Just wondering? Do you think you're pretty?

[MoveMoveMove]

Uh, no. There were times back in high school when I played around with makeup that I thought my face looked OK but never pretty.

I'm the youngest of seven and the only girl. Sometimes I think God forgot He was making me female because He gave me the same looks as my brothers. And oversized pores.

Beautiful on the inside - you betcha. On the outside - nope.

[Onederchic]

No, I don't think I am pretty.

[Goddess Jessica]

Look at the name. I'm a freaking GODDESS.

Ubergirl, I think this speaks to an issue that a lot of overweight women have. Many women think that when they lose weight, this will fundamentally change something about themselves. For instance, the ideas "If I lose weight, I will be beautiful. If I lose weight, I will find the love of my life. If I lose weight, I will love myself. If I lose weight, I will be successful."

The problem comes when they lose weight and their big dreams do not magically come true. I have seen so many women give up and gain the weight back because their idea of the "after girl" does not match reality.

This is why I like to hear people talk about self-confidence issues, loose skin problems and self-love because in the end, you're still the woman you started out as. If you don't reconcile and love that person, you're not going to be able to just because you're thin.

[hometowngirl]

When I was 130-140 I was called pretty all the time. Now I am 217 no one really says a word to me about my looks (except for telling me that I've gained weight). When I was thinner I would walk in a room and get attention... now... I am just ignored. This all plays in to how I feel about myself. I grew to think I was pretty when I was getting compliments but now those have gone away I am feeling ugly.

[Symmetry]

I think I am/ will be. I lost alot of weight once and looked pretty good.

[Grace73]

I think no matter what weight i was cute..
lately i take pictures and look and look and cant believe thats me..
i know it sounds crazy. but i think we get this fat picture in our head and no matter what just cant seem to shake it..
im down 40 lbs with about 30 to go...
My husband thinks im vain when i look at the pictures.. but its more like amazement to me.. than love..
hard to explain but its the truth..

[saef]

I'm not comfortable with the word "pretty" because it's a word for a younger woman than I am now. It sounds flirty & frivolous, in an effortless way. That's never described me.

I am attractive. I prefer that word because it also refers to my effect on people, so that there's a transaction involved. I am no longer invisible, as I was when I was heavy. People are attracted to me. Often in a nonsexual way -- they are more attentive to me in meetings, they're nicer & more respectful, in public, and on occasion they admire me -- I mean for aesthetic reasons, because of the way I'm dressed & groomed, not because they're desiring me. I could not say that when I was obese. When I lost weight, I gained back some kind of power when I regained visibility, and that was the power of attraction, of having a certain presence. I am just sorry that our culture hasn't changed much & that so much of women's power depends on their physical presence.

[LizR]

I'm definitely not pretty. That is one of the "excuses" I've used to let myself get so overweight. I won't be pretty anyway. But losing weight is a matter of health to me now. I want to be healthy and to be able to spend time with my family as long as possible.

[dragonwoman64]

Originally Posted by starfishkitty

I'm with Kuhrisuh on that one... some days I feel like a million bucks... that I have pretty good looks... and some days I feel like complete sh*t on a stick.

And the funny thing is that weight wise, typically there will be no difference on Day A, when I feel gorgeous, from Day B, when I feel like crapola. Don't get how that works.

this would be true for me, too (I edited it a bit to fit me). I would rather be able to answer like Jessica (a freaking goddess, ha!) loved that reply. and you know, you made me think that about your looks by saying it!

I'm embarrassed to admit I'm the woman who has moments when she asks her bf too many times, do you think I'm pretty?? yikes. it's kind of overly exhausting, if you know what I mean, to have that kind of stuff take on too much importance in my head.

bf says most people, looks wise, are in the middle -- not gorgeous, not hideous; I agree with that. I tend to be drawn to quirkiness, and an interesting personality will override many flaws, while a bad personality for me will cancel out a more attractive exterior.

getting old ain't for the faint of heart. So I've focused on the "pretty" part of me that comes from within

you said it!

[Windchime]

Looking back at some pictures from when I was young, I think maybe I used to be pretty. Now I'm 48, so I don't really think that "pretty" would apply (if it ever did). Now my feeling about my looks is that I'm not really pretty (or good-looking or whatever), but it also could be a lot worse. I agree with the notion that most people really are someplace around "average" and I'm guessing that's where I fall.

I think I smile more now that I've lost some weight, and I'm probably more confident which I suppose could result in people perceiving me as better looking. I dunno. Like I said, could be better but it could also be worse!

[Matilda08]

I think I am very pretty! The only complaint I have about myself is really my weight and even with the weight I still think I look good and carry it well. I love myself and I like myself I just want to get healthier and be more attracted to my body when Im naked lol

[rakel]

I've always been the one that was, "You're pretty but..." in high school, I had many male friends, and they would always refer to me as being beautiful, but that never changed the fact that none of them ever asked me out! haha. I have gotten a few honest opinions from men that have said, you are a very pretty girl, but you are also very overweight. My father used to tell me that I would be very foxy if I lost some weight. I think that I look a lot better in person than in pictures, too, but I think that's mostly because I've never been thin enough to be very photogenic. When I was, thinner I was just a kid, and still a somewhat chubby kid at that.

Do I believe I am pretty? Yes. Even being very obese, I still think that I am pretty. I do think that I will become even prettier as I lose weight, which is something I really never wanted to be true. I wanted to be able to stay fat and be gorgeous, just because I never thought I could actually lose the weight. Losing weight for me is not just vanity, it's also for health. So if feeling better means looking better then I am all for that. No more pity parties here.

Now, my husband has been very vocal about how he feels about my looks. He says that his main concern about my weight is my health, though I think he is looking forward to my losing weight for other reasons... *ahem*... But it's not because he finds me unattractive now.

[thistoo]

I have never thought I was pretty. My whole life I felt just really plain, and I always assumed that if I lost weight I'd still be plain.

It's only lately that when I look in the mirror -- not every time, but sometimes -- I think, "hey, I actually am sort of pretty". Then I see a picture of myself and I don't see it. I'm not sure if it's a self-esteem thing or just being realistic. It would be nice to feel pretty all the time, though, I gotta admit.

[Trazey34]

I've always thought I was pretty, now that I'm 42 the word 'pretty' seems a bit silly tho LOL My DH makes me feel gorgeous, but even before I knew him I thought I was a pretty girl. Maybe that's why I always spent so much time on ABOVE the neck lol always had great haircuts, great makeup and jewellery, hoping no one would notice the 300 lbs underneath me hahaha But like others have said, pretty IS as pretty DOES.

[lauralyn]

No, I have never thought of myself as pretty, I feel very plain and even ugly.