Wide waisted and proud of it thread!!!!

Gee whiz, I really thought nobody gained weight like me..well no women anyway, I was quite aware that usually men only gain weight in the middle. I know for me it's been a struggle my whole life so far. I feel unfeminine. Even at my skinniest I barely have any indentation in my waist, and when I am at my skinniest people bitch at me because I'm peretuating the idea that all women have to be tiny. Well no, its just all I can work towards!!!! I'm tired of everybody acting like there's two body types: fat and skinny. So many women can get away with carrying an extra 20 pounds because it's all in their butt and hips, but we have to be obsessive about excercise if we want to look feminine at all! There's tons of women who ARE overweight but since they have an hourglass figure then that's ok. I'm curious if anyone has any advice of just how to handle it without staring to feel bad about something we can't change? We're all beautiful after all, no matter what our body type, right? You know how did you come to terms with the fact that nobody will ever make fun of your "j-lo booty" (as though it wasa bad thing *snort*) or "saddlebags" (and would any of the rest of you kill for saddlebags? i know I would!) Just basically this is a pride thread. I want to hear from you guys I alread know are like me and some more who haven't talked yet!!

 

I hear you sister! Right now, there is so much emphasis on women's stomachs! It is almost impossible to buy any clothing in the stores that doesn't draw all the attention to my belly area...the area that I want to draw attention away from. It's hard to feel sexy, I have no womanly curves. It seems as though all my curves are in the wrong places. I have no hips, and I mean none! My waist is much larger than my hips and I wear a b cup. I have a broad upper back and shoulders; basically I have the build of a man.
But...I have sexy, strong legs and a great ass, so I just try to focus on that. When I was younger, I was incredible shape. I trained for 12 months and was super fit. But I still had belly fat. I can do crunches and sit ups and cardio all I want, I'll never get rid of my belly. It's genetic. We call it the "Kassa belly." because it comes from the Kassa side of the family. Thanks Grandma.
Sometimes it really bums me out,especially during the summer when I have to wear a bathing suit. When I go to the beach, I'm usually the only woman that's not wearing a bikini. Thank God for swim tank tops and sarongs. But all in all, I've come to accept my body. I'm strong and healthy, and my hubby thinks I'm sexy; what more do I need?
Well, maybe Janet Jackson's abs would be nice.

 

I wish I were shaped like Raquel Torres...

 

There is some evidence that stress and stress hormones, like cortisol, can cause you to gain weight around the belly. Some stress reducing tecniques (yoga, meditation, therapy ect) may actually help stubborn belly fat.

 

I wish I were shaped

 

i've heard that. im sure that is part of my problem. i have three kids. need i say more? lol and i'm a stress eater, oh dear, bad combo. i just dont seem ready to lose the weight because whenever i try i fail. so after failing so many times, i am learning to accept myself. and these boards have REALLY HELPED. the ppl on here are so accepting and it's teaching me to love myself more also. i do seriously eat too much junk food tho, so i'll try to cut back on the sugar. but you know what? if i cant, i cant. i just cant go thru life like that. unhappy cuz i have a big belly. i know what you guys mean tho, guys have these big "beer bellys" but god forbid if we do! lol yah, im one of those women who gains from the boobs to the belly. legs are ok. it's all up top. haha. so i usually just try to wear big tops and leggings or shorts in the summer. it's true tho! there are no clothes out there for us large waisted women. sometimes in the mall, i'll pass a store and see a mannequin and i'll think "oh wow, a store that understands my body" and it turns out to be a MATERNITY STORE! ugh. lolol, you gotta laugh................

 

LOL, well gee I've been stressed out since I was 12 years old! It's just the way I am. I too, have broad shoulders and smaller breasts. I actually think I might be luckier than some, my hips aren't actually smaller that my waist (if I'm keeping myself fit, I'm getting back there now, had a baby!) Actually one of my biggest problems is feeling like my hips are shaped backwards, like they're bigger at the top of my hips (hence all my *baggy* pants rest there) and taper slightly. Nobody else seems to think they look weird but I DO wear camoflauge type clothes lol. I'm sure stress is a part of it cause I can't ever lose all the belly fat either, but short of taking a pill or something, nothing has ever worked...(I mean how do you get rid of stress when that's what propells you through the day?)

But you know mtnhigh, I always found it easy to still be attractive while everyone else was wearing a bikini and I was wearing a tankini or I was wearing a regular shirt and jncos while everyone else was wearing painted on jeans and halter tops! We're still hot!