I have had two people hesitate on complimenting me on my weight loss because they considered the possibility that I might have been ill. I haven't been ill, I've just been working my tail off.
98 pounds, 8 pounds to goal. It's quite an accomplishment, and it really has been worth it for me. If I compile a list of reasons why it has been worth it and why I will continue to maintain this lifestyle, there is one reason that is noticeably absent. I have noticed that when many folks lose drastic amounts of weight, one of the goals is to "feel better about myself" or "so that I can feel lovable." My opinion is that if those are reasons to lose weight, you're doing it backwards. You were already lovable, and fat self loathing is no different from skinny self loathing. I would rather hang out with a plus size person who owns themselves when they self-confidently walk into a room, with no apologies for who they are, and enough self love to spare than someone who is slim and is constantly complaining about how worthless they are.
Sometimes I see people who have lost a lot of weight start judging people who are not like them (or who are like they once were). Depending on the context, this either infuriates or saddens me.
So if you haven't heard it before, I'm saying it now. You are a human being. You are lovable. Whether you are fat or skinny, tall or short, have an extra limb or have burn scars all over your body... Whether someone decided it would be appropriate to mistreat you or you had the ideal perfect childhood... whatever your race or culture or religion or primary language... whether you are straight, gay, bisexual, androgynous, or were born into a body of the wrong gender...You are lovable and are entitled to feelings of self-worth. Once you can find and keep that self worth, THEN *if* you are interested in making changes to yourself, it will come from a place of unconditional self-love, as opposed to a place of "if I can only do this, then maybe I'll be OK."
As for the reasons why losing weight has been worth it for me... the top of the list is just being able to do stuff. I like to do stuff. Lots of stuff. New stuff! I like the feeling when I'm running or swimming or rock climbing or canoeing or hiking or walking, because it feels like I'm nurturing myself - it's an experience I can get lost in, in a good way. I also like the fact that I can buy knee socks off the rack.
