Real beauty - body positivity poll and cheerleading

Whether you need a little reassuring today, want to share your experience, or simply want to make others feel beautiful then come join in!
Vote in the poll and join in the chat to share the body positivity love :heart:


It’s not always easy staying body positive, so let’s shout about all our wonderful physical differences, remind ourselves we are beautiful just as we are, and support each other when we’re feeling a little self critical of our looks.

We tend to see stereotype aesthetics (male and female) in the media and it’s easy to compare ourselves and feel abnormal not to fit that mold.

I thought it’d be nice to have an ongoing (anonymous) vote of what our amazing bodies are really like so we can instead compare ourselves to real people and see that none of us are “perfect”, but we’re all still gorgeous.
(New options for the poll welcomed :blush:).


:point_down:Brace yourselves, it’s a biggie!:point_down:

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The poll:

My body…

  • Is saggy in places
  • Is wobbly in places
  • Has stretch marks
  • Is scarred
  • Is big in some places
  • Is small in some places
  • Is non-functional in some places
  • Has the help of a medical device
  • Is missing a piece or more
  • Has an extra piece or more
  • Needs mobility aids for some stuff
  • Is not all the same colour
  • May not always look exactly as I want
  • Is wonderful just as it is

0 voters

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Sometimes I struggle with how I look - other times I am fiercely confident.

I see in a lot of topics that other people struggle with this too, so I thought since I’m feeling brave today I’d try to be a cheerleader.

My body is mine, it may not be perfect, but it’s beautiful just as it is, stretch marks, buddha belly, bingo wings and all. I may not be a model, but I look blimmin good in my lovehoney lingerie and I’ll remind myself of that every time my confidence slips!

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I’m definitely not body confident! Put of loads of weight in my younger years and put it on quick which left me with stretch marks, not loads but enough for me not to want to take my shirt off at the beach! I’ve managed this long but slowly getting better. Last year we went on holiday to Greece and was laying around the pool with loads of other people. I was boiling in my t shirt so decided to take it off, expecting everyone to point and stare! You know what? No one cared, they just got on with their own holiday and couldn’t care less what I was doing! Next time I’m on holiday I won’t care what people think! Although it would be a different story at a pool in this country, but it’s a step forward!

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Great poll Cass
@Everyone : Embrace your bodies, free your minds

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Amazing idea @Cassii :heart::heart::heart:

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That’s a great step forward :grinning: well done you!!
I bet you’d find it was the same in this country too if you were feeling brave. Most people are so wrapped up in themselves they don’t notice other people most of the time anyway!

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This great and I think will help a lot of us, I know I definitely struggle with body image.

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Well done @Cassii I for one needed to read that today after my previous post, on another Topic thread. It brought a lot of emotions to the surface again and I ended up crying.

I wasn’t crying about the way my body is now but I cried because of how vividly I recalled the disgust that I had for myself.

As I explained I’m learning each day and trying my hardest but this post was needed and I thank you.

Take Care, lovely x

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Up until i was about 30 i was rake thin, despite eating all the wrong stuff, and i hated it. I have since put weight on and due to my jobs and work ethic i am quite muscular. I have thinning hair, but it`s silver which i like. My hands are a scarred mess due to various work related injuries over the years from butchery to steel work, but my hands are sensitive and gentle. For every minus point, there is a plus point, and i have learned to accept my body and be proud of the scars and fat bits, it shows i"ve lived! Raising the courage to post pics here, and the positive comments has really boosted my body confidence, and i look back on that skinny kid i was, and wonder what he was worrying about. We should all be proud of the bodies we have and ignore our percieved faults, the odds are are OH"s find those “faults” sexy!

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@Justthe2ofus2007 Oh lovely, you didn’t upset me at all. Your post touched me and really struck a cord and I wanted to try and help and tell you my story to show you are not alone.
Me being upset was not down to you, I promise!

Anyway today I am happy and ready to embrace whatever the day throws at me :blush:

I hope you have a good day too xx

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What a great thread :blue_heart::heart:

It just goes to prove that we all have wee niggles with our bodies, but should always appreciate what we’ve got. I always embrace my tummy jiggle jaggle haha. It’s never going to go, so just gotta love it :joy::orange_heart:

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I (mr Broom)put on significant weight in my twenties as I gradually played less sport and frankly looked after myself less well. I became the fat funny guy and because I used self deprecating humour as a defence mechanism all of my social circle took that as the ok to also make me the butt of all jokes related to weight or size. The end of a relationship acted as an opportunity for me to change. I lost 5 stones and became very toned - something that I’ve maintained for the last 15 years. My problem is that I still carry the emotional scars. I don’t see a toned body in the mirror. I still see the 22 year old very overweight man. I obsessively weigh myself and suffer from anxiety problems if I don’t cycle over 100 miles each week. I’ve had counselling to help address it and I continue to work on myself/my mind. People who meet me would never know how much damage that period had done and continues to do as I hide it well. I guess my point is that I have found body positivity incredibly hard to find and continue to do so. I get a six pack, so now I’m worried about a chin. I sort a chin and then I’m worried that my genitles aren’t big enough. It goes on, but I’m hopeful one day I’ll find contentment.

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@bravo @beblue it takes a lot of work to unlearn disliking your body doesn’t it! There will always be days that it’s harder, but there will also be days where it’s better.

Sending big hugs your way and to everyone who needs one today, and don’t be afraid to talk about it when it gets you down xxxx

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I’ve more or less accepted my body now for what it is but it’s taken me most of my adult life to do it. I think the media pressure on people to look perfect is disgraceful, being constantly bombarded with messages that you’re too big, too thin, too old, got wrinkles or scars can be extremely damaging. I switch off mentally from all that rubbish now. Sure there are bits I’m not keen on like my wobbly tummy and stretchmarks but I have learnt to accept it more now I’m older :slightly_smiling_face:

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It’s crazy isn’t it? And so much of it is subliminal too that sometimes you don’t even realise you’re taking it onboard

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Looks like a 1930s caricature of a hobo

:slightly_smiling_face:

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Absolutely @Cassii :slightly_smiling_face:

@wildflower “Wobbly tummy and stretch marks” You mean sexy curves and battle scars! I find such things sexy!
I do sit and quitely fume at the adverts aimed at women, all these scientific sounding acids and peptides designed to make women think that the odd wrinkle is a sin. Then there`s catchphrases like “Because you"re worth it” that just says to me " We"re charging a lot for very little, but we"ll justify it by guilt tripping you that if you buy cheaper you"re doing yourself a disservice :rage: :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

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Yes! @WillC when in the hell did ageing become a crime? Most of this stuff the adverts are pushing is a big rip off and it’s all incredibly sexist too ! I love your term ‘battle scars’ I’ll pinch that for my own use thanks! :smile:

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