Omg, I can relate to this. I have a whole list of things in my head to do "once I lose weight..."

...get a tattoo
...go on a date
...pierce my nose
...travel, etc

I've been overweight since middle school, and I've missed out on so many life experiences because I'm putting em off until I'm smaller. And like you, I'm not where I wanna be in life atm. I dunno if I put it off because I don't think I'm worth it right now, or if I'm insecure, or some other reason? But anyway, I definitely definitely definitely relate.

Been there. Done that. Was practically born in the t-shirt.

You aren't alone.

I do this for two thing:
Shopping.
tanning
i will always say, when i loss weight then i will go and buy a crap load of clothes, and i'll finally take my pale butt to a tanning bed if i were thinner.

*sigh*

I put off graduate school for years because I was fat. All of the research on anti-fat bias made me certain I would be perceived more negatively (lazier, less competent, etc.) than my peers, so I though the only way to be taken seriously was to lose weight first. After college, I decided to work for a while instead of applying to grad school.

A year went by.

Then another one.

Four years after I graduated I found that my weight hadn't changed, but in that time I could have earned my Ph.D. Realizing that I had wasted so much time, I decided to start living my life, fat or not, and applied to grad school. Right now, though I'm still overweight (but in the process of slimming down!), I'm in a doctoral program working under one of the field's most renown researchers.

Don't let your weight keep you from moving toward your goals! Like the commercial says, Just Do It

I have done this my whole life. I'm just glad that so many of you are figuring it out in your 20s and doing something about it now.

I got on a bike this past weekend for the first time since undergrad, and I weigh more than you! I rode up hills and I was self-conscious the whole time, but I was also amazed at my own fitness level. I say go for it. There's no reason to wait to do something you love doing.

Story of my life. I still refuse to buy new clothes because I don't want to buy for my fat body. I wear my same ol ugly clothes, hoping that one day I'll be able to buy and wear something cute and stylish. I feel like it's contributing to my self image problem but I feel like I hopeless to overcome it.

Yes, this is such an important topic! I have been putting things off for ages, out of fear and admittedly, laziness. I worry I won't be accepted in certain activities because of my weight, or that I won't be able to DO certain activities because of it. We all need to stop and realize that we would (hopefully!) not judge someone else because of their size and give people a little more credit: despite the negative experiences we've probably all had, I think most people are decent and more or less accepting so let's just get out there and do the fun things we want to do!

I'm going to set a goal for myself to do one new thing a week that I've been putting off because of my weight; anyone care to join me?

Ann

You've received lots of good advice here, CherryBlossom.....I just want to add my view as someone old enough to be your mom....

DON'T WAIT TO LIVE.

Life goes by so fast...don't waste it hating yourself, or thinking you can't do it because of your weight. You are a gorgeous young woman, and you deserve to live a full life NOW.

My thing is going to the beach and wearing a bathing suit.

I'm also from the LA area (Orange County to be exact) and there is this mall (South Coast Plaza) with all of these designers who have their stores there... and I LOVE fashion, love it to death, and I've always wanted to go into the stores and try on gorgeous clothes, but seeing as I am a size 12 and very chubby, that wouldn't exactly work....

But those are the only things I think about that i want to do when i lose weight. You just have to think about the things you're gonna miss and just do them now. There's really no point in putting them off.

Let's see... What am I waiting to lose weight for?

Bathing suit/swimming--most definitely
Dating--yes
Sex--most definitely

If I can't stand myself, how do I expect anyone else to stand me? I know this is an unhealthy attitude, but I don't even feel close to getting over it. In general, I am anti-social.

Lucky for me, I was thin and manic in high school. I did a lot of partying in high school & my early 20's. So I did have a good time when I was younger. Now I'm a recovering alcoholic, bipolar, and overweight. I haven't drank since I was 22. The bipolar is mostly managed. I'm starting to get a handle on losing weight and feeling better about it.

So come on healthy attitude...I'm getting ready.

Amy

I've been putting off seeing friends I haven't seen in ages b/c they've never seen me this big.

I'm still not comfy with it but I'm more or less having it pushed on me (friend will be in town in a couple weeks) so...

What the ****. I'm doing it anyway and I'll try not to be all stressed about it!

Yes, I've done this. But I stopped b/c I'm too impatient to wait... my self-disgust is no match for my lack of patience.

Seriously, I find that when losing weight successfully, other things in life come easier too. Like if I'm eating well, I do better at school/work.

I have felt exactly the same way about myself for a long time. The good news is that two years into my weight loss/attitude adjustment journey, I'm finally gaining enough confidence to believe that I have something to offer others. So it can be done, and you'll get there too.

Yep. I've done things like this. I bet everyone who has ever been overweight has done this. But now that you have realized the problem stop the insanity! Go to NYC. Get that tongue pierced. Do what makes you happy, no matter what the scale says. Good luck!