I used to get that a lot too - "you're slim, you don't need to lose weight" - but you're right, if you're not happy with yourself then no one is going to convince you you're "fine as you are". I never used to worry about my weight - until about 4 years ago I was round the 9stone (126lb) mark but that changed when I moved in with my partner. I blame the big plates we bought as I started eating bigger portions and eating later as I waited for him to come home from work. Since then I've put on well over 20lbs and want to get it off again for my 30th (6 months away).

Thankfully I have a friend in a similar position who I go to the gym with (the plan is 4 times a week - that plan only started today though!) and we keep on top of each other if one of us feels we're going to fall off the wagon. I think for me the main motivation comes from the fact that my dad saw a photo of me and asked "when did you put all that weight on?" - before he'd always think my desire to lose weight or exercise was silly.

I know what you mean though - there are people I work with who are looking to lose maybe 4 or 5 times as much weight as I am and you can feel the negativity from them when you talk about your own weight loss. Think you've just got to remind yourself of why you doing it and who you're doing it for and not let anyone tell you it's silly because at the end of the day, you have to live with your body so you have to like it.

I find that I really can't tell people I'm trying to loose weight, with the exception of my husband, who will sometimes tell me I'm nuts.

I'm a lot heavier than I look. I'm not medically overweight, but I'm at the higher end of BMI scale for what's considered healthy. I was once a power lifter (back in high school) and took it up again in my early 20's. I know what it's like to have 16% body fat.

I'm probably pushing 30% body fat currently. I know I've lost a lot of muscle and gained a lot of fat since I've slacked off. I'm in my 30's now and have some health issues (hypertension, kidney problems) and I want to have kids soon. I really want to get in better shape and be healthier before trying to conceive.

I get the same thing- I am 5'5" and about 135 and I wear a 2 if the waist is low, but that's because I have 30% bf all in my waist (which can make for an impressive muffin top if I'm not careful). I can look in the mirror with good clothes on and think "wow, I am pretty hot", but put me in a bikini and it is not pretty. But people don't see me in a bikini! I just starting Rachel Cosgrove's book, and she recommends having the mindset that "I am hot, but I want to be even healthier and hotter" (my interpretation), so I'm trying to adopt that attitude so I don't vacillate so much. I am working on logging food and getting to the gym more often, with at least 3 strength training sessions per week, and focusing on interval cardio except a long run each week (I'm signed up for a 1/2 marathon).

I also use the excuse with people that I am trying to lower my cholesterol, and that I have to be careful because I had gestational diabetes and that places me at high risk of type 2 diabete later. That seems to quite the critics.