Topic : Self Image

I'm 42 years old,  I'm probably 50 pounds over weight.  I acknowledge that I have to change my eating habits and exercise to get myself back into shape.  I was told by my doctor that I'm pre-menopausal.  I believe that I have noticed changes in my attitude or emotions.  I guess I will deal with these issues as they arise.   But my biggest concern now is that my body shape is not "A symmetrical".  Meaning I weigh more on one side of my body than I do the other side????  I noticed this more since I have been putting on the weight.  But the only way I came to the realization was many,many, many years ago me and some friends went to the beach and I had a tube top on and shorts to swim  well I don't know how this came up in conversation but my best friend said one of my breasts was bigger than the other.  That stuck in my head all these years.  I really didn't care because I thought no one noticed or said anything, I was okay and it didn't make me feel ugly.  I don't understand why this happened or if I was like this since I was little.  I wanted to know if I could do some exercises that would make it not so noticeable.  My clothes don't fit like I want them to.  I have back aches and hip pain.  I did ask a physical therapist that I was seeing when my hip really started to bother me,  he really didn't give me a sufficient answer.  I wonder how it will be when I get older.  This is embarrassing if some guy notices and tells you.  I have no reply.  I hope someone can give me some helpful information. 

First of all, everybody has a bigger side than the other, just that some are more noticable. For the pain, loose weight, I was 180 and sore all over, I hade to take advil and tylenol everyday for 6 months to go on with my day's. until I decided I was sick and tired of hearing me complain that I hurt all over, I had went to see physical therapist, a chiro, a masseuse, went for tests, scans, ect... no one could tell me why I was sore, guess what, I was sore cause I was carrying around an exatra 60 pounds of fat every where I went. Now that I'm 120-125 I'm not sore, I feel good, and look good. I can't imagine putting back 60 pounds and carrying it all day.

My aunt used to complain that her knees hurt all the time and she took meds and said she had to be operated on her knees. I told that she was carrying too much weight on her knees and that was the only reason they hurt, well she was insulted and mad. 2 years later, she lost maybe 20 pounds and well, well, well her knees don't hurt anymore. Like I had told her, if I were to grab a 30 pound plate and carry it with me up and down the stairs, of course at the end of the day my knees would hurt and I would be tired!!!

Common knolege!!!!

I am having a hard time coping with the look of my post-pregnancy body.  I am 26 and I have a 5 month old baby.  I am losing the weight from the pregnancy alright, but I am covered with horrible stretch marks all over my stomach and down my legs.  I am afraid to have another child because I am afriad of what I will be left with in the end.  I have alwayd had a problem with one part of my body, but they are leaving in April ( I am getting a breast reduction), so for the most part I have always been really happy with my body.  Now, I feel embarrased and ashamed of what my tummy looks like.  I kept telling myself throughout the pregnancy that if the baby was happy and healthy then I didn't care about my body because it would all be worth it.  Now that my daughter is here and everything is fine, I am starting to feel bad about what I look like.  I know that I am stuck with these forever, even though I know that they will fade, I am getting more and more upset about them everyday.  Had anyone else dealt with this issue and if so, how did you learn to accept yourself in the end?

Thank you.

When I was a teenager I had the same problem.  I used to start huge physical fights with my mother and eat everything in sight when it was my time of the month.  My parents thought that I had a personality disorder!  They brought me to my family doctor and he ended up putting my on birth control.  Although I found that it helped with the hormonal changes, I still found myself eating everything in sight!  Then I came across an amazing birth control that fixed it all.  It is called Depo-provera. It is a needle given 4 times a year and you do not get a period at all!  I was a little concerned about this so I did some research.  It just so happens that NOT having a period every month is actually BETTER for you. In the older days women were pregnant all the time and what ends up happening is that your uterine wall is actually thicker (because you are not shedding it every month) and therefore when you do decide to have childern there is more between them and the outside world. I have been on this BC for 6 years and I just recently had a baby girl and I am back on it again.  I find that all of the PMS symptoms are completely gone and I save a ton on pads!  I also like the fact that I don't ahve to worry about missing a pill.  I found that it helped me a great deal and I feel that it could probably be worth a try!

Good Luck,

And remember a punching bag is ALWAYS a good investment!!!

Hi There, I completely feel for you.  I am 26 and athough I have only had one baby, I am covered with horrible stretch marks.  I myself am trying to learn how to deal with the added pink lines!  What I have been told is that you can count each one of them as a milestone in your life and learn to look at them as an asset other than an eye sore. I completely understand what you feel like and I know how much it sucks!  My husband thinks that they are wonderful because it is proof of the wonderful daughter that we have.  I have to say that I don't exactly agree, but I have no choice but to live with them.  I hope that both you and I can learn to love these additions to our bodies and look more inside than out and that your support system is good.  Also, there is no "get fit fast"way out here, I know, but I have heard that tanning can make the stretch marks fade somewhat...I guess that we are in this together!

Good Luck!