Body image...

happyphantom321 · 09-22-2003, 01:12 PM

Yuh know, these posts about stars and their bodies have really got me thinking. I tried all morning to think whose body I would want, but I just couldn't pin one down. For many reasons...one being that I just don't pay enough attention to who's who amoung stars and could never remember their names anyway, another being that with all the alterations that we see (either with camera/air-brush/ and/or plastic surgery), I'm just not even sure I KNOW what's realistic anymore. God, what do women really look like anymore??? And what's worse, I'm not even sure I would know what *I* would look like "thin". I started to gain weight when I was 10, right at the onset of puberty, so I have no idea what my thin woman body will look like when I ever get there. I don't like to think of envisioning myself as this woman or that woman because I'm afraid that I will always ultimately be let down UNLESS I invest in plastic surgery and decide to only ever be seen on cameras (which means I would never be seen!

), which I can assure, neither of which will happen!
I don't really know where I'm going...I'm just sort of rambling. But I guess sometimes I would feel like I would have an easier time if I had old photos to look back on and say "wow, that's when I looked my best", but as it is, i don't even know what to focus on as a "visual" goal. I set a somewhat arbitrary weight goal, but who knows I might look great well above it, or I still may need to lose after I reach it? Or an arbitrary size goal, but the same thing...sizes are random and I don't know whether I'll be happy at 8 or 10 or want to be a 4 once I get to 8. Anybody else have any thoughts about this?

snoopy63 · 09-22-2003, 02:15 PM

just that i have those exact same thoughts! LOL! i am in the same boat as you..i have always been overweight to some extent..i think i once came within 15 pounds of where i think i should be but got pg and it didnt last long.... i am now about 40 over it and still think i may or maynot have to lose another 10 one i get there - IF i get there!! so yeah - i dont know what i would look like or if i would have to make any adjustments...i dont have any reference pts either....
and yeah about celebs. they dont even look like there pics in the mag...and we try to acheive those looks even though they are real!! frustrating! that is one reaon i am glad i am getting older (40 today!) i dont think i have to worry as much about acheiving a certian look..it think there is less pressure on appearance as you get older but more emphasis on being healthy.....

Froggie98 · 09-22-2003, 04:25 PM

I have been thinking about this a lot lately, too. When I was a 12, I REALLY wanted to be an 8. Then I'd read a magazine that chronicled someone's weight loss- and if they were smaller than I, it would make me feel like I needed to loose more.

I struggled with this for a while, but then I realized that I will NEVER have a perfect body OR a perfect LIFE. I think many of us equate having great bodies with having a perfect life. We see beautiful women on TV who appear to have beautiful lives, and that causes many of us to link the two.

My new goal is to be healthy most of the time. I do still weigh myself everyday to keep things in check. I pig out on the weekends (have been pigging too much lately and gained 2 pounds since Friday!). During the week, I eat only healthy foods and I exercise everyday.

I may not have the perfect body, but it's not worth obsessing over. I think I look good now, and that's a major thing for me- I have ALWAYS thought I was too fat. Dieting made me realize how much I should appreciate the progress I have made in weight and overall health.

Sorry to be long-winded, but I have just recently come to this revelation about my body. It's a good feeling, but I need to remember how hard it was to get here (so that I don't go back!).

Thanks for listening.

------------------
SW 156
CW 125
Goal = MAINTAIN
5'5" Female, 27 yrs. old

happyphantom321 · 09-23-2003, 09:05 AM

Thank god i'm not alone...sometimes i think i'm nuts! Well...maybe I am, but that would make you two nuts too. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/dizzy.gif
Snoopy! Did you have a great b-day?? Yuh know I think I'm coming to the conclusion that the only people that look like celebs bodies, if anyone, are young teenage girls RIGHT after they hit puberty. yuh know? I see a lot of people everyday that look REALLY thin and lean like pictures, but then when I look closer, I realize that I'm looking at the junior high soccor team! Well, I guess we'll have to find out for ourselves what we'll look like, huh? what an adventure http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif
Froggie...I had read some of your other posts a while ago and I just think you are right on. (groovy, rad, 8AM brings our the dork in me...sorry!) But seriously, I think about this a lot because I can't envision myself ever just being happy with my body. So did it just dawn on you one day after you had reached your goal that you really did look good, or did you have to kind of convince yourself? I mean, I'm sure you look great with all the running and everything, but it sure is alot harder to convince yourself. It just seems like such a hard shift to go from how you look to just a healthy lifestyle. And of course we all want to be healthy too, but I just don't think there is any denying that at the pit of wanting to lose weight is wanting to look better and feel attractive, and what to do if that doesn't exactly come with the goal weight? Anyway, once again, I'm ending with no clear point, but I wanted to say thanks to you both for the responses...it always makes things much easier!

Froggie98 · 09-23-2003, 10:13 AM

Happy- It kind of dawned on me... but it also took some convincing. I still don't look perfect- never will. I have the flab on the tummy (if I suck in it's not too noticable

). But I'll ALWAYS have that to some degree.

I think part of my realization has to do with wanting to have a baby. I want to be healthy for that- for during and after pregnancy. I know that, by being thin-ish and healthy now, taking the weight off and keeping my energy up after the baby is born will be easier. I'm not pregnant- not trying until next month probably, but I am already preparing!

Have a good day. Give yourself a hug.