"Thinspo"

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Yeah, I went to her blog (the 132lbs) and I found it very disturbing. Her target weight picture is terrible beyond comprehension.
 
There is also fitspo which, depending on how it's presented, can be just as bad as thinspo because it promotes an obsession with exercise instead of fitness.


When I was 16, a thinspo blog actually inspired me to start restricting. I'm a bigger person by nature (5'8" and a larger build) so it didn't seem dangerous at the time. However, it has lead to a 10 year battle with eating disorders and body issues. The worst part was that, because I was overweight to begin with, people would encourage me to keep up with my eating disorder. Apparently, it's only a problem if you're skeletal. Tell my ruined digestive system that, please.
 
The worst part was that, because I was overweight to begin with, people would encourage me to keep up with my eating disorder.
I wasn't overweight when I started restricting my food intake and no one knew I had a problem until my doctor did a blood panel two years later. I was encouraged by friends, family, teachers, and my classmates in dance school to keep it up because they said I looked "great". A 13 year old who is not growing normally does not look great. When my doctor told my parents, I was forced to eat and take a super dosage of vitamins twice a day. I ended up gaining back 20 pounds and shot up about 4 inches in 2 months time.
 
I wasn't overweight when I started restricting my food intake and no one knew I had a problem until my doctor did a blood panel two years later. I was encouraged by friends, family, teachers, and my classmates in dance school to keep it up because they said I looked "great". A 13 year old who is not growing normally does not look great. When my doctor told my parents, I was forced to eat and take a super dosage of vitamins twice a day. I ended up gaining back 20 pounds and shot up about 4 inches in 2 months time.
People don't realize that it's more than just losing weight. I dealt with a vitamin D and iron deficiency, have had problems regulating my blood sugar and heart rate, suffer from chronic acid reflux, and have ruined the enamel of my teeth from acid erosion. I'm currently thinking of changing my dentist because he keeps bitching at me about how weak my back teeth are from liquid acid deterioration (I guess that's what you'd call it) despite the fact that I've explained it's from years of bulimia and I'm in remission. I get it- what I did was horrible and I'm a terrible, terrible person. Stop throwing it in my face.
 
People don't realize that it's more than just losing weight. I dealt with a vitamin D and iron deficiency, have had problems regulating my blood sugar and heart rate, suffer from chronic acid reflux, and have ruined the enamel of my teeth from acid erosion. I'm currently thinking of changing my dentist because he keeps bitching at me about how weak my back teeth are from liquid acid deterioration (I guess that's what you'd call it) despite the fact that I've explained it's from years of bulimia and I'm in remission. I get it- what I did was horrible and I'm a terrible, terrible person. Stop throwing it in my face.
What good's a sinner if you can't throw stones at them?
How can you feel smug about yourself if you can't pull somebody else down?
Why should we forgive when there's no pennance?

(for the record, I think such people are judgmental jerks.)
 
What good's a sinner if you can't throw stones at them?
How can you feel smug about yourself if you can't pull somebody else down?
Why should we forgive when there's no pennance?

(for the record, I think such people are judgmental jerks.)

He's also a blatant jerk to his assistants and I'm pretty sure he kicks puppies.
 
I had no idea that people are using laxatives to lose weight as well. Blech.

Oh, that became popular in the 20's. You'd be surprised all of the information you'd find out there about "diet" tips. One popular trick is to constantly lower your body temperature by drinking cold water or turning down the air. Edwardians would actually plunge into the freezing ocean because your body burns off calories as it tries to bring your internal temperature up to a normal level.
 
I had no idea that people are using laxatives to lose weight as well. Blech.
That's an old, old "trick" for losing weight. Wrestlers in my high school would do it to make weight. I know some people in the military who do it for the same reason. Some people do it long term as part of the binge and purge cycle associated with bulimia. I never got into that. It was easier for me to hide that I wasn't eating.
 
I have a friend who struggles with anorexia. The stigma was the worst part, even from doctors and women who had their own struggles with eating disorders.

Can you guess why?

Because the friend in question is a guy. Take all the same problems women get about their bodies and image, then add a layer of mockery and bullshit over the top because people think guys can't be anorexic. The doctors wouldn't acknowledge it until he weighed around 110 pounds (he's 5'11"). Until that point he was just thin and athletic to them. Many women would joke about it, because it seemed funny to them and they didn't actually think a guy could have an eating disorder. Oh sure, he usually only ate one meal a day, and it would be something like a few crackers. But he can't be anorexic! Don't be silly!

I'm just glad things have turned a corner for him. His family and doctor finally opened their eyes, and he got some help. He's not out of the woods yet, but he's made some progress and he's up to 135. He looks and feels better.
 
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