Wanting to over come self-conscious over weight?

[RoxyGril]

I am 25 yrs old 5'2" and at a about 110 to 115 lbs. I eat pretty well for the most part w/ occasional candy, etc. I work out almost every day or every other day. My bf and I will go walk hiking trails on weekends when we are able too. If we don't go for a walk during the week then I will run on the tread mil out in the garage. I have lost about 15 lbs when I started dating my bf and have managed to keep the weight off. We are pretty active for the most part.

 

I work at a dealership and so I sit for a good portion on the day. Though I can say I hate sitting down, which I try to get up and walk around when I can. There are times where I feel like I've gain weight and I haven't or it maybe a slight change. Also, I don't really like certain parts of my body and so I am a bit self-conscious. I know I don't like my thighs cuz I see them being big and I don't wear skirts or shorts that show my thighs.

 

There are times where I feel good about how my body looks and other times when I don't. I am not wanting to losing anymore weight because I feel that I am at the weight I am wanting to be at. IDK why I get in these thought processes where I get so self-conscious of myself.

 

What are some ways that would help on not being so self-conscious of your body? I am tired of these up and downs of how I feel about myself. Maybe I shouldn't be so damn hard on myself and be happy w/ where I am at. How did you over come the self-consiousness?

[Fudgie]

Wow, you sound like a good weight to be honest.

 

I'm a LOT bigger than you (am much taller though) and I'm overweight. I just wear clothes that fit me well and go to the gym. I've lost some weight being back at school becaue I can finally cook my own stuff.

 

My boyfriend loves my body and I don't feel self-conscious. I may not wear revealing stuff ever but in the bedroom, I just show everything and don't "hide" my body. I hate having sex with the lights off!

 

It definitely helps knowing that he likes me the way that I am, and I know that I'm on the road toward being healthier too.

[RoxyGril]

My bf tells me he loves the way I look. I don't think I am at a terrible weight or anything. It's more of being self-conscious, I guess. It's the little thing's that I shouldn't be bothered by so much. It's more of it is what it is and continue to stay healthy. I probably should be more positive about myself then be so negitive on everything.

[Alezia]

Are you wearing 'teen style' clothes still? While I am not fat or anything, I had to start staying away from those as the cuts are not that flattering for adult bodies. Do you shop at adult clothing stores such as the Gap or Banana Republic, or are you still shoping more at the low-end cheap teen stuff? It makes a huge difference.

[RoxyGril]

I have been trying to stay away from a lot of the 'teen styled' clothes. I have been getting a lot of non-graphic tees, etc. Though I do not shop at Gap but, I will go to either Ross, Marshall's, Kohl's, etc. So, I am trying to dress my age at least. But, I will admit that I do have some Roxy shirts though.

[22n32]

Wow 115 sounds pretty thin...

 

At 5,2 women I dated were between 110-130 and the 130 always looked better.. a little meat on the curves is a good thing...

 

Not to sound harsh, but to thin body like a 12 Asian boy is not really attractive on a women..

 

But its what ever makes u feel good.. good luck..

[RubyWoo]

This is interesting, because I get the same paranoias the OP does... As in consciously you know it isn't THAT bad, but the thought of wearing a bikini and going to the beach sends me into a panick attack Why does that happen?

[Snny]

Not to sound harsh, but to thin body like a 12 Asian boy is not really attractive on a women..

I prefer toned bodies than scrawny thin ones

 

My bf and I will go walk hiking trails on weekends when we are able too. If we don't go for a walk during the week then I will run on the tread mil out in the garage. I have lost about 15 lbs when I started dating my bf and have managed to keep the weight off. We are pretty active for the most part.

 

I work at a dealership and so I sit for a good portion on the day. Though I can say I hate sitting down, which I try to get up and walk around when I can. There are times where I feel like I've gain weight and I haven't or it maybe a slight change. I know I don't like my thighs cuz I see them being big and I don't wear skirts or shorts that show my thighs.

That's why your thighs are big. Your exercises are only focusing on two muscles and its your thighs and legs. You're not using your ab, arms, back, and chest muscles since you're just doing cardio.

 

Also, how do you run on the treadmill matters. The most common mistake I see people do at the gym is holding onto the bars on the treadmill. I see it everyday at the gym and these people who do it don't realize they are not pushing themselves when they are holding on... therefore, they are NOT losing weight or building endurance. It's OKAY to slow the speed pace on the treadmill, but holding on does not push you- it punishes your muscles and causes strain. This is coming from someone who can run over 5 miles nonstop btw. Make sure you don't do that.

 

First off, good for you for being proactive with your health. The American Heart Association recommends a person does at least 2 hours of cardio workouts a week. Running takes serious discipline for people to do. However, if you want to shave the body fat and tone faster, combine your cardio exercises with core weight lifting (weight lifting that exercises 2 or more muscles simultaneously) for an ultimate workout.

 

My biggest problem several months ago was when I ran, did Zumba, and worked out on weight machines that only focused on my abs, the body fat actually shifted to the areas where I wasn't exercising (such as my butt and back). Sure I had GREAT 4 pack abs in 3 months, but it was noticeable that I had bigger love handles than before, LOL. It's the reason why I work with a personal trainer now because he shows me multiple and fun ways to work out without injuring myself and how to get faster results. I've lost a pant size in 2 months... but personal trainers can be pricey. If you got the money for a PT, I highly recommend doing at least a couple of months (and find a good one who will work with you based on your body type).

 

One thing... height and weight does not measure a person's actual body fat. The scale lies because of this factor. My personal trainer actually told me that he used to train a 16 year old girl who was 5'3", weighed 95 lbs... but because she had no muscle, her body consisted mainly of body fat and was considered borderline obsessed. I don't want to scare you an I'm not calling you fat... but it is NOT too late to lose body fat. I'm older than you and I am dropping weight. You can do it with the right workouts

[RoxyGril]

I haven't been working on more of my muscles lately but, I do know that I do need to incorparte that into my work out. There are muscles there but, I am wanting to really tone them more. I can say I am not a stright and not curvy. Though I would have to say I am more of a pair shape....

 

I don't hold on to the handles of the tread mil when I run. My normal runs go from 3 to 5 miles depending how long I want to go for. The places I would like to tone is my stomach, legs and arms.

[Snny]

The places I would like to tone is my stomach, legs and arms.

Yep... and that is when you need to bust out on the weight training. Typically, women are drawn toward cardio workouts because they feel incompetent to lift weights OR fear their bodies will turn out to be like this:

 

 

 

The girl in the above picture had surgical procedures done with testosterone inserted. The hormones in men and women play a major role in shaping our bodies... women cannot look naturally beefy like the chick above. The big reason why women SHOULD do weight training is that it prevents the loss of bone mass density (which commonly happens to women as they get older).

 

There are several youtube vids and articles on the internet for core weight training. I recommend getting someone who knows how to professionally lift weights because they can give pointers and show you how to properly lift them without injury. I do weight training 3 times a week and run 3-4 times a week and have gotten results in 2 months. I watch my calories and drink/eat a lot of dairy, potassium, protein, and carb (yes... carbs if you are a regular runner) products.