I can’t believe that I almost forgot about the blog post idea that the darling, wonderful Rebecca gave me. She said:
Is there a weight at which you feel comfortable in your own skin, but your weight is still not embraced by much of *society*? I’m asking because I hit that weight about a month ago, and was VERY suprised to feel so good about it. I am still freakin’ obese! I DON”T CARE!
I mean, I know that the thinner I get, the better my chances for getting hired in my field (health care). Yet I feel strong and energetic and attractive already. Again, hmmmm…
My answer is yes, yes, OH yes. Now, as far as what the weight is, I can’t remember it exactly, and am frankly too lazy to go back and look through my blog posts to figure it out. LOL I did do a search, but came up with about a trillion possible posts. 
Okay, maybe not quite that many.
I want to guess that it was around about 190 for me. Now, remember, when I saw the doctor at around 179, she set my goal weight for 170, because she said that she thought I had at least 10 extra pounds of skin. (wow, attractive, I know). So at 190, I was probably really around 180, which is still considered huge by society’s standards. But I felt incredible about myself. (well, except for said loose skin issue.) Some of you may remember that I was still feeling pretty crappy – supposedly due to anxiety issues according to my doctors – but I felt much more confident about the way I looked and who I was. I was happy at that weight and I remember saying many times that I could stay at that weight and be perfectly content.
Of course, I plodded on down the scale quite a bit more. Ironically, it was shortly after the doctor switched my weight to 170 that I really started struggling. Go figure. I had a hard time accepting that that could really be my goal weight. As I said, society. People in the movies freak out if someone thinks they weigh 120!
I’m really realizing that while I’m not totally happy with my body and weight right now – I still have a lot to be happy about and it doesn’t make me less of a person. Again – lots of lip service given to that idea on my blog over the years, but finally am accepting it. In my last post, I talked about some of the things that I’ve accomplished this year. I did those things at my current weight and even higher (you can check out my progress chart above to see), not at my lowest weight.
So I firmly believe that you need to live your life to its fullest regardless of your weight. Don’t wait until you reach goal to live it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you “should” be a certain weight and that you are unacceptable at your current weight. If you’re happy with your weight, be happy with it! Stay there if you want! If you aren’t happy with it, then by all means, keep losing. But be happy with yourself in the meantime!
Oh I so needed to read this one tonight. I am actually quite comfortable in the 180′s for most of the time . I have my moments of thinking how so many people would freak out if they ever weighted that much and then I feel like crap. I am sure I have a few good pounds of skin hanging around but I am trying to find the humor in it. I told hubby the other day that I think my butt is now at my knees. I will stand in front of the mirror and shake my legs back and forth to watch the “jiggle” . I gotta either laugh or cry. I am tired of letting life pass me by because I don’t weight some magical number on the scale.
Jaime´s last [type] ..188
I needed to read this too Pam. I have struggled with this since reaching the number I had picked for myself (178 lbs). But even being at what I consider goal makes me question it often because of what society thinks. It’s a mental struggle knowing I am healthy and happy (minus the loose skin) but still in the over weight range. I know I just need to let it go if I feel good where I am. But it does get frustrating when people sometimes ask “so how much more do you want to lose’ and then I end up explaining when I should just be ok with saying I’m at goal. I’m thinking as time goes on I will get more comfortable with where I am. Thanks for the great post.
Dawn´s last [type] ..Am I being honest with myself
Ah, shucks, girlfriend, you are the sweetest! It’s funny you should write this post now because I just returned from a great getaway in the mountains where my weight did not stop me from hiking up, and up, and up…clear to my heart’s content.
It was so awesome.
Congrats on your 100 lbs lost. I know it’s just a number, but still, 100. That does have a nice aura!
Hi Pam, you can thank to Dawn for directing me here; I already have.
Great topic, one I’ve wondered about as recently as this past April when I set a goal for myself of 199 pounds. I really don’t know what my goal is, other than 199 has to be the max I should weigh and be healthy. When I set it, it had little to do with vanity. Sure, I want to look good, we all do. But I want to look good for me. When I get to 199, if I like what I see, I will stay there. If not, then I’ll keep on working at it. But at no point in my thinking did I consider my goal based on what I hoped others would think I look good at. And while I enjoy hearing compliments, I will never work to attain them. This I do for me, it is just taht simple.
You said it best, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you “should” be a certain weight and that you are unacceptable at your current weight.”
I’ve read a bit around your blog before this post and I must say your blog is wonderful, your progress is amazing, and Mexican Corn Bake recipe has been copied to go on this weekends grocery list
Patrick´s last [type] ..Day 132 – Fat- No Way