However, I've observed that such feelings give way to cockiness in some people. Admittedly, that happened to me when I lost 25 pounds a couple of years ago.
My face looked thinner. My tummy had all but disappeared. Some of my clothes was looking huge on me, forcing me to go a size or two smaller.
Now that I was wearing more fitted clothing, I noticed more looks from women -- whether at work, restaurants, or the mall. This is what gave me the ultimate high and motivated to continue working out and losing weight.
Now, I'm a happily married man and never even entertained the thought of doing anything more than smiling at these women. Still, the fact they were fancying me in this way -- a confirmation that they were digging something about my physical appearance -- made me feel really good about myself.
My self-worth must have hit astronomical levels that year. I started looking in the mirror and taking pictures more often. Never before had I been so preoccupied with my appearance and wardrobe.
Fast forward to 2016. Since then, I've done a good job maintaining my weight, maybe gaining about 5 or so pounds.
When I look back on that time, it's easy to see that my weight loss had gone to my head. I had become a little conceited, a quality I always disliked in other people.
I know a few people who have lost a boatload of weight this year and have proceeded to show off their before and after pictures on Facebook a few times each week. These are folks who hardly ever posted pictures of themselves on the site prior to their transformation.
I think it's reasonable to feel proud about slimming down. After all, losing weight takes a lot of work and effort.
But we must guard against letting our pride descend into pomposity. Whether you want to call this gloating, conceit, or self-aggrandizement, it's not an endearing quality in a human being. There's a real fine line between self-confident and cocky.
When we're riding high and feeling so good about ourselves, it's only natural that we assume other people who look at us must feel the same way.
In fact, we might be convinced that others must be checking us out when that might not be the case at all. That's what having your self-esteem going through the roof does to you.
Eventually, most people come back down to earth, especially after they gain a few pounds, give up their regular exercise routine, no longer have the money to buy new clothes, or encounter other life events that shift their focus.
Again, there's no problem celebrating your accomplishment, but rubbing it in people's faces is beyond the pale.
Have you ever become cocky after losing weight?
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