[Effie_drine]

Female body image has increasingly become one of the biggest issues facing young women— the latest cause to be championed by feminists. The way that we look at ourselves is the difference between a happy, confident lifestyle, and a life spent neurotically trying to live up to someone else’s beauty standard. Body image is different from other causes, being extremely personal and likely to bring up a lot of trauma.

I’m not saying I’m over all my body insecurities, but I don’t want them to take over the way that I look at myself. If this is the only life you get, why on earth would you choose to spend it thinking that you’re ugly? Because in reality, we all have beautiful and ugly sides to ourselves, just like we have good and bad sides, pure and sullied, yin and yang, battling each other out into infinity.

I see this problem in my daughter who is 13. She often tell's me she hates her thigh's, because they are too big......lol

[dirdybirdy]

A good body image requires a person to look at themselves for who they know they are and not what other people tell them they are. We can't help but compare ourselves to others, and of course the comments others make about our bodies will have an effect on our body image whether or not we want it to. The idea is to be healthy, love yourself because you're healthy, and let all the negative BS slide.

Here in Mexico on every 'beauty' commercial (makeup or weight loss products) there's a little message the government or someone puts on the bottom of the screen that says, "Health is Beautiful," and I'll never forget this saying. People here (in my opinion) are generally thinner/healthier, but I truly think its because they have a different outlook on living life and body image in general. I'm trying to figure it out (along with Spanish )....

So I'll eat right, work out, and generally aspire to bring out the best of what I got. If I can walk, talk and shake my booty with the best of them then I'm doing good. That's my body image.

BTW- Ligirl is that you?

[kravmaga]

hello ladies..im a newbie here too.ive been in a love my body-hate my body cycle forever.being a mom of 4girls,i can preach how beauty is who we are,what we do for each other ,the world and ourselves all day.but my insecurities shine through brighter thenthe sun. (do what isay not as i do).everwhere a women goes we see airbrushed,unsurreal imiages..leaving an internal battle w/in you(me) ..anyway...body image is day-to-day walk.but truley.where there is love there is beauty.

[Annabelle]

I've never liked my body shape. Here's my trauma, ever since I was little I alway's wanted to look just like Barbie........lol! Barbie was small and blonde. I'm chunky and a red head. I'm 23 and just started workingout. I haven't seen any gains yet but i feel better on the inside.

[msblue]

Some days I love my body, others I hate it. Having children definitly takes its toll on the body. I look in the mirror and I feel like I am not thin enough or it looks like I might have added a few pounds. My husband will look in the mirror and think he is too small or lost a few pounds. But we are actually perfect. Well, thats what I tell him and he tells me...

[Liftingchic]

the only thing i like to look at in the mirror is my calves and biceps..everything else.. i can't stand to look at.. i hate going shopping and try things on cause you have to look in a mirror

[PonyGirl]

I have my good days and my bad days, I suppose. Some days I look in every mirror I pass, others I avoid them like the plague. All of the images on tv and stuff do weigh on the mind and constantly promote bad self body image for men and women both. I think the worst I've seen so far is this show called "The Swan", where you compete in a beauty pageant after you've gone major plastic surgery to make you 'more attractive'. And the less attractive you were to begin with, the bigger they like the challenge. How sick is that??

[kittykat2]

I have always been the type of female who struggles with body image. It is a love/dislike realationship. I know the things that trigger me into to not liking my figure and I stay away from those things. For example, some magazine that only feature certain anorexic body types!!! I'm only 5"1 so It is impossible to fit into that model category. I do alot of positive self talk and on most days, like today I like my figure and I know if i hit it hard in the gym and eat properly I'm just going to look better and better!!

[MILF]

well some times i feel like a fat cow, but some days i feel sexy. The worst time for me is when i'm pms'n, then i really hate my body. My man makes me feel better when i'm down about myself.