I am at around the three month mark now and the difference in how I move and feel is night and day. Having written a lot about that so far and with how happy I am about that change. I have not mentioned much about my appearance and that is for a number of reasons. Addressing my physical appearance is a bit of a complicated issue for me. However I figure I will talk about it at this stage that yes I do notice a difference and yes it does make me happy to see some improvement.

Why I Do not often Focus on Appearance

When I started this weight loss effort the frustration I had with my appearance was so entrenched for so long it seemed to be just a part of who I am. I accepted the fact I did not look the way I wanted to and change would take so long it was very overwhelming. Having issues with my health and mobility however are much larger and more important issues. They interfere with almost every aspect of my life. So deciding to change myself to improve those things was obvious. If my appearance stays the same but I am able to live a more mobile healthy life then I consider this effort a win. How I look is not the primary reason for doing this. It is also a part of this process that will take a very long time to change.

Accepting People may not Notice the Change

One thing to also consider about changing my appearance while losing weight is that people often do not notice anything but dramatic changes. Dramatic changes take time, or at least healthy ones do. So having lost 36lbs I know it really is hard to see that change at my size. Putting the before and after photo together for this post it is noticeable. But It is certainly not something people will be stopping me on the street about. That is something that I think is important to not concern myself with at the early stages. I won’t be worried about it, but I will be happy to see my walks become easier or to try on a new shirt that now fits. And yes, seeing the photos together and seeing a difference make me happier, and that is also nice.

Looking a Year Ahead

When I began 3 months ago I had a number of timelines in my head. The time frame when I wanted to be able to walk or lift weights more was within the first few weeks. For being able to go for a hike was a few months. The longest time frame was to have a change in how I look, that time frame was a year. This  makes it very hard to think about improvements on image with such a long time horizon. Focusing on my health and mobility has had such remarkable changes that it keeps me motivated. Feeling the cool breeze off the ocean while moving along a pathway is a focus for me to appreciate.

Little Unforeseen Changes

Past posts I have also talked about many little changes that improve in my life because of this process. I anticipated that this healthy change would improve many aspects of my life both predicted and unforeseen. This was a very correct forecast which also manifested with my appearance although not in a direct way. I do notice myself taking more time to improve how I present myself. Maybe taking time to put on my nice watch, or change into a shirt I like. It could be taking time to get an extra haircut or make sure my beard is trim. These are just little things I notice I do, maybe not as important as other things, but good things I think and things to take note of.

Looking more Healthy

Appearance does not have to just be about looking more fit and trim. A few things I have also noticed so far is improved skin colour. I had been noticing my skin was blotchy at times, that seems to have changed for the better. I also have noticed reduced dark circles under my eyes. While these can be quantified as improvements to image they also and I feel much more importantly showcase an improvement in my health.

I don’t think how I look should be a primary reason to do this healthy tomorrow today. But I do think it is worth seeing the improvements to my appearance, even if it is just me or my close friends who notice. I have a very long way to go before I feel I would not look overweight. But with how much success I am having with feeling better and more healthy I am optimistic I will get there.