Okay here is a shot of during Xmas 2007 at 185 pounds: Overweight, teribble hair, glasses, fat cheeks...uh. And here is me recently at 170 pounds (15 lbs. lighter!!) Thinned out cheeks, contact lenses, shorter spiked hair, clear complexion! I feel so much better about myself now. I still think I need to get down about 10 more pounds, to 160 lbs. and I'll be set for a good healthy average weight for my age, and finally I can cut up all the pictures of ugly me! *evil laugh*...on second thought no, their good motivation for never to go back too!
Good job on the weight loss. Feeling better because you aren't carrying around as much weight is WAY more important than just the appearance aspects. All the other stuff; the hair, contacts vs. glasses, etc. is cosmetic. Feel good about who you are on the inside and that will radiate outward. In the first pic you look like a normal 15 year old. Don't let peer pressure make you try to be someone or something you're not. Be proud of who you are, stick to your guns and you'll find a lot less trouble in life. Believe me...I know what I'm talking about.
Yeah, I think you look great in both pics. And I didn't think you looked overweight in the first one, but I guess you did look a bit slimmer in the second pic. (Don't cut up all your old pics. You're not, and weren't, an ugly kid at all. )
Yeah, I know, peer pressure does get to me, but its a good motivator for me to loose weight! And I had to make a change regardless...I was eating way too much before and headed down a path where I could actually become more visibly overweight. I was sick of being having that 15-20 pounds extra fat, so I made that as my new year resolution. I've always be 10-20 over "normal" and I am/was sick of it, and so I have decided to finally take charge over it. I know its vain and shallow, but to me having a good physical appearance is tied in with more confidence, and more social skills/ability. But in a weird way I associate the fact I have been a bit overweight forever because when I was in denial about being gay, I believe I subconsciously struggled with weight as it was an excuse for me to never have to be asked or get involved in the dating situations/school dances. So I could never date and never do dances, and people would think "oh he is just self conscious and overweight" and I would avoid any gay rumours. But since I finally accepted myself over Christmas, I have been dropping weight fast. Maybe their is a connection, or maybe their isn't, just a thought. Its all good.
The weight is certainly an important thing and it doesn't hurt to take pride in your physical appearance. I was just attempting to put things in perspective. I was a bit overweight at your age myself and was very selfconscious about it. I was also somewhat prone to allowing peer pressure to get me involved in things that were just plain bad ideas. It was many years before I got it all straightened out in my own head as far as where priorities should lie and in what order. I just thought I'd put my two cents worth in here. It looks from your last three sentences that you're well on your way to figuring those things out for yourself. Good luck dude.
