Hi girls
I am getting a tattoo in a couple of weeks. I want to design something that represents my weight loss journey. Anyone have any ideas? I have been thinking of a design with a bird or butterfly and the word freedom on it. I also had thought of an anklet design with the words, freedom, perserverence, determination etc around it in script... i am having trouble deciding so I thought that maybe my friends had some ideas. I have to book my appt in the next couple of days and let them know about the design then.

I kinda like the one with the butterfly- freedom on it. Good luck on whatever you decide.

I just got a tattoo - it's a simple celtic cross - but I only got it because it was cheap and quick and it was done with a friend who's just been diagnosed with MS and she wanted us to both get tattoos. (She actually wanted the Chinese character for death - I talked her into the Egyptian symbol for eternal life.)

But I digress. I was actually thinking of a tattoo to celebrate the whole losing 100 thing - or maybe reaching goal. I had thought of a phoenix - to symbolize rebirth. Also the Koi fish is rumored to turn into a dragon and is a symbol for change, courage, the ability to attain high goals, and overcoming life's difficulties. Both of those are a little different. I also like the butterfly - a more common symbol for change and I think it would be a good choice.

When I started on my journey, I got a tiger tat.. just black and white and right below my collar bone so it wouldn't scrunch up too much. Stand the Tiger means to face your fears.

As an aside, my sweetie tiger lines did thicken a bit after minus 100. I had taken a pict of it right after I got it and came across it recently while checking for "before" pictures.

There are sooooo many great butterfly and bird tats floating around.. I know you'll find one you like and latch onto

Luv,
Ratkity

Tattoo virgin here so maybe this is a stupid question, but wouldn't it be better to wait till you've lost the weight before getting the tattoo? Not saying you're not going to get there, just that your skin could be completely different when you do. It might turn out that a different place on the bod would have been a better idea.

I've flirted with getting one to commerate my weight loss but I'd kind of like to know where all of my parts are going to end up before I do.

As to design, just make sure it has some real meaning to you. You get to look at it for a long time.

I want one, but I'm wondering where to get it. I don't want it to get odd looking after weight loss.

Look at lots of designs and pick the one that speaks to you the most. Robin41 is right, you're going to be looking at it a long time. Unless you get it on the back. In that case you'll never have to see it again.

I have a 5 inch long scar from having my gall bladder removed 25 years ago. It is now about 4 inches lower than where it used to be. New doctors can't figure out what I had done because it is too high for appendix and too low for gall bladder. Just make sure you put it somewhere you've already lost weight, or some place that didn't get overweight. I'd have to put it on my shoulder or wrist.

A tattoo - cool. The Phoenix one was cool. Does the tattoo place have a catalog of tattoos like hair salons have pictures of haircuts???

All of this talk of skin ending up in new places reminded me of a co-worker that got the Dr. Seuss characters Thing 1 and Thing 2 tattoed on her stomach (she was a tiny little person) and then she got pregnant. It was really funny to watch Things 1 and 2 s-t-r-e-t-c-h out as she progressed along.

Oh yes! Catalogs and catalogs of images. These guys/ladies are artists, so that's how they advertise. It's fun to look at the images.

*hugs*
Rat

I figured out what I am doing. I will be sure to post a pic when I get home from my trip. It is going on my ankle since that is the only place that still doesnt have weight to lose and a place that I wont be having skin removal surgery. I'll tattoo the rest when I am done of that *L*

The reason I want one now and not later is that I will have somethiing to remind me of how far I have come. In my head I havent lost any weight. I still weigh 400lbs and I still have all the same issues as I did 125lbs ago. It will be a long time before my mind catches up.

I designed something that no one else will have and something that represents what I have been through.

Brenda - I think the tattoo to remind you of how far you've come is a wonderful idea. It will ALWAYS be there. Something to remember - I got my last one kind of on a lark, but my other one was carefully planned....planning is important. Also, you get what you pay for...don't skimp and get some references from people who've had theirs done there.

As to where, the skin sag is definately an issue with tattoos. My first is on my calf, which has never needed to lose LOTS - I'm relatively slim in the calves, the second on my spine between the sholder blades - again, a "slim" spot, but I must say I wish I could see it! I didn't get them for other people to admire, I got them for me!

A work-friend was talking about getting one and made the remark that her mother had told her not to get a flower on her chest...because when she got old and gravity kicked in she'd wind up with a L-o-n-g stemmed rose!

And Brenda - just wanted to say...You are doing Brilliantly!

Brenda - I can't wait to see your design! You are so artistic and creative that I am sure it will be beautiful.

I think when I am close to goal I will get The Cheat (yellow guy in my sig) on my hip. I have also been toying with the idea of a dragon across my shoulders.

Some people who I did the Honolulu Marathon with got footprint tattoos on their foot. Like 3 small footprints in the corner of their foot where the 2 to 3 little toes are. I think it would also be a great representation of a weight loss journey, symbolizing both all the exercise, and, well, the journey!

Somewhat like so:

I got a tattoo to celebrate my weight loss last June 2005. I never considered myself "hip" or "cool" enough for a tattoo (I was in the CHESS club in high school for god's sake) and there was never anything that meant so much to me I would want to tattoo it forever on my skin.

Losing 70+ lbs and feeling fabulous was definitely something I wanted to celebrate forever, to remind myself how hard I worked and something to remind myself every day that losing weight is much easier than keeping weight off.

I also thought about a pheonix or a butterfly or a bluebird of happiness. I started looking into Japanese characters, I wanted something that said "transformation" but when I started talking to Japanese speakers, it wasn't that simple.

A Chinese friend turned me onto Chinese proverbs. I found a bunch I loved and I picked my favorite saying that also had the most beautiful characters. My tattoo is 4 traditional Chinese characters of an old Chinese proverb "Dripping water eats through stone." Just to remind me of the hundreds of tiny changes I made and do on a daily basis to accomplish something enormous. Even a tiny drop of water can wear away a rock.

Here is one of the sites I used (where I eventually found my proverb):

http://www.oneaday.org/archives.html

Just a note, the native speakers I asked for advice, did not like this font at all ("it's like a typewriter") so I also researched and found a more beautiful font.

Here is a link my tattoo gallery (to see my decision making process and final result, final result is on page 2):

http://gloriana.myphotoalbum.com/vie...album03&page=1

I saw this one after I got mine, I love it! (I probably would have gotten this if I had seen it before mine).

http://www.oneaday.org/2005/08/heave...e_changed.html

Good luck on your tattoo, I still adore mine. I definitely wanted a permanent reminder of how important this weight loss journey is, the changes I made are permanent. It basically means - don't mess this up.

I got my tattoo when I was 21 (two years ago). I thought LONG and HARD on what I wanted. I poured over their books and couldn't find anything I wanted. So I decided to design my own. And I'm soooo glad I did. I've never regretted my tattoo, which was a big fear for me.

Google images rocks for this. You just google what shapes you're looking for (heart, butterfly, etc.) and find one you like. Then copy/paste it into Word and stretch or shrink it to the size you want. Then trace the outline on a piece of paper with a pencil.

I found a good bubbly heart, Sleeping Beauty's crown, and a ribbon. I put them all together (spent hours tweaking the design) and then wrote "Princess" on the ribbon in my own cursive handwriting.


And I'm so glad to know others are thinking the same thing I was! A celebratory tattoo. I'm not definite on where I'm going to put mine when I'm done losing weight, but I'm thinking hip or shoulder blade. As for the design, I'm thinking 3 fat little chicks...