So I just need some opinions here. It is important to me.
jessicaswenson9
Posts: 17 Member
Alright. So I am 5'2 and I weigh about 127 pounds. I lift daily, and do cardio. For the most part I eat well. ABout 1300 calories a day. I do not starve myself or anything, I eat lots of fruits and veg. Get a good amount of protein, carbs, and good fats. The thing is, for the last year or so, I have started to have this bad image of my body so I have been working hard to change it. I can say that since last year I do look better, but I feel worse about myself than I did a year ago. It's because, even though I am not really big, I certainly have nothing near a thigh gap (which I dont particularly care about), and for some reason, My stomach looks like it goes past my belly a smidge. I do have quite a small chest, but because of that I feel like it brings way too much attention to my stomach. I do abs three times a week, or more. Is it ok for this to happen? Does it mean I am still fat? Or is it normal, that with small boobs and me being thick anyways, that my stomach looks like it could be big.
Also. Side note. I do think I may have BDD and am getting help for it. Still doesn't help that for the time being, every woman I look at, even chubby ones, still seem to be way more attractive and fit than I am.
Also. Side note. I do think I may have BDD and am getting help for it. Still doesn't help that for the time being, every woman I look at, even chubby ones, still seem to be way more attractive and fit than I am.
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Replies
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Thigh gaps are due to body structure more than weight.
Stomachs do not have to be flat to be healthy. I'll admit to being eye roll-y at people who obsess over slightly rounded stomachs at this point so I won't comment further.
I do think you have bdd. Try to be kind to yourself
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I don't know if this will help if you have BDD but I would recommend getting a Body Composition Analysis (DEXA Scan) if you can. This will give you a very accurate body fat percentage overall and where the fat is located so you will have facts.
Thank you for your service, my wife and I met in the USAF.
Neal3 -
I think that the reality is that if you saw a women with the perfect body in your eyes - she would have a few things about her body that she is not happy about and would change.
Try to find something else to focus on, like doing some exercise that you struggle with and take the time to master it, seeing your strength grow might help not focus so much on the physical that we see and can't change.8 -
You have all already helped. Thank you. It's nice to see kind people.3
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You say your stomach goes past your belly. I don't understand this. Did you mean stomach goes past boobs?
What ever you mean it sounds like you don't like your belly. This could be one of three things, fat, posture or skeletal.
Obviously lots of fat means a big belly. But the stats you have shouldn't show this. My gf is the same height and is currently 9st3 so 129lb and has the smallest belly and doesn't lift much. So I can't imagine you have a large belly. Where does your fat like to get stored?
Posture shouldn't be much of an issue, with ab work you generally stand pretty tall and strong.
By skeletal I mean that some people's rib cage gives them a naturally smaller stomach. So boobs on top of a flattering rub cage can hide a layer of fat. Small boobs on an unflattering rib cage shows a very good stomach in the worst way.
I don't know much about BDD but your diet and exercise plan sounds healthy. Your instinct with seeing everyone else as more attractive isn't. Everyone has flaws but if you only see yours then something needs to be addressed0 -
You say your stomach goes past your belly. I don't understand this. Did you mean stomach goes past boobs?
What ever you mean it sounds like you don't like your belly. This could be one of three things, fat, posture or skeletal.
Obviously lots of fat means a big belly. But the stats you have shouldn't show this. My gf is the same height and is currently 9st3 so 129lb and has the smallest belly and doesn't lift much. So I can't imagine you have a large belly. Where does your fat like to get stored?
Posture shouldn't be much of an issue, with ab work you generally stand pretty tall and strong.
By skeletal I mean that some people's rib cage gives them a naturally smaller stomach. So boobs on top of a flattering rub cage can hide a layer of fat. Small boobs on an unflattering rib cage shows a very good stomach in the worst way.
I don't know much about BDD but your diet and exercise plan sounds healthy. Your instinct with seeing everyone else as more attractive isn't. Everyone has flaws but if you only see yours then something needs to be addressed
Wow I feel like an idiot lol. I didn't even realise I said my stomach went past my belly. I swear I was typing boobs. Yes I meant boobs. I have had people even say only a pregnant woman should have a belly that is bigger than their boobs. I mean mine isnt like huge or anything. But I see it as bad. It's an annoying problem in so many ways that I strive to fix, mentally and physically.0 -
jessicaswenson9 wrote: »You say your stomach goes past your belly. I don't understand this. Did you mean stomach goes past boobs?
What ever you mean it sounds like you don't like your belly. This could be one of three things, fat, posture or skeletal.
Obviously lots of fat means a big belly. But the stats you have shouldn't show this. My gf is the same height and is currently 9st3 so 129lb and has the smallest belly and doesn't lift much. So I can't imagine you have a large belly. Where does your fat like to get stored?
Posture shouldn't be much of an issue, with ab work you generally stand pretty tall and strong.
By skeletal I mean that some people's rib cage gives them a naturally smaller stomach. So boobs on top of a flattering rub cage can hide a layer of fat. Small boobs on an unflattering rib cage shows a very good stomach in the worst way.
I don't know much about BDD but your diet and exercise plan sounds healthy. Your instinct with seeing everyone else as more attractive isn't. Everyone has flaws but if you only see yours then something needs to be addressed
Wow I feel like an idiot lol. I didn't even realise I said my stomach went past my belly. I swear I was typing boobs. Yes I meant boobs. I have had people even say only a pregnant woman should have a belly that is bigger than their boobs. I mean mine isnt like huge or anything. But I see it as bad. It's an annoying problem in so many ways that I strive to fix, mentally and physically.
You just casually mentioned you've had people say only pregnant woman should have a belly that is bigger than their boobs. WHO ARE THESE IDIOTS? I feel for you struggling with BDD and am so proud of you for getting some help with it. It must be very tough! Is it possible the people you are around are just jerks? Not your loved ones or anything but co-workers, people at the gym, just people where you overhear their conversation. Maybe you've overheard some idiot's opinion and are taking it to heart? (I'm guilty of being overly sensitive so please don't take that as a criticism.)
It sounds like you've worked and are working very hard, so be a little more kind to yourself! Do you have any "before" pics you can look at to remind you of how far you've come? Also, another post mentioned trying to conquer a workout you've struggled with, I think that's a great idea! Maybe will help to get your mind off your belly and what society thinks we should look like.
Good luck with everything! You are stronger than you think!
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I have the same problem with stomach fat, don't take this the wrong way but maybe you should consider losing a couple more pounds? At 5'2 and 127 pounds, your BMI is 23.2 which is high in the normal range. You could get down to 120 and still be perfectly healthy. The only thing that's going to help with stomach fat is losing weight. But no, it doesn't mean you're fat. People carry their weight differently, some people have big legs and a flat stomach and other people have skinny legs and a not so flat stomach or any other variation like that.
By the way, looking at your profile picture your stomach really doesn't look big at all! 0 -
You look fit in your profile picture for what it's worth.
More importantly, your answer doesn't lie in any particular exercise or diet.
The issue isn't your body at all. You look great. The issue is your perception of your body.
It sounds like you're already getting help for that, so good for you.
The only other thing I would recommend would be to make certain you surround yourself with people who will lift you up instead of bring you down. Social support is massively important.12 -
I looked at your photos and I can tell you what I see. A beautiful, accomplished girl, that sets high standards for herself. I say this because I understand it personally. Its a double edged sword when you set high standards. You're more likely to reach goals than most people,but you'll also demand such perfection that you make yourself miserable at times.
I see a beautiful, in shape girl in those photos. Its just that your stomach (which already looks great) will be the last hold-out in the "be in shape" game. I can say this because that's my body type too.
What has helped me is to take periodic photos. I started with every 30 days. Same bathing suit. Same lighting.
Then as you are very close to your goal weight, which you look as you are, you should take photos maybe every 90 days,since progress will slow down. But as long as you're doing everything right, and you ARE, progress will happen.
Its also been a big help to me to set other goals other than the mirror. I've done burpee challenges. I try new workouts all the time.Have incorporated more weight training,and have set a protein goal every day.
Especially at your young age. I'm 55, so my progress is slow,but it IS happening. We just don't always see it through our own tough eyes.
Just keep going!! Just keep being the beautiful girl you are!!
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I have the same problem with stomach fat, don't take this the wrong way but maybe you should consider losing a couple more pounds? At 5'2 and 127 pounds, your BMI is 23.2 which is high in the normal range. You could get down to 120 and still be perfectly healthy. The only thing that's going to help with stomach fat is losing weight. But no, it doesn't mean you're fat. People carry their weight differently, some people have big legs and a flat stomach and other people have skinny legs and a not so flat stomach or any other variation like that.
By the way, looking at your profile picture your stomach really doesn't look big at all!
23 Is still a healthy BMI though. The reason I weigh 127 for my heigth is because I lift weights. I do not plan on losing my muscle anytime soon. But I do thank you for your input. My goal Isn't to lose weight. But to just make everything really toned.0 -
Aunt WBB agrees with SS's statement here. My life and happiness changed DRASTICALLY when I spent less time with the people who made me feel hard to love and more time with the people in my life who made me feel easy to love and who truly supported me and my passions, and did not mind my foibles....The only other thing I would recommend would be to make certain you surround yourself with people who will lift you up instead of bring you down. Social support is massively important.1 -
Hi J, I'm not a very religious person but whenever I am feeling down about my appearance I recite this in my head. It is from Psalms 139 of the Bible. When it says "fearfully" think "awesome-ly"!
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For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
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I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
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My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
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Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.1 -
At 5'2 and 127 pounds, your BMI is 23.2 which is high in the normal range. You could get down to 120 and still be perfectly healthy.
I have a bit of a problem with this. The BMI "ideal" or "normal" range is just that - a range, which is designed to allow for variations in individual body shape. The "high" end is no less healthy than the "low" end, or bang in the middle, and what exact weight is best within the range will vary from person to person. The fact you are in that range is what matters, as it means you are at the lowest risk for weight related health problems - once you are there there is no reason to believe you will be better off being closer to the middle.
This is a bone I have to pick with Wii Fit, which always suggests you aim for the middle of the range. No. You aim to be in the range, that's all.
Hang in there OP, and remember your brain lies to you about what you see, and that stomachs always look bigger from above.2 -
I didn't say she would be healthier if she got in the lower end of a healthy BMI. I just said that if she wants to lose a little more weight that would be fine because she would still be in the healthy range. OP didn't say she was worried about her health, she just said she doesn't like how her stomach looks. Notice how I said she could get down to 120 and "STILL" be perfectly healthy. Meaning I know she's healthy now but losing a bit more weight (if that would help her self esteem) would also be fine.CattOfTheGarage wrote: »At 5'2 and 127 pounds, your BMI is 23.2 which is high in the normal range. You could get down to 120 and still be perfectly healthy.
I have a bit of a problem with this. The BMI "ideal" or "normal" range is just that - a range, which is designed to allow for variations in individual body shape. The "high" end is no less healthy than the "low" end, or bang in the middle, and what exact weight is best within the range will vary from person to person. The fact you are in that range is what matters, as it means you are at the lowest risk for weight related health problems - once you are there there is no reason to believe you will be better off being closer to the middle.
This is a bone I have to pick with Wii Fit, which always suggests you aim for the middle of the range. No. You aim to be in the range, that's all.
Hang in there OP, and remember your brain lies to you about what you see, and that stomachs always look bigger from above.0 -
BMI can be totally useless if your frame is just different from others. After dunk tank body fat testing, I learned that if I had a normal, healthy amount of body fat I would still weigh 212 as I am thickly muscled for a 5'10" male. A BMI figure that would really fit me has me weighing like 170 pounds. Useless. Even though you look fit and in shape, if you really want to know if your body fat is where you want it, get your body fat measured, and not with calipers.0
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Even though you look fit and in shape, if you really want to know if your body fat is where you want it, get your body fat measured, and not with calipers.
I have been tested once, wasn't like a full body fat test, but it was one of those weird meter things that measures how your water moves through you. But, I was at 22%. I am trying to definitely get down farther than that.0 -
I'm 5'2" and 125! Hey, twin! I actually have the same issues. I would check your posture. Also, sometimes, it's bloat.0
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