<p>Body Image, the little sistah of Self Image, is the one’s perception of her physical appearance. Put another way, it is one’s answesr to questions like these:</p>
<li><p>Am I beautiful?</p></li>
<li><p>Am I too fat/thin?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>3.Am I too tall/short?</p>
<p>As you may have known, your body image is influenced by several factors - comments from family members, media etc.</p>
<p>So, what do you think of yourself in terms of physical appearance? How do you think others perceive you? Do Anna Kournikova and Scarlet Johannsen put you to shame? Do you constantly nag about your looks? Any thoughts you have about yourself.</p>
<p>I feel that I am not very pretty, but I got over that a long time ago. I could really care less what is considered beautiful, as the definition changes every few weeks.</p>
<p>I wouldn't say I am beautiful, but I'm not that ugly. And I only feel fat when I know I have gained a little weight. I agree with snoopyiscool, that the definition of beauty changes a lot.</p>
<p>I don't think that I'm very pretty, either, but I'm average-looking (and that's really good enough for me). I'm very flat, though, which makes me look young. That frustrates me sometimes, but I'm happy with the parts of my body that I do control (I'm in shape). Basically, I'm with Snoopy- I accepted long ago that I'm never going to be very pretty, but I'm happy with how I am.</p>
<p>PS: Hopefully the line "I'm happy with the parts of my body that I do control" doesn't make me sound anorexic/bulimic. I just meant that I take care of myself and I exercise =)</p>
<p>all your comments prove that you have a problem with your body image. Why do you think you are not very pretty, by who's standards are you judging by? Don't put yourself down because of the expectations of society.</p>
<p>but think about it who made "your standards" you were not born knowing what "pretty" is. Also to say that you are not pretty by your own standards, that sounds like self-hate to me. Do not put yourself down, it is not going to help you or anyone else.</p>
<p>Wow - why so many people with low opinions of themselves? I'm certainly no model, but I would consider myself on the average side of pretty. I'm not a size 0, I'm not a goddess divine, and I'm not without my flaws, but I've stopped overanalyzing myself and my body and I'm pretty pleased with what I see. </p>
<p>I just had to realize that I'm a much harsher critic of myself than I am of others, and that when people are looking at me they're not scrutinizing my appearance or searching out flaws. When I look at people, I don't instantly look for the things that they ought to change - I notice, first and foremost, their better qualities. Maybe that's just me, though. Either way, I feel pretty good about myself and my appearance at the moment and, hopefully, it'll stay that way.</p>
<p>i'm very average height and very average weight (5'4" and just under 125 lbs). that's pretty much there is to that.</p>
<p>and i hate to be cliche, but society does seem to project a very negative body image onto girls. ideals of beauty come and go with different cultures and different time periods, but it seems like those of today are just too impossible. too skinny, with outrageous proportions and tanned skin. and straight blonde hair and light eyes, although that's not a big thing. too bad that crash dieting, tanning, and bleaching your hair is way too unhealthy.</p>
<p>and i know everyone says they do it for themselves, but also as cliche as it sounds, but i think we're too concerned with guys' opinions as well. unfortunately the opposite sex isn't doing much to alleviate that.</p>
<p>I used to be really skinny. I got really sick one year (for reasons unrelated to my weight) and became even skinnier. Then I gained around twenty pounds, which has made (and sometimes still makes) me self-conscious --even though I am at a perfectly healthy weight (5'4", 120 lbs.), Sometimes it is hard to feel good about myself.</p>
<p>hemingwayisdead-- I agree with your last comment 100%)</p>
<p>
[quote]
those of today are just too impossible. too skinny, with outrageous proportions and tanned skin. and straight blonde hair and light eyes, although that's not a big thing. too bad that crash dieting, tanning, and bleaching your hair is way too unhealthy.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not really--the trend seems to have changed. Paris Hilton, skinny Linsay Lohan, etc. are viewed as "sluts" while more voluptuous figures like Scarlett Johansson's are considered beautiful.</p>
<p>I don't think I'm pretty. I don't think I could ever be pretty. I think at best I'd be considered cute looking, not pretty which I believe are totally different things. </p>
<p>I make fun of my looks a lot, along with my weight. I lost a lot but still have another 10ish to lose. My friends have said I'm pretty..... but they're my friends so they have to and I don't believe them. :P</p>
<p>I don't know how I define pretty. One girl I think is pretty is Aly from Aly and AJ (singers/actresses). I don't think Halle Berry or Angelina Jolie are pretty though, or a lot of other big actresses out there.</p>
<p>Everyone has there "days" when they don't feel pretty including me. I never really had a problem with my look. I am curvier than most girls I know, but I like that I am. I feel like I have a "womanly shape" and I'm not looking like a stick figure. I sometimes can't understand why girls want to be a size -5 (unless you're just naturally skinny). It's so unappealing to me. I know the media and peer pressure has something to do with it but it's just sad. Girls and women need to be proud of their bodies and know that there's no other like it. Treat your body like a temple. As I've mentioned before, you're not going to love your body everyday, but be accepting of it. You only have one body (unless you bought one--lol).</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I don't think I'm beautiful by any means. I think I'm relatively average. </p></li>
<li><p>I know I'm not too fat. I'm definitely not too thin. But like a lot of girls, I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds. My ideal weight is 96-98 and I'm 103 right now. The product of final exams, ugh. But my BMI is still healthy</p></li>
<li><p>I know I'm short. Very short. Sure, its annoying that my friends have an unwavering means of teasing me, and its extremely annoying that my bff is 5'11" with endless legs, but I've pretty much come to terms with it. I figured I'd have to embrace my shortness at some point. Though I prefer to call myself "petite." :D</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Whatsinaname, I was slightly offended by what you said. I don't have any "self-hate." I thought that I made that very clear in my post. I said quite honestly that I'm average-looking, and that that's fine with me. I don't think that I'm ugly, and I don't think that I'm fat. The color of my hair is kind of a dull dirty-blonde that I'm not very fond of, but I would never change it. Sure, I'm very white (I'm Irish =P), but I don't feel the need to tan. Okay, I'm pretty flat, but I have never once felt pressure from "society" to get surgery or anything like that. I have a more realistic view of myself. Just because I'm not professing my love for my own "unique" body, and claiming that I'm "beautiful just the way that I am" doesn't mean that I'm full of self-loathing. Am I beautiful? No. But am I content with how my body looks? Yes. Would I ever change it? No. Don't act so condescending and lecture me. "All [my] comments prove that * have a problem with [my] body image?" No, they don't!!!</p>
<p>some people just -are not- beautiful. now, i'm not calling any of YOU girls that, as i've never seen you. some people are, actually, just -fat-. i think that as long as you accept what you look like, that's all you need. </p>
<p>besides, too much self-love is a bad thing. Dorian Gray, anyone? Stab your portrait and you stab yourself.</p>