When to accept your body
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iggylove123
Posts: 302
Of course there are always things you COULD improve when it comes to your body. At what point do you accept that those things can't be changed much by exercise and dieting just because that's how you're made? Do I sound like a wuss when it comes to losing weight? I've lost over 35 pounds on my journey and I'm certainly no Victoria's Secret model and I don't have the hardest body but I'm starting to things that that's okay!
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Replies
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If you're healthy and you're happy, love yourself and start for maintenance! Congratulations!
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Never.
Quickest way to a relapse is to become satisfied with yourself.
Honestly, sounds extreme, but most people who reach their goals, lose motivation.
Set new goals: Build muscle, become leaner, run a marathon, swim 10k whatever you fancy just don't stop. 0 -
Never.
Quickest way to a relapse is to become satisfied with yourself.
Honestly, sounds extreme, but most people who reach their goals, lose motivation.
Set new goals: Build muscle, become leaner, run a marathon, swim 10k whatever you fancy just don't stop.
I must strongly disagree with this. If you enjoy feeling like a constant failure then by all means never try and be satisfied with who you are. But being satisfied with who you are is not the same as being complacent about your faults. When you stop viewing exercise and food as punishment, and start viewing them as a source of nourishment, it will do wonders for overall self-acceptance and for sustaining a positive relationship with food. People who think "I am never allowed to feel satisfied with who I am" inevitably miss out on the best behavioural modifier ever: positive reinforcement!0 -
You look fine by me girly! Its all in how bad you want it or if you are okay with how you are now. Its okay to maintain if you are okay with that. I wouldn't give up though if you want something specific. Were you unhappy with any parts particularly we can help you out on? I think as women we will always be unhappy with something, lol.0
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Never.
Quickest way to a relapse is to become satisfied with yourself.
Honestly, sounds extreme, but most people who reach their goals, lose motivation.
Set new goals: Build muscle, become leaner, run a marathon, swim 10k whatever you fancy just don't stop.
I must strongly disagree with this. If you enjoy feeling like a constant failure then by all means never try and be satisfied with who you are. But being satisfied with who you are is not the same as being complacent about your faults. When you stop viewing exercise and food as punishment, and start viewing them as a source of nourishment, it will do wonders for overall self-acceptance and for sustaining a positive relationship with food. People who think "I am never allowed to feel satisfied with who I am" inevitably miss out on the best behavioural modifier ever: positive reinforcement!
Fair play, as far as a disagreement comment goes it's well justified and I can definitely see your point.
From my experience, the line between self-acceptance and complacency is far too thin. You only have to look at all the MFP who are on maintenance complaining about how difficult they find it because they begin binging. Not to mention that 4 out of 5 people who lose more than 5kg of body fat regain it within 3 years.
Relapse is a serious problem. I am not suggesting that you do not give yourself credit for what you have achieved, just that you keep pushing forward and strive for the next goal. That shouldn't make you feel like a failure, but should make you feel a sense of accomplishment and something to strive for.
I do not disagree with your post, but perhaps my response was too opinionated. It is probably a case where it works for some and not others.
Cheers, Mike.0 -
for losing weight: when you find a happy medium between your activity level, the amount of calories you're allowed so you can have food you enjoy and your body image
for getting swole: never. the day you started weight lifting was the day you became Forever Small0 -
I think it's totally healthy to get to a point where you decide that more fitness/weight loss isn't something you need to do. For some people, fitness is a great hobby, and they are motivated by continually improving athletically and aesthetically. It seems like most of us need goals or we lose motivation, so getting stronger or leaner keeps us going. But the idea that you need to be constantly improving your body is BS, in my mind. Get your body to where it serves you and your needs- feels good, looks good enough for you to be confident, allows you to do fun things.
I go back and forth with this- I'm already at a healthy weight and fit enough to do most of the activities I want to do, so I'm well aware that the "second 10 pounds" are completely for vanity reasons. I have other goals- I want to be stronger and more flexible, and do an obstacle race, none of which require me to lose more weight. Vanity is pretty motivating, though!0 -
I think it's totally healthy to get to a point where you decide that more fitness/weight loss isn't something you need to do. For some people, fitness is a great hobby, and they are motivated by continually improving athletically and aesthetically. It seems like most of us need goals or we lose motivation, so getting stronger or leaner keeps us going. But the idea that you need to be constantly improving your body is BS, in my mind. Get your body to where it serves you and your needs- feels good, looks good enough for you to be confident, allows you to do fun things.
I go back and forth with this- I'm already at a healthy weight and fit enough to do most of the activities I want to do, so I'm well aware that the "second 10 pounds" are completely for vanity reasons. I have other goals- I want to be stronger and more flexible, and do an obstacle race, none of which require me to lose more weight. Vanity is pretty motivating, though!
Vanity is a phenomenal motivator!0 -
I posted something similar earlier. I'm a bit in the same boat, lol. I think I'll reach my goal and stop there, even if I'm not totally satisfied.0
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Never.
Quickest way to a relapse is to become satisfied with yourself.
Honestly, sounds extreme, but most people who reach their goals, lose motivation.
Set new goals: Build muscle, become leaner, run a marathon, swim 10k whatever you fancy just don't stop.
I must strongly disagree with this. If you enjoy feeling like a constant failure then by all means never try and be satisfied with who you are. But being satisfied with who you are is not the same as being complacent about your faults. When you stop viewing exercise and food as punishment, and start viewing them as a source of nourishment, it will do wonders for overall self-acceptance and for sustaining a positive relationship with food. People who think "I am never allowed to feel satisfied with who I am" inevitably miss out on the best behavioural modifier ever: positive reinforcement!
Fair play, as far as a disagreement comment goes it's well justified and I can definitely see your point.
From my experience, the line between self-acceptance and complacency is far too thin. You only have to look at all the MFP who are on maintenance complaining about how difficult they find it because they begin binging. Not to mention that 4 out of 5 people who lose more than 5kg of body fat regain it within 3 years.
Relapse is a serious problem. I am not suggesting that you do not give yourself credit for what you have achieved, just that you keep pushing forward and strive for the next goal. That shouldn't make you feel like a failure, but should make you feel a sense of accomplishment and something to strive for.
I do not disagree with your post, but perhaps my response was too opinionated. It is probably a case where it works for some and not others.
Cheers, Mike.
I definitely see your point...I think it's probably not complacency that makes people regain or binge, though -- it's restrictive or unsustainable patterns in the first place. But, yeah, I accept that for each person the line between complacency and satisfaction can be different or blurry. And I agree with striving for new and better stuff...I think that's important, just that you can do that from a point of satisfaction.0 -
Do you make your living from modeling? No? Then nobody should expect you to look like one
Perfection is an overrated goal. Enjoy yourself and don't sweat the small stuff. At least don't make yourself crazy with it. If you'd like to throw in a few things to try to get closer to perfect and don't mind doing them (and they are healthy, mind you), then go for it. But it's not important, no.
OTOH, I don't consider fitness optional. A certain amount of fitness is important for health, so health goals should remain regardless of looks or weight, BMI, etc.0 -
From the sound of your post- You are where you should be- I would put myself on maintenance at this point ! CONGRATS !! You look great !0
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For me, I only really accepted my body and stopped struggling against myself AFTER I had kids. I know this is going to sound like some crunchy, hippie, bs; but after I had kids, I realized the power of my body. When I accepted it for what it was...I was able to change my way of thinking...stopped focusing on the stupid little flaws that I saw...but no one else noticed.
Funny thing though...once the way I thought about my body changed, so changed the way I treated my body. I cut back on the endless cardio, started strength-training, started cutting out most of the processed crap I was still eating, cut back on sugar (but I still love chocolate). At 34, I am in the best shape of my life!0 -
I'm going to keep exercising every day (or at least 5 times a week) just because it's a stress reliever! But I also don't want to keep restricting my food intake to under 1500 calories a day. I'm a larger framed 5'9.5'" inch woman. It's not realistic to want to weigh 145 and be a size 6 for my specific body type, you know?0
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I'll never be satisfied. There are always ways to better yourself. I can't imagine a period of time where I just became complacent. It's not in my nature. Keep moving forward!
"Self-improvement is *kitten*." - Fight Club0 -
the answer to when to accept your body: now always now. be proud of all the hard work and all the good things you have done for your body.0
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I'm a firm believer that you should love yourself no matter what your body size and flaws are. Self love starts on the inside, and if you can't love and accept yourself as heavy then you'll have a hard time loving yourself no matter how small you get.
That said, self acceptance is kay. There really are things about ourselves that we can't change, and other things that might change over time with proper exercise and healthy eating. You never know. The important thing, in my opinion, is to accept yourself as you are now, even if there are things you would like to change.0 -
When I'm dead. I love me, but I love me more when I push myself0
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Never...0
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I'll never be satisfied. There are always ways to better yourself. I can't imagine a period of time where I just became complacent. It's not in my nature. Keep moving forward!
"Self-improvement is *kitten*." - Fight Club
I like that attitude!0
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