I have heard a lot in the media about how teenagers are obsessing about their weight. The media sites the thin models and actresses as one of the main causes. These women either have a lot of cosmetic surgery, including breast enhancement, or the photographers do their magic before the pictures are printed. Anyone who does much with digital photography know you can remove this and that imperfection, such as a mole or birth mark, from a photo rather easily.
I started looking at the Yahoo Answers lately. There are a lot of young teenagers – both girls and boys – who are asking about ‘am I fat’ and ’should I lose weight’. Why should a 12 year old girl worry about losing 5 to 10 pounds? I wonder if the questions are serious, or if they are trying to shock people, or if they just want to hear the answers.
Why do you lose weight? There are so many reasons that people want to lose weight. Some of the same reasons are the same reasons why people don’t lose weight. I think to realize the real reason we want to lose weight can be found when we ask ourselves “Why did I gain the weight I want to lose?” The answers to these two questions have a LOT to do with the amount of success we achieve.
Many people gain the weight because of a low self-image. They find their comfort in food. They also get the validation of their poor self image by being overweight, and by the attitudes of other people about that. Food becomes so much more to them than fuel for their body. It becomes a companion, a comforter, enjoyment or happiness. Cooking more flavorful and exotic foods can also contribute to the sense of success. At group meals, we find ourselves helping out in the kitchen to avoid being with the group and also to snitch some food here or there. Our poor self-image actually attracts a food addiction that is both habit and mental/emotional dependence.
Eating right and exercise is necessary to lose weight. Success in reaching our goal and maintaining our goal – which should be a healthy relationship with food and a healthy, more fit body – depends a lot upon our opinion of ourselves and our attitudes towards food.
Leave a comment. Tell me why you want to lose or maintain your weight and why you gained extra weight to begin with. It may help you if you write it down, or others who are in the same boat.
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