Tuesday, July 31, 2012

If the Shoe Doesn't Fit

Unlike many women, I hate shoe shopping because I hate my big feet. I have this fear that the minute I take off my shoes to try on a new pair, people are going to start screaming, "Run for your lives! Bigfoot is REAL!"

You can get plastic surgery to make your nose smaller. But I don't think you can get plastic surgery to make your feet smaller. Even if you could, I wouldn't get it. Not only would I be afraid that something could go wrong, there's also the fact that a Frappuccino is a big expense for me. So I definitely can't afford plastic surgery anyway. 

Once a helpful saleswoman told me that the reason high heels hurt me so much was because I have flat feet; high heeled shoes are often curved. The few times I have worn heels, I ended up falling down more often than not, so that it looked like I was still learning how to walk (at the age of thirty-one).

Whenever I go to shoe stores, I always see all the pretty shoes that will never fit me. The last time I went shopping, I saw a bunch of large shoes that looked comfortable, so I tried on a pair. Then I caught several guys looking at me strangely and I realized that I was in the men's shoe section. To cover up my embarrassment I lied and said, "Uh, I'm buying these for my boyfriend. Our feet are the same size."

I'm even more insecure about my weight than my feet, which is why I work out at the gym four or five times a week. I was overweight in high school and college, which is one of the reasons I was made fun of and didn't get many dates. There were people who constantly told me how fat and ugly I was, which made me feel even worse. I ate to make myself feel better, but then I looked in the mirror and felt bad all over again.

Yes, it's definitely true that you don't have to be thin to be beautiful. There are plenty of gorgeous people out there who don't look like stick figures. But on the other hand, I think that there are a lot of people like me who want to be in shape. Otherwise, why would programs like Weight Watchers have so many members? Why else are there so many health clubs? 

I first decided to join a gym when I went to the Taste of Chicago (a summertime food festival featuring food from restaurant vendors all over the city. It's my favorite festival, and I go every year.) a few years ago. There was a group of trainers from a popular gym in the city who had set up a table and were demonstrating exercises for people who stopped to watch. There were other trainers who were stopping festival goers and encouraging them to sign up for free trial memberships.

At first I felt tempted to say no, but I felt guilty about the fact that they were all fit and healthy looking, while I was eating a bunch of fried food. So I signed up. And I've been a regular gym rat ever since. I think a part of me is afraid that I'll get fat again.

On the other hand, working out usually makes me feel better. On days when I'm ready to start screaming and throwing things like a guest on the Jerry Springer show, I go to the gym and the endorphins I get from exercising make me feel good. I don't have to feel guilty about taking time off from my work to exercise. Spending an hour or two at the gym makes me feel like I've done something productive, unlike spending an hour or two watching TV.

But no matter how often I work out, I know that I'll probably never look exactly the way I want to. I'm not saying that I want to look like a Victoria's Secret model (though that would be AWESOME, as long as I don't have to walk around in my underwear, which I guess would defeat the purpose of being a Victoria's Secret model). But I want to be able to walk into a store and try on any outfit that I want without worrying if it'll fit. And I want to be able to look in the mirror and like what I see.

What about you? Do you ever feel insecure about the way you look? (And I'm not trying to insult anyone, because you're all lovely, of course. But I think that most people have wanted to change something about themselves at some point.)

Side note: Sorry if some of my old posts show up in your Google Reader; I've been removing most of the pictures from my blog. I hated to remove the pictures, since they were good ones. But Roni Loren, a novelist and fellow blogger, shared her story about how she was sued for posting someone else's pictures on her blog. I thought it was good of her to be honest with everyone and take responsibility for her actions. I also thought it was horrible to see so many people leave nasty, self-righteous comments on her blog (to the point that she had to shut down the comments section on that post); I don't think she deserved to be attacked by mean-spirited jerks like that, especially since she already paid (literally and figuratively) for her mistake.

16 comments:

  1. I'm more apt to feel defensive about my brains—I'm competitive, even if I don't always show it, and it bugs me when people get honors and I don't. I know we're all talented, but some people in grad school seem to be more talented than others. I worry about my body image too, but I also know that I have a healthy appetite. When I don't eat enough, my body starts shutting down. I get shaky and eventually can't even stand up. That's why I don't do WW anymore—not eating made me feel worse than the 5-10 extra pounds I carry around my stomach.

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    1. Hi Anna,
      It also bothers me when other people in grad school get honors. I went to an awards ceremony once for grad students, and I felt bad that I hadn't even been nominated for anything. No matter how hard I work in grad school, it always feel like it's not enough.
      I didn't really like Weight Watchers either. I think it's better than most of the other weight loss programs out there, but on the other hand it was still hard to follow. It does let you eat dessert - as long as it's in very tiny portions.

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  2. I think it's great you're dedicated to exercising. It has to make you feel better. And don't think models are perfect, even though it looks like it. They have waists/legs that are too long/too short. Breasts that are too big/too small. Not everything looks perfect on them in the store. They are fitted for everything they wear down the runway. Nobody is doing that for us. They do, however, all have big feet.

    I felt bad for Roni Loren too.

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    1. Hi Theresa,
      I'm glad that there are plus-sized models now, because that shows that the fashion industry is FINALLY starting to see that the women that walk down the runway don't really represent most of the women who are buying clothes. On the other hand, I think I read somewhere that a model who was a size 8 was viewed as "plus-size". Ha! I think a size 8 is actually really good.
      I was reading through the nasty comments on Roni Loren's post (there are a lot of hateful people online). One mean commenter had the nerve to leave the link to his/her blog after posting a comment! It apparently wasn't enough for the commenter to attack Roni; he/she decided to use the opportunity to promote his/her own blog too! I can't stand people like that.

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  3. Good for you! And all of that working out will help you stay healthy well into the future :) I get lazy about going to the gym, but I always feel so great afterward so I just try to remember that when I'm forcing myself to tie those sneaker laces. I've always been self-conscious about my looks. It's unfortunately something we all go through, some of us more than others. But I've always been a late bloomer and am growing into my own now, and feel much comfier in my own skin. Life's just too short not to learn how to love ourselves, flaws (real or imaginary) and all!

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    1. Hi Julie,
      I often don't want to go the gym either, especially when I feel tired; I feel like I'm not going to have the energy for aerobics class or an hour in the cardio room. But I usually don't regret going.
      I'm hoping that I'll be a late bloomer too. I've seen many women who grow even more beautiful as they get older, which gives me hope.

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  4. I've gotten to the point where I'm pretty comfortable with myself. I could stand to drop a few (or many :) pounds, but I have no desire to chase after a ridiculous ideal.

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    1. Hi Angela,
      The ideal for beauty has gotten ridiculous, especially for women who have just given birth. I always shake my head at the stories and pictures of celebrities who lose all the weight they gained just a few months (or even weeks) after they gave birth. I think they should let their bodies relax and heal after all those months of being pregnant.

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  5. Coincidentally, Victoria's Secret models probably have huge feet too since they're generally above average height. So you're halfway towards becoming one!

    I don't really feel insecure about my weight. Mostly because I've never been fat and the second I do start to see fat somewhere, I attempt to redress it. And luckily, so far, I don't have to work out that much to do so. I'm convinced that my years of sports as a child and in high school have given my body a base of muscle that just needs freshening up every few weeks. I'm sure it's a scientifically sound theory, right? I'm also sure that in a few years, that theory will explode in the form of sudden fat everywhere and I will have to actually work out more... but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

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    1. Hi Angela,
      I don't think I could ever be a model because then I wouldn't be able to eat most of the foods I like.
      You're lucky that you are in good shape. I was never very athletic. I think the last time I actually enjoyed playing in a ball game was in grade school, and that was a game of kickball.

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  6. I'm always chasing after those last five pounds. I'm pretty hard on myself about my looks, but I've never considered surgery or anything. I hope as I get older, I mellow. Someday those last five pounds won't be worth the hassle, ya know?

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    1. Hi Emily,
      It's hard to lose weight, especially because it's hard (for me, anyway) to resist good food like chocolate chip cookies and lasagna. Just thinking about it makes me hungry.
      But you're right that five pounds shouldn't be worth the hassle. It's tough because we're taught to focus on getting rid of those five pounds, even though we know that there are other things we should focus on.

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  7. Nice to meet you at Emily's blog yesterday. I removed several photos from my blog over the weekend, too. I have hair from hell and a weight problem. But great eyes and a ready smile :)

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    1. Hi Carol,
      Nice to meet you too! I don't like my hair either; I've never been able to get it look the way I want. I've even been to more than a dozen stylists in Chicago.

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  8. Wow, I didn't know that on top of grad school and work, you go to the gym 4-5 times a week--that's great! And something that I can appreciate because given how busy life is, it can be difficult. But it's totally worth it given what a great investment it is for you both from a physical and mental standpoint.

    I used to go to the gym 4-5 times as well, but in the last couple of years I've really moved away from it. I found that going through my typical cardio and weight room routine became too boring. Instead, I mix it up with activities like swimming, cycling, basketball, and tennis--very similar to when I was in high school. I love sports and always find ways to play them on a year-round basis regardless of how busy life gets for me. This only leaves me going to the gym once or twice a week, and sometimes not at all--but I've found this way to be a more fun and balanced way to stay fit and release endorphins.

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    1. Hi William,
      I don't mind the cardio and weight room because I usually just listen to my iPod. Another reason I go to the gym so often is because I'm paying for the membership; I figure I might as well make the most of it.

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