There are lots of threads complaining about how awful it can be to be fat (OR just fatter than you want to be - and BOY, can I sympathize!), so I've decided to start one about all the CONFIDENCE we've gained by sticking to our plans and dropping the pounds!

Me:
I've only lost 12 pounds so far, but I'm a little smaller and feel a WHOLE lot better. I lost 1.5 inches off my waist, causing my love handles to shrink and enabling me to wear a few tight shirts. So... instead of being the "fat chick" who wore pajamas and sweats every day, never styled her hair, and never wore any make-up or made any attempts at all to look good (I figured, "hey, I'm FAT, I'm NOT CUTE anymore, why should I care?"), I'm now getting closer and closer to the person I used to be: the one who ALWAYS cared about her appearance and had an ABUNDANCE of self confidence! I'm turning heads again, and it feels amazing. Plus, I'm looking in the mirror and thinking, "I actually look kind of cute..." instead of, "EWW what a FAT COW!! What happened to YOU?"

Share your stories.

I`ve had people ask me about diet advice, and that`s a great boost. Until I tell them what they don`t want to hear. For example:

Person: Wow, you look great! How did you lose weight!

Me: I run, and I watch what I eat.

Person: Really? Because there`s this guy who drank this tomato juice with a pill mixed in and he lost like 80 pounds and didn`t have to change his diet. I think I`m going to do that.

Also, when I get back to the US mid-August I will not have to go to any plus sized store to get smaller clothes. That`s a major confidence boost.

oh boy the confidence that comes from losing weight. (careful....this may be a little riske' for some!!!! ) lol.

I walk different, i act different. Just this weekend, i bought a mini skirt, thigh high tights, and a low cut tank top and played dress up for my boyfriend. yeah...that took confidence. Then to top THAT off, I walked out of the room butt naked in front of him!!! I've never done that in the 11 months we've been together. But i did it this weekend!!!

What will he think of me when i hit goal???? lol.

Hahaha, that's awesome, lumifan. I'm not confident enough to like the way I look naked yet... so, uh, speaking of overshare, my being overweight has hindered my sex life... it's all my fault, too. My s.o. likes me just the way I am and always has (we first got together when I was a skinny mini), so it's all ME.

And oh - it looks like you have a very attractive boyfriend.

I've started to get confidence when it comes to the bedroom activities (lol). I feel a bit more confident to wear something that is a little more revealing and what not and more confident to play with my husband. What I mean is - when I was lacking confidence I didnt feel like I could tease him becuase he'll eventually just lose interest. Now I can keep it up for going.

I feel more confident down just 7 lbs with 20-25 more to go. Already I can wear some of my old shirts that aren't fat shirts, and I know I'm walking taller and my posture is better. I feel the same, not looking in the mirror as much going ugh, instead I'm going, hey there's hope and I stopped the spiral of gaining weight, being sad and depressed. I think weight training is a great confidence booster as within a few months there's such immediate results - I like to see the muscle in my arms - and my legs getting stronger. I'm almost 40 and I already know as I did it before, losing lots of weight without strength training doesn't work for me. Lately I've been feeling a little athletic again, that's the best. And I think nutritional eating/exercise is so helpful for mood swings - I'm not having them as much and I can get a little nutty.