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We are constantly redefining our own perspectives, and therefore tend to write a lot about our personal experiences. Many followers and contributors are living with anorexia, bulimia, body dysmorphic disorder, depression, and a variety of other body image disorders or mental illnesses, so please be respectful and remember that health applies differently to everyone. Any and all potentially triggering content will be prefaced with a trigger warning.
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Trigger Warning: Emotional Abuse, Eating Disorder
My body issues began around the age of 7 when I was diagnosed with some kind of hormonal disorder. Memory is not my mom’s strong suit (neither is record-keeping), so to this day I don’t know specifically what it was. All I know is that I suddenly…
This is such a beautiful and honest story of one person’s journey that I relate to in so many ways. So touching.
Walk pass a mirror, give that gorgeous person your best ‘come hither’ eyes.
Dedicate some time to making you feel good. A long soaking bath, candlelight and some wine.
Romance yourself. <3
Toss the guilty feelings aside. You deserve to love yourself. You deserve to be happy.
If you have a…
“Fat” as a negativism has nothing to do with phonetics and everything to do with society — words don’t chose how they are perceived. Fat is an adjective! Stop with the “Don’t say that/You’re not/You’re beautiful” shit! Fat = fat, simple as that. Also, fat =/= not…
I think that is can be looked at as offensive to those who do identify as ‘curvy girls.’ There are women who are curvier than others, there are plenty of words to describe all body types. While I don’t see fat in a negative form, I myself do not identify as a fat woman. There is fat on my body, but I would fit more under the ‘curvier’ umbrella of body labeling and policing.
I think by saying the ‘curvy’ is now a pseudo-negative way to view your body that you’re not only furthering the distance between the fat vs. thin dynamic, but you’re making those who identify as curvy feel really shitty about themselves.
That’s my two-cents.
Often when I blurt shit out I’m feeling ranty and/or looking for a response to spark a discussion and this has seriously been awesome, for real. I just regret not having made my stance on the subject more clear.
What I meant was for those who identify as curvy to perhaps think about WHY they identify as such as WHY they avoid identifying as anything else. Why is it that when I proclaim my fatness, I get a “You’re not fat, you’re curvy” in response? What is so wrong with using that word? Why is curvy more “accepted”?
I don’t know.
“Fat” as a negativism has nothing to do with phonetics and everything to do with society — words don’t chose how they are perceived. Fat is an adjective! Stop with the “Don’t say that/You’re not/You’re beautiful” shit! Fat = fat, simple as that. Also, fat =/= not beautiful! “Curvy” hurts more than it helps, as it reinforces the idea that someone would not want to be labeled as “fat” because “fat” is baaaaaaaad. It’s also misleading because everyone has curves, even the most lean, most ripped, most emaciated person. I’m also afraid that it sexualizes the fat and the last thing we need is more fetishization. Like the OP said, “bodies are not straight angles”! Stop avoiding the word! FAT IS FAT AND I AM FAT AND BY AVOIDING THE WORD YOU ARE ERASING A HUGE PART OF MY IDENTITY. Okay, non-fat people? Fat is not a four-letter word. “Curvy” is just a thinly-veiled attempt at PC language to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. (But of course, to each their own chosen identities. I chose fat because it is literal and not sugar-coated.)
Why Diets Don’t Work
Before you set your cap on following yet another weight loss regime, consider that 90 percent of dieters who lose weight regain all or part of it within five years. Obviously, “dieting” is not the answer to slimming down permanently. Find out why and what the alternative is… [X]
Diets Don’t Work
At first a diet can give you a sense of control. You may see success as the scale drops. But soon you are fighting cravings for forbidden foods, as well as hunger pangs and a lack of energy from the lower calorie level. Your body reacts to fewer calories by slowing down your metabolism. Eventually you rebel against the diet and return to your old eating habits. We think each time that this time we won’t gain it back, but the statistics show that most of us will. Your first step to improve your health and appearance is to begin daily exercise… [X]
Why Diets
and ExerciseDon’t Work PsychologicallyPick an activity you like. If you dont know what you like, take classes in different areas and then stick with it, even if its supposedly not known for weight loss, keep it up. Of course, golfing wont get you anywhere, so dont even bother. Tai Chi, belly dancing, yoga, kickboxing, pilates, swimming, dancing. These are all things to try if you have never done them before, to see if you like it. I truly think a fun activity will keep you coming back for more and noone will have to beg you, train you, or ask you to keep it up, because you will want to naturally… [X]
Tips for Parents with Overweight Children
If you have a child that is dealing with weight issues and you find yourself nagging him or her to lose weight, then you may not realize that nagging is not the best way to help them lose weight. You can actually run the risk of straining your relationship with your child. Avoid pushing new diets on your child. Rather teach them the basics of good nutrition and exercise, so that he or she has the necessary tools to make the right decisions. Your children are old enough to make the right decisions, and you need to facilitate that rather than simply forcing it on your child. Avoid forcing exercise on your child. Find ways instead to get your child more active without stressing him or her out. There are plenty of ways to exercise that are fun. Get your child involved in a sport or an after school activity. Even games like “Dance Dance Revolution” and “Deca Sports” are excellent for getting your child more active if he or she is sedentary for most of the day. Avoid projecting your feelings onto your child. You may have had body issues as a child, but you do not need to project this onto your child, who is probably already dealing with issues. Let your child develop his or her own self image rather than forcing your self image issues onto him or her… [X]
Open Letters Friday, Volume 62: The Douchebag Children’s Diet Book Edition
Dear Paul Kramer, your name will be listed on this blog frequently due to this insanity: a children’s book called Maggie Goes On a Diet. It’s aimed at children. CHILDREN. A book about dieting is aimed at children. So basically you’re telling every young girl out there to go step on a scale and proceed to starving herself and exercising like crazy just to meet some ideal and then they can have positive body image? Wow. There aren’t even words to describe how pissed off this makes me. As a woman who went through severe body issues as a child and did, in fact, diet way too young, I cannot even begin to tell you how devastating your book will be to the girls who read it… [X]
Revlogging again for awesome commentary!
Our skin covers our body and inevitably contributes to how we feel about ourselves, and whether or not we choose to dwell on the fact that it may be scrutinized by others.
It’s a topic I haven’t touched upon yet in this blog, but as I’ve been encountering some personal issues with my skin that are making me feel more negative about myself than I have in a long time, I thought it might be worth it to put out some words. See what happens.
I have had sensitive skin from the moment I was born. Always conscious of special soaps, detergent, moisturizers, fragrance free, hypoallergenic, all natural, sulfate free…It’s a constant game of waiting to see how my skin reacts to absolutely anything.
Acne took over my face by the time I was 11. Large, sore, cystic acne spread all over my face, neck, arms, chest and back. I was used as a guinea pig, bounced around from dermatologist to allergist to specialist to whothefuckever. I decided to stop.
I eventually grew out of my particular phase of teenage acne, just as the dermatologists always said I would. I felt liberated. My skin was clear for a small patch of time, but it was still sensitive.
I discovered that whenever I went out in the sun for an extended period of time without sunblock, my skin would break out in a rash. Naturally, I stopped lying out in the sun.
Then I started developing hives.
At first it seemed they only cropped up when I was cold, or exposed to the cold for extended periods of time. Then it became more and more frequent.
An allergist assessed my situation and declared “You have chronic urticaria (hives), congratulations! Take antihistamines when they flare up. That’s all you can do.”
Gee, thanks.
In the mean time, my scalp condition went from mildly annoying dandruff to something indescribable. It spread to my face, mostly my eyebrows and nose. Everything flaking, red and raw. I noticed it was mostly provoked by hot water or extreme heat.
I started taking cold showers. I started using 100% free trade organic all natural soaps. My skin problems began to fade.
My hives didn’t flare up too often and when they did it was only on my hands, arms and feet.
I later saw a psychologist about my anxiety disorder and started taking medication for it. After a month or two I realized every time I took an ibuprofen, aspirin or tylenol my face, neck, chest, arms and legs would swell into a itchy red mass of welts.
Some days they are there anyway. Today I woke up with them on my arms, hands and feet. I scratch myself in my sleep until I bleed and scab. When they’re on my face I feel like a monster. When they attack my lips and tongue, I feel like I’m going to choke. When it’s especially bad, they coat every inch of me - Including my scalp.
It’s painful and humiliating.
I am going to be graduating soon. I don’t want to be covered in hives when they take a photo of me holding my diploma. I don’t want to be immortalized as the sad girl covered in red welts.
It’s hard enough to be confident in your skin when it’s housing a body that fights the norm. But when your skin itself is letting you down, it is doubly tiring.
Anyone else who has suffered from chronic skin conditions or issues in general, feel free to submit a ranty rant. It feels nice to know you’re not alone.