My Body Image

Ok first I'm going to say this post is about me and my own body image issues and really more for the women.  Not that men don't have body image issues too but being a woman I can't really know or understand totally what men go through with this other than what I know from Mike.
But that's a title we all probably have something to say about.  I know for myself it's been an issue for most of my life.  I thought I had talked about this last week but as I see I didn't.  I've been missing writing here yet I can't seem to get my mind together enough to manage a post more often.  I know part of it is that I've just been busier at work and I've yet to make the time in the evening. I need to do that because writing here does help me.

Weekend before this one I met my best friend half way and we went to lunch and then went shopping.  Mike had given me a gift card for Christmas and told me to go to Victoria Secrets.  Now if I've never mentioned it, I've never been there.  I never fit there and in my mind it just seemed to be for the beautiful bodies.  But when we entered I found all shapes and sizes of people in the store.  My girlfriend was the perfect shopper and I swear I felt like I had my own stylist lol.  She had me measured since I still wasn't sure what my new bra size was.  Come to find out I've been buying bras to small so no wonder I couldn't find a bra that fit me right since my surgery. 

So before I knew it I had a box of bras to try on, I bet I tried on 20 different bras lol.  We were in the store for hours, literally we went in during the day time and came out after it was dark lol. In our 35 yrs of friendship we had never been shopping together (other than maybe when were like 12 lol) so it was super cool to be sharing this with her.  We ended up in the same dressing room.  In all these years I've never really let her see my body (did show her the loose skin once) but I really did want to hear what she had to say.  So I stripped down and showed her all the scars and everything.  All the things she said helped me more than I can ever thank her. 

In just those hours of shopping she helped me to realize that we all have imperfections.  Of course I already knew that but as I tried to see myself through her eyes I realized I didn't look half bad.  Of course Mike has told me I'm beautiful a million times but comments coming from her just changed everything for me.  The rest of our time shopping I actually could see in the mirror a body that has worked hard and been through a lot but has come out looking not so terrible.

I ended up spending a small fortune in VS but I went home feeling like a million bucks.  I went home with a new sense of myself and each day since then when I've looked in the mirror I've found myself saying good things to myself.  Funny how that works when we have those ah ha moments that have seemed to take us a lifetime to get to. 

It was a great day with my friend too.  It was a day we had never had before in our 35 yrs of friendship, a day of two regular women shopping together. I don't think she will ever realize what she did for me but she has helped so much in changing my mind about myself and I'll be forever grateful (there's that word again *smile*).

Something I'd like to say to the people that have body image issues is start looking in that mirror and seeing the good stuff.  See the parts you've worked hard to fix and do something for yourself to flatter those parts.  I can tell you buying sexy bras and underwear did me a world of good lol.  If you're in granny panties everyday I think it's time you went to VS or Torrid or some place you can buy yourself something sexy and start feeling sexy.  Don't just wear the sexies for the hubby either wear them for yourself. 

I also got my pictures from the plastic surgeon's office about a week ago and I'm in the process of making another blog that will just be about my plastic surgery.  It will be private and if anyone (women only) is interested just comment or email me with your email address and I will add you when I'm finished.  Now if you all know me you know how long some things take me lol.  So please don't think I will have it together by tomorrow lol.  Right now I have a few arm pictures and that's about it on there.  I just want it to really talk about things because I just don't think most grasp what it's like for someone that has lost 200 lbs.  The loose skin is a major concern for most in my situation and most don't have the financial means to even consider surgery or just aren't willing to spend that kind of money or go through the pain.  Plus you just don't come out like people think.  It's a process that can take 2, 3 or more surgeries to even get to a point of feeling ok about it all.  There's so many emotions too that surround it that I have talked about here during the past year after having 2 major cosmetic surgeries.  It's not something to take lightly.  I really look forward to getting my pictures posted and also talking openly about everything there with folks that have had stuff done or are considering it and have questions. 

Anyway, I better get back to work.

Till next time...