 20 lbs.

I think it's a perfect reward for such hard work.

Keep it up everyone.

Originally I began losing weight for health reasons and set a healthy goal at 132 lbs...

Once I hit that and started receiving tons of compliments, it was hard not to keep losing the weight. Although I recognize now that it was vanity reasons. But its ok to enjoy your new body and "show it off" somewhat as long as one doesn't take it overboard.

Now I'm having to deal with ppl telling me I'm vanishing and that I need to eat. I have food pushed at me all the time and i'm having a hard time understanding their actions. I was too fat before and now I'm too thin?? I feel like I messed up when I thought I was on the right track. Sorry I know I'm getting off topic a bit there but ya...

I think we just feel like we're being vain because we lacked in self-confidence before when we were fluffier... I bet we're healthy in our vain indulgences we just aren't used to it.

Although I don't really catch myself making poses in mirrors... its more like I'm finding flaws and areas on my body that are still not what I want them to be.

I envy you gals that are spending time in the mirror loving what you see, I still don't like what I'm seeing.

xFatKidx - with some people who are losing weight, it takes time for you to catch up with the look of your new body. You see new or different PERCEIVED imperfections that you didn't notice when you were heavier because you were focusing on the fat.

Most of my life, I was at the weight I'm at currently now. I aways thought I was too fat. Then for five years on a medication, I gained 10 lbs each year and actually became fat. Now that I've gotten back to my regular weight I'm so much happier with myself and I don't think I'm fat at all.

For your height, you are getting on the very low side and since you're still in diet mode, you may even get to your goal or below it. But that doesn't necessarily mean it will be a healthy weight for you, or that you'll be able to maintain it over time.

So take time to focus on eating healthy and staying active and learn to enjoy yourself as your new self.