Before and after pics are great. They're extremely inspirational...but I am so sick of seeing the pictures that people take at specific angles to make themselves look thinner. C'mon people! Don't just be honest with us, be honest with YOURSELF! Stop holding the camera higher then your face and sticking your neck out. You're not fooling anyone but yourself!

Who cares!

All that matters is that we are improving our health-any change in our looks are just gravy!

Who cares!

All that matters is that we are improving our health-any change in our looks are just gravy!

We all have different motivations. In my case, this is pure vanity move. I want to look good and make the ladies swoon :tongue:

Vessa, If that is your husband and baby, it is a beautiful picture.

Thank you, it is my favorite out of hundred's, haha. :tt1:

Manatee, if I were not twice yer age and an individual who is a) a foreigner and :tt1: already with mate, I certainly would feel awful interested in prowling around your avatar, eh. *Cue in lascivious smirk*

Green is a grrl who does present herself as unattached without kiddies or, for that matter, without any frustrated maternal desire for kiddies. This is likely because she has the maternal drive of a reptile. Indeed, one of my many problems when I found myself back on the dating market after the collapse of my juvenile marriage was finding guys who were not lumbered down with complex family histories.

Though it is true that the usual paradigm is this: women will want to have babies and men may find themselves detesting this female instinct, and will feel trapped by this, and will certainly attempt to run away from these fabulous fertile females, life does seem to be a little more complicated than that.

Do you consider all people to be seeking attention when they post a thread stating something that you disagree with?

Obviously I have issues. We all do. How else could we all become heifers?

Do I consider all people attention seeking that disagree with me? Certainly not. I saw your thread as a way to put down other people who are very proud. How can you post on a rant that people are making themselves look better than they really are and not expect other people to be upset?

It is good you realize you have issues. Maybe putting down others is another way that you project that. I think the before and afters are amazing, do you not even realize the amount of courage it takes to post there?

You later did say that you were seeing it from a "photographer's eye". I am a commercial artist as well as a photographer, and I still do not see your point. I saw your inital comment as hurtful to many.

I commend you for posting what you feel, but I have no problem telling you that you are wrong. People do not intentially fool themselves. They aren't trying to "fool" anyone. They are proud and excited. As they should be.

Though it is true that the usual paradigm is this: women will want to have babies and men may find themselves detesting this female instinct, and will feel trapped by this, and will certainly attempt to run away from these fabulous fertile females, life does seem to be a little more complicated than that.

Hell, I wish they'd run my way, then.

Congratulations BooBoo Kitty, You have lost so much weight and you look stunning. I hope I can do as well.

Saleel22

Hell, I wish they'd run my way, then.

Yeah, when I was single I would always attract the guys who wanted to settle down and make babies on me! Talk about yer opposites attracting, eh........ It was a real drag. Even though I would make a point of announcing straight away that I had no desire to have kids they would figure that they could change my mind. Argh!!!

I did suck in my belly (even though there was MUCH less of it--and threw my head back and smiled for my latest "during" photo. Not to fool myself or anyone else on here into thinking I had lost more than I have, or that I am ready for a beauty pageant. I did it out of pure enjoyment, and being proud---and no longer being one to totally hide from any camera in the vicinity!

My before pics--I was grumpy as hell and did not want them taken, and DH insisted on taking them the morning we left for the airport to go get me banded---I am frowning, and slump shouldered, and embarassed---I am also eternally grateful he forced the issue with the pictures. The change in my body, the change in my posture, the change in my smile----they are all HUGE improvements---and occasionally when the plateau gets me down, or I begin backsliding, the photos kick me in the pants and get me moving again.

I really don't think I am fooling myself, nor am I attempting to fool anyone else, but I feel good, I feel feminine, and flirty sometimes, and not afraid of the camera, and that is the biggest difference in why mine look as differently posed as they do.

Kat

Forgot another thought I had!!!

And some pictures--like my avatar pic---are not posed pictures---they just happen!

I was bent over---so it might look posed---but I was trying to get my grandson to walk to me---he had just taken his first steps, I looked up at my DH to see if he got pics of Connor, and he snapped it. The joy on my face is genuine---and I didn't feel like I was posing---which is why I chose it.....

Kat

Maybe I should also mention that I have a background in photography, so my eye is trained to scrutinize photographs.

Then angling shoulders to draw the viewers eye toward the subject, shooting at a level higher than your subject, the rule of thirds etc. you are familiar with.

Everyone here is showing their pics for inspiration. Who cares how the shot is gotten? No one WANTS to look like a frump in a pic.

Nobody is tricked into thinking anyone weighing over 2,3,400 pounds is a waifly 89 pound weakling because of positioning.

Chuck Gardner's Photography Class

Congrats to ALL who post their pics, before, during and after. You are an inspiration.

Before and after pics are great. They're extremely inspirational...but I am so sick of seeing the pictures that people take at specific angles to make themselves look thinner. C'mon people! Don't just be honest with us, be honest with YOURSELF! Stop holding the camera higher then your face and sticking your neck out. You're not fooling anyone but yourself!

Trixie whatever your intention was in starting this thread, it has come off as putting people down. It's takes a lot of work and internal strength to build self esteem and your comments can cut people at the knees. Think about how you come off when you post. The people on this thread have not reacted to your comments for no reason.

Do you consider all people to be seeking attention when they post a thread stating something that you disagree with?

Obviously I have issues. We all do. How else could we all become heifers?

First of all I have to say:

HEIFERS? REALLY you feel comfortable calling other people HEIFERS? How rude and insensitive coming from someone who also has weight issues!!!

I for one can say the Before and after pix are a big reason I finally got the courage to call my surgeon and pursue Lapband surgery. I have spent many hours pooring through the photos beginning to end and feeling enourmous pride for the people and their acomplishments. I don't care about camera angle or lighting I can see the difference in their attitude that shows through the beaming smiles and apparent make overs. I have had my hair cut and started wearing nicer clothes, I guess I should quit lying to myself and remember I am still a heifer! NOT!!! You don't have to agree with me or anyone else for that matter but I think you need to display atleast a slight amount of tact and sensitivity even on the Rants and Raves page. My 2 cent for what it may be worth..

Kat, by the way, your avatar is one of my favorites, because it does look so genuine, you cutie pie!

WOW How mean can someone be !!??