I admit that as I have gotten older, and my weight increased, I have become a bit more vain. I am not typically a superficial person, but I do find myself hoping that losing this excess weight will help me to have more energy and to look younger and be more youthfully happy looking.

It could be also that the weight has made me feel really matronly----more like grandmotherly, and since I am not yet a mom, that is not the image that I am really going for, ya know?

Does anyone else feel this way?

When I was at my highest weight, I felt older than my age. I even had a co-worker comment on how he liked me at my heavier weight. When I said he was crazy and showed him a picture of me at my highest weight, his exact words were I looked like a "matronly, mature, mother." I was like, "matronly, mature, mother" who the **** wants to be known by that?????

I feel like that too-- and I'm only 18! I feel like my personality has adapted to it too.. In my group of friends I'm the responsible one, the one that thinks ahead, worries about people... to sum it up, the more mature one. Perhaps its because I desire to be taken seriously and acting more mature than my age (I always have...) gives me a role other than "that fat girl." Perhaps if I had been skinnier as a child I would be more carefree... hmm.

I agree with the whole matronly comment...sometimes, I look at pictures of myself and I feel so bloated and like someone's grandmother. I don't mind looking like a grandmother when I am one, but right now, I want to be looked at like a potential mate, and not like someone to just see through.

katehsparow---you may be more mature because of whatever life circumstances or just because of maturity levels, but, don't worry, you don't look older. I say this as someone who is literally almost 2x your age (yikes!).

Personally, if I can look like I am under 30, then I think I would be happy with that. I think that before the weight gain, even when i was overweight, I looked much younger, and it just seems that getting over 280lbs was more than my body felt was ok.

milliondollarbbw - I'm glad you think so... last year I was shopping for clothes before school began and I was talking with this woman in Lane Bryant and I was saying how in high school I wore short sleeves year round with layers on top of it because of temperature flucutions in the classrooms and she was like, "Oh, so are you a teacher?" and I was like

one thing I've noticed about before and after weight loss pics IS how weight can really age people. I'd guess part of that is psychological, like you feel heavier, don't want to spruce yourself up and feel down in general.

the way I dress has changed from more matronly to more youthful as I've lost weight; plus the clothes fit better. I do have more energy and a brighter outlook. I'm pretty thrilled when people tell me I don't look like I'm in my 40s, heh heh. oh boy!

wha? well, I think that person must have been farsighted, or maybe they thought they were being complimentary? who knows. you don't even look early 20s!

My goal is to get back my youthful glow. when I weighed less, people actually thought I was younger than I really was. Now, I am not sure what people think, as they pretty much don't comment on my appearance. sigh.

I feel very frumpy and old looking even though people often say I don't look my age (50ish). I will say that when I see a woman, no matter what her size, with pretty hair and something bright and stylish on, I think she looks great. I need to remember that weight loss is a process and I don't want to be a frump until I reach some magical number on the scale.