I think that they both are very much related. I think feeling good would be my choice, however, the looking good part of it, who's opinion/perspective are we asking? Is it from my boyfriends perspective? Or my perspective? I don't think I will NEVER look good, but he tells me I look good everyday, even though I have all of this excess weight.. Two VERY opposing views.. :l
I think there are different kinds of looking good. Different kinds of feeling good too.
There's looking good as in having a body and face to live up to media ideals. That requires good genetics or surgery. So me feeling good had better not depend on that kind of looking good.
Then there's looking good as in being clean, well-groomed and flatteringly dressed. Not necessarily trendy or expensive. Obviously, it's very subjective. But this kind of looking good is really a reflection of me feeling good , not a cause.
But they do feed back on each other some. This kind of looking good can make me feel better, but it can't actually make up for bad self-esteem. And conversely, neglecting this kind of looking good can make me feel a little worse, but it can't actually negate a strong self-esteem.
I already feel good. In fact I had to get to where I felt good before I was able to make a permanent commitment to a new, healthy lifestyle. So since I already have the "feeling good" part down, I'm going for looking good now. Since I feel great, I deserve to look great. Finally!
Well, seeing that I'm going to have a bunch of extra skin, I"m 41, 4'10" tall,and there's no way I will ever look like a bikini model, I"m going for feeling good. Of course, I'm hoping I'll look better at the same time
Feeling good, for sure. No point in losing 40 pounds if I'm going to still be tired, achy, and depressed.
That's why I'm not just dieting. I'm making changes in every area of my life. Exercising makes me feel great and helps my mood a lot. I'm taking my B12 like a good girl every day now instead of not doing it because I forget. I'm doing yoga now for that mind-body connection and it really does give me clarity and energy. And I'm eating good food not because it is going to help me lose inches but because I get digestive issues when eating fried foods.
So yeah, feeling good's the goal - but I know I will look good too so it's an added bonus
I think there are different kinds of looking good. Different kinds of feeling good too.
There's looking good as in having a body and face to live up to media ideals. That requires good genetics or surgery. So me feeling good had better not depend on that kind of looking good.
Then there's looking good as in being clean, well-groomed and flatteringly dressed. Not necessarily trendy or expensive. Obviously, it's very subjective. But this kind of looking good is really a reflection of me feeling good , not a cause.
But they do feed back on each other some. This kind of looking good can make me feel better, but it can't actually make up for bad self-esteem. And conversely, neglecting this kind of looking good can make me feel a little worse, but it can't actually negate a strong self-esteem.
Well said Julie!!!! Not to impune on anyones reasons behind weightloss but someone once said to me that if I don't accept and love myself for where I am now and what I weigh, no number on the scale is ever going to be enough. I can really see what she means since she was a recovered anorexic. And sometimes it worries me to see when people say once I get to a healthy weight I will look better and I will then feel better about myself and truly love myself. And I think that kind of mindset can be really dangerous. I'm not saying anyone here has said that but if any of you guys think along those lines I would caution you to take a really hard look at the situation. I'm not saying it is easy to love yourself when you feel like you're so overweight and have self-esteem issues, I struggle with everyday. There are days where I think to myself, "Oh man you're so fat. Everytime you move there is such resistance in your body because of how fat you are. You're worthless because you can't get skinny faster." But then I have to stop and think of the fact that I have lost I think 24 pounds and I have taken steps to a healthier lifestyle and that it took a lot of acceptance of where I was at my heaviest and embracing where I was and loving myself for who I am, the qualities and characteristics I possess and not the number on the scale. I mean I still get disappointed like anyone else when I don't see a loss on the scale but I reminding myself of all the things I accomplished in the week such as exercising or eating as much on plan despite a lot of stress and I try to take stock in that accomplishment. It's hard some days to do that but somehow I manage to eventually wrap my head around it. I'm nowhere near perfect and I'm still a long way from where I want to be when it comes to feeling good but everyday gets a little bit better. And as I move closer to my goals it will positively reinforce my feeling better because I won't feel that resistance in my body since it will move more freely, I probably won't have the pain I do in my lower back and ankles from caring the excess weight, and emotionally I'll continue to feel better because I'm accomplishing goals. I always feel better when I'm accomplishing goals whether it's weight loss related or finishing an assignment on time or getting things done on my to do list, etc.
I have to agree. If you don't love yourself, then you will never feel good, or be happy. I am definitely not trying to get healthy and lose weight to look like a skinny minny. I want to feel good, feel light, have more energie and most of all be healthy for me. As I am getting older it is more of a priority to be healthy and try to reverse any of the ailments I may have created being so heavy.
I too am not 'dieting' just trying to get healthy and lose the weight in the process.
I think for me they go hand in hand also.. if i look good, i feel good.. and if i feel good, i probably look good too. Because i am moody moody moody when i am having a fat/ugly day lol.
It is both, definitely. Feeling good, however, has taken over for me at this point, I think. I love the way I feel and all the energy I have. Looking good is not too bad either, but it is more complicated and not the plain, all out joy of being able to run up three flights of stairs and not feeling winded.
Feeling good wins, hands down. I'm not getting any younger and I want to live a long and healthy life, God willing. I'm doing everything in my power to live a healthy lifestyle which means working out regularly, getting fit, eating right, etc. When I retire, I want to hike up mountains, run marathons, and bike, and kayak, and have adventures. Losing weight and getting in shape is all about functionality for me. If I hadn't done taken action now, I surely wouldn't be able to do any of those things later.
Looking good is an ancillary benefit -- but "looking good" is too much influenced by perception, both my own and society's. I'm still going gray, things sag more than they used to, and there are wrinkles now. I don't care if I weigh 100 pounds, I'm not going to look 20. So do I look good? Depends on your yardstick. But if I FEEL good inside, have a healthy glow, great muscle tone and abundant energy -- then I certainly think that spills over to the outside and gives a perception of looking good, by anyone's standard. If that makes sense!
