Regarding these "plus size models" that kill my esteem..

2

Replies

  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    I honestly find the opposite to be true. I inputed for my goal weight and I honestly think those chicks are lying about their weight. It actually has me worried that I still won't be happy at my goal weight.
  • bookyeti
    bookyeti Posts: 544 Member
    I found that I felt better when I stopped comparing myself to everyone else. I'm 5'4" and around 145-150lbs. I used to find myself getting pretty depressed when I would see women on this site who were starting at 150lbs because they looked "fat" and "horrible". What the heck? I was happy as heck to be 150lbs and these women think they look horrible at that weight? What must they think of me - having it be my GOAL weight?

    Then one day I woke up and realized that I didn't care what anyone else wanted to do. I didn't care what their goal weight was - all I cared about was the fact that *I* had achieved my goal and have been maintaining it for almost 2 years. Some people may think I'm chubby or even fat, but I don't care. *I* like what I see in the mirror.

    Focus on loving you and forget what everyone else is doing.
    Couldn't have put it better! :)
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
    I found that I felt better when I stopped comparing myself to everyone else. I'm 5'4" and around 145-150lbs. I used to find myself getting pretty depressed when I would see women on this site who were starting at 150lbs because they looked "fat" and "horrible". What the heck? I was happy as heck to be 150lbs and these women think they look horrible at that weight? What must they think of me - having it be my GOAL weight?

    Then one day I woke up and realized that I didn't care what anyone else wanted to do. I didn't care what their goal weight was - all I cared about was the fact that *I* had achieved my goal and have been maintaining it for almost 2 years. Some people may think I'm chubby or even fat, but I don't care. *I* like what I see in the mirror.

    Focus on loving you and forget what everyone else is doing.

    yes yes yes! in all honesty, i am 183-185lbs (i've been hovering there) and i feel fantastic. i read from others... "i was so fat and awful looking when i started at 185lbs" and i'm like... wow, well that sucks. LOL i don't feel horrible or fat and awful at this weight to be honest. i feel amazing and confident! i'm a size 10/12 (10s are sometimes too small in the thighs for me though). it took me a long time to love my body but i do. yes, i still want and need to lose weight, but i do love the way i look right now most days. :)
  • farmgirlsuz
    farmgirlsuz Posts: 351 Member
    I am right there with ya! 55-60 pounds gone and I feel like my body still looks the same (with the rolls and folds) but it is a much smaller size. I am 5'7" 155ish pounds but still have the muffin top. When I get really frustrated at the mirror I run up and down the stairs a couple of times to remind myself that I am much healthier and can BREATH! HA! And yes, I know it is sad, but sometimes I just sit and look at the tag in the back of my jeans that says (Size 8) and I smile. It is all worth it, the rolls of extra skin and flab are slowly starting to shrink, but I know because of my genetics, many years of abusing my body and my age I will never have the flat six pack abs of the super model, but it sure beats where I was two years ago!
    Don't be so hard on yourself-like someone else said, carry around 50 pounds for an hour and you will realize how much you have lost!
  • kassiebby1124
    kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
    I guess I have come a long way since January and I'm gonna have to keep doing what I'm doing if I want to accomplish my goals and reach them. I'll try and be the best Kassie I can be
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    How's your eating habits? Are you eating to reduce body fat or are you eating based only on total calories? Im 172 lbs and Im a size 7/small. I dont have rolls when I stand in front of the mirror, even at this enormous weight, because most of my weight is lean mass now. If most of your weight is fat, as opposed to lean mass - then youre going to have rolls of fat instead of muscles below a nice even healthy layer of skin and necessary fat.

    If your strength training is anything involving sets of more than 10-12 reps, then you should be lifting heavier. You dont want to be so good at what you do for exercise that it doesnt leave you sore. You adjust faster to exercise than you realise and you have to keep leveling up. Im not talking about- your skills shouldnt improve - i mean you should constantly challenge the skills that you're developing. Lift heavier, go faster, master body weight exercises, etc.

    Also, just as a side note, I know many women see "plus sized models" and think ZOMG she is NOT plus size! But its not "plus" like the "plus size" section you see in stores. Its plus meaning "sample size plus", or sample plus 2, sample plus 4, etc :)

    Dont lose hope, challenges are the best part of this game. its all about leveling up :D:D:D
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I found that I felt better when I stopped comparing myself to everyone else. I'm 5'4" and around 145-150lbs. I used to find myself getting pretty depressed when I would see women on this site who were starting at 150lbs because they looked "fat" and "horrible". What the heck? I was happy as heck to be 150lbs and these women think they look horrible at that weight? What must they think of me - having it be my GOAL weight?

    Then one day I woke up and realized that I didn't care what anyone else wanted to do. I didn't care what their goal weight was - all I cared about was the fact that *I* had achieved my goal and have been maintaining it for almost 2 years. Some people may think I'm chubby or even fat, but I don't care. *I* like what I see in the mirror.

    Focus on loving you and forget what everyone else is doing.

    yes yes yes! in all honesty, i am 183-185lbs (i've been hovering there) and i feel fantastic. i read from others... "i was so fat and awful looking when i started at 185lbs" and i'm like... wow, well that sucks. LOL i don't feel horrible or fat and awful at this weight to be honest. i feel amazing and confident! i'm a size 10/12 (10s are sometimes too small in the thighs for me though). it took me a long time to love my body but i do. yes, i still want and need to lose weight, but i do love the way i look right now most days. :)

    I'm in the 180s, 5'5-ish, and a size 16-18, more on the 18 side. Which shows the scale isn't the ultimate telltale of attractiveness and fitness. I have small bones, so I'm carrying way more fat than a larger boned or taller person at this weight. I've seen pictures of 180 pound women in bikinis on this site that make me boggle and go, no way, I will never look that good in a bikini, even when I weigh 120 pounds! It's all where it's carried and how much of it is fat as opposed to bone and muscle that matters.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    I am 6'1, wear a size 12 shoe, and even when I was a lot thinner than I am now I always had a big frame. I will never be a skinny minny and my dream size is a 12. The way you look has a lot to do with your genes. Clothes have a lot to do with how they are cut. A size 14 Gap might be a size 12 Macy's. just stuff to keep in mind.

    EDIT: My point is that some of us aren't meant to be model skinny. Some people are meant to be a bit more curvy than others.
  • kassiebby1124
    kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
    I don't under the bone concept. How do I know what type of bones I have? I'm short..
  • mayerel
    mayerel Posts: 254 Member
    I haven't read everything but also remember a size 14, 12 or 18 can be somewhat subjective. I'm a size 10 in one brand of pants but a size 6 in another brand. I'm a medium in some dresses but a large in others. Who knows what "standards" they're going by!

    Be kind to yourself, you're doing amazing!
  • liloneck
    liloneck Posts: 2
    Well first of all women in general always see there own flaws. I'm always sighing at the way I look, I started recently and have lost 5 pounds! One of my best friends who is literally a size 2 and I think way too skinny will stand i front of the mirror and complain she has cellulite in her thighs. And I look at her like she is crazy because I don't see it! Personally I hate my thighs and knees. And I am very self conscious about even wearing shorts. But when I have a good day and I do I have friends tell me I have killer legs. And I sit there and point out every flaw I see! But everyone is right, all those models are photoshopped. You losing 50 pounds is AMAZING!!! Don't let any model dictate how you should look. Because trust me.... No one has a perfect body! Embrace what you see as flaws. And you will succeed!
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    It's great that you have lost so much weight! but keep in mind that you still have excess fat to lose. You asked why you looked so fat still and well, it's because you are still fat. I totally understand how you feel...I have lost 36 pounds since January and want that loss to SHOW on my body in the form of me looking less fat, but the truth is I still look fat because I am still fat. When I am no longer fat, I won't look fat. Keep going with your weight loss, you WILL reach your goal!

    Also do you know your current body fat percentage? Currently I am at 40.8% body fat, down from a starting point of 50.2% body fat. My goal is to reduce my body fat to 18-20%. Your level of body fat has a great deal to do with how smooth and toned your body is i.e fat rolls, etc. You can find out yours here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    You all are so so inspiring and helpful..I guess I'll just keep on trucking. My goal is to be in single digit pant sizes..but I guess I have to learn to stop comparing

    Do not compare yourself to others...there is only one you and it's ok to be different! Work on getting to where you are comfortable and happy and forget how others look/dress etc.!

    You've done great so far, good luck!!!!!
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
    I found that I felt better when I stopped comparing myself to everyone else. I'm 5'4" and around 145-150lbs. I used to find myself getting pretty depressed when I would see women on this site who were starting at 150lbs because they looked "fat" and "horrible". What the heck? I was happy as heck to be 150lbs and these women think they look horrible at that weight? What must they think of me - having it be my GOAL weight?

    Then one day I woke up and realized that I didn't care what anyone else wanted to do. I didn't care what their goal weight was - all I cared about was the fact that *I* had achieved my goal and have been maintaining it for almost 2 years. Some people may think I'm chubby or even fat, but I don't care. *I* like what I see in the mirror.

    Focus on loving you and forget what everyone else is doing.

    yes yes yes! in all honesty, i am 183-185lbs (i've been hovering there) and i feel fantastic. i read from others... "i was so fat and awful looking when i started at 185lbs" and i'm like... wow, well that sucks. LOL i don't feel horrible or fat and awful at this weight to be honest. i feel amazing and confident! i'm a size 10/12 (10s are sometimes too small in the thighs for me though). it took me a long time to love my body but i do. yes, i still want and need to lose weight, but i do love the way i look right now most days. :)

    I'm in the 180s, 5'5-ish, and a size 16-18, more on the 18 side. Which shows the scale isn't the ultimate telltale of attractiveness and fitness. I have small bones, so I'm carrying way more fat than a larger boned or taller person at this weight. I've seen pictures of 180 pound women in bikinis on this site that make me boggle and go, no way, I will never look that good in a bikini, even when I weigh 120 pounds! It's all where it's carried and how much of it is fat as opposed to bone and muscle that matters.

    i'm only 5'6". you are right. it's all in where you carry the weight. i will never wear a bikini either. too much saggy skin on my belly from weight loss to do that, but i'm totally fine with that. i don't know what my bone size is. i've always thought i was larger boned, but when i measured my wrist for some other website it said i was medium to small framed? lol i'm so confused by all of it that i try not to worry about it. i feel good. that's what matters. :)
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    wrap your thumb and middle finger around your wrist. If the fingers overlap, you're most likely small framed. If they just touch, medium framed. If they cant reach, large framed.
  • jmcdaniel0
    jmcdaniel0 Posts: 130 Member
    I have always had an issue comparing myself to other people..I guess I'm just worried that I don't see a difference under my clothes despite I've lost 50lbs..

    *Edit: You can input your height. I'm 5'4*

    you want an eye opener? put fifty pounds in a backpack and carry it around for an hour. fifty pounds lost is AWESOME. hang in there

    THIS THIS THIS!!!! You are doing one heck of a job, 50 lbs lost is huge! Keep at it!
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
    Marilyn Monroe size 14:

    4651734_f260.jpg

    Just a reminder that sexy and size doesn't mean size 2
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
    wrap your thumb and middle finger around your wrist. If the fingers overlap, you're most likely small framed. If they just touch, medium framed. If they cant reach, large framed.

    i guess i have a small frame then... i can overlap. :)
  • kassiebby1124
    kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
    Marilyn Monroe size 14:

    4651734_f260.jpg

    Just a reminder that sexy and size doesn't mean size 2
    SHE WAS A SIZE 14?! Dayummmm.

    o.o
    And i'm a medium frame apparently
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Marilyn Monroe size 14:

    4651734_f260.jpg

    Just a reminder that sexy and size doesn't mean size 2
    SHE WAS A SIZE 14?! Dayummmm.

    o.o
    And i'm a medium frame apparently

    Size 14 in Marilyn's day was not a size 14 today. Marilyn was very tiny most of her life.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    And the people on the My Body Gallery website (they are actually real people), how is it that at the same size I am, they have no rolls or fat anywhere? I don't even understand. I'm finally a size 14 in some clothes and when I compare my picture to theirs, I have fat all over. Now, I know you shouldn't compare, but where are their rolls at? Even the people on that My Body Gallery site, they look flawless. It worries me that when I'm smaller than I am, I won't look any different because what I still have isn't skin, it's fat. I don't get it ): Am I going to look like a size 20 when I'm a size 8? I do strength training and cardio. I alternate kickboxing and 30DS. When will I start to see the fat disappear? /: I know it takes time, but when the clothes come off, I still see the same fatty that I saw 3 sizes and about 50lbs ago. I heard that the smaller you get, the less it takes to see a difference, but when will I look firm and flat? What am I do wrong? I eat at a 1250 deficit, cardio and strength..why do I look so fat? When will I just have NATURAL curves instead of fat curves? I hate this so much. What can I do or what am I not doing right?
    If you see an image of a fat woman with no rolls of fat anywhere, it is sure to be photoshopped. In real life, even thin people can have tiny rolls of fat what more on overweight people.

    Don't fret too much on those people. Just focus on your goals & soon you'll be surprised that you find yourself smaller than those women.
  • AnitaVolpato
    AnitaVolpato Posts: 204 Member
    I am 5'2" and small framed and overweight 158lbs. People tell me you are so tiny when indeed I am fat for my height and definitely my frame. Girl, if you are worried about your roll's get some Spanx. I have had rolls for 19 years now because I had a baby... yes I was super thin but I still had the skin thing going on.... Don't pay any attention to these broad's on TV, Magazines. I used to visit Hollywood/Beverly Hill's twice a year and when you run up on a few of them when they aren't working. They look like everyone else actually a good amount of them aren't even that attractive. It's the digital imaging and makeup. An amazing makeup artist can turn your average women into a bombshell..... Put the Vogue down! ha ha ha ha :)
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
    Calculation your frame size:

    1) Extend your arm in front of your body, bending your elbow at a 90 degree angle to your body so that your forearm is parallel to your body.

    2) Keep your fingers straight and turn the inside of your wrist towards your body.

    3) Please your thumb and index finger in the two prominent bones on either side of your elbow, then measure the distance between the bones with a tape measure.

    4) Compare to the information below: The below information is for a medium frame. If your measurement is less then you are a small frame, if it is greater, then you are a large frame.

    Men Height:~~~~Elbow Measurement:~~~~Women Height ~~~~~Elbow Measurement
    5'2" - 5'3" ~~~~~~2 1/2 - 2 7/8" ~~~~~~~~~~4'10" - 4'11" ~~~~~~~~ 2 1/4 - 2 1/2"
    5'4" - 5'7" ~~~~~~~~2 5/8 - 2 7/8" ~~~~~~~~~5'0" - 5'3" ~~~~~~~~~ 2 1/4 - 2 1/2"
    5'8" - 5'11" ~~~~~~~2 3/4 - 3"~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5'4" - 5'7" ~~~~~~~~~~2 3/8 - 2 5/8"
    6'0" - 6'3"~~~~~~~~2 3/4 - 3 1/8" ~~~~~~~~~~ 5'8" - 5'11"~~~~~~~~ 2 3/8 - 2 5/8"

    Hope that helps!
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Marilyn Monroe size 14:

    4651734_f260.jpg

    Just a reminder that sexy and size doesn't mean size 2
    SHE WAS A SIZE 14?! Dayummmm.

    o.o
    And i'm a medium frame apparently

    You're talking about the 1950's style when sizes lower than 14 doesn't exist. This is the reason why women shouldn't be obssessed over a tag size.
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
    She is also corseted in that picture! LOL!
  • dr_stacy
    dr_stacy Posts: 8
    This is definitely a true statement and the first thing I thought of when I read the original post and she was talking about the models in the photo gallery. The photos were probably all airbrushed.
  • BlueInkDot
    BlueInkDot Posts: 702 Member
    Ohhhhh OP... You so silly. Don't worry about those silly plus size models. You are not them. You are YOU. And YOU is awesome.

    Don't worry about how you look in the mirror, worry about who you are as a person. Are you confident? Capable? Strong? At peace? Sufficiently badass?? You can be overweight and still be all those things. Honestly some of the sexiest ladies I've ever seen are overweight - because when I look at them, I don't see the weight, I see their sexy confidence, their attitude... and THAT is hott. ;)

    It's more important to see that you are awesome AS A PERSON; not as a body. Once you can accomplish that, then your body will follow suit.

    Keep working out as best you can and eating right, and be happy with the body that you have RIGHT NOW. Do what you can to improve that body TODAY. Worry about tomorrow TOMORROW. Yesterday is gone, so don't worry about it anymore.

    Honestly, your mindset has to be your highest priority in order to succeed. Do not let your mindset fall into negativity. The most important part of this journey is to know that you are doing your best, and your best is awesome, and YOU are awesome. Keep at it, as long as you wake up the next morning and decide to keep trying to do your best, you will definitely succeed. There will be no such thing as failure; only speed bumps.

    NOW GO BE AWESOME AND KICK SOME *kitten*, GURL. #awwwwwyeeeeeeeah
  • Shannota
    Shannota Posts: 308 Member
    Things I have noticed
    (1) Different people carry weight differently. My sister spreads out wider when she gains. When I put on weight, it goes on circularly all around my body. We can put on the same weight and look very different. I am lucky in that I always look about 30 pounds smaller than I actually am. My smallest as an adult was 178 pounds, but people always thought I was about 140 -145. They were STUNNED that I was still OBESE. My husband and I joke that my bones are made of lead. Truthfully though, for a woman, I pack on muscle really quickly and easily. I guess, put simply, since we are all different, you just can't come up with a good comparison on apples and oranges.
    (2) You may not be seeing yourself clearly. If you have been heavy for a significant period of time (and maybe even if you haven't been), some of us...many of us...get something called body dysmorphic disorder. We really do not see ourselves as we truly are. We may know exactly how much we weigh and what size we wear, but when we look in the mirror, we see the same old fat girl. Again, when I was down at my smallest, I still thought of myself as a whale. I ran across a few pictures from back then and I can't believe how fit I looked. That is NOT what I remember seeing in the mirror.

    Keep up the hard work and you will get to your goals. I know it is difficult, but look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. You have made tremendous progress thus far!
  • kassiebby1124
    kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
    Thank you all so, so much
  • beauty2323
    beauty2323 Posts: 70 Member
    I'm a size 14. I carry most of my weight on my legs. (pear shape)
    I can wear a medium shirt but the bottom is L or XL

    My goal is to be a size 8... that's the size I feel I looked best. I'm not really worried about weight so much... just want to be fit.

    Everyone carries their weight different and depending how tall they are it definitely looks different.


    I'm 5'5*

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