Topic: Body/Self Image (Read 51278 times)

Barmymoo · « **Reply #200 on:** 21 May 2008, 10:56 »

I know where you're coming from, Katie, because people (including me) worry a lot about things they can't do much about or are over-exaggerating in their mind.

I really love How To Look Good Naked because it teaches people to love themselves without changing a single thing except their attitude towards their body. We should all have a Gok of our own.

Scrambled Egg Machine · « **Reply #201 on:** 21 May 2008, 14:08 »

Even as a fairly confident individual, I do not have a good self image. Picture me: square head, close cropped blond hair, red stubble, green eyes, and then just freckles and zits. Combine this face with a knobbly five foot eight inch hight, and add teen slacker uniform. Devastatingly ugly.The glasses do not help. I'll try to find a photo, but don't hold your breath.

Sox · « **Reply #202 on:** 21 May 2008, 14:12 »

my self image is good. I like my body. I just sorta am disappointed with the state it's in, I should take better care of it. I'm extremely pleased with my naked body too.

Patrick · « **Reply #203 on:** 26 May 2008, 17:28 »

Quote from: calenlass on 21 May 2008, 08:48

Plus, I always feel like I will come across as a vain cock because even when I was an underweight, dorky ballet-dancing, marching band nerdy, shortest-in-the-class pre-teen I never had any self-image issues.

This necropost is entirely useless and doesn't contribute to anything but Katie's already massive ego, but Katie, this is because you are SHIT HOT.

ampersandwitch · « **Reply #204 on:** 26 May 2008, 17:38 »

Quote from: Barmymoo on 21 May 2008, 10:56

Gok

Oh my god it's the British analog to Carson Kressley, who does the show in America. Eerie.

RedLion · « **Reply #205 on:** 26 May 2008, 21:00 »

5 days? Hardly a necropost.

Rolling20s · « **Reply #206 on:** 30 May 2008, 13:23 »

My self image tends to be all over the place. I'm pretty tall (6'5") and for a good while, I tipped the scales at a whopping 165lbs. I'm now around 180lbs, and generally happy with how I look, but I still hate my hair most of the time, and I have a perpetual fear (bordering on paranoid obsession) about getting a gut as I get older.

All the guys in my family are tall-ish, and all of them (my Dad through my uncles) have the guy-looking-preggers gut. My whole life, I've been told that my metabolism will only last until I'm 30. So I obsess. The problem is, I don't do enough to combat it, so as with most people and self image stuff, I'm my own worst enemy. The thing is, I've got a 32" waist, and there's no reason I should be be this worried about something I can prevent. I guess having had crappy self-esteem all through high school and most of college just made it harder. I've dealt with most of the residual crap, but I get these odd surges of near-loathing or self-pity for no reason.

Anyway, I generally like my looks and my body. They always could be better, but I try to be content because I really have no reason to not be. Plus, if things go south and I get fat and sloppy, I really only have myself to blame. I can (reasonably) control my diet and my lifestyle, so if I'm not happy with how I look, I need to do something about it. If I don't do anything about it, I must be pretty comfortable with it.

Leonidas · « **Reply #207 on:** 01 Jun 2008, 16:13 »

My self image has been quite poor recently, and as such it's really hit my confidence.

The fact is that I know I look a perfectly normal guy. I'm not fat, I'm not skinny, I'm just me, and I probably shouldn't have such an issue with myself as I do. I simply have an daft view of myself or of what I should be.

A few years ago I was a bit of a machine. I was training hard every day for no other reason than the joy of it. if I wasn't in the gym lifting weights or boxing training I was out running 10ks in 35 minutes. As such I admit I looked good. I was lean and broad shouldered with big arms and the six pack to go. I admit that it was exceptionally vain but I loved looking the way I did. It's a bonus from working hard.

Two - three years back though, for a reason I have no idea of, I started to become lazy and let it all slip away. I don't have a bad diet (other than too much of a sweet tooth) and I don't drink a lot of alcohol but with the lack of training and too much chocolate I have lost what I once had. Now I feel I have too much weight around the middle and I feel uncomfortable in my own skin. It's a horrible feeling to not really like yourself like this.

Then there's the issue of always feeling a little akward. As a few people have said, they grew up as teeneagers feeling uncomfortable and akward in their own skin, and as a result have carried that feeling onto into later life. I'm another one in the same position. Akward as a teenager and never very sure of myself, having lost that huge confidence boost I got in my early twenties when I got into serious training I've reverted back into being quite shy and wanting to play the "grey man". I'm also another one who hates to see themselves in photographs. I know I've been told I'm a handsome guy before, but I can't see it when I see myself in pictures. I see someone who looks out of place and akward. One of the main reasons of why there have been very few pictures of me ever posted on the boards. Because I don't often let myself be photographed, and when I am I see a guy with an akward smile and bad hair. Overly critical indeed, but I would love to have that easy confidence some have in front of a camera.

The solution? Well I've just spent a fair bit of cash building a weights room in my garage to get back into weight lifting. I'm also planning on getting back into team sports by re-joining the rugby team I used to play for, once I've built up a good base layed of fitness over the summer. However, having broad shoulders and a flat stomach I admit is a bit of a false confidence. Believing that you are looking good does do a lot for your self esteem, but it doesn't change you as a person and how you really feel about yourself. Still, after having that false confidence before I'm quite keen to have it back.

pig nash · « **Reply #208 on:** 01 Jun 2008, 20:21 »

I'm a 19 year old male. I am 5'11 3/4" (six foot with socks on I like to say) and 180/85 pounds. I have brown hair, though my beard grows in a bit more on the red side. I'm pretty much the definition of average looking but I like to think I make up for it with my sense of humor and sheer perseverance.

I could stand to lose a few pounds and I probably will now that I'm running more. I eat more though because of the running, and the not smoking. I have a beautiful girlfriend who I love and who loves me for who I am, even how I look. I dress fairly plainly because I don't have the kind of job where I need to dress up very often so I mostly where comfortable clothing.

As far as personality goes, I have pretty thick skin because literally everyone I grew up with is a sarcastic son of a bitch. My parents, my parent's friends, and their kids too. In our circle if we made fun of you it was because we liked you. We're polite to strangers and people we don't like. As such, I'm pretty sarcastic. I try not to let situations ever be too serious because life is too short to be serious. I do care about stuff but I'd rather be arguing for or against something or making fun of it then just stating that I care about it.

That's pretty much it, I don't think about this kind of thing too often.

Eli · « **Reply #209 on:** 02 Jun 2008, 08:28 »

I totally agree with the idea presented pages back that having someone attracted to you helps greatly.
My flaws, in my opinion, are that I look like I only have half of both eyebrows because they turn blond after half, short eyelashes, and big feet for such a short girl (I'm 5'0" with size ten feet). Plus, I have stretch marks on my thighs. Those don't bother me too much for some reason. I guess because they're rarely ever pointed out anymore.
Thankfully, I've never had acne, just a pimple or two every once in awhile. I have an hourglass figure that I like and if I could succeed in making my stomach a little flatter and my bum a little smaller, I think I'd be pretty much happy with myself. However, if I didn't have a boyfriend who loved the way I looked, I probably wouldn't feel this way. It really helps to have someone tell you you're pretty even when you first wake up or you haven't dressed up.
I'm 120 and trying to lose 5 to 10 more pounds. I look healthy and I'm fitter than I have been since I was maybe 10 because I walk and hike a lot more since I moved. I also eat healthier and since my boyfriend's family doesn't buy many snack foods, I don't snack between meals unless it's an apple or something.

RedLion · « **Reply #210 on:** 02 Jun 2008, 21:11 »

Christ I hate being short.

ackblom12 · « **Reply #211 on:** 02 Jun 2008, 21:40 »

I was completely awkward and not self confident at all during most of my life, and then I hit 20 or so and i suddenly realized I was being a dumb shit. I mean, I'm not amazingly good looking, I'm 5'10" and went from 135 lb and a 28 inch waist to 220 - 230lb and a 40 inch waist (which I wouldn't mind trimming down) and I'm at a fairly dead end job for the time being.

The only thing about me that I find really irritating is my complete inability to have spur of the moment conversation or answer questions in things like job interviews without feeling like a total putz and me being terribly lazy. Otherwise, I feel like I am A OK!

frullic · « **Reply #212 on:** 02 Jun 2008, 21:55 »

I'm your standard 16 year old dark hair short and skinny acne prone geek with issues. There I said it.

Lunchbox · « **Reply #213 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 06:10 »

Sounds like me at sixteen.

tania · « **Reply #214 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 06:51 »

the thing about being a teenager is you have to constantly remind yourself that it's actually your brain that is going nuts and shooting hormones all over the place telling you to feel ugly and awkward. it sounds like the lamest and most unsympathetic advice ever but you really just gotta wait a few years and push through to adulthood. for most people, things get a lot better really suddenly and you don't even gotta do nothing. it really is 90% hormones.

B!shop · « **Reply #215 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 06:56 »

In agreeance with above.

It also helps so you don't occasionally still have crippling self doubt! Speaking from experience here kids.

0bsessions · « **Reply #216 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 11:44 »

That and the fact you're a teenager in general, Tania.

Honestly, in retrospect, I was a teenager with boundless attractiveness potential, but I didn't know what the fuck to do with myself. I totally screwed the pooch by growing my hair out about a foot and a half and growing one of those ugly sloppy goatee things. You know? The ones that all the teenage guys with foot and a half long hair who wear band shirts grew?

I wasn't genetically unattractive, but not for lack of trying.

frullic · « **Reply #217 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 18:38 »

friggin hormones

tania · « **Reply #218 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 20:16 »

i couldn't find any pictures of me at the pinnacle of adolescent awkwardness, i think maybe i'm about 13 in this one. just add terrible acne and dyed hair to this photo and you've got it.

DO YOU SEE, THERE IS HOPE FOR EVERYONE

EVEN ME

EVEN YOU

jhocking · « **Reply #219 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 23:45 »

Quote from: ephemere on 04 Jun 2008, 20:16

pic

At first glance, I thought your shirt says "ABORTION."

ADDITION: Does it say SNORTING? It's kind of amusing coming up with words that'd fit the letter tops visible in the picture.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #220 on:** 04 Jun 2008, 23:46 »

Tania likes Coheed and Cambria, so there's some part of a 15 year old still within her.

tania · « **Reply #221 on:** 05 Jun 2008, 05:27 »

i don't! i saw the light! i am a real grown up now!

joe i think it says sporting but i can't really remember that far back.

tania · « **Reply #222 on:** 05 Jun 2008, 06:58 »

whoa i just realized that picture i posted is probably the only one i have with my real eyebrows in it.

Nodaisho · « **Reply #223 on:** 05 Jun 2008, 13:34 »

Quote from: Sam on 04 Jun 2008, 22:11

or my narrow shoulders

Hah, I feel your pain. I almost always wear a duster coat, and it has cords to tighten around the waist, but I can't tighten it down or it becomes obvious that my waist is wider than my shoulders, I looked at myself in a mirror with it tightened down and my first thought was "Holy shit, I look like a woman". Sadly, I appear to have gotten my bones from my mother's side, rather than my father's, he looks like a linebacker. Other than that and my eyebrows (got my grandfather's caterpillar brows), I don't really have anything to complain about, I am reasonably tall, have no difficulty keeping off weight, I have acne but I keep it off pretty well, and that is to be expected at 16. I can't grow a beard, but that is just a teenage thing as well, both sides of my family have thick facial hair. I think that confidence does change how you look quite a bit, I used to have a buzz cut (saved me combing in the morning when I was rushing to get to school) and wear just whatever somebody bought me, now I have gotten confident enough to actually pick clothes that I like the look of (aforementioned coat, drivers cap, combat boots, band T-shirts), I like the way I look a lot better.

Barmymoo · « **Reply #224 on:** 05 Jun 2008, 13:44 »

I pluck my eyebrows pretty fiercely, although I try not to make them too ridiculously thin. I went a bit overboard last time, and now my right one is pretty much just one hair thick at the tapering end, but it'll grow back. It's probably the only thing I feel is more of a compulsion than a choice; when I'm stressed I pluck my eyebrows and sometimes my eyelashes. It hurts, and looks stupid.

spidergland · « **Reply #225 on:** 05 Jun 2008, 13:56 »

Quote from: tommydski on 05 Jun 2008, 06:45

Remember when girls had long hair? What was all that about?

I don't believe you. You're a liar.

I used to have a terrible body image, but I'm over that now. I just save all distain for myself as a person now. Even my house mate was surprised by the amount I could absolutely and genuinely tear into myself for the stupidest reasons. As time is going though, this is calming down, I'm sure its just about learning to be comfortable with yourself, work yourself out. Today was awkward though. A friend broke up with her down-right-despicable boyfriend and was asking about how I dealt with the end of my last less-than-perfect relationship. Of course, my new found maturity is post-break up and I didn't really want to tell her 'oh, I drank an awful lot and felt worthless most days', 'cause she looked like she needed cheering up.

Things are great now though! Huzzah

Quote from: Barmymoo on 05 Jun 2008, 13:44

...and sometimes my eyelashes. It hurts, and looks stupid.

Waitaminute! your eyelashes? ouch...

Nodaisho · « **Reply #226 on:** 05 Jun 2008, 14:53 »

Haven't you ever pulled at your eyelashes when one was getting in your eye? Or when one was falling out? It wouldn't be pleasant, but it doesn't hurt bad.

spidergland · « **Reply #227 on:** 05 Jun 2008, 14:55 »

Nah, I'm quite weird when it comes to my eyes, but if it doesn't hurt too much I'll take your word for it. Just would freak me out is all.

Barmymoo · « **Reply #228 on:** 07 Jun 2008, 09:06 »

Body image thread, why have I suddenly taken to hating my body? I never used to feel like this.

I was shopping for clothes today and had to admit to myself that stopping exercising regularly has had an effect on my stomach. That's easily dealt with, I'll just start again. But I can't do much about the stretch marks that are steadily taking over my skin, or the fact that I've reached a point where I can only buy bras from specialist shops because my breasts bloody well won't stop growing. I bought my last set of bras at Easter, and now I've grown out of them so much that there's very little point wearing them any more.

Basically what I am saying is, who will pay for my breast reduction and dermatologist?

Aimless · « **Reply #229 on:** 07 Jun 2008, 12:47 »

Bloody stretch-marks, what can one do about them?! They're a most unwelcome reminder of a most unpleasant time, for me.

Lunchbox · « **Reply #230 on:** 07 Jun 2008, 22:58 »

Can't do anything about 'em really. You can't prevent them very well, you can't get rid of them very well. They fade over time and you get used to 'em.

Jimmy the Squid · « **Reply #231 on:** 07 Jun 2008, 23:22 »

I actually don't mind my stretch marks that much but that is mainly because if you don't think about them too much they just look like oddly placed scars. In fact when a friend of mine saw me without a shirt on in highschool (about 5 months after I started hitting the gym really hard) she got all excited because she has a thing for scars and thought I had awesome ones across my chest. I didn't bother to correct her.

Patrick · « **Reply #232 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 02:56 »

My self image spiked when a cute girl who vaguely remembered me from last year decided to make out with me for no other reason than she thought I was hellof cute. It spiked again today when like 6 of my customers told me to tell my mama that she did a good job with me.

Also, Squiddy, if you're getting stretch marks from buffing up, I don't think you have anything to worry about in regards to them marring your appearance.

Jimmy the Squid · « **Reply #233 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 03:25 »

Ah, but now they are also on my tummy! This is not because I have wicked abs but because I really enjoy pizza. My point about the looking like weird scars still stands though.

tania · « **Reply #234 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 07:50 »

one of my resolutions this year was to seriously, absolutely, with complete commitment put myself on a diet and seriously, absolutely, with complete commitment exercise at least three times a week. this isn't the kind of thing where i'm insecure or trying to starve myself because i want to lose weight or anything. i've always been pretty small, but i just wanted to actually look and feel really okay about my body. like, make myself work for it or something. it's been almost six months now and miraculously i've managed to keep this up and as a result, this is one of the first times in my life where i've been really happy with how i look and feel. it's weird, i mean i've probably gotten only a little bit leaner since i am a pretty tiny lady by default but putting myself on this regime has just really helped clear up my head and i feel really... accomplished i guess? it's awesome.

i was talking to my housemate about this and we got on the topic of how fatness really is an epidemic, because it's very, very hard to try to be healthy when all your friends aren't. if they want to order a pizza you can not be that guy who says, it's okay, i'll have a salad instead. it just isn't acceptable. it's very bizarre how in north america we have these conflicting messages in the media everywhere (for women, at least) going between YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT, YOU NEED TO BE BEAUTIFUL and DON'T LET THE MEDIA PUSH YOU AROUND, EMBRACE YOUR CURVES. i mean, it gets to a point where basically the only thing that is acceptable is to be one of those girls who can eat whatever she wants and have a high enough metabolism that she stays skinny which is retarded because most people aren't like that. you either eat whatever you want and get fat, or you make an effort to eat healthy and stay fit. technically i'm on a diet because there's a lot of food i don't let myself eat anymore, and that word just makes people recoil automatically but really i feel awesome and clear headed so i don't get what the big deal is. maybe it's one of those things where the culture is just obsessed with always getting everything they want. who knows?

Lines · « **Reply #235 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 08:02 »

I mean, I'm kind of glad that people are doing the embrace your curves thing, because it's better for a girl's self-esteem than YOU MUST BE THINTHINTHIN is, but I think people striving to be healthy is better. Even if people can eat whatever they want and stay thin, they can still be rather unhealthy. Getting in shape and being healthier is my goal right now, as I want to be as healthy as possible while I'm stuck without health insurance.

I need to find this book by this guy who was on the news (I forget his name) about how it's possible to eat healthier on a limited budget, as not everyone can afford organic. It was a really interesting interview and I really need to find out what his name is...

Edit: It's In the Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan.

Sox · « **Reply #236 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 08:14 »

I have stretch marks on my thighs and knees. I've always been consistently skinny though. I figure it's because maybe I grew taller in such a short space of time or something.

Barmymoo · « **Reply #237 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 08:17 »

The biggest problem I have with food is my mother. She has a really fast metabolism and does a lot of gardening and as a result is permanently hungry, and although she's constantly nagging me to do more exercise she has no qualms about offering and cooking me lots of food I don't need. Resisting it is hard, although today I managed to stick to not eating the enormous lunch she was about to cook on the grounds that I wasn't hungry and had only just eaten breakfast.

Other than cycling and swimming, what sort of one-person sport counts as cardio-whateveritwas? I guess running, I'm not fond of running alone but I guess the dog might like to come too. Anything more fun?

tania · « **Reply #238 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 08:23 »

i usually just walk and run everywhere, which is pretty good as far as cardio goes. lately i've actually started skipping rope which is a fantastic workout. also, boxers do it so you don't gotta feel girly or nothing. just think of rocky.

Barmymoo · « **Reply #239 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 08:38 »

SKIPPING man I love doing that, that's a brilliant idea.

calenlass · « **Reply #240 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 09:42 »

I got stretch marks on the inside of both boobs (on the cleavage side, if I had cleavage) sometime in early 2006, about a year after I went on the Pill. I would have thought that if my boobs were going to get bigger because of the Pill, they would have done so within the first four or five months after I started it. The other thing is that my boobs didn't actually get bigger when the stretch marks showed up; my bras all fit the same, and I didn't change sizes when I shopped for new ones. They bothered me a lot for a while until I realised that some people have them a lot worse and most people don't notice them at all anyway. They are rather fainter now, too, so much that I don't even see them most days.

So that is my story about this one time when I had something about my body I didn't really like! Hooray!

Dimmukane · « **Reply #241 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 10:04 »

I also read somewhere that doing the Wii Boxing that came in Wii Sports for half an hour burns more calories than jogging for half an hour. I tried it, it seems to be true.

onewheelwizzard · « **Reply #242 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 10:08 »

It probably burns a lot more calories than actually just hitting a punching bag for a half hour, too. Since it's a video game, you're constantly in high-tension twitch mode, and just relaxing and flowing into the exercise doesn't happen as easily because you're always reacting to something. It probably takes a lot more energy just because of that.

I always notice being way way more tired after a Wii Boxing match or 5 than I theoretically should be given the amount of movement I just did.

Elizzybeth · « **Reply #243 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 11:52 »

I got Wii Fit about a week ago, and it's pretty cool, guys... as you workout, you earn fitness credits, which are equivalent to minutes working out. When you get enough fitness credits, you unlock more games (or aerobics moves, or yoga poses, or whatever section you're in). There's also a jogging portion, where you can race against a friend--it's virtual reality, f'reals! You don't even need to be standing on the balance board or anything!

Anyway, that combined with the fact that I got a gym membership two weeks ago (and I'm actually going regularly) means that maybe I'll be in good shape again for the first time since middle school.

Barmymoo · « **Reply #244 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 13:30 »

I'm extremely scornful of Wii Sports in the same way that I was scornful of MP3 players until recently... meaning that I'm insanely jealous of anyone who has one and wish I did. Do they really work as well as the adverts claim?

Lines · « **Reply #245 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 13:38 »

Yep. I can feel it in my arms after I've done the boxing part and tennis as well.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #246 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 14:07 »

With Wii Sports, you really get out what you put in. You can exert yourself as much or as little as you want with any of the games.

Patrick · « **Reply #247 on:** 08 Jun 2008, 22:53 »

You will look like an idiot playing those games with weights attached to your wrists, but damned if it wouldn't be worth it to be ridiculed every time you played with a friend.

tania · « **Reply #248 on:** 09 Jun 2008, 05:19 »

wii boxing is interesting to me because it's essentially a complete role reversal for you and your little video game character. like, in most fighting games you're pretty much sitting there pushing buttons once in a while and meanwhile your guy jumps all over the place doing flip kicks and shooting fireballs and ripping off heads and all kinds of crazy shit. this time it's like, you're the one waving your arms all over the place and screaming and threatening to kill your friends while all your little guy does is punch the other guy once in a while.

that's how i play anyway.

Lines · « **Reply #249 on:** 09 Jun 2008, 06:21 »

I think one of my favorite moves in Wii Boxing is to point both of your controllers outwards, because then your character does the "bring it" pose (or I think that's what it looks like). I use this to taunt who I'm boxing (and usually do so verbally as well) and then punch them in the face.

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Author Topic: Body/Self Image (Read 51278 times)

ackblom12

B!shop