Body Dysmorphia

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  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    Absolutely. I am 5'5" and between 123 and 126 lbs, and wear a UK size 8 (US 2-4) and think I look gross half the time. I always think I'd look better half a stone lighter, no matter what I weigh.

    I think for me it's because I will never get my pre baby figure back. Even tough my measurements are the same and I have the same amount of muscle, I will always have loose wrinkly skin all over my abs from having had a 9.5lb baby in there (nearly 7 years ago).
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
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    I still feel big I'm around 147 lb at minute with TOTM. (did makeit to 10st 3 for new years eve just before the water went on!) and I'm still wearing size 16. I was 20 before and not far off 14 (some brands 14-16 fit) but I still think I must be big when over people say they are same weight or heavier and in like size 6 or 10!

    I'm only 5 ft 3 and half and all my weight was around my middle. I can see in mirror that I'm smaller but when I step on scales I still feel fat, I'm hoping it will improve if I can get into single figures (like 9st 9 etc)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    I blame the media and the expectation of how females are portrayed in Hollywood. Females for some reason try to measure up to those standards.
    IMO, women should measure up to the standards of the partner they wish to be with and that's all, with the exception of carrying a weight that may be unhealthy.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • cloveraz
    cloveraz Posts: 332 Member
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    I blame the media and the expectation of how females are portrayed in Hollywood. Females for some reason try to measure up to those standards.
    IMO, women should measure up to the standards of the partner they wish to be with and that's all, with the exception of carrying a weight that may be unhealthy.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    So true.....Now, that I way less then my husband, it helps.
  • brindlechewy
    brindlechewy Posts: 84 Member
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    Great point! Thank you for posting this.
  • swilkie1961
    swilkie1961 Posts: 107 Member
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    Mine is opposite. I don't feel as big as I am...then I see a picture and am horrified.

    Even at my thinnest, I felt huge. Now I'd give anything to be that size again!

    Exactly this!!!

    I do feel that you are always going to find something "wrong" with your body no matter what. Like you already pointed out stretch marks...etc! That is the same with me no matter how much I work out or lose weight I will still have the battle scars of children :) LOL

    Me too! I always think I am thinner than I am till I see a picture of myself!
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
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    So... I'm 5'7", 147 pounds and I wear a size 6/8 pant... When I see women my height and weight, I don't think they need to lose weight. In fact, they usually look lean and healthy... Which makes me wonder... Do I look like that? When I see myself in the mirror, I what I see looks sooooo much larger than what the logical part of my brain knows that I am. I feel flabby and disgusting. I know that part of that is because I do struggle with terrible cellulite and stretch marks, so the image in the mirror, no matter how thin will never be what I want it to be, but still. I think that I suffer from mild body dysmorphic disorder, which is basically when your self perception is completely skewed from reality in one way or another.

    My question is... Do any of you feel this way? Any advice on how to bring my perception more in line with reality? It's something I've struggled with for many years, without much success in changing.

    I feel exactly this way. I am 5'7" as well, and I weigh 137 right now. I still really can't stand the way I look - I feel like I look bloated and flabby. It's not a great way to feel...
  • ymhand
    ymhand Posts: 188
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    Mine is opposite. I don't feel as big as I am...then I see a picture and am horrified.


    This. Shopping has always been a nightmare and takes forever because I always go for smaller clothes and then fall apart when they don't fit.
  • Mama_CAEI
    Mama_CAEI Posts: 235
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    So true.....Now, that I way less then my husband, it helps.

    OMG, I know how you feel! For a while, I weighed anywhere from 5 to 10 lbs more than him and it was so embarassing! I don't think it bothered him, but boy, did I hate it! Now that we've both lost weight (he's lost around 30 lbs), I weigh 20 lbs less than he does and it makes me feel much more feminine just knowing that!
  • jterry03
    jterry03 Posts: 33 Member
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    So... I'm 5'7", 147 pounds and I wear a size 6/8 pant... When I see women my height and weight, I don't think they need to lose weight. In fact, they usually look lean and healthy... Which makes me wonder... Do I look like that? When I see myself in the mirror, I what I see looks sooooo much larger than what the logical part of my brain knows that I am. I feel flabby and disgusting. I know that part of that is because I do struggle with terrible cellulite and stretch marks, so the image in the mirror, no matter how thin will never be what I want it to be, but still. I think that I suffer from mild body dysmorphic disorder, which is basically when your self perception is completely skewed from reality in one way or another.

    My question is... Do any of you feel this way? Any advice on how to bring my perception more in line with reality? It's something I've struggled with for many years, without much success in changing.

    I an the exact same way. no matter what size or how thin I always seen to think it was never good enough.
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
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    I often feel the same, although I AM obese...when I get all dressed up/made up I look in the mirror and feel like I look better than someone who weighs well over 200lbs should look, then a week later I see pics someone took and think "gah...am I really that fat?"
  • amberrrrh
    amberrrrh Posts: 63 Member
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    whenever i was 140, i saw myself as being as big as i am now.
    but since i'm bigger, i look at myself and think that the scale doesnt match what i see. i see myself as smaller, about 20 pounds smaller than what i actually am.

    Weird.
  • Karamonster
    Karamonster Posts: 40 Member
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    Mine is opposite. I don't feel as big as I am...then I see a picture and am horrified.

    Even at my thinnest, I felt huge. Now I'd give anything to be that size again!


    Yes!!!!! Me too it's horrible
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    Mine is opposite. I don't feel as big as I am...then I see a picture and am horrified.

    Even at my thinnest, I felt huge. Now I'd give anything to be that size again!

    Same here. I think I must be anorexic, because when I look in the mirror, I see a fat person! :laugh:

    Seriously does make me sad that when I was thin and reasonably fit I didn't know it so I couldn't enjoy it.
  • rsj206
    rsj206 Posts: 36 Member
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    I have this issue too. My problem is that I have several girl friends who are very petite, so even though I wear a 6/8 I feel huge next to them. I would *never* look at someone in size 6 pants and think "boy she could lose some weight", so why do I think it about myself? I don't know. It's a struggle.
  • luvsherhubby
    luvsherhubby Posts: 135 Member
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    SAME here! Always looking back and saying, I was not that thin!! Now im actualy overweight after years of thinking I was, extreem dieting & stuffing later- when i was hungry has caused me to gt here.
  • Amber82479
    Amber82479 Posts: 629 Member
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    Thank you all so much for sharing how you feel... Like I said before, I wish none of you felt like I do (or the opposite)... I wish we could all see ourselves for just how we are and love ourselves for it, but I guess it's just not that easy! It does make me feel less like I'm a crazy person, knowing that there are so many other people out there who struggle with this issue. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone <3 Here's wishing that we are all able to learn to love ourselves just as we are in 2012!
  • soccerella
    soccerella Posts: 623 Member
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    I'm your same stats (plus a couple pounds) and feel the same way....infact i'll even see someone bigger than me and think they look fine.....i think we're our own worst critics and its prob pretty common, esp in women
  • kristen11joy
    kristen11joy Posts: 114 Member
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    Strange how we see ourselves... I was always the skinny kid in high school (5'8, 110 lbs) and still "felt" skinny, even when I was overweight. And my pants were too tight. And then last summer, I had NO clothes that fit! I bought one pair of pants (on sale!) and joined MFP and the gym. I've lost 20 pounds and I don't see the difference. But I FEEL it. My clothes fit better, and I have more energy. My husband sees it, and some friends have commented -- some days I see it, some days I don't. Where I do see the change is in photos -- maybe they are more objective than the mirror? Take a photo of yourself that you like to remind you that you DO look great -- even on days you aren't feeling it.
  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Yes, I totally feel that my perceptions of myself and others are skewed. I'm 5'5.5" and 123lbs and a size 4 and many many times I feel totally fat. I look in the mirror and see me 45lbs heavier like I was several years ago. I see a flabby, non-exerciser, not a marathon runner.

    I am working on it. I've been working on it for a good year now and I am making progress. I figure I spent about 30 years of my life feeling (and being) overweight so it's going to take some time for my brain to catch up to my weight loss.

    Just the other day in the sauna at my fitness center I got to chatting with another lady in there and we started talking about running and I told her I'm training for my 5th full marathon. She said to me, "I figured you were a runner - your legs are so thin and muscular." Comments like that still blow me away. She's talking about me? Really?

    Some days I wish I could see myself through the eyes of other people. Just for a reality check. My hubby tells me (daily!) that I look fabulous, that I'm his smoking hot wife and he's so proud of the work I've done to get in shape. It's slowly sinking in.

    You just have to work on it a little bit at a time and surround yourself with supportive people who will help you with the process as well.

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