I feel like I look SO much bigger than other women my age, h

A lot of this has to do with the way you dress yourself. I am 23, but I have had a child also, which has stretched and widened my frame. Not to mention that when our society jams all this crap down our throats about being skinny and healthy every day, it is never good for self-esteem. If you don't already, watch What Not to Wear on TLC; that show has really helped me learn what clothing really flatters my body, and I feel incredibly sexy and awesome when I actually seek out clothing that suits me.

BTW, I totally envy your shoulders and collar bones! I've always had a really athletic build, so it's tough for me to be as narrow up top as you are.

You look great! I would kill to have your figure, I'm about 2 inches shorter then you and about 20lbs heavier, then your HW! You have all the right curves and waist line and everything.

Like everyone else all i could recommend is some toning. But you don't even NEED that. And listen to your man he is right!

I think because it's a "feel" issue not so much your actual size you may be struggling with some body dismorphic disorder. That is NOT an eating disorder (but tends often to go hand in hand with them), more or a perceived body image issue where you think your body looks a way that it really does not. You may want to see a psychiatrist who can help you come to grips with your body image and how it's really kind of skewed.

You need to compare your before and after pictures so that you can physically see the changes. I think you look great I'm 5'7 178 pounds aiming for 150 and I doubt I'll look as good as you but I'm okay with it as long as I'm healthy. Don't compare yourself with other woman and please stop bringing yourself down. You sound likes those skinny girls saying I'm so FAT ! Don't do that to yourself have confidence, love yourself. It sounds like people around you love you so try to get rid if all the negativity. Good luck!

I think because it's a "feel" issue not so much your actual size you may be struggling with some body dismorphic disorder. That is NOT an eating disorder (but tends often to go hand in hand with them), more or a perceived body image issue where you think your body looks a way that it really does not. You may want to see a psychiatrist who can help you come to grips with your body image and how it's really kind of skewed.

I tend to agree. You look fabulous. When I lost a lot of weight as a te en I was fairly thin. I could have used toning but I thought I was as fat as I was before I lost 80 lbs.
Curves are healthy for you - very feminine. Try not to think of your weight in numbers. Think more of how healthy your body is.

you look great.. dont go overboard stressing about your weight.. if i was you id only be working on maintaining it!

When I was at the weight I am trying to get back to now I was at the pool with my daughters. My oldest needed to use the restroom so we walked over to the building to a glass door. I saw this woman through the glass door and thought how amazing she looked. How I would love to look like that in a bikini but with my built I would never be so small and fit.

Then I realized I was looking at a reflection on myself. Seriously had no idea I looked like that until I saw myself "through someone elses eyes". I knew what size I wore and that I looked good, just never saw myself in the way I did in that reflection.

I'm almost 5'9 myself and am really trying to look like you. Although this time I hope to be more comfortable with myself and learn to maintain and not go into a tailspin if I flucuate a few pounds!

Really work on enjoying and appreciating where you were and where you are now, you earned it!

Babe, I'm in a similar situation. When I was a teen then a young wife I thought I was a fattie. When I look back at pictures of those times I don't look like a fattie, but I sure thought I was then. As time went on I started to put on weight and it just proved that I was a fattie. I saw a fattie in the mirror at size 22 I saw a fattie in the mirror when I got down to a size 4. I started to put on weight, but my reflection in the mirror stayed the same to me. I have determined to get back to a size 4, but when I look in the mirror all I see is a fattie. Size 8's are getting too big, but I can't see it.

Face it, you'll probably always see yourself as big in comparison to everyone else. If we all wore badges with our weight on them I think we'd be surprised. I was the weight monitor for our recent work weight loss challenge. There was a short one who weighed the least, but thought she was fat. There was a really tall one who weighed the most and thought she was fat. Every woman in the middle of the pack thought she was the fattest and there wasn't 20 pounds separating the weight. It was amazing to me that I didn't weigh a lot more than everyone else.


Judge your size by your clothing size or by your measurements, but not by what you see in the mirror because you suffer from "fattie vision." Love yourself!

I know I'm pretty much repeating everyone else at this point, but you---absolutely truthfully--have a gorgeous figure. It feels weird describing another woman piece by piece, but seriously: thin legs and arms, flat tummy, defined hips and waist without a hint of muffin top...DAMN, girl. This is what I want to look like on the beach this summer, and I'm one of the lucky ones who have had a healthy BMI from the start.

Also want to agree with another poster that grad school is a GREAT time to get some cheap therapy. At least at my pretty typical (large, state) university, the first several initial sessions were free, followed by 10 dollars per session. Just having a space where you do nothing but talk about yourself is...well, discomforting, but also extremely helpful. Especially when you know the person you're talking to has zero expectations. Sucking it up and making an appointment was probably the best decision I made first semester. Best of luck to you!

First off, it is obvious you arent anorexic. You can see the tone in your body. There is definite toning and muscle there and that takes alot of sweat and tears so congrats!!! You are doing soooo well!

Also, being TOTALLY honest and not sugar coating, you look AMAZING. Seriously. When you start a weight loss journey its really hard to get out of the mind set that you arent good enough, you could be better, you could look like that model. But to be honest, some girls have curves. There is NOTHING wrong with that. And not only do you have awesome curves, but you have muscle and a great bikini body! From here, its the mindset and maintaining you are going to struggle with. You have to stop comparing youself to other woman! Every woman has a different body shape and bone structure. Some girls have really really small bone structures which is great for them, but you cant change what you are born with. You have to learn to love that body and see the beauty in it! Except compliments from the people around you, dont let yourself say "well i am not as skinny as ____" That will just make you go crazy! Just learn to love yourself and the body you were born with! It IS beautiful!!!!

Oh my word, you are almost 5-9, you weigh 133 pounds and you have CURVES in all the right places! I think you are fantabulously lucky, and probably other women are looking at you and envying you. Maybe the curves are throwing you; you probably do have to wear different styles than someone who is built like a boy. But this is not a bad thing! Think of the styles they could never pull off that you can really wear!

If I were you, I might invest in a day with a really good clothing person who can show you what styles will flatter your curves. That might make a real difference for you.

Best wishes to you!

We all look in the mirror and see the worst bits of ourselves (I am guilty of that too) but the people around you don't see those bits. I was looking really hard to find something to critize but I think you have a problem with your body shape because it doesn't look like you have wabbly bits.
I think a stylist is a great way to go, they will be able to tell you how to enhance your beauty and let go of the areas you aren't too proud of. Then you will realize that you actually look better than that person that was pointed out to you

I swear this is an honest reply. You look lovely. You have such a nicely defined waist. Your face is gorgeous and I love the color of your hair and eyes. Id pay to look like you and honestly I wouldnt change a thing.