[Seana]

So the other day we had some neighbors over for dinner. They are younger than we are. The woman has just turned 30 and she's stunning. I mean stunning. She's very tall has long red hair, a creamy complexion and beautiful eyes. And her legs go on for miles.

She was wearing shorts and she told me that she never wears shorts. I asked her why and she told me that has a cellulite dimple and it embarrasses her and of course as she's gotten older she's gotten more cellulite.

I won't lie, she has the normal amount. But she's stunning, and believe me nobody is looking at her cellulite when she walking around. They are looking at her amazing shaped calves and her nice tush and slim torso.

And I thought, isn't that sad. I mean she's stunning all on her own, but compared to me who is as wide as I am tall...well you know...

I guess it just goes to show that being skinny isn't going to fix your problems (although I do think that people who have gone from obese to skinny do have a better perspective.) Also, we shouldn't let our fat get in the way of life. Everyone is insecure, and nobody else is paying attention. (And if they are...forget 'em.)

[startanew]

I'm trying to teach myself this. I've been skinny and fat. Either way when I looked in the mirror I saw fat. I would cry when getting dressed even when I was skinny. I've seen heavy people that are absolutely gorgeous, they shine from the inside out and carry themselves with pride. That's where I want to be some day.

[GlamourGirl827]

This is so true. I can understand from first hand experience how being fat might make it harder to feel good about one's self...but so can being skinny, tall, short, pale, having big boobs, small boobs...and the list goes on.

I rarely am jealous or envious of others, its just not something I get to feeling much at all. But I do feel envious when I meet a woman that is big and like startanew said, just shines. She bring such a presence, that you can really tell her weight doesn't bring her down. I think how fortunate those woman are that for whatever reason, they were never told by peers, parents, society, that they were worthless because they area fat. Or maybe they were told, but for whatever reason, it didn't take hold in their self esteem and haunt them.

[Marina Brasil]

Call me crazy, but i've never loved myself more than after i got fat. It wasn't right away, of course... at first i got depressed and was very self conscious about everything body related. As time went by i started to realize that i already felt bad when i was thin. I would always tuck my belly in, even when i had almost no belly fat. I would never wear a swinsuit and would avoid all beach gatherings (i'm brazilian and this can be really hard). I was always criticizing myself and judging others and because i did that i thought everyone was doing it to me too. After gainning a lot of weight i realized i could be judgmental or just let it go and live life to its fullest. Gradually, i began to love myself more and more and i began wanting to feel better instead of looking thiner. It was a turning point in my life. Nowadays i still have a lot of issues with my body, but they are pretty much easy to deal with. I'm not completely happy but i don't feel bad about it anymore.

Some of my thin friends are really unhappy about their wonderfull bodies. They feel bad when they gain 2 pounds and most of them is struggling with post partum stretchmaks. I am not that good looking but i feel good in my own skin. They sometimes ask me what is it that i do in order to be so interesting... and i answer that i just feel good with myself and i guess it shows. It was hard getting to this point, but it was worth it. I would never had learn to love myself if i hadn't gainned weight. It sounds strange, but that's what happened...

Sorry if my english is bad, i'm a portuguese speaker.