I am 23 years old. I live a healthy lifestyle . I work out 4-6 days a week and eat a healthy diet even though I could do a little better. I have been doing a new workout, Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. It is a great workout hard but worth it! I don’t weigh myself but my fiancée and our best friends told me that I look thinner.

The only problem is that I have new stretch marks on my stomach and my sides. I had some when I was younger and they faded for the most part. I am very pale so they blend in pretty well and I have never had a problem with them. These new ones are really getting to me. I thought losing weight would make me feel better about myself and it has with the exception of these stretch marks. My clothes are getting looser and I am stronger than I have ever been and I was starting to really feel good about my body until I saw those marks. Normally they wouldn’t bother me. My ultimate body dream is to be able to wear a 2 piece swimsuit without shame. I won’t be able to do that with these new stretch marks. I have been using Palmer’s stretch mark cream for a few weeks. I have used it before and I know that it helps. I am going to buy Mederma stretch mark therapy. This is really throwing my body image into a downward spiral. Just looking at the marks makes me want to cry. I hate putting the lotion on because 1. I hate the smell 2. I am 100% disgusted by my own body. I hate touching my stomach and I hate when my flab touches my arm when I am sitting down. I don’t even want my fiancée to see me naked. He says they don't bother him and that he doesn't notice. The problem is I do mind! I don't want to have sex without a shirt and I have stopped mentioning sex or attempting it. He likes me to keep my shirt off during sex anyway which I hate. Keep the lights off helps a little.

I want to loose some more weight and I am terrified these marks are going to get worse. I really need some help with learning to accept my body.
Thanks.

Why don't you try vitamin E capsules. You break them and spread the vitamin E on the stretch marks.

I remember when I was about 14 I thought that having hair on the tops of my fingers (no matter how tiny and invisible) was the end of the world. I remember when I was about 18 I started getting stretch marks between my breasts, even though they were small breasts! How ironic and cruel was that? (Now I'm 65 and so many parts of me are gone, gone, gone that I am beyond caring.)
There's no easy way to just tell someone to stop this borderline obsession (actually a real obsession, it sounds like). We can say 'Look around you at all the people who have quirks and bumps and no hair and too hairy and are pear shaped or stubby legs or no chin or eyes are close together... onanonaonaonanaoanannnand on!'
I wouldn't waste my money on creams but I'm pretty frugal, and don't believe they work anyway. What if you have kids someday? What mother doesn't have stretch marks?
You know what? BUY that cute bikini and WEAR it! With your boyfriend there to encourage you. He said he likes you the way you are and I happen to believe him. Isn't it a little insulting to not believe him? Have you ever noticed any of his body flaws? Good grief, I'll bet there's a few right in front of you and you don't even notice them. Why? Because you like him.

If you don't mention your physical problems (or whatever you think is wrong with your body), he won't notice it. If you obsess over them, then you will get him to obsess over them too. It's like if you have company over for dinner. You tell them when they come in and throughout the meal, "Don't look at the cobwebs up in the corners of the living room near the ceiling," so of course all your guests will do all evening will look for the cobwebs. If you hadn't said anything, no one would have thought to look up at the ceiling and notice the cobwebs.

You might want to check out from your library and read this book:

White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts

In a series of experiments, Daniel M. Wegner told subjects not to think about white bears. Of course, they found it impossible to avoid thinking of the bears--just as it often seems impossible to stop thinking about forbidden foods, a social blunder, or a lost love. Drawing on theories of William James, Freud, and Dewey, as well as on studies in mood control, cognitive therapy, and artificial intelligence, this enlightening book explores the reasons unwanted, embarrassing, or frightening notions are so irresistible.

Good thoughts Wondergirl - and wouldn't you know, under your ID are 4 Google ads for stretch mark creams?
(Maybe if I hadn't mentioned them, no one would notice them... )

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joypulv

Good thoughts Wondergirl - and wouldn't you know, under your ID are 4 google ads...?
(Maybe if I hadn't mentioned them, no one would notice them...)

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I edited my post but the ads stayed. Google and Facebook are trying to run (ruin?) my life. Oh, for simpler times! And now you too are doing the "white bear" and "cobwebs" thing, joy!