What an excellent thread. I can definitely relate to a lot of what has already been posted. I can totally recognize that I hide behind my weight. I'm really shy and backward in social situations. I think in many ways, losing weight would force me to deal with that, and so there's a certain fear factor involved.

Illuminating discussion going on.

The 'gay' comment really got under my skin because
1. why use that as an insult?
2. what a horrible generalisation. It made me really sad that people are still so backward thinking - it just annoys me... like "Wondering if you're a dyke because you're butch?" I mean, what is that about? What an ignoramus Grrrrr. It's just ignorance.... down right ignorance. I have friends who are gay and they come from all walks of life, they look different the same as everyone is different, why is it a word of degredation?

I'm going to stop now or it'll become a political thread and thats just not cool lol.

Yes, good idea, Seranab!

Let's go back to --fear of losing weight...

Jay

Me too!!! I don't want to lose my boobs ---I told my parents that when I lose weight I'm totally getting a boob job if they go away or sag or whatever. ...It's sort of become a joke now. Even though I'm serious. ...Shallow, I know. But I like them.

It's weird though, I mean, I know I'm fat...but I never really thought of myself as being as fat as I am. I really am a skinny girl trapped in a fat girls body. Now that I've lost some weight, I'm feeling so much better about myself...and hope I can get down to like 170 by the time my 5 year class reunion comes around at the end of the summer. I don't want to rub it in anyone's faces...because really, they were all pretty nice to me. I'm sure there were some incidences...but I don't really remember them. I think I was about 230 when I graduated. haha..maybe I'm too egotistical ...and just didn't think about them. After all, I know I rock. haha

I'm going to get a boob job too when I lose the weight. I'm 21 and for once in my life, I would like perky ones instead of saggy!

How did I miss such a great thread?

For me, it is all fear of the unknown....I have no clue what it is like to be thin. And honestly, I don't think I want to be thin....but I DO want to be fit and healthy. Whatever weight that is--is where I want to go!

I would be happy to lose my boobs (im a guy

I can relate to aprehension about losing weight but I think mine comes from the fear that I won't keep it off and will feel terrible. But you know what??? That's NOT going to happen so I guess I should be excited!!!

I'm a "late bloomer" as I figured out makeup and clothes in my 30s. I grew up in a very religious family, was told that adorning oneself is wrong... you know. I studied books on fashion, magazines and learned from experts like Bobbi Brown on makeup. I rarely go anywhere not "put together" these days, before I was a bit of a slob, I think I gained weight not on purpose but I do think it was a way to "hide out" from the world on one hand. Oh I'd date but relationships scared me, I ended up in a disfunctional marriage, I gained weight the first year with him. I was down and depressed for a long time, and people didn't know what happened to me, as I'd always be so thin and natural. Somehow getting thin again has boosted my self esteem, I'm feeling more like going out, making friends and I'm not just hiding out "invisable."
I think being overweight contributed to my feeling like nothing, like some sad woman - for a time I just didn't care.

This is a brilliant thread -- both the main theme and the digression on the nasty habit youth seem to have of using sexual orientation as an insult. Uck.

For me, I think the answer is definitely 'yes.' I've been overweight all of my living memory. I got 'skinny' once in high school -- I had a horrible GI tract infection -- and I'm actually not sure who I'm going to be.

I guess I'm scared I won't be as smart, which is about all I've felt like I've had going for me all this time. I'm still working on that. But in the spirit of reframing I think I should change how I see the 'new' Shrewkate that I haven't met yet.

Maybe that person won't be ....

1. So hyper-self-critical
2. So depressed so often
3. So out of control of her dogs (I wouldn't put money on this one.
4. Less Eeyore, More Pooh, and maybe even Tigger.

I think I might like to meet her.

Who do you think you might be?

Hello

I came across this thread when I Googled 'scared to lose weight'. As my weight has increased I have been wondering about this statement more and more. I'm still thinking about it but think I may be scared of change. Changing my habits, changing who I believe myself to be, getting used to new better ways of living. What if I don't like it? Do you know what I mean?