My Big Fat Diary

Just remember one thing in all of this, your own self perspective has a HUGE impact on how people perceive you.

Keep your goals realistic and attainable and you will find yourself with a sense of accomplishment and success that will make you feel AND LOOK great!

Good luck

I think girls still look pretty when they’re overweight. But for health reasons, it’s good to slim down. What has worked for me is to lift weights for one day, and then burn 500 calories on the treadmill or cycle machines for each of the next three days, and then repeat.

Eating right helps too, of course, but try to think of the change as a new life style.

At the risk of sounding horribly cheesy: "Perhaps there's a pretty girl waiting to get out..." She's already here.

All the same, I know where you're coming from. People will tell me that I'm beautiful, and I do think at least a few of them mean it (just like I've told you, and by the way I do mean it), but my reaction is always the same: Yeah, yeah, you're lying. Whatever.

And even if we were our ideal sizes, a little dieting and exercise can only improve confidence, so. I wish you all the best on your dieting and exercise goals, and know that I'll be doing them with you an ocean away. I know you can do it. And if you need anyone to rant to, especially when you've got sugar cravings that could rival a pregnant woman's, you know how to reach me.

PS I think the best way to track progress, in addition to or even in replace of scales, is measuring tape. I really hate my waist, so I'm measuring myself there daily. An example of why I do this is because over the November-December holiday season, I lost about two pounds (not a big number because I wasnt actually eating right or exercising often), but just yesterday I learned that I'd gained two inches. FML, right?

A little more advice from someone who lost and gained and then lost ten kilos over this past year...don't think of it as a diet. Diets are something that you do to lose the weight and then go off again when you've reached your goal weight. That's how I regained the ten kilos after I lost them. So think of it as a new way to eat all the time And with the sugar cravings thing, I think it's a good thing to still have some sweets, otherwise you overload on them when you think it's finally alright for you to eat them again. So maybe have a small cake or piece of chocolate or whatever you like to treat yourself with each morning. That way, you have the whole day to wear it off and you don't have any cravings!!! Good luck!

I believe there is one out already. From my perspective you are beautiful for being unique. And even if you aren't like a skinny model or got the diet thing down, it doesn't mean you are not beautiful. Depends on people's perspectives, maybe...but you're you and don't forget it.

And a side note is, I would exercise more than diet. Eat and then burn the food off instead of not eating certain things. Just what I would do anyway.

Cut down on your calories and do a moderate amount of exercise a day, instead of just eating your regular amount of calories and exercising to an insane degree. Trust me, unless you want to be doing like, 3 hours of cardio, 5 times a week, I suggest you just make a few adjustments to your diet instead.

I truly hope that you're doing this for yourself. It seems that in our society, a global one at that, we have found our inspiration in the opinion of others, rather than doing what we need to do and what we should do because we know it is the right thing for ourselves. Just remember that self confidence is the most attractive thing in life, it can make otherwise ordinary people brilliant.

Either way, no matter what your reasons for becoming healthier are, I hope you find what you're looking for. Best of luck.

-Irish