I Hate My Body..do you like yours?
I gained plenty of weight for a year and a half after starting college, and have gone from almost worryingly skinny to average in build. Though I stopped at 165 lbs and 6'2" so I'm OK with that for now. Overall my least attractive physical features are probably those I could do something about quite easily if I applied myself. Back hair, my head hair itself (which I imagine is not in style), facial fuzz, acne, and a puny upper body. To be honest, though I am apparently not very attractive to the opposite sex I think my looks are the least of my worries.
sartresue is correct, the first thing to is to get an an honest assessment of where you're at and BMI (body mass index) is a good place to start. It's not a perfect assessment, but it is a good rule of thumb. There are free BMI calculators on the Internet. I believe you need only need to know your height, waist size, and weight and the calculator does the rest.
Second thing, it is very unlikely that any exercise you are doing is making your butt any bigger. Most butt exercises (such as squats and dead lifts) will make it tighter if anything. After over four years of heavy weight lifting, I have only gained about eight pounds of muscle throughout my entire body. Muscle does weigh more than fat, but it is very, very hard to gain in significant quantities.
Third, it is impossible to spot reduce fat. One can not do crunchs to lose fat from the abdomen or ride a bike to lose fat from one's but. Our bodies have their own rhyme and reason to where they wish to store fat and when. But as a rule of thumb, men tend to accumulate fat around their stomach and women around their thighs and butt. If you wish to shrink your butt, the way to do it is to lower your overall body fat percentage. The only healthy way is through diet and exercise.
When it comes to diet, never starve yourself as it does not work. Starvation is defined as 1100 calories a day. A few few years ago I lost about 50 pounds on a diet of about 1600 calories a day. When it comes to diet though, there are a few tricks. First, spread your calories out throughout the day. When you do this, you are giving your body just enough calories to keep it going. For breakfast for instance, I would have a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of skim milk (about 450 calories total). Mid-morning I would have an apple or a bowl of brown rice (75 to 200 calories). For lunch I would have a small hamburger (300-400 calories). For dinner I would vary it, but keep it around 400-500 calories. On Friday or Saturday I would keep the same diet during the day, but allow myself one large meal, either a generous breakfast of dinner. A key here is to cut-out simple carbs. Simple carbs are carbs that are easy for your body to convert to sugar, which your body then converts to fat. Some examples are: pizza, potato products (chips, fries), white breads, white rice. However, complex carbs are just fine as they take your body a long time to digest. Examples of these are whole grains (oatmeal, brown rice), vegetables. Protein is also good (chicken, beef, eggs and dairy).
While you're dieting, it is important to exercise to increase your metabolism. You don't have to knock yourself out to do this. I lost weight by walking on a treadmill at four miles an hour in front of a television for 45 minutes a day, five times a week (Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun). I also lifted weights. Weight lifting helps fat loss in a very significant way. If you lift weights while you're dieting, your body will sense that you need your muscles because you are using them, and will instead burn almost pure fat for the energy it needs. If you just diet to lose weight, your body tends to consume your muscle for energy instead of fat.
Another important thing to remember is that when you are losing weight, your body will burn fat according to it's own genetic programming. When it came to myself, my body burned fat from the top down and from the bottom up. First my man-boobs disappeared, then my butt shrank, then finally my gut shrank some. Fitness trainers often say "first on, last off" which means that your problem areas will be the last to shrink. In the case of myself and Social Phantom, that is our guts because genetically our bodies like to carry some body fat there. The only way I could lose my gut entirely would be to run marathons, which I am not going to do
![Exclamation :!:](./images/smilies/icon_exclaim.gif)
I know some can build muscle etc, and it has been a concern.
I do do exercises aimed at firming up the butt muscles, but I am, beginning to think they might actually enlarge the damn thing...and as to the cycling, would that make my thighs bigger?
I wish I knew what the best exercise is for shrinking down without gaining lots of muscle.
Today, I went into a Uk clothing store, aimed more at young people(I am 32) to try on 6 pairs of different things in a uk 10, aka USA 6. 5 of them fit... one was even too large on me. But one pair of denim shorts barely went over my hips and would not do up. That disgusts me and is fixed in my mind.
My BMI is 18.9, my body fat is under 20 and I am, supposedly, bordering on underweight, yet there is something that is not even the smallest size, that I cannot get into ?
I hate my body.
You were very emaciated when I saw you and I think you need to get specialist help for anorexia. I know Im fat and so of course you look thin compared to me, but really your arms and face were very thin with the bones protruding alot, you really must not loose more weight. Try the GP again to get refered to an eating disorder specialist as I think you will be in danger if you keep getting thinner. Your heart is made of muscle and you will endanger it if you get rid of the muscle on your body. hope you feel better soon
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I know some can build muscle etc, and it has been a concern.
I do do exercises aimed at firming up the butt muscles, but I am, beginning to think they might actually enlarge the damn thing...and as to the cycling, would that make my thighs bigger?
I wish I knew what the best exercise is for shrinking down without gaining lots of muscle.
Today, I went into a Uk clothing store, aimed more at young people(I am 32) to try on 6 pairs of different things in a uk 10, aka USA 6. 5 of them fit... one was even too large on me. But one pair of denim shorts barely went over my hips and would not do up. That disgusts me and is fixed in my mind.
My BMI is 18.9, my body fat is under 20 and I am, supposedly, bordering on underweight, yet there is something that is not even the smallest size, that I cannot get into ?
I hate my body.
You were very emaciated when I saw you and I think you need to get specialist help for anorexia. I know Im fat and so of course you look thin compared to me, but really your arms and face were very thin with the bones protruding alot, you really must not loose more weight. Try the GP again to get refered to an eating disorder specialist as I think you will be in danger if you keep getting thinner. Your heart is made of muscle and you will endanger it if you get rid of the muscle on your body. hope you feel better soon
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I am not underweight according to weight tickets so I don't see how I can possibly look emaciated. I am surprised that is what anyone else sees.
Though the weight has tended to drop off my top half because I exercise my bottom half.
But I do not intend to go below 8 stone 12 , which is 5 ibs lighter than I am now.
Graelwyn:
I've been fortunate that, thanks to the paternal side of my family, I actually lose weight the more I sit still and stuff my face with food. I've always been one of those people who could go twelve hours without food, and no sleep for 24 hours, yet still function similarly to what I would be if I were enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner.
I started weight training and jogging a couple years ago, and found my metabolism came in handy, particularly with my unusual diet after exercise. My regimen consisted of 3 hours of exercise (15-30 minutes of assorted treadmill work, and the remaining 2.5 hours of nothing but weight-lifting, sit-ups, push-ups, and dare I say, a few variants of pilates).
My after-exercise snack consisted of a whole quart of Ben and Jerry's, and 20 ounces of the blue or red Gatorade. It replenished all the necessary electrolytes, along with all the necessary calories and proteins to build muscle (not to mention treated my sweet tooth while vegging out to "The Hunt for Red October").
In my case, what I needed to do was to GAIN WEIGHT, and gain it all as lean muscle mass. My objective was to be toned, and hone my body as an all-around endurance machine. I'm not particularly good at jogging (still can't break a 6' 30" mile), but I wanted to improve the assets I already had, and tap into the brute strength I lacked but could easily develop to compensate for speed.
Granted, I will never be as buff as Schwarzenegger, or the guys in my body building textbooks, but I have been training my body to go the lean and mean direction. Right now, I literally look like Bruce Lee from the neck down. My direction is more T-1000 compared to the T-800 (for your Terminator metaphor of the day).
In your case, and you will find this particularly crude, your body is built specifically to maximize your efficiency at giving birth to kids. It's not a bad thing, and you can't change what your body specializes in. However, if you want to round it out to handle a few different tasks.
Think of it as making your major in college exactly what your body wants to do already (just making it better at it's existing talent), and taking up a few minors to give you some extra strengths.
The BMI you're stating isn't bad. If you want to cut it down, though, but not sacrifice your frame, I suggest trying my regimen. Do the jogging, but at a low intensity to burn fat (you want a target heart rate around 130 bpm), and then bench-press, dumbell-fly, and curl until you can't feel your fingers anymore.
What you'll end up with is a little more weight, but it will be more compact, and all in lean muscle mass. Why go that route? Lean muscle mass is less bulky, quite attractive, and more importantly, more useful for long-duration exertion, rather than quick, short bursts of excessive strength (like the strong man competitions).
That means you will have a build that's still you, and still doing what your body wants to do, but your body will be more up to anything you throw at yourself.
Of course, there are several different directions you can go with a workout, but it's pointless to fight what your genes are sculpting you into. You're going to lose, anyway. Rather, if you help sharpen the chisel, you'll be far more satisfied with the results, and it will fit better with who you are.
As for clothing sizes, I wouldn't worry. Most healthy women in the U.S. range in sizes from 6 to 12. Remember, most of your standard sizes are in that 8 to 12 range, and the petites go smaller. You could aim for being a "misses" if you wanted to, but any healthy, traditional stay at home mom my folks knew could snap the modern "soccer mom" in half like a twig.
Finally, you might find Michael Savage a nice reference for tips on a balanced diet.
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I've been fortunate that, thanks to the paternal side of my family, I actually lose weight the more I sit still and stuff my face with food. I've always been one of those people who could go twelve hours without food, and no sleep for 24 hours, yet still function similarly to what I would be if I were enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner.
I started weight training and jogging a couple years ago, and found my metabolism came in handy, particularly with my unusual diet after exercise. My regimen consisted of 3 hours of exercise (15-30 minutes of assorted treadmill work, and the remaining 2.5 hours of nothing but weight-lifting, sit-ups, push-ups, and dare I say, a few variants of pilates).
My after-exercise snack consisted of a whole quart of Ben and Jerry's, and 20 ounces of the blue or red Gatorade. It replenished all the necessary electrolytes, along with all the necessary calories and proteins to build muscle (not to mention treated my sweet tooth while vegging out to "The Hunt for Red October").
In my case, what I needed to do was to GAIN WEIGHT, and gain it all as lean muscle mass. My objective was to be toned, and hone my body as an all-around endurance machine. I'm not particularly good at jogging (still can't break a 6' 30" mile), but I wanted to improve the assets I already had, and tap into the brute strength I lacked but could easily develop to compensate for speed.
Granted, I will never be as buff as Schwarzenegger, or the guys in my body building textbooks, but I have been training my body to go the lean and mean direction. Right now, I literally look like Bruce Lee from the neck down. My direction is more T-1000 compared to the T-800 (for your Terminator metaphor of the day).
In your case, and you will find this particularly crude, your body is built specifically to maximize your efficiency at giving birth to kids. It's not a bad thing, and you can't change what your body specializes in. However, if you want to round it out to handle a few different tasks.
Think of it as making your major in college exactly what your body wants to do already (just making it better at it's existing talent), and taking up a few minors to give you some extra strengths.
The BMI you're stating isn't bad. If you want to cut it down, though, but not sacrifice your frame, I suggest trying my regimen. Do the jogging, but at a low intensity to burn fat (you want a target heart rate around 130 bpm), and then bench-press, dumbell-fly, and curl until you can't feel your fingers anymore.
What you'll end up with is a little more weight, but it will be more compact, and all in lean muscle mass. Why go that route? Lean muscle mass is less bulky, quite attractive, and more importantly, more useful for long-duration exertion, rather than quick, short bursts of excessive strength (like the strong man competitions).
That means you will have a build that's still you, and still doing what your body wants to do, but your body will be more up to anything you throw at yourself.
Of course, there are several different directions you can go with a workout, but it's pointless to fight what your genes are sculpting you into. You're going to lose, anyway. Rather, if you help sharpen the chisel, you'll be far more satisfied with the results, and it will fit better with who you are.
As for clothing sizes, I wouldn't worry. Most healthy women in the U.S. range in sizes from 6 to 12. Remember, most of your standard sizes are in that 8 to 12 range, and the petites go smaller. You could aim for being a "misses" if you wanted to, but any healthy, traditional stay at home mom my folks knew could snap the modern "soccer mom" in half like a twig.
Finally, you might find Michael Savage a nice reference for tips on a balanced diet.
I measure about 33, 25, 36 currently.
It is the last number I despise.
I do not wish to spend 3 hours a day exercising, as my OCD already takes up hours. I would have no time left to read or do anything much of anything. And I would not eat enough.. I have about 1300 calories a day currently.I simply want to shrink my hips down and go to 120 ibs or so. Closer to what models weigh, since I am that kind of height.
I dont agree with whoever said that exercise cant make the butt bigger...surely all muscles can be build up with exercise?
my top half is bones....I can see my spine without bending, and every rib if i breathe in, and most if i dont breathe in.
I can see my hipbones just standing up casually
But my butt and thighs have yet to shrink.
to me 36 inch hips are humungous
In my early 20s I used to love my body. I was very slightly underweight, but I loved it, I was completely happy with it. Now at 30 I have realised that things have changed in the past few years and I am gradually putting on weight on my stomach - where before it was flat and muscly, now it is flabby. My upper arms are getting flabbier too. Yet I do all the same exercise as I did then. So I guess it is just an age thing (although the fact that I had taken a medication that made me put on weight last year didnt help). For the moment though I am not particularly happy with it and I am trying to lose it so I get back to how I used to be. I think though I am just going to have to accept it as inevitable and get used to it. I no longer have the willpower or even the desire to starve myself into submission.
p.s. I look at myself naked in the mirror a lot and did so even more when I was more obsessed about my weight.
I hate my body, I think I have too much fat on my legs and stomach despite exercising every day. I really hate my face in particular, my nose is big compared to the rest of my features and I can't stand the shape of my face.
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Controversy begins only where acceptance ends.
I cannot stop focussing on the size of my butt, and am repulsed by the sight of the thing... I doubt anyone else bothers to look at themselves naked in the mirror, but are butts meant to be so urgh? The skin is not totally smoothe there and it really bothers me.
At times I have clawed at it and wanted to cut it up because the sight of flesh disgusts me.
It's too bad you feel that way about it. Maybe others don't see it that way. I feel OK about my appearance. The focus of my attention has been on growing my abilities. Exercise hasn't made me any lighter, but I feel a lot better.
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