I wonder if there are truly more teenage girls that are members of this site than just the usual adults? For everywhere I look I find comments from a 13 or 15 year old girl expecting advice to become skinny, or to become unhealthy.
It is so upsetting because so many adults answer our questions. They tell us to eat healthier, and excercise more. But, it seems these teens only want to find out how to become anorexic or bulimic. What's even worse is that I don't think we teens believe the adults, believe that that's the right path to take. It saddens me to know that we care more about our weight, than the opinion of the only people who have already endured and experienced.
We starve ourselves for days, we become ill, and enjoy it. We take pride in the bones that begin to appear underneath our flesh. We'll do anything to become the smallest, skinniest, most unhealthy girl in our grade.
But, is it really worth it?
Of course it is in no way worth it! Nothing is worth being skinny if you are miserable, unhealthy and ruining your body/metabolism. I am only 4'11 and 87 pounds, but I still eat about 2,000 calories because I am active and eat healthy. Like you, I wish other teen girls really would listen to adults because most of the have it all figured out and know what is good for our health and well being.
ReplyHere's what I would tell my healthy-weight teen daughter if I had one (maybe a granddaughter one day, as I only have two sons): Like your body for what it is now, wear clothes that flatter it and enjoy your body. Don't allow others to tell you you're fat, skinny or whatever. Don't allow other people's perceptions of themselves influence your perception of yourself.
When I was a teen, my mom and oldest sister (she was an adult already) were constantly dieting and complaining about their over weight bodies. I had a best friend who didn't like her body, so she wore oversized clothes to hide in (she was a healthy weight, btw). These two factors influenced the perception I had of my own body, so I also hid behind big clothes. Now when I look at pictures of myself as a teen and later young adult, you know what I see? A very hot tamale! I didn't know at the time I had such a wonderful body (not that my body now is so horrible, it's not at all-I'm quite happy with it actually). I look at those pictures and wish I hadn't spent so much time worrying about what other people thought and allowing other people's actions influence my own. I wish I'd had someone tell me 'you know, you've got a beautiful figure, appreciate it now, don't wait until later'.
ReplyNo, it's not worth it! Skinny is not the same as healthy, and definitely not the same as beautiful. Of course that's not the way most teens think, specially after being bombarded by the media with all sorts of distorted messages.
I try to tell my daughters that a beautiful body is a healthy body, and I hope and pray that they hear me.
Replydefinitely not!!dieting is not worth !!
ReplyJust think of it.....rather than dieting a person could eat more healthy food !!
It would be more beneficial because dieting cut our food supplies and eating healthy makes our body healthy by providing nutritious supplies!!
Take care!
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philip
My step-daughter did track and field in her last year of high-school and dieted at the same time after she started getting complements on how skinny she was getting.
She already looked (and was) healthy for her height and weight but no amount of pointing that out helped. It took feinting at a track meet and taking her out of track and field to get her to put some weight back on.
I think she still looks at very skinny as ideal for some reason. She is now in college and views meals as passé but rather snacks constantly (as her friends do)... she is ok for now.
ReplySome doctors fear putting any teenage girl on a diet. This is where anorexia begins.
ReplyTessa,
What you write is down right frightening. Your body NEEDS all of the macro-nutrients to function. You need protein, fats and carbs EVERY DAY. By starving oneself you force your body to steal what it needs from any source it can find.
Please, please, please, if you know of people attempting this kind of behavior they must get help that is far beyond the scope of this forum. They must start eating regular meals.
RICK
ReplyNo, it's not worth it
Replyi'm 17,not really fat i look chumby and a bit baby fat..i m so down of my body shape,what should i do?
ReplyIf you view it as a diet, you will fail.
ReplyDiets don't work. They will make you unhealthy and ultimately, fat. Eat healthily, cut out the junk food and exercise regularly. Find something that you enjoy doing. It's the only way to be healthy. There is no magic pill.
Replyhey i totaly undertand i am 13 and feel the full pressure too, i play nettball and when the season is over i just pack it on. I have tried so many diets but they never work, my advise to you is look at yr body and love it, work with what you have and yr bequtiful no matter what shape or size!!! I have just given up with the weight and go wiht the flow, i try to stay healthy not skinny!
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