Welcome to our Society. Our motto that is emblazoned on the entrance as we enter this world is "Sex Sells" We cant help but to look around and see that it sells on magazines, it gets ratings, it sells products, its on billboards, its on the internet and its on television.
Its not only the sex but the gorgeous woman who emblazons everything about it.There is no shortage of these women to sell products but what there is a shortage of is "reality"
The woman you see is not the woman you get when you look at the billboard today. Welcome to the technological age. Photoshop and airbrushing is the in thing. Computers not only take care of the zits and crows feet...they will also make a person thinner ....literally shaping the nearly impossibly unattainable physical ideal.
A few mouse click and the effects of aging and eating go away. This might not seem exactly in your face dangerous. But this is the foundation that our children's self-esteem and body image rests on. The shakier the foundation you have, the more likely is that it will collapse later in life. It's not rocket science.
Look at Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) ..... Brenda Song (Suite Life of Zac and Cody) ....Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) these are the "teenage" actors that our children look up to. How are you supposed to teach your teenage daughter that it is okay to have a little acne when none of the teenage celebrities seem not to have any? As they look forward to the adult counterparts that are in the spot light today... they feel that they should become and immitate theses people .....that theses people will become their ideal mold to grown (or shrink) into in their own adulthood...How are you to tell them that eating a bowl of ice cream is not a death sentence? .... especially when so many young people today feel that it is.
It is estimated that somewhere between 8 million to 10 million women in the United States suffers from some sort of eating disorder... One in 200 American women suffers from anorexia.Two to three in 100 American women suffers from bulimia. Nearly half of all Americans personally know someone with an eating disorder. And its growing
Do you think that its a statistical accident. Pick up the Cosmopolitan magazine and you will see articles like
"Why Guys Cheat in the Summer"
"Smooth Sexy Legs: Five Simple Steps"
"Why Guys Dump Girls They Dig"
"The Look That Keeps Him Hot for You"
"Clothes That Flatter Your Butt"
A Study once confirmed that the more fashion magazines a girl is exposed to, the more likely there will be a poor body image in the future.
By now, an avid reader of cosmo is saying "but they have article on "Sexy at Any Size" ...you know articles that are supposed to boost. a woman's self-esteem" Do you really believe that a few articles balance out the many ads, columns, articles , ads and pictures that depict and are designed to inspire a goal of futility called perfection.
The Tabloids are even worse. They try to sell their degrading of a famous persons cellulite as a idea to make "real women" feel "normal" How is a "famous real woman" supposed to reconcile the fact that "the real woman" being highlighted as "normal" is something that by the world is clearly as undesirable as what they see in the mirror every morning?
Where do you think people who suffer from eating disorders get their inspiration. From Tabloids and Magazines.
As an encouragement to further lose weight, members often exchange thinspiration (or thinspo) or even reverse thinspiration.
Thinspiration is an image or video montages of slim women, often celebrities, who may be anything from naturally slim to emaciated with visibly-protruding bones.
Reverse Thinspiration is an image or video of fatty food, overweight or obese people intended to induce disgust and motivate further weight loss.
Thinspirational clips circulate widely on video sharing sites, pro-anorexic blogs often post thinspirational entries, and many pro-anorexic forums have threads dedicated to sharing thinspiration.
and if this does not cut it there is always plastic surgery to get you on your way. In the past 15 years alone plastic surgery has increased 800 percent....you heard that right...800 percent. From Liposuction to footlift and dare we forget implants we've allowed our daughters to cut themselves up in the name of perfection.
Its not the rich that are only doing these procedures two- third of American plastic surgeries are by people who make less than $50,000 a year, that is not the rich, that is Mr. and Mrs. Joe Blue-collar.
Some people have chose in the name of perfection to preform plastic surgery on themselves with devastating results..
.http://www.wlky.com/health/19924918/detail.htmlImage has become everything and the image that people are shown to attain is nearly impossible to reach.
We are not only harming ourselves by allowing this to happen we are ruining our marriages and the future of our children's lives. True beauty will always come from within and it is time we show others that is what we truly believe and that it is not just an Idea.
How far are you willing to go to look better or lose weight? Or how far did you go to make yourself better by changing you appearance?
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Ed's Note: We left the post as is)
True 
Lifetime
Comments (16)
In the 6th grade, some of my classmates said I couldnt run as fast as I was capable of. Later on, my ass of a gym teacher confronted me about it too, I took it that meant I was fat... I mean i WAS in the 6th grade, what was I supposed to think? That summer, I didnt eat for the whole day for the first time. By the end of that summer I went down from 106 to 99 pounds. I entered 7th grade, and one of my closest friends backstabbed me and called me a bunch of nasty things, one of them being fat... i took it to heart again, I dropped down from maybe 110 to 106 (keep in mind, by this point I was 5'4", taller than basically any girls in my grade). Basically, because of what people said to me (even though now I look back at pictures, I realize I was skinny.) it got to me, and i starved myself, ate less, completely changed my diet. And to show those people that said i couldnt run in the 6th grade, I joined the track team in 8th grade and ended up being one of the top runners for the team. Now, I run everyday and am also on the track team for my school, one of the best runners on the team. what they said made my appearance change, but also motivated me to show them that I could and can run. im kinda grateful in a way, i wouldve have never picked up track if it werent for them. im healthy and fit, always have been. Being 5'7" and 130 lbs now, im tall and my bmi is also healthy.
I was never called fat or skinny or anything. And I didn't see enough media to be all that influenced by it, though I did watch some TV and such. But I was rather alienated as a kid. Nobody liked me in general. It was because of the fact the were jealous of how things seemed so easy for me, like naturally being cute and already knowing all the answers in class, but I looked around and saw all these 11-13 year old kids wearing make-up and glitzing themselves up with fancy clothes and accessories. I figured they didn't like me because I was different, which was true, but I assumed it was something to do with how I looked.
I never thought exactly that I was fat, but up untill only a year ago when I looked in the mirror I saw nothing but flaws. "My face is too chubby." "My teeth aren't white enough." "My hair is such a mess! Always tangled! And it must not be soft enough." "I'm too pale." "My arms are too skinny." "When will my boobs start growing?" "I'm flat as a board! No curves at all!" And, mind you, I was thinking this stuff in my pre-teens and early teens.
I'm happy with my body-image now, but some of the other worries I have about myself still haunt me because I don't really have that much support.
I was never ridiculed for my body as a child and having been born with a cleft lip and palatte I rarely was made fun of even for my nose (I guess my classmates didn't care, didn't notice or were really good about keeping me out of the loop lol). I read Cosmo presently (and when I was younger I read YM, Teen and Seventeen magazines), I do it more for the entertainment, if I want body image-related articles I buy Shape or Fitness mags.
I have undergone many cosmetic procedures (as a child and teenager to fix my birth defect) and am very pleased with the results. However, that did not stop me from making improvements to myself elsewhere (breast augmentation and liposuction). I went through those procedures at the same time and for my own reasons (my bf loved my body before and loves it now as well so there was no pressure on his end). I did not like the size or shape of my breasts and the lipo was spot-specific to two areas I had always had trouble loosing inches/fat from when I did exercise.
True, I have a weightloss blog (who cares? I'm doing it the healthy way and I'm doing it to be healthy). Sure I use thinspo, but it's more to keep my readers inspired (for those who actually use it) and I try to stay away from scarily skinny pictures and one's that depict habits I do not condone when it comes to weightloss (e.g. smoking/cigarettes, a girl leaning over a toilet, or a girl splurging on or denying herself food).
You have strong opinions on these issues and I respect that, but try to realize that not every woman trying to loose weight, reading fashion/gossip magazines, going under the knife, etc have these extreme mental/body issues and are ruining their relationships, etc. Also, parents need to take more control of their kids. My Mom didn't let me read Cosmo until I was 18 and was open with me about a lot of issues, same with my father. To blame the media entirely is a little silly. Teens, though not completely developed when it comes to many parts of the brain, are people and have the ability to mae responsible (and irresponsible decisions); they just need proper guidance adn support to know the difference; this goes especially for young girls.
My idea is for women to love themselves, be healthy and have fun; and if women decide reading Cosmo is fun; Fine! Or if they get rid of wrinkles with Botox or are unsatisfied with small breasts and get bigger one's, great! (and hopefully they did their research and found a true, credible board certified plastic surgeon). So long as they aren't overdoing it or causing serious harm to their health.
Also the statement about the acne on teens stars...c'mon. They're in the spotlight, of course they're going to hide it (and most teens should realize that about Hollywood, if not give them a quarter so they can buy a clue). No one wants acne and it's not bad for young teens to want to wash their face. What I'm more worried about is how many scandalous pictures young girls like Miley Cyrus or Vanessa Hudgens end up getting placed in the media or on the internet. Oversexualization is a major concern with teens, not that their teen idols are lying to them by wearing concealers and "teaching" them that acne is ugly or bad.
i look in the mirror and accurately assess myself--normal weight with a good figure, with some unwanted fat in my midsection and thighs due to emotional eating.
how far do i go to make myself look better, you ask? i take absolutely NO
drastic measures, and as a result, i am a mentally and physically
healthy individual.
i fuel my body with nutritious foods, and i eat my guilty pleasures in
moderation. i do cardio and strength train. i drink plenty of water. i strive for my personal best and know that any boy worth my time will appreciate both my inner and outer beauty, as opposed to picking apart small aesthetic flaws.
there is no celebrity, fashion magazine, or advertisement that can lure me into cosmetic surgeries and fad diets, because i take care of myself and look/feel good, which is more than enough. when i have a daughter i'll tell her the same.
Loved this.
:)
How far am I willing to go to look better or lose weight? Well, apparently I'm willing to go far enough that I have clinical bulimia. But eating disorders aren't all about the weight loss. There is a deeper emotional/mental instability that lies underneath (I'm honestly too tired to write a long entry on that subject right now.).
I personally know two people with an eating disorder. They are both naturally slim as it is, but they starve themselves to near death to become even thinner. Part of the problem is, once they become sickly thin, they can't stop themselves. They can't lose just 5 pounds, it has to be until they can't lose anymore.
To be honest, I'm 15 and I want plastic surgery. I can tell you the exact procedures that I'd like to get. Liposuction for one, I',m not obsese or anything, to be honest, there really is nothing wrong with my weight, sure I'm a little bit heavy, but it's balanced out well and you can hardly tell I am. But in my opinion, I'm not thin enough. I also want an eye lift. I find my eyes droop a bit. Yet again, I'm 15. Tbh, I don't find that normal, but I can't help.
Body image is very important in this generation.
Nice work! A point well said.
I'll take a person who is extremely conscious of there looks over a person who doesn't give a shit, any day of the week. If that leads to a high statistic of eating disorders.. well, gotta break eggs to make omelots, ya know?
Though, you would think it would just lead to a huge increase in gym membership.. but nobody wants to take the long road.
I'm extremely self concious of my body. I absolutley hate it. Last summer, I weighed 147 and was 5'3. In less than a year, I went down to a more healthy 132 and still 5'3. Even though I was almost 20lbs heavier then, I feel worse about myself now. I don't think I'm thin enough to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend or anything. I see myself and I think "Eww, thats me? No wonder I don't have a partner." It drags my day down. I'm currently counting every calorie I ingest and cutting back my calories and its not helping. Most days I feel like breaking down because of it. I wanted to be thin for my freshman year of high school, and now I'm going in as a hippo.
I have to say that one of my co-workers that I work with at McDonalds said that if I don't stop eating McDonalds...I'll have thunder thighs and a ba-donk a-donk butt. She was joking of course and although it was a funny comment it is a true statement. I have served many overweight people even though some of em were pretty big. It is their choice that they are buying McDonalds. They are walking into the store and hand over the money...that is their own choice to do that.
Now whether or not its good for them is another story. Maybe they have a problem with eating too much McDonalds or they eat fast food too much in general. I am not their dietician and cannot advise them on whether or not they can purchase food at McDonalds. I wouldn't want someone telling me, "Your too fat to be eating here...sorry no food for you." Its most likely that the overweight customer already knows they have an eating problem. Maybe they need extra encouragement from a close friend that they do or do not have.
Nonetheless, that is not my problem...sorry but I am not one to give advice on how someone should eat. Sorry.
i wrote a five page report on this subject for my tenth grade english class.
After learning that most of the women are airbrushed and completely unrealistic, I felt a lottt better about myself. Coonsequently, I'll eat whatever the hell it is i want to put in my mouth, I dont worry about calorie intake or crab cutoof limits. I'm 5'9 and weigh 146 pounds. I work out several times a week, but not in an attempt to be some skinny b****. I do it bc I like it, its relieves a ton of stress and I always walk out feeling better :)
I love my body shape and seeing all that crap on tv about slim chicks with huge breasts only makes me laguh.
I do think its sad to see people let themselves become morbidly obese, but there is nothing wrong with someone who cant fit into a size 8.
Love your body and the skin your in, regardless as to whether or not your neighbor does. It not only makes you a happier person, but other people see that and (hopefully) respect and accept you for it.
OMFG another post i've already read 45027682 times before, slightly rephrased to be longer.
@kacyy@xanga - godddd, so TRUE! i am tired of people posting these blog entries. instead of sitting around and talking about it, if it's so damn important to you, go out and fucking do something.
And to the OP, you know NOTHING about eating disorders. I have had an ED since I was 9 and while some of the motivation is size, that is not the driving factor behind it. Most of the "thinspiration" and "ana!!" girls do not have a true eating disorder and never will. They do it for attention in high school, to lose that last five pounds before prom, or some other bullshit reason that will never turn into a full-on eating disorder. Disordered eating and an eating disorder are two completely different things and seriously, don't just read facts. Read personal accounts of both and you will begin to understand the difference.
I kno this probably sounds reli bad.. but.. i reckon if there was a easy long term weight loss thing i could do, i would do it....
make myself feel better, i'd starve myself.. i don mind not eating.. but everytime i'm hungry i think back to the fact that i will probably gain more weight if i starve for a while den eating afterwards.... now i'm at a point where i want to loose but i don really no how... and don tell me to exercise cuz exercising makes me hungry and my lil self control will make me gain in the end ><
and i asked myself this question.. Why does being skinny make me look better? Does it? What made me think like this?
Its been a few months.. and i still dont know the answer... anyone answer me?
nb- i don read mags... just looking at girls on the street is enuf to make me wanna loose...
My husband won't let me get a nose job, so I told him I'd pay for it myself, even though I don't work yet (I'm a student in college). I've hated my nose always, and not because anyone said anything bad about it (of course, that didn't help matters), but because I feel like it hinders me from feeling beautiful, being able to pull off certain makeup or wear my hair a certain way that I like. Other than that, I might remove a few scars, but I will age gracefully with no lipo and no botox.