[lucky]

I am glad to hear that you are feeling better about things. I still had to jump in and say that there is a HUGE difference between the two pictures you posted. You look great. You really do.

I've had the exact same thoughts you posted so I understand where you are coming from. The thing is, I would bet my last nickel that the girls you were comparing yourself to were comparing themselves to someone else. And that is a real shame. It is a very delicate balance between feeling good about what we have (and what we are going to have when we reach goal) and being realistic about what we are capable of obtaining physically. I'm never going to get my 18 year old body back. At first that was a tough pill to swallow but then I realized that I don't want it back. Sure, I have a gooshy stomach but I have three beautiful children to show for it. I can't wear the skimpy clothes and stop traffic (okay, I might stop traffic if I wore them but it wouldn't be for the good reasons. LOL!) but my husband loves how I look and carry myself. And I love how I look and carry myself too - as long as I don't compare myself to anyone else. We are who we are and we have to work with what we've got without feeling as if we have to keep up with the Jones', so to speak.

Keep up the hard work. You look great and have every reason to feel great about yourself too!

[taekwondomom]

Just chiming in to say:
You look terrific! Congratulations on shedding 90lbs!

[Foreverhopefull]

Sweety, You look AMAZING!!!!!

I'm realy trying to stop thinking about how much those girls look and all since I talked with a good friend of my parents who's a nurse in a psych ward.She was telling me that they had to open a all ward for anorexic/boulimic girls because the magazines are making all the girls think they have to be skinny to be pretty, otherwise they are ugly.

She said her youngest patient was 8yold!!! Can you imagine? She said that there is so many tricks you can get on the pro-anorexia web sites...like to sleep naked with windows open, so that when you body is freezing, your body will be burning calories.

I've also seen, in my nursing days, a women that was so weak from starving herself that she would go down the stairs on a crazy carpet to keep most of her energy to leave her appartment building. Because of her starvation, she got dementia and was in the hospital for 6months overbefore leaving for the psych ward. The last I heard of her she was sent to a retirement home because of the dementia.

I have nothing to envy from a skinny girl other than she has the pick of the pack for clothing and she's not stuck with the plus size stores.

I prefer to be feeling a buldge than to have the skin thight clothing.

[roundRN]

Gosh you guys...

Thank you soooooooooooooo much for all your sweet comments and words of wisdom.....they have really helped me!!!!!!! Things are going good again for me and I'm on the up-swing again Yeahhhhhh I don't know..I guess I've always had esteem issues ....things have gotten better...but it's still hard for me sometimes and I still get myself into an occasional "funk". I'm going to try to be more confident and more happy with ME. I've even noticed that when I'm feeling really good, really confident,etc...that radiates to others and thats when i tend to get "oh you look cute", "oh I love your shirt",etc. comments...kind of strange...but self-confidence and healthy self esteem go a long ways.

Ok..I've got to head to exercise and then to bed. Thanks again everyone..you are all fabulous!!!!

Luv,
Liv

[ChocLabLover]

Liv, I am late to the post, but I think the pictures look amazing!