by Amber Hilton

Created on: August 23, 2009

Whether we like it or not, appearance is of major importance in American society. Because of this, it is not uncommon for someone who is overweight (by society's standards) to feel unattractive and unworthy. In some cases, it has even caused people to develop unhealthy behaviors, like those associated with anorexia, bulimia and over-exercising.

Therefore, it is very natural for someone who has been overweight to feel better about the way they look when they start to shed unwanted pounds. They are likely to feel more attractive to the opposite sex and may receive more positive attention and comments about their appearance during their daily routines. Also, because losing weight takes so much hard work and commitment, it is natural to have more confidence in yourself when you have accomplished such a difficult feat. Simply the fact that you are taking care of yourself on the inside is going to be evident on the outside. As we all know, when you project confidence in yourself, people are bound to respond positively.

Sadly, when you are overweight, you often feel so worthless and unattractive that you may even stop trying when it comes to your looks. You may dress in unflattering clothing in an attempt to cover yourself up (or simply because you can't fit into the trendy fashions that you desire). As someone who has been both the ideal body type and the overweight outcast, I know how much more fun and effortless it is to make time for your appearance when you are at a healthy, acceptable weight.

For those who have never been overweight, it may not make much sense, but the tendency to "let yourself go" when you gain weight is very common. To a thin person, it would make sense that someone who is overweight put extra effort into things like hairstyle, skin care, makeup, etc. to somehow make up for the fact that they don't meet society's standards when it comes to body size. However, when I was overweight, I felt foolish doing these things. Spending time on my appearance felt like "putting lipstick on a pig"; a lot of effort that did me little good in my eyes. I couldn't see past my extra weight and had no confidence in my appearance because of it.

For years, I even avoiding having my picture taken so that I didn't have to see the evidence of my poor habits, going as far as calling in sick to work for the mandatory annual employee photos. Feeling better about how I look, and feeling comfortable in my own skin has been the single most significant benefit of losing weight for me. I'm happy for my health too of course, but I was lucky enough to see the error in my ways before my excess weight lead to any major health issues.

I used to think that people who cared about weight and appearance were shallow, but I realized that in this society, almost no one could escape from the pressure to look good to others. The sooner I accepted this and realized how much better I felt when I was thinner, there was no way I could go back to the way things were. Now not only does my body look better, but I also enjoy spending time on my appearance again and look years younger than I did when I was heavier.

For those of you who are still struggling with their weight, please keep this in mind as motivation, because feeling better about the way you look is one of the best rewards you can possibly imagine.

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