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Fit Buzz: How Do You Gain Body Confidence?

Posted on Oct 1st 2010 12:00PM by Hilary Walke

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss

Here at Fit Buzz, we ask our users, fans and followers a different diet and fitness question each week. Find out what the That's Fit community is saying this week, and check back next week to get the latest buzz.

How do you gain confidence when you are feeling self conscious about your body?

Dena B.
Go to Jazzercise classes and shake it! :)

Cindy H.
Run and feel great doing it.

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Carrie M.
Work out, run, watch what I'm eating and drinking. Then do my hair, maybe slap on a little makeup or my nice perfumes. After that, I'm good.

Amelia H.
Bust out some cardio and then some lingerie.

Wesley B.
Still trying to figure that out...

Whitney O.
I'm lucky to have a husband who always tells me how beautiful I am when I'm really feeling down about how I look, and I do the same for him.

Jeanette L.
You have to feel good about yourself. As long as you're happy with who you are then screw everyone else.

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Alina L.
Buy SHOES.... they never make you look fat ;)

Michelle W.
Exercise....The ultimate confidence builder.

Michelle S.
I go to a water park. That ALWAYS makes me feel good about myself no matter HOW unfit I'm feeling!

Sabrena C.
One step at a time. Exercise, eat healthy, surround yourself with positive people and remember you are beautiful! Try something new!

Alisonaskham01
I have a "go-to" outfit that showcases my good qualities.

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7 Comment

Tags: body image, confidence, jazzercise, weight loss

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Leona 10-01-2010 @ 9:38PM

Believe in yourself. If someone crticizes you, look to see if it is the truth. If it is, see what you can change. If it isn't, then ignore it and stay with what you are.

Sissy 10-01-2010 @ 11:11PM

These seem like all great comments. But I have a situation,then a question. I have a knee disease (AVN) from having to take steroids for Crohn's Disease. My knees make it so hard to exercise. I can do ab workouts when the Crohn's isn't acting up. But I cannot do many exercises like walking a lot, definately not jogging or even deep knee bends and lunges. Please know I'm not complaining. I cannot eat salads and roughage because I cannot digest all the fiber.
Here's my question. What can I do to help with putting on weight because of the knees? I have had surgery on them. My self esteem is so low. I use to model for petite's when I was a teenager. Now I feel and look like a whale. Self confidence doesn't exsist in my dictionary. I don't even like to hardly go out of my apartment anymore. I use to love life and was a "people person." Was outgoing, had a sense of humor, etc.
I need a new me. Need to be able to dress for my curvy figure but clothes are expensive. When a person is on a fixed income,they cannot afford a 150 dollar shirt and 200 dollar jeans. I cannot even afford a 30 to 40 dollar shirt. Have to buy my clothes from Wal-Mart.
I am not old. "Only" just turned 49 a few weeks ago. I have become so reclusive because I have gained the weight. How does a woman improve her looks, her style, and her self-esteem???
Forgive me for unloading. I'm just looking for answers. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.

Kyla 10-02-2010 @ 12:46PM

You don't need a new you, darlin', just a new attitude about the you you've got! Step one: lose the notion that only size 0's are worthy of love, fun and pleasure. I'm your age, buy my clothes at Walmart too, and am in perfect shape...as long as you remember that "pear" IS a shape. You don't have to pay a fortune for designers (most of whom don't design for anyone larger than a size 10 anyway), just go for inexpensive, classic cuts and colors that flatter you and draw attention to your good points. (Don't go there - everyone has good points. Find yours.) Size has nothing to do with beauty or worth. You've bought into the idea that twig-thin is in and curvy is dirty and nothing could be farther from the truth. Most men, if asked when their locker-room buddies aren't around, prefer women with a little upholstery to the little bony cane-chair types. (So do most women-loving women, if that's your thing.)

You are NEVER going to improve your confidence level sitting at home waiting for Domino's to deliver friends and validation. Go volunteer somewhere; yeah, I know, the knees. There are hundreds of volunteer organizations and bunches of jobs you can do just sitting there - stuff envelopes, make phone calls, schedule events, fold stuff, help with newsletters. The point is that you'll meet people with similar interests, get out of the house for a while, and nothing makes you stop brooding over your own problems like helping someone else with theirs.

Finally, lighten up on that body. It gets you around, lets you feel sun on your skin, ice cream on your tongue, the breeze in your hair. It may not be perfect, but it's yours, and it's your only vehicle through this life. It deserves to be loved for what it is and can do, not for what you think are imperfections and limitations. Give it a little appreciation now and then. I suspect many of your medical problems are a direct result of the amount of hate, stress and negativity (and the nasty stress-related biochemistry that goes with them) you pour on so liberally. Be nice, really nice, to YOU for a few days. I'll bet you feel a lot better.

Olivia 10-02-2010 @ 1:55AM

Hey Sissy sweetie....Sorry to hear about the Crohn's Disease. My cousin and a few friends have it so I know how rough it can be.
Listen...you don't need a "new you".Work on improving the one that is already there waiting to come out. Just do what I did recently. I was at a point where I felt like I was a nothing. Sitting and thinking about all the things that were wrong with me(most of it was all in my own mind).Then one night I made a cup of tea, hopped into to bed with a pen and paper and made a list of all my good points and all my bad points. Once I got started, that "good points" list was SO much longer than the bad list. I realized that I have so much to offer this world and it has a lot to offer me too! Start from within babe...the rest will follow.
Don't get into the rut of not wanting to leave your apartment. Yeah, the knees may hurt. Just make it a short trip for now. Go anywhere. Treat yourself to a facial, a manicure..whatever. They aren't expensive.You can do it on a fixed income. It's not something you do every day anyway. You'll get such a boost from it. Go to the drugstore and buy a new lipstick shade. Try a new perfume.
As far as spending tons of money on clothes. Don't! Since when isn't Walmart ok? Why do people have to wear $200 designer shirts? They don't.
Just begin each day by saying..."I'm me..and I love me".
On days when you may feel alone...just remember we are all alone sometimes. We are all in it together though.
Hang in there kid. Life is about the journey. Not the destination.