As a (soon to be) former fat dude… I know the love-hate relationship with picture taking. I loved to be the one taking the pics cause I hated being in them. For many of this, it’s a near lifetime of angst, stress, dread, and what-not when it comes to being in photos.
I’m only three months out… and it’s something I’m still working on.
But… let me tell you this, if you are considering WLS, suck it up right now and get some pictures taken.
No, I’m not talking about going to a studio, or Glamor Shots or something… I’m talking about your “before” shots. Yea, if you go through with this, your surgeon will likely take one… but do yourself a favor and do a few now. These before photos are going to be objects of inspiration and motivation for you in the months and years to come.
I mean, c’mon… look at this…
That’s me roughly seven months ago, pretty close to my all-time heaviest at just over 370. I look at this now and I… I don’t recognize myself. But I remember all too well the problems I was having. Sore knees, taking meds every day for high blood pressure and acid reflux, wearing 4X shirts and 3X/size 48 pants.
Compare it to now…
This picture is a reminder of a place I was at that I don’t.. no… that I am not going to go to again. I’m just not. Yea, I still have some gut. But you know what else I now have? A neck! And only one chin! (and yea… less hair, I know!)
Over at recoveringfatty.com, Melinda recently wrote an article that offers up some good tips on How to Take a Good “Before” Picture.
The seven basic tips can be outlined as such…
- Pick one, and stick with it! I’m talking bout outfit. You can see I use the same shirt… it helps you see some of the progress. Look at the white stripe on the shoulder in the before and current, and you can tell just from that I’m shrinking. Actually, I do use two… one that was rather tight just before surgery that fits very comfortably now. This shirt is actually telling me more about my progress than the one that just hangs on me now.
- Work the Angles. I’ve stuck with the basic front and side… Mel also recommends a 45degree angle and back side as well.
- Location, Location, Location. I’ve been doing this… camera on the dining room table, me against the hallway wall. This helps make sure you are consistently comparing apples to apples.
- Attention! Stand up straight.. don’t suck it in… be natural. ok, yea… it’s natural for a dude to suck in the gut when a photo’s being taken. Resist that urge here.
- Shine that Spotlight. Make sure you have good lighting. You can tell I didn’t quite get this one down on the latest shot.
- Regular Intervals. I’ve been shooting for once a month… some do so every X number of pounds lost… do what works for you.
- Carry a copy of your before photo with you. A natural reaction would be to take all these old photos and burn them at the next bonfire you attend.. or maybe use them for starting the charcoal next time you grill some fish. But I may start doing this myself. I can see how it might help if you’re having a tough day, or when describing things to folks that ask you questions about your surgery… whipping out that before photo to show them just how far you’ve gotten will certainly bring some praises… and everyone could use an ego-stroke once in awhile.
Check out recoveringfatty.com for the rest of Mel’s advice… it’s worth the click.
Good luck to you and great job on all your hard work!! You have obviously been working diligently on getting healthy and it shows!
~ a reader in VA