I am not comfortable with my body. I feel it’s ugly, so I’m not confident to stand naked in front of anybody. I’m a virgin now, but I think it will affect me later, wont it?

The first step in improving your self image is to acknowledge it so know that you're already on your way to a better self image. You are definitely not alone. A majority of girls go through this at some point in their lives. Media has a lot to do with this unhealthy obsession with our bodies. Turn on your TV and you will find a skinny, "beautiful" girl playing a role or flip to an ad in a magazine and you are bound to notice the same. Although this type of image bombardment is more common in western cultures, Nepal is slowly gaining momentum and we find that many girls find their bodies unacceptable or not up to par.

First ask yourself why you think your body is ugly. Are you comparing yourself to the "acceptable" female body or comparing your body with your friend? We are all unique in that we come in different shapes and sizes, and no one body is superior to the other, although media makes you feel otherwise. Do friends and family make comments about your body? I know that it's common in Nepal to get blunt comments about your weight and this may have been okay at the age of 10, but it may make you overly conscious now. Did you know that in the 18th century, it was beautiful to have a protruded stomach with wide hips? Search for paintings of this generation and you will see that this was considered beautiful. Every generation has its own definition of beauty and I know that one can't help but compare. But where does it end? You can compare yourself to a girlfriend who is naturally thin and always will be that way and copy her diet, or you can try to lose the last 2 kg of body fat, but that's only going to give you temporary happiness.

Besides most decent guys don't really care if you have extra fat in your body, but does it really matter what others think about your body? What's most important is what YOU think about your body. If you are bombarding your mind with negative talk about your body, you are bound to hate your body. I urge you to start by asking yourself if it really matters how you look when you stand naked in front of a mirror. Is it the extra 2 kg on your tummy? Even if you do lose that extra 2 kg, you'll still not be happy with your body because happiness starts from within. I suggest that you start by being good to your body. Your self-esteem has to endure society's definition of a right body image daily so be good to yourself, and you be the one person who gives positive feedback to your body.

Every morning before you start your day, look in the mirror and comfort your body. Tell her how beautiful she is no matter what others may say. Feed it well, give it good rest and most of all think positively, because you become what you think. Before you go to bed at night, write down 5 things about yourself that you like and 5 things that you are grateful for. Remember, that self confidence won't happen overnight. It's a work in progress that you have to work on for as long as you feel you need to. No one can do this for you except yourself and your body will thank you for it. Give it a try for a month and write back to us again. If you're not making progress, that's okay too. Your body will eventually respond if you don't give up.