Any other ladies really self critical regarding their bodies?

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is self critical. I'm really critical regarding my weight and my belly. Sometimes I feel attractive and sometimes I don't. I know that others find me attractive that it's all just in my head. But I remember how I looked in high school and wish I could go back.*lol* After having a child no one's body is ever the same and I need to accept that. We're so caught up on trying to be the "feminine ideal" of tall and slender, that we no longer appreciate our bodies. We're all unique and there's nothing wrong with that! I do try to exercise though just so I can have more energy and for a little weight loss but nothing drastic.

Amen to that!

Don't we all wish our hips and thighs could go back to high school?

But its great that you realize that it is NOT healthy or even imo attractive to be the super slim model type... thats just unrealistic... I particularly am honestly more attracted to women who are natural... I don't mean really big but with those unavoidable sags and lags... I find it so very human, and humbling, and, well... hot! If some "gorgeous" model stick figure walked up to me I would honestly be like "Honey, when's the last time you ate more than a grape in a sitting?" Not my type...

And yes, to answer the question... there is a certain time of month where nothing seems to go right that I find myself being particularly picky about my body... for me its the butt, thighs, and waist... But, that passes and I'm back to my happy self. I'm certainly no lingerie model, but I also do keep in shape and am perfectly happy with how my body reflects whats inside it which I think is the important thing

I've never been real happy about my body, but I've been thrilled about my wit, intelligence, and sense of humour for some time now. I figured out a while ago that's what makes me sexy and confident, not my body.

Barbwire a.k.a. Cowboy Lover

Good way to be CL! I need to keep reminding myself when I'm being picky that it's what's on the inside that's most important! I know it wasn't just my body that attracted my ex.

I'm definately not happy with my body, i'm very self concious. I know my personality shines out but if i was just that lil bit thinner, and by wobbly bits that little bit more toned..... I'd be in great shape

as i gaze into my crystal ball...i forsee no chocolate or starbucks frappicinno's for the next 10 years along with many tortourous gym sessions.

or maybe i should just have sex more often

"Mint Pussy". Probably one of *the* worst Ben & Jerry's flavors ever.

i don't get why a lot of women are like that. most women are attractive in the eyes of most men. i'm actually more into women in their 30s and 40s than high school girls. girls under 18 are a turn off for me. women have it easy.

guys are the ones who should be more concerned with stuff like this. of course, women always say that they are into personality and it's not about looks, but that's when we're talking about relationships, not sexual attraction. a guy has to be pretty good looking in order for a woman to actually want him sexually. part of the reason for this is because a woman DOESN'T have to be that hot in order for a guy to want her sexually. since even really average women in their 30s and 40s can score with hot 20 year old guys, the rest of us not so good looking guys are obsolete.

i'm really self conscious about my looks. and the sad part is i'm not even that ugly. well, compared to most guys 25-30(which is what i look like), i'm average. but compared to most guys around my age, i'm somewhat ugly. girls around my age tend to usually find me unattractive and older women who are into guys around age probably won't be into me. older women who are turned off by younger guys may be more likely to be into my type because there are less hot looking guys who aren't young. but even they would probably prefer older good looking guys.

also you have to remember that unless a woman is really ugly(which is rare), she can hit on any guy and he'll always like the attention. if she's really ugly, a lot of guys might not care, but they won't be creeped out or anything. women don't like getting hit on unless the guy is really hot. if he isn't, he has to be careful and say all the right things or else they'll blow him off. a hot guy can be as sexual as he wants and doesn't have to use clever lines or anything and they'll still like the attention. i have to live with the fact that i'd be seen as a creep for doing what most guys my age are seen as cute or even sexy for doing. how can i not be self conscious?

Definitely not happy w/ my body. Having 3 kids really added on the cellulite. I am "only" 15lbs more than I was pre-pregnancy, but I definitely notice my huge gross thighs, bottom and kangaroo pouch belly. It's icky. I wish I had the enthusiasm to keep exercising, but I guess I'm just too lazy, LOL

My belly won't go flat no matter how much exercise I do. It's annoying sometimes. Women seem to have a harder time losing weight.

Highschool hell, I'd like to go back to 50.

But all of you must understand,body shape and size of a teen aged lean girl is not attractive always atleast to some males,there are so many men in this world,including me , who love to see you with kangaroo belly and fat thighs and butts.....please believe this, relax!
yardlyin

I'm definitely not happy with my body.

Well, I actually look better now than I did in high school. I was a junk food-junkie back in the day, carried around a few extra pounds. I have a much healthier lifestyle nowadays. I had a little less cellulite, no spider veins, no stretch marks (from losing/gaining weight over the years), so in very minor ways I had a "better body", but, you know, even porn stars and actresses have "real bodies", their pictures are photoshopped and airbrushed before they're published in magazines, and the bodies are even touched-up in movies...making the rest of us feel like real schlubs by comparison But what a delusion, because what you see on the screen, and in the mags, is a fantasy version of that person. It's so easy to forget that.

Flat female bellies are a genetic rarity...that "muffin top" is supposed to be there.

I'll just add that I have my good days, my "eh" days, and my "Waaah, I want new genes!" days. I have to remind myself that beauty is subjective...Some people are very limited in the types of bodies they find attractive, some people are attracted to a wide range of body types, and some people are turned on by physical features you may possess that aren't considered "culturally ideal". The trick is in finding someone who will appreciate your unique beauty. I've shared my pics with a lot of guys over the past year, and some of them thought I was all right, and others thought I was fairly attractive, and others still admired my body to the extent that they would not stop asking for pictures and loved to tell me, in detial, the ways in which my body inspired them So now I know, just find one who appreciates what I've got. We're all like puzzle pieces that either don't fit together at all, kinda fit if you mash things into place and squint your eyes a bit, and then there those that snap together perfectly.

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The most beautiful make-up of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy. ~Yves Saint Laurent

The sexiest parts of my body are my brain, my heart, my spine, and my guts.

I think I love you!

Barbwire a.k.a. Cowboy Lover

Well said Bluesy! I love your analogy about puzzle pieces! Too bad my ex and I weren't the "fit" that I had hoped.

Well I am a guy and I am very self critical of myself. Some days I feel slightly attractive but generally I don't. I am not sure why I am this way but it gets really bad at times for me. Most of the time I don't even look at myself in the mirror, especially at my face. I hate working out in the gym with mirrors all around I always hold my head down and look at the floor. And when I do need to look at where my arms are I use a window to look at my reflections because it doesn't show facial details. It only shows my shilote.
I am not sure why I am like this I guess I just have really bad self esteem.

Love is the fuel for life