CarrieO
Posts: 2432
Joined: 1/27/2008 Status: offline
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ORIGINAL: barelynangel On another note to me the operative is being comfortable with yourself. Like Carrie explained, if you aren't comfortable with yourself no one else will be either. I am not and never have been comfortable with my weight and being out of shape so for me to be comfortable, i need to find that sweet spot of what i deem being in shape and beautiful. Until i do, i will contimue to remain in turmoil. I can never use the number on the scale as my dictator due to my body loves muscle and being 5'10 i have always been when at my ultimum between 165 and 175 because of the muscle on my body even though i look smaller and am smaller than what i weigh when at my ultimum. My issue is simple, if i accept myself as i am not, i will have no real motivating factor to change it, so since i am unhappy with it, eentually i will get tired enough of it to do something about it. I always hear you have to accept yourself as you are now -- and i am like umm why lol. I can see if you are happy with yourself sure why not, but how do you accept yourself when you are unhappy with yourself? It boggles my mind lol. angel Good morning Angel, I wish I could say there was a magic or instant way of developing body acceptance but, there isn't. It took me years of dealing with a mother who put me on a diet at the age of 10 because I had put on weight and she didn't want me to not be able to attract a husband. She failed to look at the reason why I was gaining which had to do with abuse issues (denial is a powerful thing) that I won't go into detail here. This carried over to high school where I DID NOT fit in at all and my size wasn't the only reason...but it was an easy one for people to focus on. As I got older and discovered boys, I also discovered that many weren't comfortable enough to date outside of society's accepted image of the "perfect girlfriend". Fast forward to my 30's, where I finally started to make peace with my self and my body. When I developed diabetes and realized I needed to actually listen to and learn my body...only then did I start to take the time and discover the physical ME. I started to get into yoga and did things like get manicures and spa treatments. I got full body massages and did lots of reading on the subject of body image and body dysmorphic disorder. I remember attending a weekend retreat in NYC a couple years ago where myself and a group of women got together to discuss these topics along with self-acceptance, self-pleasure and becoming self-aware. One of the activities we did involved disrobing and standing in front of the group while looking in a mirror and coming up with 10 positive things about our bodies. Then we would turn to the group and allow others to make positive comments and say "thank you" after each comment. I was shocked at how loving and nurturing these total strangers were to me and everyone else, this group of women that came in every shape/size/color/age....it was a life changing moment. What I took from this experience was not only to be loving to myself but to others. I can't expect everyone to love and accept me..fat and all...I can expect to love and support myself because in the end...I'm all I have. I love myself by caring for my body and it's health...no one else can do that but me. I accept my imperfections because if I don't, it causes harm to me and if I love myself why would I cause me harm? I honor my body and all it's been through...numerous surgeries and health problems...because, while others may not see the beauty...I do everytime I take a step on my reconstructed but "claw-like" feet...they aren't perfect but I'm thankful to have them. I'm grateful for all my body can do because I've been in a place of not being able to take a step without feeling pain...or not feeling pain because of neuropathy and causing damage which leads to not being able to walk. I've learned that accepting myself "as I am" is less about settling and more able wanting to maintain health because I deserve it.
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"No matter what happens in the kitchen, never apologize"~Julia Child~
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