Views on appearances aka Photoshop ready

[Dr. Tick Tock]

Catghost is a girl wut? Am I going to Hell for not knowing this?

Well... there really is no instinct of attraction. It depends on culture and on situation. There are plenty of cultures that find fatter women to be much more beautiful. The "ideal" beauty was significantly different throughout the world until we got global media (more or less, I don't know what to call it). Back in the Elizabethan Era, really pale skin and a kind of heavy-set body was considered beautiful because poor people worked out in the fields and got tan and lean, while rich people could stay inside and eat.

Nowadays, it's almost exactly opposite; tan and lean is generally what people prefer because rich people have the money to take time off from work and go on vacation and have a personal trainer, etc. But, like I said, it depends on culture and situation. Studies have shown that when you are really hungry, you find fat people to be more attractive- good example of a situation changing your perspective.

Also, I personally feel that pale skin is more beautiful than tan. But that's because most "tans" in my town are those gross Oompaloompa-orange fake tans -___- hate this town so much.

[Rhemiyl]

(Now before I offend anyone, this is about the way I view myself and how I've struggled with my weight. Don't get me wrong, I think all body types have potential to be beautiful.)
It feels a bit off getting personal but as far as weight goes, but I'm really proud of myself to be finally losing some. I stagnated at around 145-150lbs since my second year of highschool (always been a bit heavier than the others but not terriblyohmygoshlookattheelephantintheroom deal). I'm told all the time I'm beautiful, that I'm an amazing person but it gets to the point that it's difficult to keep hiding the baggage. It gets pretty hot around here so the summers are dreadful when you're worried about that bit of you saying hello to the ground from your waistline when everyone else is enjoying the breeze and you're in a sweater-anything baggy enough- just to pull off the illusion you're not so bad. Even then it's difficult trying not to sweat all over the place so you sacrifice fun for looking halfway decent.
The toughest thing about being heavier than average for me was that it scared me. Two of my sisters are overweight, one has some social scarring from it and it's only declining from there. And my mother had a triple bypass surgery a few years back, can't work, she's in even worse shape after the fact. And my own twin has always been the fit, skinny, can eat anything in any amount and never gain an ounce, and it gets tough comparing yourself to that for so long, to all of them.
I didn't want to start losing it the way I did, I got sick with anxiety and my poor digestive system from years of undernourishment so I lost twelve pounds in a month or so. I'm at around 135 as of now, 5'5", and I couldn't be happier (though I have another 10 to go, I assume by the look of things). I'm keeping it off, feeling better, eating as right as I can with this horrid budget (or lack thereof).
The issue I have with compliments and comments about my weight or weightloss is mostly thanks to that aforementioned illusion some of us choose to pull off. You start wearing something a bit more formfitting and suddenly you're hearing left and right you've lost "so much weight" when you've, in fact, gained some, it's, in a way, offensive. It hurts when you've realized your efforts to that point have failed. And if you have been losing weight, it just seems so noticeable and now everyone's talking about how big you were or how skinny and pretty you could be. it makes a person feel more insecure about themselves in the longrun until they're self-proclaimed "perfection" is actually obtained.

[Sly]

Ok, so I sort of skimmed over everyone's responces to this. Resultantly, what I have to say will not be in direct responce to anyone, in particular. If I say something irrelevant, or that's already been said, just ignore it. xD;

The thing about weight is: it's a very subjective matter (both in actuality and in perception.) What is considered a "healthy" weight for one individual may not be so for another, even if the two are around the same height. For example, one person may be quite trim and muscular, and the other not so much, but since muscle tends to weigh more than fat, one is in good health, or at least better than the other.

Our conception of weight is also subjective. What looks good on or to certain people may not to or on others. I know, for instance, that I get told I look good a lot, despite being a little heavy, but sometimes I have problems accepting that anyone could think my body type looks good, let alone when several people tell me so. That brings me to my next point: confidence. Forget what society or your friends tell you looks good or doesn't, the only one you really have to please at the end of the day is yourself. If you feel good about who you are and are comfortable with yourself (whether you're fat, thin, or inbetween) that confidence will be reflected in everything you do, and people will find you that much more appealing; assuming, you even care what other people think in the first place. If you don't, you'll still feel better when you go about your day with self-confidence. It took me until I was well into my teenage years to learn to be comfortable with myself, and it's occassionally still something I strugle with. In general though, I finally love who I am...and I think everyone should love who they are and how they look. And hey, if you're dissatisfied, you're the only one who can do anything about it.

Also I, personally, am less worried about what society and other people may think and more worried about health. As I'm not hugely obese and just sort of chubby, I don't have any weight-related health issues, but I don't want any in the future either; so I work out when I can and try to eat right. I love being lazy and eating junk-food as much as the next person, don't get me wrong...but, like the Ancient Greeks were fond of saying, "everything in moderation...."

In short I guess what I'm saying is: be happy with who you are, if you don't like something about yourself, work on changing it, only you can, and let what everyone else thinks be hanged, none of it matters in the long run anyway.

[ecco]

neo;
indeed, in fact i forgot to write back to your post before - i was gonna say, men are "naturally" attracted to women with large breasts, wide hips and rosy cheeks, as these are all signs of fertility. but of course, hips look wider if the waist is smaller XD

but again, really i just think... there are so many of us humans around the world, and no matter what "society" says, everyone has their own turn-ons and their own turn-offs. For me, I like very slender guys - usually the ones whose mothers tell them they need to gain weight! but I don't expect everyone else to feel that way, i know many girls prefer muscular or chubby guys and so on. however I can still appreciate different body types and facial features as being attractive without needing to be attracted to them.

mostly i think it would just be nice if people didnt have to be so negatively vocal about their own opinions, ie fat/skinny is disgusting etc. that's your opinion, fair enough, but no need to make other people feel bad by spouting on about it all the time, you know?