What Do You Miss About Being Overweight?

My counselor asked me this question and I had to think about it.  She was wondering if I was feeling some kind of loss.
What I came up with was, I miss not worrying about what I was eating and what I weighed.  I didn't have4 to worry about getting fat because I already was.  I think there was a part of me that felt like I was supposed to be fat and so in a strange way I felt comfortable in my overweight body, like I belonged there.
Now I am in a body that I can't get attached to.  Every time I have been thin before it was always temporary.  New friends, especially boyfriends, I would worry that they would reject me when I became fat.  I felt like I was somehow fooling them.  I remember when I married my ex husband I was thin.  I proceeded to gain like 50 lbs not long after.  I felt guilty because I felt like he didn't sign up for that.  He signed up for a thin girl and somehow I tricked him.
I miss not waiting for the other shoe to drop because it already had. 

I can't think of anything right off. Something to ponder, I guess.

--g

You know, you wouldn't think there would be anything to miss about it.  I had to really think about it.  I don't miss any of the physical things but some of the emotional stuff must have served me in some way to keep me overweight for so long.

I don't miss anything. I hated being at war with food and I hated not being able to buy nice clothes and I hated not being able to do things that I can do now.

Plus my husband proposed  when I was over 200 so, if I tricked him, it was in getting thin on him.

When she first asked me that question I didn't think I could find anything I missed, either.  I could list all the things I don't list but I never thought about what was in it for me to be overweight and then I thought about what didn't I like about being thin and it was that worry it wasn't permanent and I couldn't get too used to it.  That made me think of something I had when I was heavy and that was I didn't have the fear of gaining weight.  I was gaining weight but I didn't care on one level because I figured I was already fat, what's a few more pounds?
That's funny about your husband because my boyfriend and I started dating when I was heavy and now that I am thin I don't think he is as attracted to me because he has never really gone for thinner women.  I know he would be happy if I gained at least 20 lbs.

i can relate to missing not having to worry about what I was eating and if it was going to make me fat.  I didn't worry about getting fat, I was already there.  I am much more obsessed with what I eat and don't eat than I was.  I don't know if I would have come up with that withut your prompt, though.  I'm much more obsessed with the scale and not happy if it moves up or down.  I didn't weigh for years so it didn't bother me.

I don't think that I miss anything about being overweight. I am embracing my new found energy, ability to exercise, improved health, improved mood, thrilled to be rid of the sleep apnea machine, and relieved that I am no long pre-diabetic.

I track my food everyday, exercise, seek out support, which some people consider a lot of work. For me, the alternative is unacceptable and I NEVER want to go back to where I came from. If I have to track my food everyday and exercise, I will do it happily.

With all the positives that have come with weight loss, obviously something was lost. I used to soothe my emotions with food. Now, I soothe myself with asking myself, what is going on, what am I trying to avoid, and I exercise away the agitation or anxiety. I think my coping skills have improved. My head hasn't caught up with my body, but I think that will come with more time.

Take Care,

Gail 

At times, I miss the invisibility cloak that was my excess weight. While I do love all of the things I am able to do now. The clothes are great, the energy is amazing.

But when I was heavy, i never had to deal with attention. It is kind of a challenge at times.

Ok, I've been pondering this and I think your counselor thinks being fat is a character flaw and that we can all control being overweight if we want to and if there is no emotional baggage. Not!  I fought tooth and nail for 30 years to stay under the Army's weight limits and the things I did were terribly flawed and detrimental to my mental and physical health...and was still in the overweight category and had to be taped nearly every weigh-in.

--gina