Too shy to go to the gym...

This week, I actually need YOUR advice...
Late this summer, I joined the gym. I was full of motivation to get fit, but so far, I've made very little progress. I will hold my hands up and admit that this is partly due to my motivation flying out of the window (being curled up in bed is always going to sound better). But the major reason is that I'm just too shy to go...

Dealing with Eczema

Eczema is pretty common and most people will have suffered from it a little at some point and if you have, you'll understand just how annoying it is. I've suffered from eczema quite badly for as long as I can remember and has been the reason for feeling majorly self consciousness at times. I was told when I was younger that I would 'grow out of it' but at 20 years old, I'm still dealing with it...

The first step...

I'm 20 years old, I'm 5"3, size 6/8 with a weight that hovers around the 8 stone mark.  I study biology, I have a long term boyfriend and have slight addictions to shopping and junk food. I'm just an average person, with life so far, working out quite well. I'm the sort of person who tends to be quiet and reserved when you first meet me and then after a while, I'll drive you nutty when I won't stop chattering away. I tend not to care for peoples opinion of me (after I stopped caring, I found I was much happier) and go for whatever makes me happy. However, I find myself on a regular basis, looking down at myself or at my reflection in the mirror and having a tidal wave of insecurities consume me. I often wish to have longer legs, or bigger boobs, a flatter stomach or to have tanned skin, for my eyes to be a different colour, think a bit of plastic surgery wouldn't go a miss, wish my skin was better... (You get the idea). I look in my wardrobe and wish it was a bit more up to date fashion wise or look at selfies on Instagram and wish I could make my own face look amazing through the power of make up. I certainly wouldn't leave the house with at least mascara and concealer on at the bare minimum (wouldn't want to scare people, would I?) I feel pressures from all possible angles to look a certain way. I compare myself to every other girl and wish I looked like them in some way. My boyfriend tells me on a regular basis that he thinks I'm beautiful (I don't even need to fish for the compliment) and I believe that he thinks that, but I, myself, couldn't disagree more, and it's dragging me down enormously.