Would you give up if you had my body?

Aprilstar480

I had my first kid when I was 16 years old. I went from having a nice firm 120lb body to 160lbs with a belly full of marks. It is very discouraging to see all your friends rockin' super cute little bikinis and you have to cover up to avoid embarrasement. I still struggle with this all the time but I would NEVER let that keep me from striving to be healthy and fit. My kids need me and if I gave up I would be letting them down just as much as myself.

kiddoc88

hell no- you are beautiful! you can do anything you set your mind to

VelociMama

I love this.

Motherhood is a beautiful thing.

jynxxxed

I saw on your profile that you said you just had a baby around 3 weeks ago. You seriously look amazing after that especially! And don't feel bad, I don't even have children and my stretchmarks are still ever-present on my stomach/hips regardless. It's absolutely worth working on. They will fade over time and things can honestly only improve.

Again, you look great - especially for just recently having a baby!

Donnarose82

I have a big scar running down my stomach from a bad car accident I was in when I was 17 and although I would never feel comfortable wearing a bikini it's never going to stop me from wanting to lose fat and get healthy. The scar i have has never been allowed to stand in my way. By the way I have seen much much much worse, don't give up

ClaireM8

Look for BioOil - fantastic for reducing the appearance of stretch marks

onyxgirl17

It's very important regardless in terms of health benefits.

I have horrible stretch marks maybe they'll go away

ludeo

try bio-oil not sure if anyone else had said it, it does help a lot. and mine have become smaller withlosing weight as well so dont give up!

kiddoc88

watch this
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/804343-the-amazing-transformation-of-a-guy-who-didn-t-give-up

chocl8girl

Hmm. Why would you give up on yourself, your health, and your well-being? You're kind of defeating yourself before you even try with your own negative attitude. It is not that bad. I have lost over 100 pounds, and will probably never get rid of my saggy skin or stretchmarks, but they are MINE, and they are badges of honor that say who I am and where I have been, and I am learning to love me for ME, and although I WILL continue to make improvements, and make things better, the MOST important thing is my health both physical and mental.

Put the work in. Research solutions for the problems you imagine you will have if/when you lose weight. (I say imagine because you have no idea if you will be saggy or not, until you DO IT). Lift weights. Fuel your body well with good food. Be kind to yourself. Rinse. Repeat.

DollyMiel

If someone doesn't have stretchmarks, they aren't human.

Everyone has them in some place, in some amount of intensity. It's nothing to be embarrassed about, and certainly no reason to give up anything over.

spozzybear

Look for BioOil - fantastic for reducing the appearance of stretch marks

^^^ this! Bio-oil has been my lifesaver!

pilatemom

Thankyou all. I'll keep going forward.

slkehl

You honestly look pretty darn good! Sure, you can see stretch marks in the close up shot, but it's a close up shot! Most of us look like that when the camera is that close. Heck, even your side shot looked great.

If you're worried about saggy skin, just make sure to take the weight loss slow and steady. You'll save your skin's elasticity if you aim for no more than 2 lbs a week.

agent99oz

Posture - if you have had a baby this will be out of whack you will need to realign this to help flatten the tummy
The stretch marks will fade in time - you will be left with some skin - I have it on my tummy!
Sucks keep us posted = think of this as a lifelong commitment to yourself - no quick fix here!

zombilishious

My stretch marks are just as bad, but I have even more saggy skin than you do. 3 kids - 2 c-sections, and toxemia that blew me up from 128lb starting weight with pregnancy to 212 at delivery (a month early). I'm working at it and I'm going to do the best I can. No matter what, I know that eating healthy and exercising makes me feel better generally, and weight training is reducing my size all over. Keep at it! It's slower, and we will never be completely like we were pre-baby, but we can get pretty darned close! I've seen some amazing before/afters of others just like us!

RhondaMH65

I say that because of the stretchmarks. If you had awful stretchmarks on your tummy, would you even work at getting a better tummy? Other than fat, can the sagginess even really be repaired? Could I even tone it? I mean, when I lose weight it's going to get veery, veeery saggy.

Heres the pictures of how I used to be.




Heres my stomach now




Would you even care about your body anymore? I mean, can the sagginess even get fully better? Even if it gets way more saggy when I lose the 33 pounds I have left to lose.

I was about 27 when I watched the movie Shirley Valentine and a couple of the lines that always stay with me are, He kissed my stretch marks.......Don't try to hide these lines . . . They prove that you have survived

TiffersStr1

Heck, I'm over 60, tons of stretch marks and even more saggy SAGGY skin..I'm doing this for the health benefits more than how I will look naked. :laugh: Keep on keepin' on, girl.:flowerforyou:

ghost2012

NEVER GIVE UP..

Chadomaniac

there are people on this site that are in a way way WAY worse situation than u and they keep on keeping strong... be thankful

lilteepot

A little perspective? I'd kill to have a body like yours... Stretchmarks and all. I have stretchmarks WITHOUT having any children, and they are EVERYWHERE on my body -- no just my belly. When I get skinny, the scars will simply be proof of all the hard work I put in to get where I want to be.

LivingtheLeanDream

they WILL lighten in time! honestly it might take a few years but you wont always be left with them looking quite so 'angry'
you need to concentrate on the positive :- your tummy is getting smaller! I would love it if mine was anywhere near as flat as yours

I'm sure you do get lotions and potions to rub on stretchmarks hopefully someone will enlighten you if thats the case and they work

Ruth

IsisRosa

After 3 kids (2 C sections) my belly area is pretty bad. I will never wear a bikini. But I haven't given up because having a fit body means more than wearing belly baring clothes. It means not having that muffin top. It means looking cute in a pencil skirt or form fitting dress. It means wearing slim jeans with a form fitting t-shirt. It means being able to run around with your kids without passing out from exhaustion.

My scars won't fade. I've accepted that. But I still want that six pack, not to show the world, but to assist me in living the most juicy and active life possible.

P.S. My husband met and fell in love with me with a belly full of stretch marks. I had already had 2 kids by then. They didn't turn him off and even after kid #3, he still doesn't have a problem with them. So if that's what you're worried about, don't.

MSam1205

OMG I wish I was that saggy! I've had 2 c-sections, and SW of 290. My goal would be to look even half as good as you stretch marks or not. Relax the vanity part a bit and focus on the healthy part. you can always do something surgical if you're so inclined once you reach goal.

An no I would not give up if I had your body, I'd rejoice and be dancing in the streets!! :drinker:

crazy4lulu

you give up and personally gonna come kick you in hte *kitten*. read my profile then talk to me!!!! NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!!!!

dutchman24

Give up?? Why? I'd say you look great! Now, this is a man's viewpoint....If its the stretch mark...they'll pretty much disappear in time....

VictoriaWorksOut

Don't give up, never give up! It can ALWAYS get better as long as you do not give up. It takes time to make major change.

rml_16

I had a baby when I was 17 and got a ton of stretch marks from it. I don't care. I don't even take them into consideration. They're there, there's nothing I can do about it, so why bother worrying about it?

Anyway, they fade to almost invisible over time.

oregonzoo

Never give up. I promise it will get better. With hard work all can be achieved. Will our bodies ever be "perfect" and blemish free again? Not likely.
But you'll get to a place you are comfortable.

Momwasix

hi sweetie i had seven kids and look at my stomach in my profile pic. I have all kinds of stripes. And yes i will show my belly with pride. i did turbo fire, taebo and sit ups. As long as i get my stomach down i can care less about strecth marks.Dont give up look at me prime example.