Women and Body Image

[QuietWOW]

How do you feel about your body? Do you diet? Do you feel pressure to look a certain way?

[DrHilieWho]

Growing up I was "the smart one" and my sister was "the pretty one". I think that has a lot to do with how we turned out. I also notice we have totally different ways of handling stress. She completely freaks out, but she gets it out of her system. I just grin and bear frustration for the most part, and eat more than that stupid Warner Bros goat in the process.

I am completely obssessed with body image, food and am terrified to go back to the gym after being away for a good year and a half. I have a history of compulsive eating, low self-esteem and distorted body image. I even went into treatment for 30 days.
I've had a really rough year...I lost my mother to cancer and was trying to find a job that would pay my bills. It's been difficult. Now I'm trying to pick myself back up and just do it but I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I will mess up. I want to join the gym again (an all womens gym right around the corner from home) but in order to get the lowest rate I would have to sign for three years....and this committment scares me. I sound to myself like I'm whining and that just annoys me. I just dont understand why I can't get it together. It's such a ridiculous cycle of anger, self-punishment, sadness and failure. I used to be a WOW about 3 or 4 years ago. Right before Beck passed away. The chats and the boards were really helpful. Reading what everyone else had going on in their lives was comforting. I suppose it helps to know that I"m not the only one with issues. Thanks for listening.

[LiamFan!]

{{{{{Selenemoon}}}}}

Hello! Very nice to see you here.

I used to have some real problems with distorted body image. I weighed 110 pounds at 5'8" and thought I was fat. I hid myself in baggy clothes.

Well, I weigh more than 110 now <g> and am in Weight Watchers to lose 30 pounds I gained when my son weaned (darn those babies! )

I myself have problems with gyms, but we belong to the Y. 70 dollars a month and most of the time I don't go. That's an awful expensive bi-monthly swim, I'd say.

Is there someone you can go to the gym with? Work out with? Maybe it would help to not be alone.

Good luck to you and keep coming back here and talking to us.

[shergo]

It has been out for awhile, but have you read _Look at My Ugly Face_ by Sandra Halprin? It is an examination of the myths surrounding women's appearance. I have been rereading it and it is well worth your time!

[DrHilieWho]

That sounds really interesting. Thanks!

[LiamFan!]

I made several decisions today. We're terminating our Y membership, because it's a waste of money, and we don't go.

Also, I am putting Weight Watchers on a hiatus for a while. I continue to subscribe to eTools on their website and count my points...if I start to gain again, I'll go back. For now, I'll see if I can maintain on my own.

[DrHilieWho]

WooHoo Liam! What are you going to spend that extra money on?

[shergo]

Liam, I had the author's name slightly wrong--it's Sara Halprin. I think every woman should read it. I checked on Amazon, and it's out of print, but is available used. :-) The Y *is* expensive if you don't use it. So why are you taking a break from WW?

[LiamFan!]

I hope this doesn't sound like rationalization, but I'm starting to feel a bit alienated at WW meetings.

I'm not a compulsive overeater, and I'm not a nervous eater. I screw up my metabolism by not eating all day and then coming home in the evening and feeling like I don't have to be careful what I eat, since I didn't eat all day. :-\

Today, for example, I'm way under my points, but all I had was coffee and ice cream! LOL

I just need to stop being an idiot and eat reasonably. And I need to take the bike out of the garage!

So far, I'm still losing. I lost 2.5 pounds in the last week. If I start gaining again, I'll go back for sure, but I'll probably go to a meeting on Saturday rather than the WW At Work program, because there are Tuesdays I'm simply not able to go (out of town, home from work, etc.)

Does that make sense?

[LiamFan!]

Oh, and shergo, I'll take a look around for that book! Thanks for the suggestion.

[shergo]

Liam, that makes perfect sense to me. I would do the same. I tend to eat strangely too sometimes. Today I have a sore throat, and I didn't want a salad or something like that, so I had frozen yogurt for lunch. I have to be careful not to do that too often. :-)

[LiamFan!]

I had the middle-eastern buffet for lunch, but I didn't have breakfast and I didn't eat crazy stuff at the buffet. I had rice, fatoosh (okay, that sounds a little crazy), pita w/a little hummus, spinach with feta cheese...it all came to 14 points, so I still get to eat dinner. ;-)

{{{shergo}}} Hope that sore throat goes away soon!

[shergo]

Oh yum! That all sounds fabulous!

[LiamFan!]

This place is great, one of our favorite lunch restaurants downtown. And Thursdays are the best, because they make this special rice dish that is GREAT. Oh, they also make this little stuffed zucchini thing that rocks...I had one of those, too. ;-)