FRUSTRATED AND UGLY

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-29-2005
FRUSTRATED AND UGLY
3
Mon, 08-29-2005 - 10:38pm
I am 21 years old and I have gained 16 pounds in just over a month. I am 5'10" and weigh 166. I was at 150. My clothes do not fit and I feel and look awful .I no longer feel sexy and confident and I am not communicating the way I use to with my boyfriend. I stay away from home because of how awful I feel about my appearance. I feel miserable. I want to lose 25 pounds but it seems so hard. Almost everything else in my life is going great but it is just that feeling the way I do about myself takes away from all the good things that are happening. My face is very big and my shape looks awful. I started to gain weight during exam period and later in the summer I had a lot of stressful situations dealing with but things have gotten better and I am only getting bigger.I feel like a failure.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-10-2004
Tue, 08-30-2005 - 12:02am

Hello!
I think everybody will agree that we've all had these feelings at one point or another.
One of the 1st thing I think you should do, is find something you like about yourself, whether it's your hair, your eyecolor or your legs. Something to be able to say "I've got that".

Since the weight gain is recent and kind of sudden, try to think of your eating habit: have they changed? You mentionned you were in stressful situation and some people eat more when they"re stressed. Or maybe that being busy with exams kept you from eating healthy and you switch to fast/junk food.

I don't know if the following will help, but here are some positive point about your situation,
1- You're 21, and apparently habits are easier to "learn" younger. The more you wait the harder it is to change it (i.e. bad eating or lack of exercise)
2- You are reacting fast to the weight gain, so instead of keeping adding pounds (like I did until I freaked out), you can start to lose them.
3- In 16 pounds you will fit back into your clothes. And probably before that.

I'd also want to add that 5'10" and 166lbs is not horrible. Maybe the way your clothes fit isnt that great, but buy yourself at least one outfit that fits and you'll probably feel a bit better.
I don't know about your exercise habits, but if you arent doing any, you should. It will help with the weight loss (obviously) but it will also made you feel more relaxed.

I hope this helped. :)

Emilie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 08-30-2005 - 8:25am

Hi Lisa!

Welcome! You're in the same boat with most of us here on the board and we offer support and encouragement to each other. So hopefully you've come to the right place!

Just a couple of ideas ... stress is my trigger to eat, too. When everything else in my life seems out of control, I figure eating is the one thing I can control. Unfortunately, for me, it works in the wrong direction. Instead of controlling what I eat, I just keep eating. So I have to work extra hard to stay focused on my eating habits all the time. It's not easy and certainly not fun!

Second, are you exercising at all? Exercise can help both with the weight and the stress. Go out for a walk every day. Get some fresh air and get those muscles moving.

Finally, only buy healthy foods. Keep junk food out of the house. Plan your meals to includes lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Drink lots of water which can help you feel full.

You can do it!

Sue

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 08-31-2005 - 11:27am

Hi and Welcome,


I have to agree with the others.

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