I got an email recently (another site) from a guy who is 6'2, 220 lbs.,
and describes himself as "slim/slender."

Hmm...now, 6'2/220 is a healthy weight, I can't say I'd call that
"slim/slender."

What body image do you perceive yourself to be? My mother said the other
day, "Boy, you really HAVE lost weight! You look like a beanpole!"

I consider myself to be "proportionate" to "a tad bigger than I want to
be."

I still need to lose another 5 pounds, at least. I'm within the normal
weight range at 5'8 and 150, but I'd rather be 140-145. The only area I
need to lose is my waist, and that seems the hardest to
lose...especially as a woman of my age.

I keep thinking of joining a gym or something but always seem to put it
off. I'll be glad when the weather gets nice (and stays that way) so I
can start doing yardwork again. That helps keep me in shape, pretty
much.

What do you do to try to stay healthy or maintain your weight?

I eat a lot ot saw fish! Actually, I quit drinking and put my foot down
and had a total hip replacement at 45-years (way too young) and since
then have been so active I am back down to my college weight without
worrying about diet.
Just don't ask me to run anywhere...

Television and books are doing their part to keep me trim. I'm a little
taller than you and have about 10 pounds on you. Not perfect, but I can
always read an extra book or watch an extra tv show to try to trim up in
a pinch.

i'm not as defined as i used to be but i'm in good shape not slim not
huge but if i was i ther i'd still like me

At 5'9 and about 110, I call myself slim/slender....scrawny is probably
a better description..

I ride my pushbike all over town, and surf every morning,(about 2 hours)
and that is a complete workout in itself, upperbody for paddling and
lower body for surfing..

Am a vegetarian, and find I have a fast metabolism, so I have to
remember to eat well, and lots..I know it is the reverse for many
others, but it is still a challenge..to try and keep a healthy
weight...and keep it on.

I'm a little on the extra baggage side right now.
After a couple of adominal surgeries-its hard to lose some of this
weight. I long for my skinny a** younger days. I'm short too and that
doesn't help. Winters over-time to start walking(alot)again. Might need
to give the cocacola up(bummer).

I think you burn calories posting on the forums ,dont cha?

Hope so...lol

I used to be a 4X......I'm between X and lg now (partly cause I still
have large @@'s)
I've have come a long way to get where I am now. I've lost 2 whole
people in this 3 year journey.. and I have 1/2 a person left to go.. My
goal is not an impossible one. I set a realistic standard I could be
happy with.
The main thing to losing weight is to first realize you like YOU for
YOU. I was having lots of trouble with diets and motivation (one mornin'
while my grandma and I were having coffee... she reached over and took
my face in her hands and said.. "Shelly, I love you. You are beautiful,
and honey I know you are having a hard time with your weight... the next
time you look at yourself in the mirror.. Really look at yourself and
don't do it through "fat" eyes. You will see just how beautiful
actually are. I want you to stop telling yourself you are doing this
for him ((my then husband)) and do it for you. You are the one who
counts." She kissed my cheek and said.. "now look there .. you missed a
spot there above the door" .. ((Haha I was painting a shed)) I realized
I was lost somewhere in there and I neede to come out of hiding.
If you don't make the exercising a "job" ,and you make it something
"fun", then you won't resent doing it, and you will look forward to that
time of the day.
As far as eating... I still eat, I still have to cook for my family, I
just changed things up a bit.... made it a lil more healty... water is a
must!
I don't drill into myself all the time I still have so many pounds left
to lose.. and I dont own a scale to put added pressure on me about what
I weigh everyday.
I live life, I'm more active, I eat right, And, I have a positive
attitude. It may take longer to accomplish my goal...but, it seems to
be working and I'm not gaining pounds so I'm happy

Yeah Greeneye!

Well Sheila from the looks of your pics there isn't a thing wrong with
the way you look. I think people are often too critical of themselves.
People who are nice to you have a way of looking good to you whether
they are good looking or not. I am 5'11" about 175...I consider myself
slim to average. I don't exercise or anything other than normal work and
activities. I just live.

I am curvy. I have curves where I am supposed to have them. I am latin
and it shows. At 5'7 and 43 and with all the yo-yo dieting, I have
gained and lost at least 500 lbs in my life time. 6 months ago I started
a treatment for allergies and the Dr. started eliminating foods from my
"regular" diet which turned into a weight loss program, and I saw the
results immediately. All my allergies and maladies just disappeared,
now I enjoy a lot of freedom from medication. I lost 24 pounds in the
first month and a half, which was quick, and I decided to stay there
until my body grew used to the new weight. Now I am starting Phase 2, to
lose the other 24 lbs, and stay there.

Eating right, drinking water and exercising has become my life not a
part of it. Understanding what I eat and learning that what I was eating
was all wrong for me, have given me new confidence and a boost to my
self esteem.

I will never be thin. I still have bones and I really like my boobs, my
hips, my @$$, my legs... don't wanna lose it all.

My dog and I walk 2 miles a day, no matter what the weather. I golf and
my favorite exercise is chasing women in the park

I would also like to say a few things on the Gastric Bypass sugery and
the Lap Band sugery

I have 2 very close friends and each of them has had one of the above
sugerys.

My GF who had the Gastric Bypass was 419 lbs before the sugery andas of
3 weeks ago she weighed 154 lbs
However, Anything and everything that could have gone wrong with the
sugery and healing and side effects, she has had.
It was the worst thing she could have done.. and we almost lost her a
few times in the past 5 years. she just underwent a skin removal that
took 14 lbs of hanging/sagging , this sugery has left her looking like
that lil stitch doll on nightmare b4 christmas and the healing process
is not looking good either.
I DO NOT reccomend this sugery and neither would Rebecca

My GF who had the Lap Band, was 312 lbs. she now,after a year,weighs
203.Sheincorporated going to the gym and working out 3 times a week, and
changed her eating habits.. due to the exercise routine she follows, she
does not have much skin hanging and she also has a toning routine. She
looks fantastic!
If you feel you would need to go to such extremes as sugery.. I would
reccomend the Lap Band.. much safer.

Thanks, Ga..I do appreciate that. I don't think there's a thing wrong
with the way I look, either; I think I'd like to weigh a few pounds
less, that's all. I used to look very good in a swimsuit and I'd like to
be able to again. I guess it's an "age" thing. No sense in not being the
"best you can be," no matter how old you are, right?

I feel better, look better and am healthier now than I was when I was
38, that's for sure. Quitting drinking and smoking made a HUGE
difference in that.

Kim if you would of burnt any calories posting on the forum.
You would of wasted away to nothing a long time ago

ATTT? LOL! And I thought *I* was prolific!