Do you have distorted body image?

[naughtoj]

Hey Nancy! Thanks for missin' me!! Just been thinkin' outside of Cathe box lately....reading books, going to school, absobing new information...but clearly I am still lurking in the shadows! Just don't have as much time to actually reply these days!


All my coworkers are currently talking about all their fat and what diet they want to go on. I looked up their weights on ideal ht/wt charts and they all fall really close to where they should be. Actually, weight wise, I was the fattest and I am the one who works out! Unlike them, it really doesn't bother me. I still have issues, but I think the older I get the better I am getting that it is not all about how you look, health and feeling strong is so much more important. Not being scared to do anything really empowers me. If someone looked at me and said "Hey, lets go rock climbing" I would say "Alright, LETS GO!!". I know so many women that doubt their abilities. Exercise has given me that confidence!!

I think I am going to buy my girlfriends a book on how to better your self esteem/body image. I seriously have been looking for a good book on the topic because as of late I have spoken with so many women whom have this issue. So sad.

Janice

 

[nancy324]

Speaking of distorted body image, has anyone ever watched "What Not To Wear" on TLC? Last night they had a lawyer who was completely convinced that she could not look any more appropriate for her job. She looked like a bag lady or a mental patient. In another episode they had a real estate agent who went to work practically naked every day of her life.

If the women agree, they have to give up their entire wardrobes and are taught how to shop and dress so that they look their best, and are given $5,000 to shop with. The stylists (Stacy & Clinton) are brilliant, and the hair stylist and make-up artist are the best.

They deal with women of every size and shape, and they see the beauty in everyone and accentuate positives you don't even realize are there. It never ceases to amaze me how good people can look if they just know the right shapes, colors and styles for their body types, coloring and facial features.

I'm completely addicted to What Not To Wear. Does anyone else love this show, or is it just me?

-Nancy

 

[Venus]

Absolutely! I still see myself 60 lbs. ago. I still need to lose 37 lbs. so who knows when I'll finally see myself as I am. I don't know why the brain can't shed the old image of ourselves.

 

[Bobbi]

You just have to tell her she wouldn't hate you if she could see the you you see when you see you! LOL! I read something somewhere and the author called that "stinkin' thinkin'". It looks like many of us need to develop exercise programs for our minds, to see ourselves for what we are: Women who kick butt! Work butt? LOL! I know it was all hunky dory when I was in the strength emphasizing phase of the Skinny Fat Plan, but my kicked up cardio phase comes with a dilemma. I still want to lose fat but can't lose any weight because I am staying inside my healthy range and I'm at the low end. So, let's see, you can stand to gain weight but feel funny in a bathing suit and I can't afford to lose weight but think my stomach is titanic, and we're very unhappy with our bods??? Pinky, that's loony! My husband told me last night when I asked for his frank assessment that the belly fat is genetic and I should get over it. Maybe we need to get on What Not To Wear to find out how to accentuate our assets? I can buy a padded bra for starters. Or we can be like R A C H and give our least favorite body parts a really great nickname. I completely love the whole Buddha belly thing. Better still, we can adopts Janice's wonderful and sensible attitude and quit beating ourselves up. I think I'm tired of thinking of myself as a skinny fat woman or having extraordinary self-confidence for a neurotic or is that being extrordinarily neurotic for someone with so much self-condfidence? We can start a body image check in, or a reality check, and just get over it. Start counting blessings instead of calories. I've dealt with anorexia, alcoholism and depression and I'm still here and going strong. I am going to focus on thinking of myself as smart and strong and confident because I AM smart and strong and confident. Maybe we should buy two piece bathing suits this summer! Maybe not! LOL!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"