[northpole1]

i think the main reason i am SI is because of my body image. there's no doubt i'm overweight. i hate it. i've tried to diet but i can't because i feel bad because i'm fat so i eat more to comfort myself and i don't want to be bulimic, so i guess i just turned to SI. i hate my body and i constantly feel self conscious and that everyone's laughing at me secretly because everyone else in my year is super thin and absolutely gorgeous. i deleted my facebook because i was torturing myself every day by looking at all these pictures of girls in my year wearing bikinis when i know i will never be able to wear one. it hasnt stopped me from SI, and i don't know what to do or how to feel better and i just hate it

[Sannah]

This is good that you figured this out. I have battled with weight also and over the years I've been able to take a longer view of time because it takes time to get healthy. I've been there, where I want results immediately or I felt bad and then emotionally ate. Now I just try to eat healthy every day. If I don't here and there I forgive myself and get back to eating healthy. Eating real food and not processed is really helpful and the new plate recommendations that replaced the food pyramid tell us that half of what we eat should be fruits and vegetables. Whole grains are important too and not eating a lot of fried foods. I also worked on my emotions to the point where I hardly ever emotionally eat anymore. And exercise is important too. I'll support you here.

[Sam2]

The whole weight issue is made much worse by our exposure to t.v. and magazines. The "ideal" female is pictured as having O body fat, hip bones that are visible, yet still maintaining hips and breasts. That body shape is 1)rare and 2) half of it is "man made" meaning implants.

Going on a diet is a trap. T.V. advertises diet after diet, but in truth, they don't work. What do you do when you reach your goal weight and don't neet the diet anymore? If you haven't changed your lifestyle, all the weight comes back on.

Changing your lifestyle is much easier if everyone in the household makes similar changes. For example, who ever buys the groceries buys low fat, healthy food. The person who cooks makes just enough for that meal. Its not easy. I watched my parents change their diet and lifestyle like that, and though it took some dedication, they were much happier and healthier when they did.

Don't make changes that are huge. If you decide you want to exercise, be reasonable. If you start off with an hour of exercise, do you really think you will stick with it? I couldn't. Make small changes. Many years ago, I read some advice that really made sense then and still does today. Don't eat while you are reading, watching T.V. or other activities. You wind up eating without thinking about it, and that activity begins to act as a trigger. The T.V. goes on and it triggers you to go get something to eat while you watch.

The other peice of information that may help is to realize that most cravings only last fifteen minutes. (who does these studies?). If you can keep yourself occupied for those fifteen minutes, the craving will pass. It may come back, but every time you beat it, it will get easier.

Believe me, I know its not easy. I'm not exactly a pencil myself. Stay off the scales and take it one day at a time. If you mess up, accept it and go on from there. Any way you look at it, you will have to make some sort of life change, and it won't be easy. Once you beat it though, you will feel better not only about the way you look at yourself, but your health will be better as well.

Sam2