I wish I had had the nerve to get some really good, graphic "before" photos of myself when I started this journey. I was too embarrassed to ask anyone....honestly, I didn't really think about doing it because I didn't want to jinx myself. I have a few snapshots that tell the story, but they are not very detailed.
I'm still a little embarrassed to ask my sons or my fiance to take my picture "just because". I am not vain at all and I don't want to appear as such. I wish I could figure out if my camera has a delay shutter on it so I could do it myself. I'd just like to see myself as others see me.
I remember feeling like I didn't look quite so bad when I was at my "start" weight....until I saw a snapshot of myself. So I want documentation of how I look now.
Weird, I know.....anybody else have any comments??
I have a lot of progress pictures since 189 lbs so it's a great way to remember what I looked like in the beginning. I save a bunch of bad pictures of myself too when I feel less motivated or complacent about where I am.
The beginning pictures were god awful to look at but I knew in a few months I would WANT to see what I looked like. I took them in a one piece swimsuit (I looked so horrible) .. and I didn't suck in! The pictures were both front view and side view.
Another great thing is even though I was 140 lbs four months ago, 140 now because of the exercising ... looks more compact than it did 4 months ago!
I didn't take before shots, either, Annie! For me, it was because I was horrified with how I looked in photos. I mean, literally terrified to even look at them. I do sort of wish I had before and (nearly) after pics for comparison sake, but I think I'd still be afraid to look at my 'befores'. It *might* be vanity in my case, but I think it's more because I was so afraid of what was happening to my body when I was putting on so much weight for the first time in my life. I think I need therapy. I'm still afraid of where I was! LOL!!
You can always take a picture of yourself in the mirror. It won't be a nice, quality shot, but you could at least document your progress this way (though you're getting pretty close to goal, too!! Yay!). I've taken some pics of myself in my bathroom mirror standing on my toilet... *after* some dramatic weight loss. I was braver by then. LOL!! But I'm still quite camera shy.
I didn't even weigh myself at the start! I have to guess! I kick myself for that now because I'm always second guessing myself on how much I've lost.
I hated the camera, really until just this past July. Now I can't get enough! I'm not actually at the point where I WANT pictures taken...it's more like I like the picture once I agree to it. I still have this hang up that I'm going to look fat in the picture. See, back when I WAS fat, my brain told me I just LOOKED fat in pictures. I didn't really look like that. It was the picture, right? So now I have this camera-adds-20-pounds mentality.
And now I like looking back at the old me. It amuses me to no end. I can see me for the first time without the judgement. Yes, I was fat. But now I do not stick any moral attributes on the pictures. I see me for who I really was...me, and yes, fat.
I took pictures at the start, but I feel like you really need to have some time in between them to tell any difference. I take new pics every month, in the same clothes (as long as those fit, at least!), and they're great to look at if the scale stalls. Then I can reaffirm my progress, even when the scale doesn't show it. My camera has a self timer setting, so that is what I use to take my pictures. Taking measurements is also helpful if you don't have anyone to take pics for you, it also shows progress that you might not notice on the scale.
I refused to let any pictures be taken of me at my highest weight. Zero! And now that Im 100lbs later, I wish so much I had.
In fact last time I was at some extended fams house I had never visited they had a picture of me (from a funeral) at my highest weight and I wanted it sooooooooo bad. I should have been bolder about getting it while I was there, they assured me they would make a copy and send...but over a year later and several sweet, honest emails about the importance to me have done no good. I dont think people really understand how helpful it is to have the visual.
I have refused to be in pictures for the past 3 years. I will not have my pic taken even still. I did however keep a pair of my pants from my biggest weight. I will document the difference with a picture of me holding my big pants. I love those type of pictures.
Do it! Start right now! Go on, get up, go get in a tight fitting outfit, set the camera up on a self timer and take pics! You don't even have to look at them. Clear the camera first then take the pics and download them into a special folder on the computer. You don't have to open the files or anything. Take progress photos at every interval of weight loss and I PROMISE you will not regret it. You might regret not doing it, though.
I only have super flattering pictures of myself standing at contorted/bent over angles to make myself appear smaller. The closest I have to accurate "before" pictures are the unflattering photos I untagged in a panic on Facebook.
Thanks, ya'll. I may see if I can figure out how to set the timer on my camera. Now that I've lost almost 40 pounds I'd really like to see how I look to others. I might even take a pic in my bike shorts I wear to workout.
I have pics that I'll never be able to share with 3FC without photoshopping a bunch of black boxes. It's definitely worth taking pictures. I knew my jeans had gotten looser last month and that the scale had dropped. I couldn't see it until I looked at the pictures.
Don't include your face. It makes it just a body instead of you looking back in the mirror. I don't know why, but that's made a big difference for me in actually seeing the changes.
I would say go for it, really, you will thank yourself. I never did the first time around, and I regretted it.
I did it the second time around (6 weeks post-partum, so that was a weight loss and body image shocker all in one) and now looking back, I am eternally grateful to see how far I've come.
I use a timer on my camera to take pictures of myself. If you have a digital camera, it probably has that capability.
Totally do it though!!! When I'm feeling down, all I have to do is look at my before and current pictures, and it boosts my spirits. I'm nowhere close to my goal yet, but actually being able to SEE the differences and KNOW that they're not just in my head and that they're the real deal is sure the ego booster. Do it, do it, do it!
I also say go for it. When you reach your goal and you feel tempted to binge, you can look at those pictures to remind yourself you've been down that road before.
Taking Photos To Document The Loss
So I want documentation of how I look now.
I do sort of wish I had before and (nearly) after pics for comparison sake, but I think I'd still be afraid to look at my 'befores'. It *might* be vanity in my case, but I think it's more because I was so afraid of what was happening to my body when I was putting on so much weight for the first time in my life. I think I need therapy. 
I'm still afraid of where I was! LOL!! 
Don't include your face. It makes it just a body instead of you looking back in the mirror. I don't know why, but that's made a big difference for me in actually seeing the changes.
