Posts by devotchka55

Well, I'm glad to see that everyone else's outlook is a lot more positive!

Every day when I'm trecking to the gym or staring longingly at the dessert cart I wonder "is it really worth all this trouble if my weight will never actually go down any more?" You guys have definitely given me some motivation to keep trying (which is important during this time of year, as we all know...) It's especially comforting to know that this stuff is being taught in science classes!

It seems to me that a lot of the confusion here is caused by the fact that the word FAT has two different meanings--one being a description of someone who is overweight (which is the meaning most people assume is being used), and the other being the actual adipose tissue in the body (which everyone has and, therfore, everyone should be able to talk about without getting fingers wagged at them!)

Even in someone who weighs 110lbs, it's possible for the fat (adipose tissue) to outnumber the muscle...which is exactly the problem Ornella seems to be having. God knows when I was in high school my body was probably made of bone, a thin layer of useless muscle tissue, and a nice padding of fat tissue (most likely induced by the Burger King I was eating every day).  At the time I only weighed about 105...now I weigh 125 and look more or less the same, which isn't surprising because I'm at the gym every day lifting weights. I was never "fat," but now that I have lower propotion of fat tissue, I feel healthier and stronger on the whole...which is what Ornella is trying to achieve right now. And seriously, what's wrong with wanting that?

People's comments (or lack thereof in this case) can really have a negative effect on motivation...I often get that "what's the point??" mentality, but actually for the exact opposite reason. I had gained some weight while I was abroad, and once I got back I felt the desperate need to get back to my old body (mainly for my health's sake, since I felt so sluggish and out of shape.) But whenever I mentioned the weight I had gained, most people would respond "you look exactly the same to me!" I'm sure they thought they were giving me a compliment, but all it really did was make me think "well, if I'll just look the same to everyone after all the hard work of dieting and going to the gym, I might as well just give up now."

But the point is that I saw (and felt) the difference. And I'm sure after 13 pounds, you're already feeling the benefits, and in an ideal world that would be motivation enough. The reality is feedback is a huge motivator, but it is true that people don't always say what they mean (as everyone has already pointed out.) No one wanted to tell me "yeah, you came back a cow," but as soon as I had actually lost the weight, my very closest friend finally admitted that she noticed a huge difference (and this is only 5-10 pounds we're talking about.)

If you really want to start getting comments, you could maybe try to stary carrying yourself like a 126lb person, then people will either realize the change or feel more comfortable bringing it up. Dress in clothes that show off your new shape, strut around a bit, make it a little more obvious that you want to be noticed ;-)