Lately, with the work being done to my Life After Death sleeve coming quickly to a close, I’ve been thinking of what I want my next tattoo to be and where I want to put it. I’ve got plenty of real estate left of course with only having two half sleeves and a tattoo on both of my calves. While thinking about placement for future ideas, I’ve been noticing I’m a bit self conscious when it comes to certain areas of my body. I’m not exactly skinny. I’ve got curves, though I’ve really grown to hate my thighs and stomach area (the more common problem areas for us women!). I would love to get tattoos down my sides, on my thighs and all of those places problem places but I’m afraid people won’t see them because I don’t show those areas much if at all. Am I wrong for feeling this way? All of my other tattoos have made me feel better about myself in some way but when I think about my future tattoos and possible areas of placement I get self conscious. Maybe I’m just being weird over it all considering I’ve got plenty of other places to tattoo. Just throwing my little rant into the mix here..
I feel exactly the same as you do.
I’m a big guy and I can’t bring myself to even think about torso work. In the back of my mind I think….”one day I’ll get rid of the baggage” and if I have work done now it’ll move or shrink or something. Honestly I have no earthly idea what a tattoo on my stomach would look like if I lost a hundred pounds. Maybe it would still be OK….who knows?
Us guys get self conscious too. The only way I’ve found to keep weight off and be happy with my looks is regular exercise and good diet. Easier said than done but if you do it regularly you’re likely to keep doing it. And once its habit its pretty easy to continue. Not that you were asking but thought I’d throw my 2c in there.
You know, what other people think about you is none of your business. That said, all that matters is how you feel. Genetically speaking, you were dealt a certain deck of cards. How you choose to embrace that is your choice.
I’ve dealt with areas of my body with plastic surgery, chemical peels, and tattooing. It works for me, but no matter how the luggage looks, it’s the same old baggage inside.
As far as “what kind of tattoos,” I like traditionally feminine tattoos on curvier girls. I think the boldness and bloodiness along with the feminine nature of your sleeves make them perfect for your arms, but I wouldn’t want to see them on Megan Fox. Just my opinion. You yourself said you have faith in your current artist, so take your ideas and realize them. Tattoos are more permanent, but they’re like clothes: Tattoo the body you have now. Don’t wait in the shadows until you’re a size 4. You are too young, too pretty, and too full of life not to live it up before you have live down that you let life pass you by.
@Amok 134619 wrote:
Us guys get self conscious too. The only way I’ve found to keep weight off and be happy with my looks is regular exercise and good diet. Easier said than done but if you do it regularly you’re likely to keep doing it. And once its habit its pretty easy to continue. Not that you were asking but thought I’d throw my 2c in there.
I’m built like Mr. Potato Head. I lost 25 pounds last year and gained it back over the winter. Working on losing it a second time.
@Sam-I-Am 134624 wrote:
I’m built like Mr. Potato Head. I lost 25 pounds last year and gained it back over the winter. Working on losing it a second time.
Shame, shame, shame on you, Mr. Yo-Yo Dieter. :p
It really comes down to genetics. How you were raised has an impact, as do eating and exercise habits, but I think that “drive to eat” gene plays a huge role. My dad and I both hate to eat at work. We’ll drink sodas and eat candy some days, but getting us to go to the cafeteria is hard, or pack a meal.
Another thing that really can hurt women in terms of excess weight is choice of birth control. I found I gained almost ten percent of my body weight after having a birth control implant put in. It was a struggle to lose half of it, and when I had it removed, I literally have peed out all but three lbs. of it. Decreasing testosterone has an impact on men’s weight, too.
@peterpoose 134625 wrote:
Is it important to you for others to see your tattoos? For me its not 🙂
For me, it’s important they’re hidden in some situations! :p
I’m not getting a back piece until I’m married, because I don’t want my dad bitching the entire wedding!
And professionally, it’s still not accepted. 🙁
@GrayCatLove 134623 wrote:
You know, what other people think about you is none of your business. That said, all that matters is how you feel. Genetically speaking, you were dealt a certain deck of cards. How you choose to embrace that is your choice.
I’ve dealt with areas of my body with plastic surgery, chemical peels, and tattooing. It works for me, but no matter how the luggage looks, it’s the same old baggage inside.
As far as “what kind of tattoos,” I like traditionally feminine tattoos on curvier girls. I think the boldness and bloodiness along with the feminine nature of your sleeves make them perfect for your arms, but I wouldn’t want to see them on Megan Fox. Just my opinion. You yourself said you have faith in your current artist, so take your ideas and realize them. Tattoos are more permanent, but they’re like clothes: Tattoo the body you have now. Don’t wait in the shadows until you’re a size 4. You are too young, too pretty, and too full of life not to live it up before you have live down that you let life pass you by.
I love what GCL said about the nice luggage but the same old baggage. Wisdom there. And she’s right you should tattoo the body you have now. Many people would love to be the size/shape that you are right now, embrace where you are and don’t spend your life waiting to be all “perfect” some day.
@peterpoose 134625 wrote:
Is it important to you for others to see your tattoos? For me its not 🙂
I agree with Peter. Some of my artwork is there for the world to see, some of it is just for me. Only those that are closest to me have seen my entire peacock, for all other people I have a rule: you can see the head OR the tail but to see it all you have to at least buy me dinner. Or get me drunk. 😉
And the peacock’s tail is the tattoo that “I” look at the most often. (Usually when I’m going potty, unless there is any interesting graffiti on the walls to read.) The peacock runs right down my side, over some parts of my body that I know I will never be happy with, but I LOVE the tattoo irregardless of that.
And as for dieting, I have a weird theory. I think that for you to ‘lose’ weight someone near you has to ‘find’ it. So everyone at work knows when I’m watching what I’m eating because I bring in boxes of donuts and cookies and bags of potato chips. I haven’t exactly had a scientific study done – but it seems to work. 😀
Thanks for the replies everyone, means a lot. I think I’m just at a part of my life where I’m just not happy with things. No real career, still living at home, etc. I mean I have plenty of money so that’s the only perk but I find I’m stressing about that more often lately as well. I’m just a mess right now I suppose. I don’t regret getting my tattoos though, as I said, those have made me a bit more confident with some things.
I work in a stressful place so I know that doesn’t help my weight issue at all. I’m 5’7”, and I weigh 210 pounds. Most of that weight did in fact come from birth control pills. I’ve been off of them for 2 years now but here’s the funny part, I’m planning on going back on it here soon with a different method but now I’m having second thoughts. I weighed 170 pounds before I was on them, needless to say I’d be pretty damn happy to go back down to that weight if I could but no matter what I’ve done it doesn’t seem to work.
I have faith in my tattoo artist to provide me with the tattoos I want and that will work. He was up front with me the other day about changing something on my left arm half sleeve and I agreed. It looks a little funny now but once it’s healed it’ll be a lot better so I trust him that he’ll be up front with me. No it’s not important for everyone to see my tattoos even though I love showing them off. I’m the kind of person who wishes I could wear bikinis without getting funny looks and be able to show off any ink I decide on for my thighs or side or back or wherever the placement may be,.
Thanks so much for that and you are right GCL.
I’ll say now that when at work I really don’t eat much but if I have a day off then that is when I’m eating the most. It’s not always junk either, I’m an avid fruit lover so that’s not really a big issue with me. Veggies I’m a bit more picky about but just a few, I love most of them!
Again I thank you all for the replies. I’m not sure what’s bothering me with this all of a sudden even though it’s always been a nagging thought. I guess it’s my want to impress people, etc. I’m just a strange soul I suppose. Just wishing things were a bit easier right now. I know I won’t be loosing any weight with the holidays coming up and stress being through the roof, especially with where I work. Oh the joys..
@Mistress_Of_Pain 134639 wrote:
Thanks for the replies everyone, means a lot. I think I’m just at a part of my life where I’m just not happy with things. No real career, still living at home, etc. I mean I have plenty of money so that’s the only perk but I find I’m stressing about that more often lately as well. I’m just a mess right now I suppose. I don’t regret getting my tattoos though, as I said, those have made me a bit more confident with some things. [/quote]
No one knows what they want to do when they “grow up.” If you told me I’d do what I’d do, I’d have called you a liar. Academic counselors at colleges and technical schools can be really helpful.
I work in a stressful place so I know that doesn’t help my weight issue at all. I’m 5’7”, and I weigh 210 pounds. Most of that weight did in fact come from birth control pills. I’ve been off of them for 2 years now but here’s the funny part, I’m planning on going back on it here soon with a different method but now I’m having second thoughts. I weighed 170 pounds before I was on them, needless to say I’d be pretty damn happy to go back down to that weight if I could but no matter what I’ve done it doesn’t seem to work.
It’s hard to make major overhaul plans on eating/exercising. Get a check up and okay from your family care provider, and then look into getting a personal trainer. Get a nice one that doesn’t rush you, doesn’t mind helping you with diet advice, and pushes you. The hard part is once you’re done with getting set on a path, staying with it. It’s just like getting a tattoo for hours and hours – You just keep doing it because you can’t stop in the middle of something until you’re where you’re happy, whether you discover that’s 150, 170, or just where you are… Good health will make you feel good. The numbers don’t matter.
No it’s not important for everyone to see my tattoos even though I love showing them off. I’m the kind of person who wishes I could wear bikinis without getting funny looks and be able to show off any ink I decide on for my thighs or side or back or wherever the placement may be,.
I’m less than 120, 5′ 6″, and I don’t like wearing bikinis and being looked at. Your size won’t change your mind. And who cares what anyone else thinks? If it’s based on modesty, cool. If it’s based on shame, lame. People a lot bigger than you wear bikinis and a lot of people think they look damn good in them, not that the latter makes a damn.
Thanks so much for that and you are right GCL.
I know. 😉
I’ll say now that when at work I really don’t eat much but if I have a day off then that is when I’m eating the most. It’s not always junk either, I’m an avid fruit lover so that’s not really a big issue with me. Veggies I’m a bit more picky about but just a few, I love most of them!
Living at home makes healthy eating more of a challenge. My dad made the comment since I drop off groceries at his place and he gets stuff now that Mom is gone, there’s less unhealthy stuff and less food in general. I highly recommend Diet 4 Your Blood Type.
Again I thank you all for the replies. I’m not sure what’s bothering me with this all of a sudden even though it’s always been a nagging thought. I guess it’s my want to impress people, etc. I’m just a strange soul I suppose. Just wishing things were a bit easier right now. I know I won’t be loosing any weight with the holidays coming up and stress being through the roof, especially with where I work. Oh the joys..
One of the hardest things to do is say no when people offer food – People get pissy and insulted. I feel your pain.
Living at home makes healthy eating more of a challenge. My dad made the comment since I drop off groceries at his place and he gets stuff now that Mom is gone, there’s less unhealthy stuff and less food in general. I highly recommend Diet 4 Your Blood Type.
Finally someone that agrees that living at home and trying to eat healthy is challenging. A lot of people don’t seem to understand that at all. My half sleeve will be done here on Halloween, I probably won’t get anymore work done until after the new year with, like I said, the Holidays fast approaching so i’ve got time to ponder and work on things (I hope).
@GrayCatLove 134649 wrote:
I hear you. I’m getting some work on my inner thighs done in a week, which is physically and emotionally delicate work that requires a lot of trust of the artist not to be a fucking asshole. This day in age, it requires a leap of faith. 😉
I will say that right now my tattoo artist is out of the shop he was working at due to some drama that went down. The whole story is crap so right now he is doing tattoos out of his house. Now before anyone freaks out he is very sanitized and is always making sure things are clean and all utensils are brand new. It was as if I was at a shop itself. He has no pets and his apartment is spotless. I went in there Friday feeling a bit nervous, mostly because he wasn’t in a shop and I’ve been tattooed out of someone’s house before (never again, not to that house anyway). He was very welcoming, very open with me on what needed to be done. He converted his entire dining room into a little tattoo booth like he would have had at the shop. If I didn’t trust him as I do I would’ve never gone. I’ve known plenty of asshole artists in the past, none of which I have ever trusted as much as I trust him. He’s looking for a new shop as we speak, but I’d have no obligation about going back to his house to get more work done. It was a very personal experience, there was no rush nor any distractions. I’m sure if I presented him with any sort of tattoo that I would want on my thigh, my side, etc I know I would be able to trust him. My fiance probably wouldn’t like it much but he to has trust in him even though he’s always been the one to just sit there and be bored while I’m the one under the mercy of the needle. GCL, glad you also have the trust of your artist not to be a total dick, especially for a spot as private as that.
I’ll say I am not self conscious about who I see for my tattoos but more so just my own body, certain areas anyway. You are right about taking a leap of faith, maybe I should just forget about my issues and do what I want. Of course I would still like to be 170 pounds again, even 150 would be nice but that would require a lot of dedication on my part and I just can’t seem to find it. Right now I am dedicated to my passion, my art. I don’t know why I feel this way..
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