Is There A Way...

I know that feeling. I dont look but when I go to get out the shower, bam the mirror is RIGHT THERE. You have to look at yourself differently. You are losing weight now. Your making a change. So you should look at your body and be proud that you are doing something to make you more healthy. What you see in the mirror will start to change. But you have to change how you see yourself mentally first.

*slap, slap* Wake up!!! You need to focus on all the positive attributes of your body!!!! Do you love your hair??? Your glowing skin? Your cute dimples in your cheeks? Perhaps you have gorgeous eyes? Soft skin? Pretty toes?

Focus on the things you LOVE about yourself! Appreciate your body for what it does for you. You can walk, see, taste, touch, feel, hear, sing (?), digest things, love someone else, put a smile on someone else's face, etc...

Just make a list of the positives.

Also, when you look in the mirror - remind yourself. Say, "I have beautiful eyes. I have a beautiful face. I have lovely eyelashes." Say it a thousand times!!!

Your thoughts become your words, your words, become your actions, your actions reflect who you are and pretty soon you will believe in yourself!

*hugs*

Try to focus on the good things; I'm sure your body is looking better than before, the problem is probably that you're more focused on the defects because now you've come to terms with the fact that you need to lose weight. This won't get done overnight, it's a long journey (and not an easy one), but the important thing is that you're doing this. Try to enjoy the feeling; I find it pretty empowering to see all those little changes.

I've also been told that one should look at themselves in the mirror and repeat how beautiful we are (even if we don't believe it at first). I haven't really tried this, but it may work.

If you can't find a way on your own, I'd say talk to someone close to you (a friend, a relative). If that doesn't work, and you keep crying about this, maybe you want to look for professional help.

Good luck, and seriously: enjoy the journey! You're worth every effort :flowerforyou:

There's probably no one else's body in the world you'd look at and be so unhappy about that it would cause you to cry. So, why are you doing this to yourself? This is you right now. One day you'll look different than you do now. Being upset with yourself doesn't make it happen faster. Just accept it and move forward already.

This is why I have stopped showering.

I kid. :flowerforyou: Keep your chin up, kiddo.

Dexy, I noticed In your profile that you're a Mama, too. I wrote the following in the Sexy Mamas group, in the startup pics thread. This is for all Mamas who need to know how much they are worth:

We know what are bodies are capable of. We have felt babies kicking in our wombs. Our bodies can create.
We have birthed those babies in one way or another. Our bodies are powerful.
We have spent endless sleepless nights shushing and rocking and feeding and changing those babies. Our bodies can endure.
We have stretch marks and c section scars and extra skin and changed breasts and weight gain. Our bodies are a battlefield and these things are our battle scars, our badges of honor.
We know what our bodies are capable of. They are capable of being wondrous. Just. As. They. Are. And now we get to honor these bodies of ours by making them more healthy so they can keep up with the babies they have created and carried.

This happened to me when I was in college and I had a full length mirror in my dorm room. I just felt like I had so many rolls of fat and I just completely disgusted myself and was very unhappy. I guess it just took some time to work out my self esteem issues. Honestly, some of the people that already posted had some great ideas about thinking more positively about yourself, but maybe you should consider talking to a therapist or something to help you and get support (I did, and it helped). But, as you start to make healthy changes for yourself, you'll start feeling better and better and have a lot more confidence. Until then, hang in there and do the best you can. And make sure you keep active (exercise, at least a little) because it will make you feel better.

sorry, just had another thought. what would you say to one of your children if you knew they felt this way about themselves? I bet you would give them great advice and tell them how beautiful and wonderful they are. take that same advice to heart. you are beautiful and wonderful.