My self esteem fluctuates a lot, from really low to maybe medium, and every once in a while to a bit higher - so from 2-6 maybe, with most days hitting about a 4. When I was younger it was higher, but I was in a disastrous marriage for 20 years that pretty much chipped away any normal self esteem I had...until I finally started to get over it, move on, and realize that it really, really wasn't my fault that a) it was a bad marriage after the first couple years and b) it ended. It was his fault, not mine...just took 5 years to figure that out, forgive myself and move on.
Weight ~ well it was certainly a 10 when I started. It may still be a 10 since I have somewhere between 80-130 lbs left to lose (I won't know my ideal goal weight til I get there). But considering I've lost 95 lbs so far, I hate to still be at a 10. Let's say 9.
So, self esteem 4, weight 9.
(Interestingly, I would say my self esteem was at its lowest at my lowest previous weight. When I was a size 14 my self esteem was probably a 1 or 2.)
I've compartmentalized my self-esteem. By that, I mean I've said to myself: "Okay, I've failed on a very basic level as a woman because I have such difficulty attaining the standards of appearance set for someone of my class & income & etc. Sometimes, I've just given up & said 'to **** with it.' BUT ... I'm fairly intelligent, fairly well-read, well-educated, have published a book and am moderately accomplished in my professional life." So my self-esteem regarding my acceptability in public is very, very low. Like maybe a 2. But I have overcompensated in other areas of my life. Yes, I am fat, but I am carefully groomed & very clean, thoughtfully dressed, work hard at conversing, at being good company, at being an empathic listener. I do millions of things every day to show I'm not lazy or dull-witted or maladjusted socially, like the stereotype of an impoverished, greasy-haired fat woman. (I have phantoms haunting me from relations & their friends whom I saw as a small child.) I know I have succeeded at this level. Here, my self-esteem is more like a 6.
How overweight am I? Currently, probably a 2. Formerly, more like a 7 or 8.
Attaining a healthy weight has helped my self-esteem, but hasn't bolstered it solidly forever. I am terrified of losing all the privileges that I seem to have regained as I lost weight. I am afraid of being shunted aside as unacceptable again. And I sometimes feel exhausted at the effort being "normal" seems to require & jealous of people who don't have to work so hard. I feel as if my acceptance in the social world is conditional. It's all on me to keep that from being taken away again. And I know how dark & cold it is on the outside.
Honestly I dont know what happened to me. I never thought I was fat as a child. After school, family starting tell me I needed to lose weight. And I just started gaining.
Needless to say 5-6 on Confindence, and Weight deffinately a 10
I'm probably a 6 or 7 now with self esteem and a 2 or 3 with weight (10-20 pounds to lose now). I honestly don't think my self esteem has ever gone down because I was actually overweight - only because I thought I was overweight. My skinniest was in high school and my self esteem was dirt then.
Self esteem- probably a 2 or 3. I have almost always had self esteem problems though. My poor self esteem ties directly in with my body image. Looking back at pictures of myself, I was never fat, just a little pudgy in my adolescent years. My mom used constantly tell me I needed to watch what I ate because my grandmother was diabetic. And she used to sing the Jello song behind me when I walked. "watch it wiggle, see it jiggle...." My body image problems started when I was about 12.
Depends on what time of the month it is for self esteem. During the week of PMS I'd say a 3-4, the other 3 weeks out of the month it's 7-8. Though at my heaviest it was very low all of the time, because I was totally embarrassed that I let myself get into the shape I was in. So at 300+ it was probably a 1 on most days, 2 if I actually took time to put on makeup and do my hair.
As far as weight, I'm probably a 4. I'm technically around 40 pounds overweight. one point for each 10 pounds.
I'm about a 10 with my self-esteem as well as a 10 with my weight. I achieved the 10 on the weight due to a life of very low self esteem, like around a 3. And after years of therapy and actually changing how I live and how I feel about myself, the self-esteem is very healthy.
Body image is a very different thing from self esteem, and I'd have to say that my body image is around 3. I don't like how I look at all!
I guess maybe a 5 in self-esteem and 2 in weight. But I don't think my self-esteem has changed much. I didn't expect it to. My issues with self-esteem weren't related to weight in the first place.
You ladies who are high for both numbers are amazing! Women with good self esteem are the best - I think feeling better about yourself shows and you end up looking better, too.
I'd say I'm a 1 on weight - I'm technically at the top of the healthy range for my height now, but I am trying to take off about 10 more lbs to make the weight "sit better" on my body. However, my self esteem fluctuates like crazy! I don't even think I can pinpoint a number. I'm all over the place on that one.
Hmmm.... I'm a 1 on the self esteem scale. Right now I would be happier if I never had to look in a mirror, because all I see are flaws. As far as weight, maybe a 5 or 6? I want to lose about 40-50 lbs.
WELL... so much for the Louise Hay (author) theory that one wouldn't have to go on a "diet" if they'd just "love themselves" and practice "positive affirmations"... not saying "I love me" all the time and thinking better about ourselves isn't a good thing... BUT it appears a lot of overweight and obese people have HIGH self esteem.
I remember reading that super thin models and actors have the worst self esteem even though they are so "perfect"... Kinda strange huh? As I gained weight, went from super thin to overweight I lost some self esteem but maybe I tied too much "esteem" to my looks - to being tall and thin. And it's irritating to not be able to throw anything on and have clothes fit. But it shouldn't "ruin" my thoughts of myself as it's done.
Jay's right, there's a distinction between those of us who ate too much just liking food and those who REALLY emotionally ate and gained weight due to poor self esteem. I admire those with high self esteem but who aren't so self absorbed as I can be - worried about ME and shallow looks and not living life so long as I feel FAT.
I am such a diva my self esteem would rank at least a 10...I love myself! I however was raised in a culture (I'm from New Orleans) that celebrated every little celebration with food. As for the overweight chart I range think about an 8?
When i was overweight my self esteem was 0 i thought everyone saw me as just the fat girl in the group.. now im a different person my self esteem is about a 10!
my self esteem would rank at least a 10...I love myself! I however was raised in a culture (I'm from New Orleans) that celebrated every little celebration with food. As for the overweight chart I range think about an 8?
