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gingerb8956
New Member
| Joined: | 17 March 2006 |
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| Posts: | 11 |
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Posted: 28 March 2006 08:50 pm |
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Is it just me or are we more obsessed with what we look like vs. how healthy we actually are?
Does anyone ever read those statistical surveys on MSN or wherever? The ones that talk about the top 10 "fittest" cities in the US and the top 10 "fattest" cities in the US. Ever notice that they consider lower weights to be "fitter"? Is thinner really fitter?
Anyone ever watch those stupid Hollywood magazines? The ones where they take pictures of stars and comment on how great or bad they look. Ever notice that they always say someone looks better after they've dropped so much weight that you can see their rib cage through their chest and they look like you could snap them like a chicken bone? Do we actually think that looking at a woman's skeletal features is sexy?
I'm just wondering if this is something anyone else has noticed. I run 4 miles every other day, and walk 4-6 miles 5 days a week, plus strength train and low fat diet. I smear wrinkle creams on my face, cellulite reducing creams (which I don't think are working), use face scrubs and sun block. And then I smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, tan in a tanning booth every summer, and drink like a fish. I look healthy, I look trim, but chances are I have black lungs, my liver isn't in the best of shape, and my skin is going to become water proof. Yet none of that bothers me. As long as I look good and I fit into my jeans my body is good to go right? Hmmmm.......
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MNTWHITTEN
New Member
| Joined: | 21 March 2006 |
| Location: | Utah USA |
| Posts: | 52 |
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Posted: 28 March 2006 11:22 pm |
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Yeah, it's pretty depressing that we have all of this ideals that we "should" stick to, to be healthy.
I know I look at all that and just laugh that one minute they are calling a celebrity fat if she has gained a couple of pounds and the next she's got an eating disorder 'cuz she's too skinny. I'm so glad I"m not famous and have everyone looking at me like that.
I do know that a lot of those celebrities look better with more weight on them (ie Nicole Richie, Lindsy Lohan, etc.).
Anyway, I can't help but know what you are saying about still being bad and smoking or drinking. I did quit smoking and that is nice 'cuz it motivates me to exercise more (i can breath!!).
And I want to look good too. More than anything though, I wish that I didn't think being a size 2 was what would make me feel good.
:)
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Lori
Senior Member
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Posted: 29 March 2006 08:03 am |
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Yes unfortunately there is a lot of pressure to be Skinny .. the magazines ooze it, the telly has actresses with their heads to big for their bodies cos they are so thin, they look like Bratz dolls.. and the younger generation copy them. I have a 13 year old who is gorgeous. She is a slender girl, with long arms and legs and has beautiful skin, and a body to die for. She came home the other day saying she needed to lose weight. i was horrified. i said to her, what weight do u need to lose.. THERE ISNT ANY!! so we had a talk, and i explained to her, that eating healthily and being active was enough and she did not have to worry about her weight. She smiled at me and took it in her stride but there are kids in her school that literally starve themself to be thin.. Paris Hilton is not a very good role model for these young girls and i think its up to us all to stand our ground and push foreward that Health is much more important than Looks.
blessings and sunshine
LORI
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NevD
New Member
| Joined: | 26 October 2005 |
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| Posts: | 1536 |
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Posted: 29 March 2006 09:13 pm |
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And the other 'kicker' about smoking cigarettes is that they age your facial skin.
But, hey, you do get to look cool until that happens!
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gingerb8956
New Member
| Joined: | 17 March 2006 |
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| Posts: | 11 |
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Posted: 29 March 2006 11:06 pm |
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| OMG Nev don't say that! My biggest fear is that one day I will be that woman in the bar. You know...that woman in her 40's/50's in the dive bar with young kids, brown and beat up looking. She lives on cigarettes, vodka, and young men. ACK!
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suenos
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 30 March 2006 01:17 am |
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"Is it just me or are we more obsessed with what we look like vs. how healthy we actually are?"
I have to admit that I totally fall into that thought pattern as well. Yesterday I decided to finally "cold turkey" on smoking - resulting in a such an increased appitite that this morning I caved into smoking again. I thought about it all day and realized that although losing weight and quitting smoking are both health needs, I was giving priority to the one that will make me "look better" first - losing weight. Thinking long and hard about the reality of it, I decided that it's doing me more harm to keep smoking than if I quit now and re-gain 1 or 2 pounds over the next week. But it was a hard decision. Isn't it amazing (and a little sad) how often we humans are willing to sacrifice health for looks?
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snussster
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 30 March 2006 05:23 pm |
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Yeah, it is pretty sick. That was the main reason why I didn't even attempt to quit smoking until just recently -- I didn't want to gain weight -- and in the meantime, my mother has emphysema and chronic bronchitis and can't leave the house without an oxygen tank.
And when the 40th birthday came along, so did the fear of dying, or even worse, being that dried-up smoker lady you described! Or being disfigured by a stroke, which would be embarrassing and highly unattractive. Was I thinking about my health? Nope. Only my appearance.
I'd like to think I'm changing my priority to feeling good. Alcohol doesn't make me feel good. Smoking doesn't make me feel good. Exercise does, and so does lots of water and fresh air and a good night's sleep. But of course, fitting into my size 8s again, and having more lung capacity to exercise harder and longer so I can get closer to my goal of losing this ugly roll around my middle -- that's honestly the biggest motivator.
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OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 26 April 2006 11:11 am |
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| I was a cigarrette adict, it was oxygen to me! I quit when I found out I was pregnant, it was the best motivation ever. The baby is my motivation for losing weight now, and let me tell you, it's like magic, it really does help to think "The baby will eat what I eat. If I'm fat the baby is more likely to be fat. I may not care that a twinky could give me heart disease but I care if it gives him heart disease" and so on. It's true about looks though, I was horrible when I was anorexic, I would be up at 5 am smoking a cigarrette on my bed, vodka in the other hand and writing down a "diet" plan consisting of a 300 calorie limit and a 10 day water fast after. I was so unhealthy and so sick!
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AThin_Line
New Member
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Posted: 19 May 2006 07:09 pm |
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| i believe skinny is best, skinny will always be best, but it does not in any way make you "healthier" or "fitter" it's sad how we've come to strive for the last pound to inch away...
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Lori
Senior Member
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Posted: 20 May 2006 01:13 am |
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my opinion is skinny is just as unattractive as being overweight. People are under the wrong impression because of advertising and celebraties.. you ask any guy,and they will tell you that they dont find skinny girls or women that attactive. They like a few curves and a bit of meat on the bones. Fit healthy bodies are best .. and to be fit, toned and healthy is a lot harder to achieve than just plain skinny ..
In fact, we should do a survey on this website just to see what men and women find the most attractive..
blessings and good health to you all ..
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OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 20 May 2006 08:14 pm |
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| My husband would actually prefer me to be a bit over-weight, that's just what his prefrences are, but I'd rather be healthy...
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kathleen86
New Member
| Joined: | 5 October 2005 |
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| Posts: | 10 |
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Posted: 29 May 2006 07:27 am |
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since this is the eating disorder section, i think some comments that were posted are unneccesary.
people aren't anorexic because they think it will get them more boyfriends. thats what diets are for. anorexia is NOT a diet. its a disease. for some, its a lifestyle. personally, having battled with anorexia (battle still in progress, i might add) i know that i dont care what my boyfriend thinks of me, only that i know i look bet when underweight, and i will strive to be that person and maintain that body because i need to, not because i want to.
thats all, i just wanted to clarify that, because it is hard to have any sort of eating disorder, but when youre overweight, people assume its beyond your control- when youre underweight, it is just as much out of our control, we just are at different ends of the spectrum. i wish we could all get along as fellow sufferers of eating problems.
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Lori
Senior Member
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Posted: 29 May 2006 08:50 am |
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Theres a difference between being anorexic, and being skinny. Some people prefer to keep themself a little underweight, yet they are toned etc, Some starve themselves but dont realise they are underweight, always thinking they are overweight, (thats anorexia) and then there are some that are just plain skinny no matter what they eat, they never gain weight. (metabolism) My argument is that it seems its okay to be skinny and weedy, but its not okay to be a touch overweight. No one ever said that people with anorexia are skinny for their boyfriends.. in actual fact, people with anorexia can be male or female.. any age.. but the truth is, anorexia is a mental disorder, where the person constantly thinks they are overweight. They dont see themselves the way others do.. even when they are skin and bone.. they are constantly thinking they are FAT!
Personally, i dont think everyone that says they have anorexia, actually has it. A lot of younger girls seem to think its cool to have an eating disorder.. well theres nothing cool about it .. and its definately not a joke..
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kathleen86
New Member
| Joined: | 5 October 2005 |
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| Posts: | 10 |
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Posted: 29 May 2006 08:58 am |
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when i said anorexics arent that way to be thin for their boyfriends, it was sort of a blanket statement, meant to clarify that most (allbeit, not all) people with disordered eating (overweight or under) are the way they are to please themelves, not the media or their frinds or family. that's all i meant.
also, i agree that not all people who claim to have anorexia actually suffer from it. it's a sad truth that it seems to be fashionable to be "sick" in one way or another. i know many young girls who starve themselves to fit into their little sisters jeans, but they dont do it for years on end. im not saying the difference between a "real" and a false" anorexic is length of habit, there are many factors involved.
lastly, the reason i said it seems to be okay (not in the media, but in 'real life') to be overweight and not anorexic is because i hear all the time: why are you drinking diet coke? are you anorexic or something? not: why are you eating that pizza? do you have compulsive overeating disorder or something? perhaps what i mean is it's not necessarily socially acceptablt to be moderatly overweight, but people will not hassle you about it on a daily basis.
i hope that clears any misunderstandings, and i don't mean to offend anyone, my only desire is to give a voice to a misunderstood portion of society (and having been at both ends of the spectrum, i feel i can say this with knowledge and experience).
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Lori
Senior Member
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Posted: 29 May 2006 09:10 am |
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oh i totally agree with you. Everytime I have a diet coke, which i must say isnt very often simply because i just dont drink a lot of softdrink, people say " that stuff is worse for you than the real thing" and i say "well the amount i have isnt that bad, and at least my coffin wont be the size of a fekkin bus!" And.. since i have been eating healthy, i find people want to sabotage my efforts all the time. For example, buying pizza .. which is fine, cos i dont even feel like it these days.. i jus go whip up a stir fry. The other thing they do is kinda make a joke about the healthy punts i put towards them. If my daughter, who is pregnant says she is hungry, i tell her instead of the chocolate she is reaching for, why not have some fruit. Well now its a standing joke, when something goes wrong, they say "have some fruit" .. which was funny up until about the middle of last week when it got very old :|
I beleive that the world has turned into a nation of overweight, obsessed about their weight, misinformation food junkies. But that , i will leave for a whole separate thread.
I wasnt meaning to sound like i was attacking anyone either.. i guess we all feel very passionate about our health and being well. And that my friend, unites people :)
blessings .. Lori
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Amybcb
New Member
| Joined: | 4 June 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 24 |
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Posted: 5 June 2006 01:19 am |
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| I agree people care more about their looks than their health... they do things they know are not healthy or good for their body and even things they know could kill them. Sad but true.
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crcolt
New Member
| Joined: | 6 September 2006 |
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| Posts: | 99 |
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Posted: 9 September 2006 06:56 pm |
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| I smoked for about 30 years so I could be skinny. Now I look at my face with all those winkles and think I should of done it another way. And I hear tanning beds are worst than the sun.
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Heavenseventeen
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 9 October 2006 10:34 pm |
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| I still don't care about being healthy- does anyone?! I just wanna be slim and wear anything I want, and feel darn good about myself. Being healthy is just a bonus I guess... Last edited on 15 October 2006 03:34 pm by Heavenseventeen
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girlnextstore
New Member
| Joined: | 13 October 2006 |
| Location: | Chi-town, USA |
| Posts: | 17 |
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Posted: 14 October 2006 03:15 am |
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Oh its so true...I am walking hypocrite. I know all about health and excecise but I eat too little excercise too much, smoke- even though it could kill me and it makes it hard to run, tan despite the wrinkles, take diet pills even though they're are risks then I go and eat a vegan diet cause I can stand the idea of hurting animals, then I drink like a fish on weekends and party like a crazy college kid and get up and go to work and lecture more people on healthy lifestyles... Oh the terrible irony
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OnceUpon-A-ThinGirl
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 22 October 2006 11:07 am |
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| I used to feel the same way, who cares if I'm healthy!!! Now it's catching up with me, when you start to feel the effects of unhealthy living; tiredness, pain, the over-all feeling of "bleh". You will care. One day you realize your own mortality and suddenly your health is very, very important.
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Elle07
New Member
| Joined: | 15 November 2006 |
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| Posts: | 3 |
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Posted: 19 November 2006 05:34 pm |
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Lori wrote: oh i totally agree with you. Everytime I have a diet coke, which i must say isnt very often simply because i just dont drink a lot of softdrink, people say " that stuff is worse for you than the real thing" and i say "well the amount i have isnt that bad, and at least my coffin wont be the size of a fekkin bus!" And.. since i have been eating healthy, i find people want to sabotage my efforts all the time. For example, buying pizza .. which is fine, cos i dont even feel like it these days.. i jus go whip up a stir fry. The other thing they do is kinda make a joke about the healthy punts i put towards them. If my daughter, who is pregnant says she is hungry, i tell her instead of the chocolate she is reaching for, why not have some fruit. Well now its a standing joke, when something goes wrong, they say "have some fruit" .. which was funny up until about the middle of last week when it got very old :| ...
SOOOO true. I have been trying to turn my lifestyle around for about 2 years now, I have finally figured out enough that I'm really starting to live healthfully (is that a word?) and I swear NO ONE in my real world is supportive. I have lost 40 lbs so far, and now everyone just labels me a "health nut"
"Oh, she won't eat that - it has too many calories"
"Oh, she doesn't eat GOOD food anymore"
"Want some pizza? Have some pizza! Want my chocolate? Here have a bite!" *everyone in the room laughs hysterically*
Grrrrrr...it just gets old sometimes - Did you ever think that maybe I suggested the freaking fruit b/c I spent 20 years of my life fat, and now I have finally decided to eat the freaking fruit myself?!?
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