Body Image

[Eric Northman 16522]

I think I'm starting to understand how things like anorexia, plastic surgery obsessions, excessive tanning, extreme body building, etc. come about.

 

I've tended to be a little bigger most of my life. I'm tall so I get away with it but I've tended to carry a bit more weight than perhaps would be considered optimal. This year I decided to exercise a bit more and eat a bit less and have lost around 20 pounds from my 'typical' weight.

 

At first, I found myself admiring my flat stomach and feeling very good about how loose my pants were and such but it seems that over time you start to adjust to your new 'baseline'. You look at yourself and still see things. A bit of a love-handle or whatever. You weigh yourself every day and see that you're still the same weight but when you look in the mirror, instead of liking what you see, you again become critical. You want to work out more, eat less, get fitter, more toned, etc.

 

In theory I haven't changed over the last couple months, at least as far as the scale is concerned. But what I see in the mirror has changed. So I imagine this must be what it's like for people who have unhealthy obsessions with their appearance. No matter how much you do, you're always going to find new things to be unhappy with, things that you would like to change or improve. Kind of like those

that were posted here before. We're always own own worst critics.

 

I know it's just my mind playing tricks on me but it's a powerful effect. I can see how some people would fall under its spell. I know what it's doing though, this little nagging voice in my head, so I'm going to try to just keep eating well and exercising normally and not let it take hold of me.

 

Remember people. Be comfortable in your own skin. You're probably more beautiful than you think you are.

[Hoppinhorny 1219]

Very well sai! I'm the opposite end of the spectrum, have always been very thin. And it's very difficult for me to add weight.

 

One thing I told an ex of mine, is to not obsessed with the number on the scale. Especially when you start working out and so on. You'll burn off a lot of water and drop weight fast, but then once the muscle starts to really build up, that number may start rising again.

 

It's more about the view/image (and everyone prefers something different) than any number some bathroom scale will show.