I just wondered this today, looking over the topics here- hate my thighs, hate my belly, hate my cellulite, need tummy tuck, hate my stretch marks, hate my boobs....

I just wondered- can't we ever just be HAPPY with our bodies? Yeah, maybe we aren't perfect, but NOBODY is perfect! Airbrushed models on magazines aren't perfect. Celebrities aren't perfect. None of my friends are perfect!

But they are all beautiful! If my friend said "I hate my thighs" I'd tell her she's silly and perfect the way she is. So why not ME?

Our bodies are so much more than what they look like. We (maintainers) have lost a lot of weight and we should be PROUD and CELEBRATE! But instead I just see so much misery

So tell me why you're HAPPY about your new body (and NO caveats- like you can't say "I love my belly except this loose skin & stretch marks." Just say "I LOVE MY BELLY!" Say it, damn it! You will feel better, lol.

I have so many of the same issues (cellulite, loose skin, stretch marks, etc) I see berated on this forum and you know what, SCREW IT! I do not need to be perfect to be happy. I LOVE my 125-lb-lighter HEALTHY body exactly the way it is.

Just had to get that off my chest.

I am totally on the same page!! I feel like the pursuit to lose weight has driven me to focus on appearance, losing sight of health. I also feel that I will never be happy with my body and am never satisfied with anything really.

I actually started using this resource website that gives easy to use breathing exercises and meditations - focused on finding more joy in your life - and being content with the present moment. Heres the link if your interested: http://www.mindfulbody.com/

Well I'm happy! I'm very happy! I lost 65 lbs. and I'm quite happy about it.

But the thing is, I was pretty happy when I was fat!!!

I think the happy people continue to be happy, and the people that like to gripe will continue to find something to gripe about when they lose whatever weight they are going to lose.

Losing weight doesn't particularly change basic personalities. If you are a sour person you will continue to be a sour person, if you are a happy person you will continue to be happy.

For the most part that is. I suppose there are some exceptions, but I really don't know of any. People that like to gripe will always be able to find something to gripe about, that, I'm afraid, is just human nature.

It's ME! I'm totally different now. I used to be cynical, sarcastic, pessimistic, complaining, whining etc. Now I'm positive, optimistic, hopeful, and GRATEFUL for everything I have. I honestly think I just finally GREW UP! It's like one day I woke up and thought "WHAT am I doing?? You only live once. Yeah, some things in life are sucky, but so what? It's what I do with it that matters!" It's not really losing weight that did it- but taking care of my health and trying all these new things and succeeding- definitely had something to do with it.

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I LOVE MY BODY!!!!!!

And so does DH

k8yk, I think I grew up as well....even though it took me 40 1/2 years! I have lost 70 lbs. lots of times and whenever I got thinner, I always found something to be unhappy with, but now, even though I still have my imperfections, I usually feel really good about myself! I have only maintained now for a little while, but I do feel like this is who I am now....much more positive.

My boyfriend loves my body now and he loved it when I weighed almost 300 pounds! Why shouldn't I? Hooray for our men.

luckymommy, it took me 33 years. I'm hoping I can reach at least a few people in their twenties too so they can get on with the important things in life instead of being all hung up on body-hatred or body-discomfort.

We all have things we hate about ourselves, no matter how perfect we seem to be on the outside. And we all have things that we covet from other people. I love this Joy Nash skit. I think it sums it up pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFmVj5BXCxM

I love my legs, I love my collar bones

I love my calves & ankles!

I love my thinner face, my thighs/calves, and my growing biceps!

I love being thin. I'll never have surgery to correct body parts.

Even though this is not what you are asking I want to add that I've actually had fat people "suggest" that I should have surgery. It's pretty funny when a 240 pound friends suggest that you get a boob job. I want to say something like, "well, I could get fat like you and have my boobs again." I think some of the reason that we feel insecure sometimes is because other people like to point out our faults.

ETA: My husband one time suggested breast implants/lift as well. I told him I would get a boob job after he got a penile implant. Shut him up pretty quick.

ETA: My husband one time suggested breast implants/lift as well. I told him I would get a boob job after he got a penile implant. Shut him up pretty quick. [/QUOTE]

If my boyfriend suggested I get a boob job, I'd dump him.

I love my boobs! (and yes, they look just like one would expect a woman who went from 40DD to 36C and is 33 years old to look.)