Body Image and Issues after Weight Loss - Never ask a man who loves you(or has a sense of self preservation)...

I asked my fiance last night if my legs were too fat. Of course, he said no.

But it was a trick question. I already know my legs are fat. I don't even know why I asked him--because him saying no doesn't convince me, and him saying yes would have been devastating.

Last night I got the pics developed from my cruise--when we went horseback riding. Unlike many of my other pics, a lot of these are full length.

Please tell me, must you weigh about 110 lbs soaking wet to look good on a horse?

I was mortified, because here I was thinking I look pretty good, and then I saw these pics and wham...

The thing is, I have pretty big legs. My calves have slimmed a lot less, proportionally, than the rest of my body. It's getting to me. Especially after those pictures. I don't know what to do about it. I'm afraid if I do, like...calf-raises...at the gym, my calves will only get bigger. It doesn't help that I'm very white, and that is not slimming. When I look down my body, my legs seem normal...when I see myself in a full length mirror, which I don't own at home, they look kinda big. In pictures...well, I've already told you that part.

Any advice?

Should I just get used to my big calves and get over it?

Since you are a female you won't get gigantic calves like a man would- you don't have enough testosterone in your blood (unless you happen to have PCOS). Women tend to tone vs. bulk up. If you keep with the muscle exercises with time you will see your legs come down. :)

ok...any recommended exercise? The only ones I know of are calf raises. If I do squats and lunges will that help? I also have pretty flabby/loose thighs so something that will help all of that will be good for my self-esteem.

Thanks...

I have ridiculously large and out of proportion calves too. They're almost as big around as my thighs. And even though I easily wear size 4 pants, I can't find boots that fit. So I feel your pain. :hug:

It's been seven years since I've lost the weight and nothing has budged the fat that's there. They're the last place in my body that holds fat and I've concluded they always will. Even when I was at my very lowest body fat % (12.5%), they were still fat.

So I live with them. :) I wear pants, cropped pants, and long skirts. No one sees them but me (and DH). I think that some of us who have lost a lot of weight have problem areas that just won't budge, no matter what. And if there isn't much we can do, then we need to accept our bodies as they are and try to move on.

BTW, I do every leg and calf exercise known to man and it hasn't made a dent in their size. :shrug:

Yep - my problem area is my left thigh saddlebag which is noticeably bigger than my right thigh. It's not my favorite thing ever (makes some pants/skirts look weird and bathing suits are a nightmare) but THIS is my body - there is no perfect body (even models are photoshopped/airbrushed perfection). My transformation was amazing, I look so different, I refuse to get hung up on on my flaws, I will concentrate on what turned out amazing (my upper arms look GREAT).

Although I am guilty of it too, that's a rough question to ask your husband. But you know, he probably doesn't think your legs look fat. We are our own harshest critics, someone that is not us would probably think we were crazy sometimes.

I have a feeling we are very alike in this, Meg--seems like nothing I could do would make a difference--they've always been the last place to trim.

I would love to wear boots--but I can't either.

Sigh--I will try though--I owe myself that, anyway.

thanks for sharing! Be back later--I have to run, more to say, though!

Spin classes are really great for toning your legs (and butt!)...or just go for a bike ride! Plus lots of endorphins so hopefully you'll just feel so great you won't even think about how your calves are looking :)