to think I'll never be happy with my figure!

[newmummytobe79]

Pre baby, I was pretty tiny - but would never wear figure hugging clothes though because of my belly which I now know was mainly in my head , I've lost the baby weight and am convinced my belly is bigger than before it's probably the same/slightly bigger and I won't wear figure hugging clothes.

I plan to have another baby in the future if we're lucky, and wonder if I'll ever be happy!

If there is any time in my life to buy a dress that shows off my slender frame -it's now! But I just can't bring myself to do it :(

I know when I'm 60 (like now when I think back to the 18 year old me) I'll kick myself for not living by the rule of 'if you've got it flaunt it' (not that I'm saying I've 'got' it! ... I'm just not bad for a mid 30's mum.

I'd just like a bit of self-confidence now :(

Shall I just bite the bullet and buy a swanky dress for Christmas? :)

[StickEmWithThePointyEnd]

Yes do it! Right now!

[InSPsFanjoNoOneHearsYouScream]

Just do it!

[Brendansmummy]

Yes go for it!

[GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt]

Yes!

If its any consolation, I feel the same. I have always thought I was fat, yet I look at pictures of my younger self and I looked lovely. And yet I still look in the mirror and think I look a state. I have put on and lost a lot of weight in the past year or so (through illness and seroids) and although I am at a low weight now I still feel fat. I will never be thin enough it seems.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Yes, do it!

I've not had a baby but I do know the sort of thing you mean - I used to be a petite size 8 and spent all my time worrying I was fat (as if!) and feeling flat-chested.

I know looking at pictures of me at 18 or 20, if I'd only been able to see how slim I was, it would have made me-at-the-time incredibly happy. But that actually makes me quite sad to realize! But at least it's possible to look back and realize how much of it was in my head really.

I think you know yourself well - when you are 60, yes you will kick yourself if you didn't buy the swanky dress! And if you buy it now, maybe when you're 60 you will still be wearing swanky dresses happily? I'd like to think we all had a chance at that.

[OHforDUCKScake]

people cross things out far too much

[NotAnIdiotHonest]

Yes, do it, and I agree with others, you will probably never be 100% happy with your figure. I know in my head that I'm slim, and when I've been even slimmer in the past (to the point that even I knew I shouldn't lose any more weight), I was more unhappy with my weight and figure than ever. The only time I'm happy with it is when I've been doing regular exercise and feel strong!

Clearly I don't have the healthiest attitude to my body, but I think accepting that it's unlikely you'll never be 100% happy with your figure is a good step forward, and buying a slinky dress for Xmas is an even better step forward!

[Zalen]

The rule you need is 'if you've got it flaunt it, if you don't have it flaunt it anyway!'

Buy yourself something swanky, you'll look fantastic, have fun.

[ShamyFarrahCooper]

You've pretty much described me! I'm trying though to get better with it!

Buy the dress!

[Dahlen]

Yes, do it. You may find it helps to dress up in an outfit that you've had compliments in and get someone to take a photo of you. Then you can see how slim you actually look - it's often much slimmer than what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror. Enjoy your dress!

[shine0ncrazydiamond]

No you won't ever be happy with your figure.

I lost weight and am currently 8 stone something and a size 8.

I thought I'd be ecstatic - and i was for about five minutes. And then I started looking at my flaws and going 'hmmm'....

Just accept and make the most of what you have.

< Off to take own advice >

[MulledWineOnTheBusLady]

YANBU, I've spent most of my life convinced that I "just need to lose a few pounds", and this has been the case at 9.5 st, 10st, 10.5st and now 11st. It bears no relationship to reality whatsoever! (For a start I looked way better at 10.5st than I did a stone lighter).

So now I try to just shut my eyes and believe

[RobinSparkles]

I'm exactly the same!
The scales could say 0 and I probably still wouldn't be happy!

[mummymeister]

i am losing weight for health reasons only. its all about how comfortable you are with yourself and your life and not the numbers on the scales. buy the figure hugger enjoy it.

[Ephiny]

Yes, buy the dress.

Get some Spanx or similar to go underneath if it makes you feel better. But you're probably fine.

[KenLeeeeeee]

I'm just the same. I remember feeling fat & hideous as a teen but I was 9 stone & a size 10. I see the odd photo here & there (I didn't let people take many because I was afraid of looking fat) & now I can see that I was a lovely size! It's a bloody shame I'm now a size 16 and look as flabby as I always felt!

[MoomieAndFreddie]

yanbu i am the same

seems most of us women have pretty low self esteem

someone said to me on another thread that apparently you stop caring at about 45, i am holding on to that...lol

[ceebeegeebies]

Absolutely yes

I have a photo of me taken about 10 years ago and I often look back at that photo and can see that I had a perfect figure...I would give anything to have that figure back again but would need to lose at least 3 stone and have liposuction on my belly

At the time, I thought I was fat, always seemed to be on a diet etc etc - what a waste

As you said, live your life now and go shopping