May I whine? (girly body image issues inside!)

[GingerBiscuit]

I have had an... emotinal couple of days.

In short, I am having body image issues. And it's worse, because I know I am being utterly ridiculous and shallow. So here's the sane bit of my brain going 'your bodies fine, not perfect, but who's is? So you've got a curvy bottom. Plenty of guys like it that way. And anyway, it works, doesn't it? It keeps you upright, does it's job? What are you complaining about?'

And here's the rest of it:
'You're such a grotesque fat bitch. You should just wear a sack, save the world from having to see your nauseating pasty wobbling flesh. If you don't the entire world will drown in vomit. How can he want you? How can anyone! Your arse has it's own gravitational field."

Guess which bit is winning right about now?

[crazylegs]

So here's the sane bit of my brain going 'your bodies fine, not perfect, but who's is? So you've got a curvy bottom. Plenty of guys like it that way.

Right, print that bit (what you have written) off and tape it over your monitor, tape it over the top of your mirror (where you can read it).

You ARE an attractive woman, and quite frankly you don't need to be listening to the other part of your brain at all!

[SengaKitty]

Honey, we all have those days, but I agree with crazylegs on this one. Print off the GOOD part, and tape it over your mirror and monitor like he said. And tell yourself that every day. Several times a day if you want to. I have to remind myself every day I'm a beautiful woman and that I'm loved by many people.

[malmalthekiller]

I can definitely understand where you're coming from, especially with my winter weight staring back at me from the mirror.

But you have to remember that people love you the way you are, no matter what you look like. What makes most people beautiful isn't what can be seen with the naked eye.

[JoitheArtist]

*hugs* I know how that goes. Why do you think all my avatars are of my hair and not my face?

Seriously though, you do look fine, and you know it, mostly. Just smack that whiny part around with a salmon for a little while.

[GingerBiscuit]

knowing it and feeling it are two different things.

God damn it brain, why are you insisting this! I look fine!

[crazylegs]

knowing it and feeling it are two different things.

God damn it brain, why are you insisting this! I look fine!

Indeed they are, but a huge amount of feeling it can come from telling yourself it too, so get telling yourself chick!

[wagegoth]

Ask your boyfriend to tell you the same thing at least three times a week. It sounds silly, but even if you know that he's saying it because you asked him to, if he's sincere it still helps a lot.

Besides the only women without a bit of wobble back there are anorexic 16-year-old models or used to be men or have piles of money and a plastic surgeon on speed dial.

[Greenday]

The night I got home from Spring Break, I weighed myself after dinner. It said 196 lbs., which is the most I've ever weighed. That was last Friday night. Today, Wednesday, I weighed myself and I got my weight back down to 185. I was so happy. Then we were going out to dinner today and I put on the jacket my sister gave me for Christmas. Both my mom and my sister told me I can't wear it anymore because my gut shows. FML

[JuniorMintz]

If you're like me, you have the bootie and a rack to match.

Which suits me fine, because I always joke that having both keeps me from tipping me over. Cause you know, "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!"

[BookstoreEscapee]

Your second part sounds like me this afternoon when I was getting ready for the gym. So you're not alone. Sucks, though, don't it?

But I've gotten lots of compliments on my hair the last couple days.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Congratulations, you're lucky.

Part of your brain knows better than to accept the relentless brainwashing we as women are subject to. You're rebelling, going, "I know I look fine!" Even while the other voices are telling you you don't.

So many people never hear that voice. They only hear the brainwashing.

Listen to the first voice, the one telling you it's okay. That voice is the one speaking truthfully.

Check out this site about body image and women. I love this site.

http://www.about-face.org/aau/mission.shtml

[Jester]

Ginger, listen. The fact is you're body's fine. You've got a curvy bottom, and plenty of guys like it that way. What are you complaining about?

Sound familiar? Right. That is sanity speaking. That is rational thought speaking. That is The Facts speaking loud and fucking clear. Open up your mental ear and listen to that.

And while you're doing that, I am going to take that other half of your brain out back and beat it about the head and shoulders with a rusty tire iron I happen to have laying around. And make sure it understands that not only is it to leave you alone, not bother you, not talk to you, not even look at you funny from the other side of the street, but if it doesn't, it is going to have to have another conversation with me, and the next time won't be nearly as polite.

Seriously, this is not just a female issue. This is a HUMAN issue. We all have some kind of self-image issues. Hell, when given the chance, my ego will curl itself into a fetal position with a Bottle of Whine and sob about what a goofy looking dorkazoid I am. And then I'll have a cute redhead flirt with me and make pointed compliments about the quality of my caboose. (This actually happened the other night, thank you very much.) And then that part of my brain that is being such a petulant little shit will get cornholed with a rusty rake and run away screaming, crying and bleeding.

Time to break out your mental rusty rake, kiddo.

[Nyoibo]

Yeah, it's really not just a female issue, but you're at least half way there if part of your brain is telling you good stuff, kick the other half, kick it right in the crotch.

Then tell me how you did it.

[blas]

Think of it this way...at least you have padding to cushion the fall

I try to find a positive thing about stuff about myself I don't like. Even if it's severe.

For instance I have had very bad adult acne for over a year. But it keeps my skin looking younger.

I also think the same way about my oily skin. It's a pain in the ass and a total detriment, but people with oily skin tend to have younger looking skin for much longer.

I have big boobs and a big ass. But most men like that.

I have a big German nose. But my sense of smell will never fail. I can smell cookies a mile away (ok not literally, but you get my drift).