I was looking in the mirror tonight and I was so disgusting with my stomach... I'm 5'1 and currently 213 and have been that way for a year. I was flattening my stomach out/trying to suck it all in when I noticed a series of stretch marks and I just want to curl up and cry.

I feel like even if I lose weight, I can say bye bye to the idea of ever wearing a bikini or feeling good when it's just me and my husband

Its such a bad night.

I know what you mean. I tell myself that I can wear bikini NOW, I can wear a bikini any time, but I might not be able to wear a bikini like...Miranda Kerr wears a bikini. BUT I can wear a bikini looking much better than at my highest and I'll take that over staying at my highest! I don't want to feel like I am "imprisoning" myself esp after I worked so hard, and no one is keeping me from wearing one, just me. Unless you feel like you can't wear a bikini no matter what physical changes you can realistically make - you can.

Honey I have stretch marks ALL OVER. especially on my stomach, and I have had no children. And Im 25. LOL IT sucks, yes, but I call them my battle scars. And they remind me of what I used to be. If anyone ever makes a comment when I get to my goal weight, I'll politely ask them if they can lose X amount of weight before passing judgement. If not, keep walking. LOL

Don't let it bring you down, you can lose the weight and when you do, you'll have other things that will bother you, but at least you'll know you'll have done it. And it's SO worth it.

Oh and for the record, we TOO can photoshop our pics to wipe off all imperfections like the models and celebrities do. But what's the fun in that :P

Okay, first of all, stretch marks fade to a point where you can barely even see them anymore- if you wear a bikini, no one will even notice them.

Second of all, when you lose the weight and you are where you want to be, you'll feel so good about yourself and your body that you won't even think twice about those lines on your stomach. You'll wear the bikini, and be proud to do it!

I used to think the same way, when the marks looked red, but they have now faded to the same color of my skin. I'm still too ashamed to wear a bikini, but it has nothing to do with the marks, and everything to do with the Budda Belly! Don't feel down on yourself- you have nothing to feel bad about!

I completely understand your frustration with stretchmarks, I have them too on my thighs. I try to cover them up in the summer just so I can wear dresses, but they still show. My advice would be to just focus on things you CAN change rather than stuff you can't.

Don't be too hard on yourself, you don't have to be perfect to wear a bikini! Often, we're the only ones seeing our imperfections, other people don't even notice. Also, I'm sure your husband loves you and he wants you to feel beautiful and special, so don't don't give up on yourself!

Back on March 31st I took pictures, just sports bra and underwear. The mirror had been lying to me to an extent. When I uploaded the pics onto my computer I was absolutely devastated. I cried off and on the rest of the weekend. While it discouraged me in one way, it also motivated me in another way (a few days later), and now I'm so glad I took those pictures.

Girl, I have stretch marks too. Losing and gaining and losing and gaining, and having 2 babies. . .my body will never be the same as it was 5 years ago. But you know what? It will still look a HECK of a lot better than it did, plus I won't be obese and at risk of tons of health problems.

Sure, I do kind of mourn the body I *could* have had, but the body I will have is still going to be beautiful and amazing compared to the body I'm leaving behind now.

I'm pretty darn sure that your hubby is going to be so proud of you regardless, that those stretch marks aren't going to bother him a bit. They will fade with time, take your WL journey at a slow and steady pace and your skin will heal itself.