Monday, 31 October 2011
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Body Image Issues: So You Think You're Fat
Fat is an ugly word. So let’s start by doing away with it altogether. If you think you’re a little too curvy first take notice of the things you have that skinny chicks often don’t, and then work to improve those assets. Odds are you have a booty, you have a voluptuous chest, you have big beautiful hips or you have all three. Everyone has their problem areas, but you have all the ingredients for bombshell sex appeal. Once you come to realize that, the trick is to minimize the areas that might take away from maximizing others.
Fashion: I’m not going to tell you to look like you’re going to a funeral everyday, because that doesn’t make you or anyone else happy. What I will say is to wear tops and especially dresses that accentuate your waist line. Stop Staring is one of my absolute favorite sites for women with boyish or slender bodies, and girls with some curves because the dresses make you look tapered and bodacious in all the right places.
Another great trick is to wear a V-neck that will elongate your neck making you appear slimmer from the chest up. And the biggest trick of all, tailor your clothes because it’s worth it-- even if it’s just a few of your favorite outfits. An ensemble that looks like it was made for you because it was made for you will always make every girl look her best.
Exercise: Cardiovascular exercise is so important, so is eating healthy. We all know this, but it’s also important for everyone to have some muscle in their body. Strength training is the perfect complement to the results cardio exercise will provide. Once you start shedding pounds while building lean muscle, you’ll start to see definition in places you never imagined. Your waist will shrink, your thighs will be toned, and your arms will be leaner and shapelier -- in a good way.
If you hate the hell out of cardio, or exercise in general, figure out a way to make it fun. Pick up a hobby with a friend who has the same goals and motivation, start hiking or rock climbing and fit strength training in every other day. Try focusing only on certain body parts each training day, for example, do legs one day and arms another day -- whatever combination is best for you and your body.
Nutrition: One expression that can't be disputed regarding nutrition and weight loss is that abs start in the kitchen. If you're not eating healthy, you wont see results from all that working out you do. What I will say is this: If you're working out, you get to eat more. Yes, I said more. You must do this in order to fuel your body in the right way to support and build lean muscle, tighten up and shed the pounds. However, what you put into your body cannot be disgusting crap with zero nutritional value. Instead of stuffing your face with whatever the hell you can get your hands on two or three times a day and overeating because you've starved yourself, eat five to six times a day -- that's three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and two to three small meals or snacks in between. I recommend replacing one of those two to three snacks with a healthy, drinkable substitute like whey protein. Or try a delicious weight loss product I love called Shakeology, which will not only help you lower the number that appears on the scale but also improve your health overall.
Elective surgery and cosmetic treatments: Once, and only once you've absolutely exhausted all other options and you're still not achieving the results you'd like, do you even consider talking with your doctor about a surgery or costly procedure to resolve unwanted fat. There are plenty of areas on my body I'd like to stab into and suck the fat out of, but I know that if I continue to work hard at the gym and eat right, I can improve whatever pocket that late night slice of pizza has settled into. In regard to cosmetic surgeries, I will never ever tell a woman what is or is not right for her and her body, but I will say that she should first be fully committed to improving herself through all noninvasive means necessary before contemplating having a surgical procedure.
How many of you aren't happy about your weight and are working hard right now to improve it? To those of you who have given yourself a body makeover through fashion, exercise and diet please share some of your own inspiring thoughts or tips!
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- From: LeaK
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Comments (25)
My best way to lose weight was to exercise. And I feel more confident when I wear high heels, because it makes me look slimmer
I often eat until I'm about 60-75% full depending on which meal and now I can't eat a lot even if I wanted to because I'll feel bloated and can't fit anymore food into my small stomach that has developed a habit of feeling full when I've eaten a certain amount of food/drinks. I usually eat fish or lean cuts of meat. I don't withhold junk foods-still eat those, but in small portions. that's how I personally maintain my thinness.
Sigh, I'm so tired of these posts. Every woman has a different body shape and every woman is beautiful no matter what that shape is. Enough with the "fat" and "skinny" posts already.
Replacing "fat" with "curvy" doesn't really do anything other than give negative connotations to a new word.
Also, half of these tips are common sense if you want good health, which should be the priority not if you're too fat or too skinny.
I'm really fed up with all these posts about body image. People are always going to have hang ups about their bodies and people are always going to get offended by people saying whatever they do. Let's find some new material.
I think there is good use for the body image posts. If I can learn how to be completely happy with my looks, other people can too. It's all a matter of mental conditioning.
@MissAshley - I agree!
"Fat" is not "curvy". I am curvy and I fight daily not to be fat. It took me a long time to accept my curves and I appreciate posts that support both mind and body.
I like this post. Its not focusing all on bashing people of opposite weight extremes.
@her_phantasmagoria@xanga - The fact is, this is without a doubt, a commonly discussed and written about topic, but with all the negativity surrounded by the topic of weight, socially and in the media, sometimes it's important to be supportive of other women, and reiterate that no matter what their size or insecurity, they're beautiful, and women should have each others backs. Some of us need to be reminded of that every once in a while.
@LeaK - I don't recall really stating that you shouldn't be supportive of other women. I don't really recall stating anything in opposition to your response, actually. So I'm not really sure why you're telling me any of this.
Exercise is def the best way to feel better about yourself *and* look better - I just wish I could make myself get off my lazy butt and go for a jog!
I don't think I will ever be happy with my body or weight. It is a combination of my past with an eating disorder and bdy dysmorphic disorder. I know that I will never meet my standards of beautiful and I will always be repulsed by the way I look. I had t learn that my perception about myself is warped and I shouldn't let it be the controlling factor in my life. Having realistic expectation was the biggest part in me starting to gain a positive body image.
Eating vegan. I get to eat however much I want to of only good, whole, healthy foods with an actual taste, and I've got a ton of energy. I don't get to exercise as much as I'd like because of my busy schedule, but eating vegan helps keep the weight down anyway. I walk a lot because of school and work, but that's about it.
Not to mention, I've had repulsive acne all over my forehead for years and years, and it's pretty much completely clear now.
I pretty much recommend a mostly raw vegan diet for everybody.
@Erika_Steele@xanga - Thank you so much for sharing that. BDD is a struggle I've heard a lot about, I think so many of us have it in varying degrees at times and it's so important to tell a person that he or she is beautiful, because all of us neglect to or are unable to see ourselves clearly and as simply as others do. If I see a girl with beautiful hair, eyes, legs, smile, you name it, I try to always point it out. i always get this shocked look followed by a smile that says, you just made my day. I think we all need to remember to do that for one another :) thanks for your post girl!
@hotteayummy@xanga - I've thought about going vegan before. Do you feel amazing? Do you miss the other stuff? I recently read the book "Skinny Bitch" and it had me in tears about my diet, which I considered to be healthy and cruelty free at the time. It definitely had me thinking about going vegan, i just wish i knew how to stick to it!
I'm trying to gain weight while being lean. So far I've lost weight and become un-lean... =/ UGHHHH.
@LeaK - Yes and no! In that order. I used to have pretty big eating issues. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I had an eating disorder, but I was pretty obsessed with food. Like, when I wasn't eating I was thinking about eating, and when I was eating I was completely over-stuffing myself. I sort of had to teach myself how to get out of that habit, and I'm not perfect lol. I'm also by no means a picky eater, which made it easier.
I suppose just focusing on the things you can eat instead of the things you can't eat helps a bunch, too. Like, you don't have to eat a salad for every meal, yano?
Blah! I've been meaning to read Skinny Bitch! I'm gonna have to pick it up sometime soon.
welp, imma start m' diet as soon as McRib season is over in 15 days
@hotteayummy@xanga - I used to be the same way! I was so small that eating often and a lot was like my own parlor tric, but alas it did catch up with me, so that had to end. But that's a great way to look at things. What you can eat rather than wha tyou can't. Skinny Bitch really gives it to you, I wont' drink a glass of milk to this day because of that book, if you asked me to chug a glass of milk I'd start gagging at the thought of it. And the horrible cruelty toward animals discussed in the book is just horrifying. Definitely a informative read!
@At_Sixes_And_Sevens@xanga - hilarious!
I've gained 2 kg since september, and it's hard for me, even if it's so stupid since nobody saw it except myself !
I can't exercice enough (during summer, I make a treck so 45hours hiking a week, now it's more like 30minutes a day... not enough), and I have too much work to pay attention to what I eat... Hopefully (to my personal mind), I'm still slim and have good habits concerning food (vegan, it helps a lot). Having a good and healthy way of living is the key. Hard to keep, but that's it.
my best way to feel confident is to exercise, i have a program on my page that i update every SINGLE day with recipes and workouts that take less than 30 minutes. these workouts help boost my endorphins and my confidence, and also, my butt never looked better
Brilliant - another post encouraging abuse of the word curvy.
Seriously - from someone who is ACTUALLY curvy - just stop. I'm really sick of people assuming I'm overweight or obese when I describe myself as 'curvy'.
Calling your overweight body 'curvy' is obnoxious, it's misleading... and it doesn't make you look any different to anyone around you. I'm not saying if you think you can loose a few pounds you should be using the word 'fat'... but ffs. Can we choose a word that FITS?
euphemisms are overrated. fat is fat.