Has losing weight made you happier?

Jenna88

Gold Member
Just interested to see if losing weight has brought you all youd hoped?
I ask because while I no longer mind going shopping and feel better in my clothes I've found that I'm quicker to get upset these days and it takes v little to make me cry. I wasn't like that before. Anyone else have any similar feelings?
 
I got to my target of 8st 6lbs just before Christmas. I felt over the moon. I felt beautiful, sexy, slim and could wear whatever I want. I felt soooo amazing. Since then i lost the plot a bit (well maybe more) and I've hated being bigger, I feel less confident, want to hide my body, I think losing control of my weight means I feel less in control of myself and that in itself is a complex issue for me!!

I did realise however that being slim doesnt automatically make all of my problems go away!! One thing I did learn was a few times telling my other half one I was slim he would be proud of me, and he always told me he was proud of me now, and I was losing weight fr myself, When I put weight on after getting to target (which I am back on track with and will get back to goal), I felt so ashamed and humilated I'd let myslef go, I suffer from such low self confidence and self esteem at times n felt so embarrased, told the other half how i felt ugly and let myself down and he has been amazing, told me not to be so harsh on myself and that really made me think, that I dont have to pove anything to anyone but I am doing this for me.

Losing weight has chaged my life, I am sooooo much happier and confident, I will still have all of my problems which we all have but it's nice to look in the mirror and think 'not bad!'

x
 
Jenna just re read ure post, n hadnt read it properly first time round.

I actually agree with you... I too feel more emotional and dont understand why, cry more easily, i do feel more fragile and less able to cope. Wen i put on weight i actually started having anxiety attacks and felt like i couldn't go out in case ppl saw me, i mean i was still a healthy weight but lost my mind i think!! Also feel horrendously guilty if i eat naughty food. There are actually quite a lof of negatives to me losing weight wen i think about it :(
 
Interesting question, I still have lots of weight to lose, but I have been much much heavier and much lighter than I am now. I'd say its different emotions for me when I'm slimmer. Less self-hate and self destruction, but because I can't use food as a coping strategy, I find it hard to deal with everyday stuff.
 
i do find i am crying alot more at smaller things
i was watching an episode of the bigger loser, it was the 1st ep of the season and they were all telling their stories about how they got they and i just ballled my eyes out at each story
i thought i was crazy
glad to know its now just me lol

i do feel better about myself now i have lost some weight but mostly i think its down to me having control and it actually clicking this time
 
I realised the other day that losing weight will not be the answer to my low self confidence etc. Of course after losing 3 stone I feel much better at this weight but my confidence isn't what I expected it would be. I feel myself saying what I said at nearly 16 stone "when I lost another 2 stone I'll feel much better" - that will take me to just over 10 and a half stone and I bet you I'll still not have such a confidence boost. I just don't think I'll ever truly be happy with the way I look. It's something I've suffered with since my depression started at the age of 14 (I'm now 27).

If only it was the answer! I spend too much time worrying about my looks and weight that it drives me crazy.

So in short, has losing weight made me happier? not really no :(.
 
Now I'm where I thought I wanted to be weight wise I seem to be asking myself this question a lot.
Like others have said finally being able to fit in to and buy all the clothes I've dreamt of for the past few years is great but the rush doesn't seem to last long. I'm constantly thinking about my weight and how I look, more so now than I did at 15 stone. I also feel a certain pressure to keep it off, I panic that I'll wake up right back where I started. Even a couple of lbs on I start to feel like I've 'failed', like I shouldn't go on my night out or have a 'treat' as though my mum or friends or whoever will look at me and think 'my god you can really see that extra lb, I knew she'd put it all back on'. Maybe I'm a bit mental?!
I think in short (I'm such a waffler) my answer is yes and no. It hasn't solved many of the problems I assumed I had because I was fat but I do feel better about myself in a lot of ways and I know I never want to go back there! X
 
Now I'm where I thought I wanted to be weight wise I seem to be asking myself this question a lot.
Like others have said finally being able to fit in to and buy all the clothes I've dreamt of for the past few years is great but the rush doesn't seem to last long. I'm constantly thinking about my weight and how I look, more so now than I did at 15 stone. I also feel a certain pressure to keep it off, I panic that I'll wake up right back where I started. Even a couple of lbs on I start to feel like I've 'failed', like I shouldn't go on my night out or have a 'treat' as though my mum or friends or whoever will look at me and think 'my god you can really see that extra lb, I knew she'd put it all back on'. Maybe I'm a bit mental?!
I think in short (I'm such a waffler) my answer is yes and no. It hasn't solved many of the problems I assumed I had because I was fat but I do feel better about myself in a lot of ways and I know I never want to go back there! X

Omg you have hit the nail on the head with thinking everyone can see when you put on a pound or two. It's horrible.

Thanks for all the replies ladies :)
 
Jenna88 said:
Omg you have hit the nail on the head with thinking everyone can see when you put on a pound or two. It's horrible.

Thanks for all the replies ladies :)

It's a proper head fluff isn't it? When I was bigger I would go for months without looking at the scales (denial!) so I'd be none the wiser if I'd gained or lost any weight. It's like I walk around with my weight written on my forehead! :)
 
I am happier that im not as upset with they way i look ,But all the problems that were there when when i was over weight are all still there ,I just have to cope with them without food. I think losing weight is just a tiny part of becoming happy .
 
I'm at pretty much the 1/2 way point of my weight loss. Since losing the weight getting down from almost 19 stone I'm much happier, more confident and feel that being a size 16 is more 'normal' than being a 20/22 (I never will know what size I was because I used to squeeze into leggings and baggy t shirts in a size 18) I'm wearing make up, thinking about clothes and I'm better at my job and I put all 3 of those down to the raised confidence since losing weight.

I'm not looking forward to the paranoia of 'keeping it off' when I'm at target. The thought of putting it on terrifies me.

All I know is I'll be happier when I'm at target, but I don't know how much happier yet. Right now, being a size 16 is Ok.... I'd love to be a 12/14.... but what's not to say that when I reach that target I'll be saying "I'd love to be an 8" to keep moving the goal post.
 
Now I'm where I thought I wanted to be weight wise I seem to be asking myself this question a lot.
Like others have said finally being able to fit in to and buy all the clothes I've dreamt of for the past few years is great but the rush doesn't seem to last long. I'm constantly thinking about my weight and how I look, more so now than I did at 15 stone. I also feel a certain pressure to keep it off, I panic that I'll wake up right back where I started. Even a couple of lbs on I start to feel like I've 'failed', like I shouldn't go on my night out or have a 'treat' as though my mum or friends or whoever will look at me and think 'my god you can really see that extra lb, I knew she'd put it all back on'. Maybe I'm a bit mental?!
I think in short (I'm such a waffler) my answer is yes and no. It hasn't solved many of the problems I assumed I had because I was fat but I do feel better about myself in a lot of ways and I know I never want to go back there! X

You look amazing! I'm the same height as you and I'm aiming to be your weight :) My sister lost weight and she is the same as you I think. She started freaking out after Christmas because she had gained 4 pounds (she still looked the exact same to me and everyone else). I think when you diet and lose a lot of weight - it naturally makes you so much more self aware and self critical.

All ye guys who have lost the weight are inspirational btw - thank you so much for sharing yer stories!

Hugs xxxxxxx
 
Periwinkle said:
You look amazing! I'm the same height as you and I'm aiming to be your weight :) My sister lost weight and she is the same as you I think. She started freaking out after Christmas because she had gained 4 pounds (she still looked the exact same to me and everyone else). I think when you diet and lose a lot of weight - it naturally makes you so much more self aware and self critical.

All ye guys who have lost the weight are inspirational btw - thank you so much for sharing yer stories!

Hugs xxxxxxx

Thank you so much, that's lovely of you to say :) X
 
Losing weight made me feel much happier. I lost a stone and a half last year and when I went on holiday in August I was the happiest I had been on holiday for quite a few years. On previous holidays I hadn't wanted any photos taken of me but last year I was always thrusting the camera at my husband saying "take one of me". How vain, I know, but I hadn't felt like that for so long I wanted to see the evidence of all my hard work. Now having put just over half a stone back on due to being laid up with a slipped disc I am feeling very unhappy as I am really struggling to get motivated to lose it.
 
Don't know about happier yet I'm only about 2/3 of the way there I know I won't be fully satisfied until I've got all the extra lbs off. But my confidence has definitely shot up :)
 
I think it all depends on what you hope to achieve through losing weight. If you see losing weight as just that, a way of changing how you look, then you're likely to be happier when you lose weight.

The problem is so many people (and I'm including myself in this from time to time) see losing weight as a solution to all their problems in life. They put their lives on hold while over weight, let their weight stop them from doing things they want to do and enjoy. Like finding a relationship, getting a job etc. The problem is losing weight doesn't fix those things and people end up more disappointed when they lose the weight cos it hasn't fixed all the things they thought it would.

The other thing is so many people rely on food and dieting as a coping mechanism in life. I know I have done this and am doing it now, I'm stressed about becoming a new mum and am dealing with it by worrying about my weight! When you lose weight, you don't have that any more and suddenly you have to deal with things differently, which a lot of people can't cope with.
 
I have lost 28 Kg upon regular exercise program and am happy with it. Actually, i though of taking weight loss surgery but upon the consultation, i knew there was no need of surgery, instead i can do it with regular exercise and only a small change in the diet (reducing fat).
 
When your huge (as I was) as a child growing up especially I did think at the time that yes not only when I grow up but when I am thin I will do x y and z and I will be happy and nothing bad will ever happen.

I am still big but half the size I was and yes I am happier with the respect to my size but it is not a magic wand that makes your life amazing. The reasons for being fat are still all around me it's finding a way of getting through the day without having to memorially eat I still get stressed and sometimes still binge but it doesn't make me feel any better.

Not sure if that is really answering the question oh well x
 
Having spent 40+ years of my life fat, being of an 'ordinary' size is something of a revelation. It has certainly increased my confidence, a hundredfold.
I no longer want to disappear into the wallpaper when I go somewhere new, nowadays people dont 'see' me, I look like everyone else, no longer the fat lady who has just entered the room:)
For me there has also been a huge difference in my health. I have two knackered kneecaps which will need replacing at some stage, at 17st+ they wouldn't entertain me, but now, well if I need it doing there is nothing to stop me. Walking is still a problem, but with less pressure on those two poor old knees the pain is a little less.
I suppose then my answer then is, yes, most certainly losing weight has made me happier, maintaining the weight loss does worry me though...
 
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