If you are overweight, you will be aware of this and you will feel that you are not very nice to look at and so your self-esteem will take a tumble.

Adverts on the television and in the newspapers and magazines all seem to show these young peoples who look like a good meal would do them the world of good.

Personally, I have looked like I was ten months pregnant for many years and was often devastated when feeling like I looked good, then someone would ask me if I was pregnant. I’m still being asked if I’m pregnant and I’m now 66 years old. Then after years of exercises for my tummy and a lightened purse through buying the latest ‘Tummy Flattener’ I have now found out that with having Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) my swollen tummy is just one of the unpleasant signs and symptoms of that disease. I’m sure I’m not alone with this problem and if you have a swollen tummy, maybe I’ve just given you a reason or excuse for it.

But I know from the above experience, if you are not a Twiggy, you have a feeling of being different and so not as attractive as you would like to be. This causes stress.

Stress is a form of worrying. That old saying that worry brings wrinkles ……. well it can do can’t it? If you are worried / stressed you will frown more than you smile. Another useless piece of information for you, stored in my memory box for many years, when you smile you use only thirteen of your facial muscles; but when you frown you use thirty-nine. So stop tiring yourself out by frowning.

It is only when you realise that you are overweight and that you can lose weight, then and only then is when you will do something about it.

It’s no use blaming it on your glands or your ancestors, if you are overweight you must accept full responsibility. You have been in the habit of taking in more calories than you have used up with some activity.

So to save yourself being too stressed, decide to do something about it and lose weight.

Now to go back to your being overweight and the stress factor. You will only feel better about yourself when you go on a weight loss programme. As the pounds and inches start to disappear, so your good feelings about yourself will increase.