Quote:
Originally Posted by HejiraNYC
I don't know... I mean, I agree with you about life being a forward-looking journey, etc., but at the same time I think it's a bit defeatist to just sigh and resign yourself to being in a situation that you're not 100% okay with. I would like to think that we should always do whatever it takes to make sure that we are getting better and better in every way- healthier, prettier, smarter, kinder, stronger, and if weight is an issue, leaner too. Why do we have to associate aging with decline?  I think that if, for whatever reason, you consider 20 to be your pinnacle physically, there is nothing wrong with striving to get back there. You were there once, so you sure as heck can get up back there again- and perhaps even surpass it. |
Oh no, I don't mean say "well, f*ck it, I'll never look like that again, so why bother?" I just mean that it's not realistic for most people, esp. women & esp. if they've had any kids, to expect to be the same size they were when they were 20. I think setting attainable goals is much better, and once you attain 1 goal, you usually want to set another. Like, if someone want to lose 50 pounds, it's a hell of a lot easier to say "OK, I'm going to start working out more & eating better & lose 10 pounds" and go from there. After the first 10, you say "Wow, I lost 10 pounds! Maybe if I do just a little bit more, like work out 10 more minutes per day, I'll lose 10 more!" 50 pounds seems insurmountable at first, but little by little, it will come off.
Personally, I am now the size I was when I graduated high school for the first time since then - but when I changed my eating habits & starting working out last year, that was NOT my goal - my goal was to lose 10 or 12 pounds, get leaner & more toned, and more physically fit. I ended up losing 20 & realized, "holy ****, this is the smallest I've been in 15 years!" I am more fit than I've ever been. So yes, you're right on that, it is possible. But I never aimed to look like I did then - I would have to tease my hair & put blue eye shadow on again for that.
I honestly think if I had told myself "You'd better lose 20 pounds & fit into your high school jeans again" I would have gotten frustrated really easily & could very well have given up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuzeQuze
Word. You can use those old photos for motivation but not to beat yourself up.
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YES! That's what I'm trying to say.
