I’m always hungry.
September 8, 2010 § 202 Comments
Lately I have come across more and more articles and quotes from stars straight up admitting, “I’m always hungry”. We live in a world where image is everything. And I am just as invested in that world as anyone else. It’s a little bit frightening when a magazine will discuss celebrities diet extremes border-lining eating disorders, and use the term “fab figures” in the same article. It’s glorified that these women don’t eat. But if I were in their situation and under that amount of scrutiny, I have to admit I would probably be doing the same thing they are.
As of late, I have gone through a bit of a self-conscious spell. Like any woman, or person for that matter, there are things about myself I don’t like. Probably things most people wouldn’t notice. Remember the scene in Mean Girls when all the girls are staring in the mirror and pointing out their ugly knees, and “man shoulders”? I can safely say I have had many-a-moment just like that. The difference between me and these women though, is I don’t have to be photographed everyday or wear skimpy outfits on camera. I’ve got a bit more leeway than they do.
I guess what I’m getting at is: Eating disorders. I’m no expert, and I can thankfully say I have never fallen victim to one. But I think many of us, especially women, are always teetering on the edge of falling prey to one. A few weeks ago when I wrote my food diary, it’s about as close as I’ve ever gotten to becoming obsessive about my eating habits. I knew I would be posting it online, and I also knew at every moment of the day, exactly how many calories I had eaten. Each day almost became a new challenge to see if I could eat less and still be satisfied. I became guilty when I would go over my daily limit, and even to the point where I felt I deserved be punished the next day by denying myself something I wanted. Mind you, this only lasted for a week, and as soon as I was done with the blog, I went back to my normal eating habits.
But I guess it’s good to read this stuff. I have a healthy diet, I workout a few times a week, and I’m active daily. Yet I don’t have the sculpted arms or toned legs that I desire. Why is that? I eat. The bodies these women are achieving are unnatural and unhealthy. Eating disorders are scary, and are more than just body image issues. A lot of it has to do with control and often goes hand in hand with depression. And that was what I was feeling a few weeks back. In fact, that week was really rough for me mentally. I guess I can connect the two now.
Over 8 million people in the US are suffering from an eating disorder, and 90% of those are women. We need to stop asking ourselves why we don’t look like the women on the screen or in the magazines. They are starving themselves. I know it’s not as easy as just deciding to be ok with yourself and being healthy, but if you think you may be suffering from an eating disorder, there is help out there. And sometimes solving some deeper issues, can help bring solutions to more superficial ones.
I know it’s not a simple answer. As the aunt to a beautiful young lady, I want her to grow up with a positive body image, healthy habits, and realistic view of what a healthy woman is.
I’ll preach my motto again: Everything in moderation… Even moderation.
Fooditude 
Great post! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! I can relate with you about your statements. Over the weekend, I was with some girlfriends and we all made a stray comment about “watching what we eat” at some point of our get-together. I think every woman is always looking to lose just a little bit. We all think we have a bit extra even if we don’t. It’s un-nerving, wouldn’t you agree?
Very true. I have found, however, in America and in my Great Plains town, that I am often noted for how skinny I am, when in fact, I am at the right weight for my height. Most of the people commenting are overweight themselves, so I almost feel like people expect you to gain weight by a certain age, and leave the skinny ones to Hollywood. We’re completely out of balance!
Yes, it’s really all very relational isn’t it 🙂
yeah I get that too! Im pretty high energy, very active, and feel sick whn I eat anything deep-fried…. so it’s rare. my weaknesses are chocolate and coffee. I eat whatever I want (which is usually sushi and healthy food), exercise lots (I live in Vancouver and its really outdoorsy), and somehow, some of my “friends” had me convinced that I was unhealthily thin! But I am just thin, always have been. I eat a TON, and don’t have hang-ups about my weight – i’m just a gangly young girl. It goes both ways, I guess. If I am stressed out and lost a few pounds from working extra shifts, people make rude comments because they don’t think it’ll hurt your feelings since I’m skinny and am apparently not allowed to be offended by this. Definitely need a balance! ALL women are beautiful – big AND small. Let’s all be our healthiest selves!
Fantastic post! I am in the process of losing a lot of weight and I have to remember that even when I’m at my goal weight, I’ll probably still have a little flab and cellulite here and there.
I think the really interesting thing is, these women even after starving themselves still need to wear heavy makeup, spend lots of time on their hair and still have additional doctoring after that like Photoshop in magazines and stuff. It’s sad that many of us have internalized expectations for ourselves that are truly impossible, let alone healthy.
I’ve looked at the daily menus a lot of these actresses eat. Put them all together and it equals a snack or a small meal. And the nutrition experts in the celeb mags tell us how great those diets are (“Yay! Time for my midday meal of coffee and water and an almond!”)
I am in the process of getting healthier. Its getting more difficult as I get older which is not fun. I’m learning to like to exercise and eating smaller portions. If I’m not rail thin, oh well, I just want to be healthy. I think too many people idealize the rail thin way. Hard to do that when you sit at a desk all day!
Great post.
Signed, a husband who doesn’t have to worry about what his wife eats. Chemo treatments does the job.
http://www.forantonia.com
Sad to see that being skinny is glorified and the images of being skinny are internalized. Happy to say though I have just recently won a fight against my anorexia eating disorder. Just taking it day by day and yeah, it is tough that you get all these pressures to be skinny and look perfect from many outlets and not just one. Thanks for the post and reminding me to keep on eating!
I’ve been around eating disorders way too much for my liking already in my life (an ex-girlfriend) and my (male) roommate freshman year. The element of control I think is what’s most appealing. It truly is a scary world. I truly believe that the sooner that you can catch yourself, the easier the healing process.
I totally agree with you regarding moderation. I’m always hungry as well and tend to graze throughout the day instead of having 3 solid meals. I just can’t do that. Thankfully as of late I’ve been eating a smarter during my grazing spells so I’m not packing on any poundage. Course shunning the temptation of a bag of chips or a big ole chocolate bar is a hard seduction to avoid. ;p
Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
Like Country Wife, I get comments all the time about my size (I’m slim but totally not in shape. I look great IN clothes, but would love to tone up what’s underneath, just working on the drive to exercise. Sigh), and I don’t quite get it. People are always telling me to eat more, but I’ve tracked my calories & I actually eat right at and sometimes more than the recommended daily amount for my height, frame and age.
The amazing thing is that only a few decades ago, curvy women were in (and I would probably be teased for being skinny & flat chested and might be looking to pack on a few pounds) and the stars could eat. The fashion industry worried people were looking too much at the models and not enough at the clothes so they switched from buxom babes to human hangers with the idea that as the models were less attractive, people would look more at the clothes. It’s ridiculous that we have adopted this walking hanger look as our standard of beauty. Either we’re too fat or too skinny, but it seems no one is just right.
Very good! I like it. I have lost 60 pounds. Loosing the weight became easier when I realized I had an issue with over-eatting. The problem with starving yourself, it messes up your meatbolism. You don’t eat for a longer while then you should, then you do end up eating and your body is in a sort of a shock because it has food in it and it slows the metabolism which results in weight gain. Therefore, in order to keep the weight off you need to starve yourself. I find these “I’m always hungry” articles obnoxious. It is sad that our culture has been brain-washed and spoon-fed so much of this stuff! I still even struggle with it. I mean, some people just don’t have to do much to look “fit” (and there is nothing wrong with that, it is just the way their body is made) and others have to always work at it and they end up comparing their bodies and personalities to others and they are unfair to themselves. What is encouraging though is that I think more people are recognizing it, we can put a stop to it. 🙂
Congratulation for losing 60 pounds! I hope you did it in a healthy way 🙂
Great post and so true!
It’s sad that our society is so focused on outer beauty and being skinny. It’s ironic because, according to the latest news reports, 2/3 of Americans are overweight.
Thank you so much for this post.
I keep a daily food log which I was encouraged to do by my doctor. I’ve been keeping it for nearly two years and I experience just what you have described: the desire to eat less each day, the guilt when I go over my depressingly low calorie limit, and the urge to punish myself.
Add to that I’m diabetic and the lifestyle that they encourage is a borderline eating disorder of its own. I’ve been flirting with unhealthy eating since I was 12.
It’s really nice to hear someone else say that skinny isn’t normal, people who do this are hungry, and moderation is OK. I’m not skinny but I would never be called overweight, either. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that I’ll never have that perfect body (whatever that is!).
Thank you for this post. 🙂
Hunger is a sign that your body needs nourishment! Choosing the right food is essential to maintain weight and health. These actresses set a poor example for young girls!
My family and I are trying to become vegan, in hopes of becoming healthier. This is hard, however, since I’m also a dancer, and becoming vegan means I’ll miss out on some important nutrients. Also, because I’m a dancer, I know a lot about eating disorders (but thankfully have never gotten one), and I’m surround by girls who are literally “sticks.” I’m not skinny; I’m a nice average size and I’m fine with it. Of course, from time to time I try to pay close attention to what I’m eating and how much I consume, but otherwise food and weight issues aren’t a big problem for me, thankfully.
This was a great post. Congrats on getting Freshly Pressed!
Hello 😉
Vegan here. Just wanted to share some thoughts…
Google search “vegan athletes.” You will find a number of Olympic winners and professional athletes that are vegan. It’s a fallacy that you will give up nutrition. The only thing you will give up when you forego animal foods is cholesterol and a higher chance of getting cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Don’t take my word for it. I’m listing highly reputable sources below.
I’m 46, fit, and can get fat if I let myself go. I eat as much as I want every day. The only difference is that now I want different kinds of foods. And if I had to give up taste to be vegan, I would not be vegan. I did NOT give up taste. It’s just a mindset and it’s a lot easier than people think it is.
REFERENCES
pcrm.org (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)
*You can download a “veggie starter kit”
“The China Study” by Dr. Colin Campbell
(Mr. Campbell teaches nutrition at Cornell University. He grew up on a dairy farm and used to teach his students to eat meat.)
Any book written by John Robbins. He is the heir to the Baskin-Robbins fortune and refused to take the money his family left him b/c it came from the dairy industry, which he now exposes, along with the meat and egg industries. He has been nominated for a Pullitzer.
I have a website. If you click on my name, you will go to it and you can then read, “My Veggie Diet.”
Good Luck. Keep Dancing! 😉
I’ve been vegan going on 7 years. I just ran my first marathon in October. Number two is in 13 days. The other vegan poster is exactly right – veganism and being an athlete can go hand in hand. 🙂 Good luck with the transition!
This is a great article! I am currently counting my calories and watching what I eat. I do tend to get obsessive about it but I try to push those feelings away and just live life. Life’s not worth living if you can’t have fun!I try to remember that I have a husband that loves me, a family that loves me, and friends that love me no matter what my size is.
I get you on the food diary. I think it’s the most dangerous tool in weight loss. Yes it’s important to check what you’re eating, but most of us end up with the reaction you had: obsessing over every calories, freaking out when you’re getting too close to your limit, punishing yourself when you go over. Personally, I fell prey to it for about 2 months. I stopped doing the diary but I willfully ate something 500 calories a day. The weight loss happened, but the guilt wasn’t worth it at all.
great post! I have struggled with eating disorders for years. I am a dancer and an acrobat. however there is hope. I can tell you this, I am rarely hungry, I eat everyday, multiple times mostly healthy food with some dark chocolate, fro yo and beer when I want it. I have six pack abs, toned arms, and wear a petite clothing size. I’m not going to lie and say it hasn’t taken blood sweat and tears, experimenting, and a touch of driving myself and my loved ones crazy. I work hard. but at 28 I think I may have found a healthy equilibrium. I am staunchly devoted to finding healthy ways to achieve your body/health goals and crazily opposed harmful shortcuts. it is possible!
This is a great, i like its
i just hope beauty wasn’t so subjective to the western
Great Post and so true…but I’m going to play devil’s advocate for a second: Maybe we’re supposed to be skinny? Not movie star skinny (they have to be that thin to look normal on a screen), but lean. I’ve always been overweight and unhappy about it. I read food/health advice by anybody from nutritionists to Gwyneth Paltrow with their kale soups, and spinach purees. I’m starting to believe our societal food habits developed too quickly for our bodies…maybe we’re still supposed to eat like the friggin’ hunter-gatherers…? A few nuts and seeds here, some meat there, maybe a bit of fish and weeds.
There is so much mouthwatering food in my neighborhood: BBQ in the streets, Soul Food buffets, Halal food trucks. And it shows in the obesity rate of Harlem. I know we’re not meant to be like this. Am I headed for an eating disorder???
The ancient used to run, to hide, to move, to hunt… We have all at the reach of the supermarket cart, a roof (the lucky ones of us), and a car or the subway.
We’re not MOVING, but we’re eating as we’re doing it at full speed: why to eat a big piece of meat if you’re going to sit here in front of your laptop just like me?
Doesn’t sound better to eat a bowl of nurturing soup, with chicken, and some salad?
Food “floods” inside of us, trying to serve to something else than just fulling our bellies/cravings, but we give it no use, we just fill our bodies and sit watching TV.
And here we are, still expecting to be lean.
People’s bodies have a natural weight, however, that is hard to get around, and usually that weight does not fall within “skinny.” If most average people eat healthfully and the right size of portions, they will still not be average to what a BMI meter might consider “overweight.” Further, studies have shown that overweight people are, more often than not, more healthy than underweight people.
I was struck with inspiration at this post, and your comment Miles, which resulted in blog post:
When you said we need to get back to our hunter and gatherer roots I don’t think you thought it entirely through… 😀
Maybe we’re supposed to exercise like our ancestors too? There is an entire caveman lifestyle, maybe they are healthier (or maybe they have eating disorders too?): http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/fashion/10caveman.html
It is indeed a pressure for these celebrities to maintain a nice figure. But I think what they’re doing right now will have a nasty payback on their health in the long run.
Good point. Often, I see articles about how these women are all doing it the healthy way or how they can eat whatever they want, but I think it is important that the girls out there see that not all the stars or so lucky. Serious sacrifices are made. I had hoped that girls like America Ferrara would have helped to change the expectations of stars, but with Kardashians losing weight and the Houston girl losing weight, it seems that the expectation will never shift except momentarily.
This is a great article! I like its…
http://www.viajandonabeaute.wordpress.com
Isn’t it amazing how, for all the obsession about food, taste seems to be the least of anyone’s concern? We all talk about calories and sugar and how fat or thin eating food item x will make us, but the simple indulgance of eating fresh, great-tasting meals is buried under piles of Size 0 clothes or empty bottles of diet pills.
Great thoughts, and lovely blog. Congratulations on the Congrats on the Freshly Pressed feature!
When I read an article about this on Jezebel.com, I kept thinking about my own disordered eating and thinking, “why the heck would you CHOOSE to do this to yourself?” I, personally, hate it. It really says something about our society that you have to literally kill yourself to be beautiful.
The first time I ever read we’ll actually never got (totally) rid of darn cellulite, I stopped worrying about being perfect.
I’m glad you’re open about the feelings you felt. When I’m in America, I feel mostly satisfied with my body so long as I don’t read fashion magazines, but when I’m in Japan, where thinness and dieting are part of your daily life whether you like it or not, my self-esteem crashes to 0, and while I never had the will power to develop an eating disorder while I was there, I was depressed and desperate enough to try crazy diets.
I talked about it here: http://addidesu.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/im-big-in-japan-to-big/
Glad to see someone else who is trying to stay healthy and out of the madness! Though I agree, I don’t blame the celebrities, since they’re under such scrutiny for every detail of their lives.
Incisive thoughts on food and the body-image we aspire to.
It’s common sense but sometimes I forget that the sculpted bodies we see on TV have little to do with healthy eating.
Thanks for posting,
Thank you for this insightful post. When I was younger, I used to compare myself to magazines, but now I don’t care so much. I measure my body and overall health to my own self, what do I feel like and what do i do when I am at my best….? Right now, I am in a slump… overeating a touch, but I learned to be gentle with myself, I will get back to the self I love when I am ready… I have found that the best beauty comes from within.. when I am feeling good, treating myself well and practicing self-honoring on a regular basis, I feel like a very beautiful woman… and I radiate that love on the outside..I agree that some celebrity women are super skinny, but then there are those who eat plenty and are thin or are not so thin… just healthy… I always keep in mind that it’s just part of their job description… in order to keep employed I am under the impression that it does matter what they look like.
My mother had to lose weight because of her blood pressure and being pre-diabetic. She did it with apparently no problem. She weighed out everything she ate. I tried it and asked her how she did it because I was ALWAYS hungry. She said that she IS always hungry. I can’t stand living with perpetual hunger. Maybe fame has enough rewards that it doesn’t hurt so much.
I saw this on jezebel.com the other day. I really like your thoughts on it. A friend of mine did her Master’s project on something body-image related (can’t remember exactly what) and she pointed out something that I found really interesting. Magazine covers will always pair a “healthy” word with a “visually appealing” word. Ie. “fit and slim!” or “your healthiest, thinnest body yet!” When I read this, I realized that these women aren’t healthy, and it’s sad that they’re what we think of when we think “healthy”. Anyhoo, thanks for posting.
Great article! Thanks. After this, I wanna eat.
Body image is not as important to me as it was 20 years ago; However, being healthy is. With this being said, eating is enjoyable now than it was then.
I thank you very much for bringing light to this issue. I only recently found out that most of those people have to starve themselves! As a teen who has had these obsessive habits, I know I wouldn’t want anyone having to feel the same way. This was very eloquently wrote, and I am going to check out the rest of your blog now. However, I like it already! 🙂
VEGirl
…and the victims of this kind of socialization are getting younger and younger: My 8-year-old daughter recently held up a water bottle, asking, “How many grams of fat are in this?” That broke my heart… 😦
eating makes me happy. so i eat what i want, i`ve gained weight but i`m more at ease at this size. i like being a bigger woman, and i have been skinny and i wasn`t any happier or richer. i like eating and will continue to eat what i want
[…] as I check into WordPress, there’s a blog where a woman found a clipping of actresses talking about extreme dieting in order to stay thin. They maintain their figures through ridiculous diets in addition to exercise. Julianne Moore says […]
As the aunt of a beautiful young woman, you can contribute a lot simply by her experiencing your healthy attitude about food and your self-acceptance. My mother was slim, but always on a diet, and I grew up the same way. Through my bulimia/anorexia, I learned to eat normally, enjoy food, and feel good about my body. And I feel like, despite making lots of mistakes as a mother, at least my almost 18-year-old daughter has a normal attitude towards food, hunger and her body. Yeah, sure, sometimes she thinks her tummy should be flatter, but who doesn’t?
Moderation is indeed the key — as well as the ability to taste, enjoy and appreciate food. After all, it keeps us alive! Thus: Contrary to popular belief, it is not the enemy! 🙂
It really is a shame that we women try so hard to be happy with our shapes by always trying to change them. Who are we doing it for? I think we are doing it for an ideal, and for other women, not for men…and we don’t even realize it. If you really stop and ask men, they really do like a little meat on women…so I believe it is a control issue and to look like Hollywood. So wake up women. Forget it, be Happy with yourselves!! I’m not saying go nuts eating everything, but eat in moderation, like everything else, and just be happy with yourself. Poise & Self Confidence is what carries the day & the woman..after all May West was a big woman & so was Marilyn Monroe. Love Yourself. Good Post!
I always worried and fretted about my weight, and when I just let it go, I reached my ideal weight, which happens to naturally be thin, I eat when I’m hungry, I eat a lot when I want, of what I want and don’t really think about it anymore.
evelyngarone.com
Indeed. Body image is so distorted these days… it can make the most confident of us feel insecure.
I’ve probably tried every fad diet on the planet, especially since I had a baby. I have learned that what works for one doesn’t work for all and moderation is the key. Food IS delicious! But I have found that eating to live is more sensible than living to eat and finding the perfect balance is where most of us fall victim. Feeling good in your skin is where its at 😉
Great post and congrats on making Freshly Pressed!
Mikalee’s 8 year old daughter, urbannight’s mother, and our dancer/athlete friends are all choosing to starve. Hoping this article alerts us to the reaction of starving on delaying puberty, height, bone density and hormone development in the short term. A wise person called this a ‘rich man’s disease’. I now research and write about nutrient values in food that have been scientifically evaluated. There was a reason our ancestors selected only certain food types for daily meals and left others as ‘treats’. Eat well and celebrate. My articles will keep you informed why you feel healthy eating naturally. Congratulations, on this astute article.
What a great post! Thank you for sharing…in recent years, I lost a lot of weight due to a health issue. As I’ve always been a big girl, it was like heaven to be able to fit into smaller clothing and where “hipper” styles. But when I took medication for the issue, I started to gain the weight back. My brother commented to me at one point about how much healthier I looked when the weight came back…it was a shocking reality check – I didn’t realize how odd I looked with less weight. I’m not completely happy where I am, but I’ve been much more able to accept my own weight and don’t even bother comparing myself to the celebs. I have no intention on giving up one of the joys of my life…the fabulous meals that my husband cooks for me. Moderation, as always, is the key.
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its a tough biz- and a reality we all have to deal with when we’re in it, you are not going to be cast in a role where you have to play the part of the hot-girl-next-door or her friend for that matter if you can’t pull off that swimsuit because the entire script takes place at the beach. the secret to surviving it is knowing what you’re worth, and accepting that you have your own boundaries… ie, i will not starve myself to get to a figure i want- i will exercise, work with a nutritional consultant, etc.
it’s all about pursuing what makes you happy- for these performers and myself- it’s striving to have a career in an industry we love despite it’s flaws, and making some compromises but staying true to ourselves (and our health) in the process.
You have put it across so right. That’s really blatant. These women either aren’t eating or spend all the time of their waking hours in the gym..
I wish more people read this and also understand the essence and quit the eating disorders..
BTW, I love to eat.. I know so many of them personally who don’t eat. That’s right- they don’t eat. OMG!! How do they do it..?
Great post! The other day, my friend told me that she often tells herself “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” an old adage she learned in Weight Watchers. I found myself laughing at the comment, but later it really disturbed me. I wouldn’t want to say that at every meal. That would definitely take away all the joys of food! This is something all women should watch out for … it’s so easy to fall into bad patterns and possibly eating disorders.
Most media aimed at women (and all my female relatives) push that to be skinny is the only way to be happy. How happy are you, if you can’t think of much but how hungry you are? I can’t imagine having enough energy to get through the day on a diet like that, let alone get in some good cardio to keep the metabolism functional.
Why should people compare their bodies to celebrities, whose bodies are 10% plastic? 🙂
Great post! I am shocked out how these women are proud of their eating habits. In the end, they are doing more damage to their bodies than good. To the untrained eye they may look “fab” but in reality their bodies are suffering just as much as they themselves are. Hollywood has perverted what a true, healthy body image is supposed to be. MObama arms are not for everyone, neither is the teeny-tiniest waste, nor the most killer calves. Women have forgotten that a little bit of body fat is normal, and when in a healthy state, the whole body actually does look beautiful. We are made to believe food is our enemy and when we eat our shape comes out a certain way; in reality, food is our friend and people themselves who do have the knowledge (knowledge is power) to eat healthy make themselves a certain way. I don’t diet, but instead I eat healthy, organic, and at times kosher. I love food and I love eating with knowledge.
Fabulous! I found this through Freshly Pressed. This is a great reminder for those of us that do deal with eating disorders. Thanks for bringing awareness to this fact.
xoxo
This post is very interessting because of the fact that you do not blame and critisize the skinny celebs but you understand them and bring up the fact that we, the others whom are not in their positions are lucky to not have that kind of pressure. Who wouldn’t be affected by having that pressure on them EVERY single day? I think we all would, at least a little bit.
I am also impressed by your honesty when you tell us about the food diary, it’s normal but yet people, mostly women, are supposed to have everything under control; we’re supposed to look super fabulous, skinny and well trained and not have any care in the world.
Great post
Hugs
Excellent post. I’m currently living in France and have to say that it has been a blessing to not be bombarded everyday with images of starved and retouched celebrities. The French are not celebrity obsessed, nor do they have endless conversations about how many calories they’ve consumed and how they’re trying a new “regime.” Of course, women everywhere struggle with eating disorders and with their image. But here it’s a bit easier to adopt the motto – everything in moderation, including moderation.
Whenever I’m back in the States though, I’m easily sucked back into our image-obsessed culture, standing at the checkout lane and skimming through articles just like the one you posted here. Old habits are very hard to break. It takes a very conscious effort to look away from the glossy pages of magazines and to try to accept yourself with your real, but no less charming, imperfections.
i am a thin girl,but often think of my stomach developing a bulge!It think what is important for us is to feel healthy.
And i toatlly agree with the fact that we common people are lucky not to be scrutinised by the media,or anyone for our weight fluctuations..
Also,i agree with your point of moderation,it is the best answer to everthing!!
Great post!!!
cheers!
Upon reading that magazine article, I was outraged. However, this anger was directed less at the ignorant celebrities and more at the magazine for glamorizing DISORDERED EATING.
I wanted to thank you for such an honest post. I struggled with an eating disorder in the past and now work as a mentor to others who are working in recovery. It is nice to see that even those who do not have an eating disorder or disordered eating habits still recognize how easy it is to fall into bad habits that can potentially lead to disorderd behaviors. Your compassion toward not only the women under the media microscope, but also those who suffer with an eating disorder is obvious. Thank you for reminding everyone out there that RECOVERY is possible and help is out there. Please feel free to visit my blog…restoreyourcore.wordpress.com. The blog focuses on taking care of our bodies inside and out.
I saw your post on the wordpress main page. I enjoyed it very much though it makes me feel torn. Is it good or bad these women are being honest about how they maintain their figures? As an averaged size person who also exercises thrice weekly, I look at it and say, “No way in hell would I ever want that life.” It’s a sad life when you can’t eat! How are these people happy? In any case, I think honesty is better than the “I’m naturally thin!” tagline they used to give.
Haha I’m always hungry myself! Luckily I have a fast metabolism and work out regularly.
For those looking to keep healthy, remember it’s 50% diet, 50% exercise, and don’t expect quick results…slowly but surely wins the race.
Great post! I started to feel bad about my body in middle/high school. The one thing I did to improve my body image? I stopped reading magazines. Can’t tell you how much that helped 🙂
And then there are curvy celebrities like Britney Spears that get comments saying they’re fat! They’re healthy!
[…] Comment! Lately I have come across more and more articles and quotes from stars straight up admitting, "I'm always hungy". We live in a world where image is everything; And I am just as invested in that world as anyone else. It's a little bit frightening when a magazine will discuss celebrities diet extremes, border-lining eating disorders, and use the term "fab figures" in the same article. It's glorified that these women don't eat. But if I were in … Read More […]
Thank you for this article. I am the co-creator of the blog http://www.plussizemodelsunite.com. It is an open forum for women of every size, shape, and age to help inspire one another and to promote healthy living and self love. I am also a wife, mother of two children and a ‘plus’
size model. I am a very healthy size 10-12. Many years ago I suffered from body image issues and bulimia. In our blog, I share my story of how I overcame it and pursued plus modeling and most importantly learned to love me just as I am. I think the more real we become, the more we talk about it, the more we can help others who are currently struggling and we can educate our youth about eating disorders and body image issues. I think the most importantly people need to realize that they are not alone. Thank you again!
The crazy thing about that is that you’re a size 10-12 and a “plus-sized” model. They don’t even sell 10s in a plus sized store. It’s all out of whack.
Also, I find that if I take a step back, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, super super skinny isn’t very pretty.
I’ve fallen prey to an eating disorder, and it was nice to see eating disorders from the perspective of someone who doesn’t have/has never had one and isn’t a doctor (or if you are, you didn’t come off like one). Refreshing. Also, “Everything in moderation… Even moderation”– Brilliant!
It seems magazines and “other women” now count more than what men actually find attractive.
All the guys I know very much prefer shapely extras rather than feeling some bones and ribs.
Great article. This is such a touchy subject for women. Keep up the awesome writing. And remember, you are beautiful!
❤ Milieu
Thank you for this article! You have stated it perfect, Moderation is key! I recently was around some 11 year old girls and it is sad how much body image is becoming apparent at such a young age. They were already talking about diets, and being skinny, etc. It broke my heart. Great post keep up the great work.
Getting to a smaller waistline in an unhealthy manner is really the easy way out. I personally have had this struggle. Exercise is never really fun, so starving myself was an easy (twisted) logical decision.
But it was also one of the worst decisions. Yes I lost weight, and yes I looked “good” but I didn’t feel good. I don’t know how all of these celebrities and models can do that to themselves. Running has become my magic eraser now though and portion control has taken the place of starvation. Yeah I might not be anywhere near “skinny” or a size 0, but at least I am healthy.
I really wish there were more full figured/normal sized women to look up on tv and in film, so that little girls could see that healthy can be a size 8, it doesn’t always have to be 0.
As sit here reading this post and stuffing my face with an apple fritter (it is delicious by the way) all I can think about is how image conscious we are. What really scares and confuses me is how the starvation look considered the height of beauty. Several years ago I was living in Hollywood and working fashion shows backstage. The girls weren’t beautiful they were sickly. Flesh hanged from their body. They covered their discolored skin with makeup and on one occasion yelled at for have eaten earlier in the day. These gils obviously starved themselves to this point.
My idea of the perfect body is a person who works out. I think people who do yoga regularly and eat healthily have what I consider the ideal look.
Great post.
Yeah I’m not sure if food is the real issue here. Like the woman said earlier in the thread, it’s about getting off your duff and moving. You should see the amount of food that athletes eat and still they look great. It’s not about the magazines or the industry either. Every time you buy the mag or go to the website, you are contributing to the problem. You are asking for it, actually paying for it, and they are all too happy to oblige. If there is to be any change it starts with putting down the magazines everyone seems so unable to ignore and get into gear. http://theignorantbystander.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/all-the-things-ill-never-see/
Great post, helpful aswell, I LOVE eating and the result is that I don’t have a skinny body, but I work out and keep healthy, I think we shouldn’t deprive ourselves of anything good in life.
And, also people that have eating disorders I don’t think they have much more in their heads, because how come, you really have to dedicate yourself and not think of much else to be able to starve for days, or even to puke after every time you eat.
Guess I am glad I am a curvy lady 🙂
i am sad because i am fat. i am always eat
Insightful. Those celebrity mags are awful (but hard to resist reading!) I have been struggling lately with my own body image (looking a lot less hot since having a baby) and trying to come to terms with myself, trying to see my value as a person aside from the way that I look. Getting fit again will always be a goal, but gaining this extra weight has pointed me towards dealing with the underlying problem of basing my feelings of self-worth on the way that I look – an outlook that is destined to fail eventually.
huh
I loved this post, congrats on being freshly pressed! You are a gifted writer. Its funny that you and I have the same motto- Everything in Moderation, if you get a chance do read my blog about that:
http://bombaybelle.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/my-motto-in-life/
I agree – everything in moderation!
I think being hungry can be a really good thing, though.
A really good thing.
We’re so overfed in our culture, and disconnected from the reality that not so long ago (even less than 100 years ago), being hungry all the time was the normal state of being for most humans! It’s not such a bad thing to be hungry most of the time. It can build character, and can add years to one’s life too – eating very minimal amounts, just “enough” food.
I loved the article. I too struggle with eating and always dieting. After having two children, my figure isn’t what it used to be. I am always reminded by my mother and old friends I run into wondeing how I gained weight. Hello, I just had a baby 18 months ago. I have tried weight watchers, nutri system and other diets. Now, I just appreciate my curves and screw everyone else.
Thank you for an important post! It is so true what you noted: that deadly combination of “starving” and “fab” to describe the same condition. Thanks for sharing!
Great post. Someone needs to invent TV and movie cameras that don’t add 10 lbs. Then maybe the stars wouldn’t have to diet so hard. Of course, it would be great, but then I suppose we’d all find something else to obsess about. It’s sad that they’re hungry, but I’m glad more of them are beginning to admit it.
Thank you so much for posting this!! I think this is an important issue in our culture. I’ve been going through a hard time with my self esteem and confidence regarding the way I look. I had a baby almost nine months ago, and I am still not my pre-pregnancy weight. Honestly, I was trying to lose weight when I found out I got pregnant. The whole time, I worried about gaining too much weight and tried to be super careful about what I was eating, but the health care people advising me were always telling me I was gaining too much (even when I had only gained 11 pounds in four months!). They told me I should only gain 25 pounds for my entire pregnancy, but I honestly do not think that is healthy or normal. I gained 40 pounds and lost 27 pounds in the first two weeks because it was mainly extra fluid (not to mention, my baby!) my body produced to create another human being. Everyone is different. No one should look to celebrities or their neighbors to find what they should look like or what a healthy weight is!!! I’m working on that myself =)
I have been in treatment for an eating disorder for the past couple years. Lately the topic of discussion is “societal eating disorders” and how the world basically encourages women (and men, to some extent) that the most desired shape and status is to be malnourished and starved. It’s depressing, especially trying to beat those demons when the message is reinforced everywhere. Thanks for the post, it points out a serious issue.
Just what I was thinking!
I’m a triathlete who doesn’t fit the normal bill of what one such person should look like. The reason? I too like to eat. Sure I try to keep track of what I’m feeding myself and try to make it healthy, but denying yourself those foods we’re ingrained to think are “bad” is self destructive. Like those before me have said: moderation is key.
Congratulations on being a featured poster!
Eating disorders do concern me and I would consider over eating to be as much of a disorder as under eating. I have two friends with two children in their early teenage years. One is a boy and one a girl and they both have got unnatural hangups about their bodies for children so young.
A couple of years ago I lost two stone, I did it sensibly – cutting out the fattening foods and drastically cutting down on my alcohol intake, increasing my fruit and vegetable intake, swapping white pasta for brown, that sort of thing and I was never ever hungry. I felt, and, so I was told, looked good. But something has changed and the wheels have fallen off my wagon. Over the last few months the Saturday night wine has crept back in and crisps and snacks have entered my life once more. I have put on 10lbs and I am always hungry. I suppose my point is, if you have a diet full of high fat/sugar foods, they don’t satisfy your appetite. Eat loads of veg, fruit, lean meat and whole grains. That way you are full and look good in your bikini and you don’t need to starve to look good.
Perhaps, I ought to start practising what I preach.
Congratulations on your very sensible approach to diet.
As for your recent regain, you might want to check your hormone levels. Ask where your measurements fall within the range. You can be technically within the normal range and still be low for you. Hormones can make a huge difference to your sense of well-being even before other symptoms of perimenopause appear.
Purposely starving yourself or eating bland food isn’t living life to its fullest. Those quotes from the article you posted definitely don’t make me want to look like those actresses.
Thank you for posting this! I think America is becoming very polar when it comes to body image. We’re either shooting ad campaigns to plus size women or we’re pretending that everyone is a size zero. I hope we can find a normalcy and a happy medium when it comes to women and weight. It’s so discouraging to see young girls aspiring to such thin, malnourished bodies. Thank you again for your words. xo
Great post, and congrats on being “Freshly Pressed!”
I reviewed *Healthy at Every Size* by Bacon (honest to God, that’s her name), and *Rethinking Thin* by Kolata a while ago on my blog. Both books talked about the science behind weight loss and came to the same basic conclusion, that maintaining a weight loss of more than 10% of one’s starting weight is unlikely. *Healthy at Every Size* also suggested that most of us would be better off spending our energies on living a richer life instead of focusing on what we put into our mouths.
i dread to think what these celebrities are doing to their health by not eating and being hungry all the time. it’s no wonder we always hear so much about breakdowns and depression etc in hollywood
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fiona Caverly, Freshly Pressed. Freshly Pressed said: on WordPress.com: I'm always hungry. http://ow.ly/18UVRa […]
You are so right. I’m a sporty American size 4/6 woman – you’d think I would be happy with my figure and walk the earth not worrying about the parts of me I don’t like. But the reality is, the ideal figure of a woman presented in the media these days is so ridiculous, I’ve known girls much thinner than me who could easily be models who were convinced they’re fat and not even an earthquake would shaka them out of such moods… It’s preposterous. Despite being on the slim side, I cheer for the plus-size girls! Bring on the real curves.
Great post and soo true!
This is a very timely read. 🙂 Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Great post! Your post so accurately points out the obsession with image being unhealthly. On the flip side, there are others who fall on the other side of unhealthiness and that is those who are obese. Media (and society in general) puts too much pressure on people to look a certain way that its no wonder America has 8 million people who have eating disorders. Thanks for your thought-provoking post and congrats on Freshly Pressed! LB
This post really resonated with me.
While I might not be a movie star who is hounded by the paparazzi day in and day out, I feel pressure to be thin from many sources – the media, my family, and most importantly: myself.
I’m just starting to let go of that obsession and become comfortable in my own skin, but it’s a work in progress.
Your words do help. I hope someday to write a blog post of my own on this subject.
“unnatural and unhealthy”, “moderation”.
Thank you.
Great post! It was nice to find something I can relate to! As a teenager, i’m constantly worried about if i’m too fat, or if I don’t fit in with the crowd. I look at these celebrities in the magazine and I sed to think, “Man I wished I looked that thin.” But y’know what? I’m not obese, and i’m not skinny. I just have to accept myself. These celebs aren’t real. People should just accept who they are, but because of media and society in general i know a couple of people who have gone annorexic because they think they’re fat, or they just don’t eat, which is CRAZY! I love food, it’s a passion of mine and to be honest, i’m not going to give it up, just because they’re is an “ideal perfect” out there. What is perfect anyway?
And did you know dieting makes you fat? How annoying is that? Screw you Oprah, why didn’t you tell me that instead of “8 ways not to eat after 8.” Speaking of The Big O, the lady is exhibit A. for why dieting doesn’t work. Woman yoyo’s more than a…yoyo. Check out the link below for my ever-so-academic analysis of the “Dieting Cycle of Doom…”
Thank you for this. I think that those who aren’t eating too little are struggling on the other side of things like me — compulsively eating too much.
Crystal
http://www.crystalspins.com
Great post! Thank you!
I couldn’t agree more. I truly feel that all women in this country will need, at some point, to take a look at their body image, eating, and lifestyle – and then, BALANCE these three. There should be pleasure in life, we should be able to at least exist peacefully in our bodies, and we need to feel that our food choices are our own. The alternative to finding the balance is finding oneself at some point along the continuum of disordered thinking about eating, with eating disorders only an extreme of what arguably most American women struggle with daily. While many women struggle with clinically diagnosed eating disorders, many MANY more suffer from sub-clinical obsessions and preoccupations with their bodies and eating. This limits us as women – we can be, and do, so much more when we make peace with all of this. I know these things for two reasons: I am a woman living in our culture, and I am a dietitian devoting my passion and time to helping women deal with these issues. You may enjoy my blog (kimthedietitian) on WordPress. Click on my “Healthy Weight Loss Tips” – I know I am a rogue thinker in our culture, but I think the whole life approach to eating as it fits into life IS the big picture. Health is important. Happiness is important. We cannot be healthy or happy when we starve ourselves or examine every bump or wrinkle under a microscope. OK, now I will descend from my soapbox – I feel very strongly about this!!
Well done with this post. I wish all media outlets would report these types of facts, instead of glorifying the unnaturally skinny state as though starving oneself is actually worth aspiring to. But they never mention the fact that these celebrities are doing just that, starving themselves. Hence, the explosion, especially amoung young people of false and unhealthy perceptions surrounding weight. Obviously a lot of other people agree with this too, judging by the amount of comments you’ve got. Thanks for writing and posting.
Good read. You deserved to be Pressed. Sadly, we are obsessed with all the wrong things. I like what you say about moderation. Cheers.
http://www.eduClaytion.com
There is so much pressure on women to look perfect nowadays. Stars in magazines look absolutely flawless because their pictures are digitally-manipulated in Photoshop.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
I always see this, “I’m always hungry” quote, and it disturbs me how much it seems to be a badge of honor. Since when is starvation enviable? I have to admit that I sometimes fall prey to the pressure and become a bit obsessive about my diet, but I’ve learned that a little joy (the occasional cupcake, m & m’s and chips) is better than misery and hunger pains any day!
Nice article! a lot can really relate to this. It’s a common mind bogging thoughts….”always hungry” when you’re trying to go on a diet. Even trying a raw food diet.Though you’ll experience that at first, later you’ll get used to it.
Try this: http://www.thefarm.com.ph/
Thank you for this post. I have had my ups and downs with weight and eating. Lately, I’ve become a little more obessed with how many calories I’m eating and what-not. It’s so hard to live if with food and weight hanging over your head. Each day, I’m learning to love myself just the way I am. 🙂
Our focus should be health rather than appearance. If we could look at our society from an alien’s point of view, our collective relationship with food would seem ridiculous. http://electricspiel.wordpress.com
great post! congrats for being Freshly Pressed! It is not really easy to stay on your goal…but still you’ve got to learn and understand the different strategies on making yourself slim.
http://fastdietreviews-usandphil.blogspot.com
Thank you for writing this and putting it out there. I’ve always been one to be okay with eating and not feeling like I’ve ever had to lose weight but most of my friends point out that it’s only so because I am naturally slim. I’ve never understood the pressures and I don’t get why people think being 100 lbs is normal and it is, if you are a 14 year old boy.
I appreciate your post and I’m glad that you made it to Freshly Pressed because this is an important issue. Body image issues for women (young or old) are still far too prevelant. The idea that these women who are said to have “fav bodies” have to always be hungry is ridiculous. There is something crazy about that.
While the bodies of those women are glorified and held up as the model of female beauty in this culture the bodies of “real women” look quite different and are moving in the other direction. The truth is that as Americans become heavier and heavier the average woman is getting bigger and is moving further and further away from the stars with the “fav bodies.” The gap between the way that the stars look and the way that real life women look is so huge now that I wonder why there isn’t a rebellion. I wonder why women don’t look at the difference and say, “We’re never gonna look like them so f— them. We’re gonna eat.”
In the interest of full disclosure i should say three things about myself which completly skew my opinion: 1)i’m black. 2)i’m a fat girl 3)i’m a transsexual.
Wonderful Honest Post.
Food, Figures, Fabulosity…it has all gotten out of hand…
The more real we become and demand, maybe, just maybe it will get better. For your Niece and my Daughters and ALL the Women out there.
Wow! This is a good post keep them coming!!!!
I’m glad I came across your post. It’s really true what you say about the media these days. Nicely said.
Man I need to gain weight, I’m 16 5′ 9″ and 127 pounds.
This was a great post. Starvation rations are no way at all to live. (This sounds like the kind of bare-bones rations POWs were once given in prison camp, and I thought the Geneva Convention frowns on that.)
Well said! Step one is to appreciate who we are. Life is filled with joys such as food, so why stop ourselves?! And so what if you don’t have super slim legs? 🙂
I work as a Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer. I live in the land of body distortion and eating disorders. The latest research shows that girls have developed their body image by the time they are seven. One research group followed Mexican families who have immigrated to the US. Those born in Mexico had no body image issues, every generation following had distorted body images… .
Three days a week I teach Elementary PE. I am beginning to realize those are the most crucial hours of my week. What I teach them about their bodies now, may prevent them from showing up at my Gym in 20 years looking for perfection that cannot be found.
Thanks for the post. This needs to be talked about.
It is so interesting to think about what is praised when it comes to weight. People get ‘congratulations’ for losing weight, and for gaining weight you just looked at like you’ve been cheating or not even trying, or that you’re lazy. I currently lost some weight but it was only because I knew my weight was too high for me, and I didn’t feel comfortable at it. But, I’ve always had issues with weight too.
is that picture from future?
SEPTEMBER 13, 2010….?
This needs to be emphazied more in the world, espeacially to target young girls who think “skinny” is the only good look. Well they are wrong for so many reasons. I was like them last year, I ate fruits, granola’s and a lot of water and my dinner. It is harder coming from a family who eat so much pasta and different meats. I got over soon after is was a bore not eating what was not satisfying to my stomach and my tastebuds.
Oh man, doesn’t this ring a bell. I’ve always had esteem issues. Now, I’m 18, 10kg lighter and considered healthy for my height, I still obsess about my body. But I never tried to starve myself. It’s just stupid, and sadly too many women are drawn into obsessing about their body. I have a friend who’s 46kg and is worried about ‘getting fat’. She’s practically a stick.
Plus, I like my curves too much to try and stave myself. I eat well enough, exercise almost every day, and try to maintain an active life. Everything in moderation, but if you want to change your weight, you gotta change your lifestyle permanently. That’s just how its gotta be.
Insightful and I like the look of your blog, too. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
I think one of the things that often get’s over looked in the realm of eating is how much nutrition is in the food we eat. I cannot remember where I read the actual statistics, but I remember reading that if you tried to get the same nutritional value from an apple 30 years ago from an apple today, you’d have to eat 6 apples. On top of all the cultural reasons people over eat and the corporate push towards more sugar, salt and fat, we may also eat more because we are trying to get what we need from food.
I lived in Italy for a few years some years ago and without changing my exercise habits – and in fact being less active and tending to eat more – I lost weight. While I know there are other parts to the equation, I think that some of the reason really was related to the quality of the food.
Thanks again for a great post!
[…] by Purple Custard Service Station| Leave a comment Freshly pressed today was a post called “I’m always hungry” on a blog called Fooditude talking about how celebrities on diets are always hungry […]
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[…] Couldn’t have said it better myself so I won’t even try Jump to Comments https://fooditude.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/im-always-hungy/ […]
Wow, great post! I’m sure I am echoing the 132 other posters before me who said they identified with this blog. You hit the nail on the head, and I’m glad other women are seeing the impossible standards the media is setting for “normal” women to adhere to. Thank you for taking the time to point this article out, and for advocating moderation and healthy living, not starvation and a mug of hot water for breakfast.
Sadly, if I were “if I were in their situation and under that amount of scrutiny” I’d probably eat even more to cope with the stress. Sort of an Oprah thing …
At one stage when I was much younger and a lot more gorgeous, I had to opportunity to do some modelling. I was forced to give up on account of … I LOVE FOOD!
And my impulse control is … er … negligible …
Thanks for the post you’ve made some good points …
Awesome, makes it much more useable, thanks.
Thank you for an excellent post. I have always been slim to the point that people would comment and ask what I do to be so slim. I did nothing – genetically, my mom, brother, aunt and cousins are all skinny people. But, the comments hurt. It would seem to be that being overweight, people knew to not point and say ugly things, but the minute you’re skinny that dignity goes out the window. I picked up a lot of weight with my pregnancy and after 14 months, I still have a way to go before I’ve lost all my weight. The thing is – I actually don’t want to lose it. I don’t want to go back to being that skinny person that everyone used to make snide comments to. But, I still cannot fit into my own clothes or get my wedding ring on, so I’m in this constant state of flux of wanting to lose weight and wanting to keep it on. All because of a poor body image and negative comments from others. I would really like to get my wedding ring back on though.
[…] absolutely perfect bodies, flaunting what they have to get where they want to be. And the blog, Fooditude explains it so perfectly. But, starving ourselves isn’t limited to only […]
Great Post! Congratulations on your new figure, I wish you all the luck in battling the battle of the bulges.
Really great post! I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately – I just posted a funny art collection on my blog that taps into the irony of superficial beauty… Thanks for posting this! Really helpful!
http://www.erinspens.wordpress.com
Great post. I am glad you decided to shed light on such a subject and that a lot of people have read it!
I think this is an issue that people shy away from and that young women are not willing to talk about and don’t get the help that they need.
It is unfortunate that it is acceptable in our society to starve yourself for a thin frame.
Hopefully one day we will get to a place of accepting people for who they are and love every spot and wrinkle.
I really love food. I work in food so am always surrounded by it. I tried to calorie count and I found it made me miserable.
I have also only ever tried a diet once – that was the Dukan Diet. I lasted for 3 days and they seemed to be the longest days of my life.
I can’t deprive myself of food but on the other hand, I do aspire to look like the models and filmstars that are brandished all over magazines. I don’t think I can win.
I saw something on the news this morning about plus sized models becoming the norm in the fashion world and it made me feel better.
I supposed there’ll always be a voice in my head telling me to lose a bit of weight but I’d rather than than the constant craving and hunger for foods that I love and cannot live without!
Fantastic. Your article is really honest and easy to relate to. It hones in on the key issues perfectly. Excellent stuff.
Test
I think that the problem is that there is a minority of girls who can keep their figure without having to restrict what they eat and the others just want to be like them.
And I said “girls” because it doesn’t last forever, but women always want to look as if they were in their 20s right?
I really enjoyed reading your post. I agree it is sad that extreme diets and skeleton figures are praised in the media. I lived in the UK for a couple of years and it was so strange to see women on TV and in magazines who have actual figures. They are not bony and would be considered fat by Hollywood’s standards.
When I lived in New York City, I would see models and actresses wandering around the city. In person, they are sickly. They don’t look healthy. Some people are naturally thin but those models looked like they were starving. My sister made the comment that they must pay so much for rent that they cannot afford food.
I spent a lot of time trying to loose weight. I did the fad diets and all of that stuff. It doesn’t work. When I moved to Europe, I walked. I lived on the 4th floor in an old building that was on top of a hill. Without changing my eating, I dropped 40 pounds.
I work in mental health and I’ve worked with girls with eating disorders. It’s not pretty. I’ve seen girls loose their hair and teeth. They have bad breath and easily get hurt. They are prone to breaking bones because they are depriving thier body of nutrients.
Great post (and congrats on freshly pressed!)
I suffered with an eating disorder for years and it was an awful time in my life- I dread to think how much worse it must be when your in the public eye and its not just you, judging yourself.
tee hee. i’m sipping cold chocolate milk as i write my comment. great post. i’m a big advocate of keeping things real. that doesn’t mean i don’t envy celebrities their great bodies, but frankly, obsessing about food or lack of it is such an undesirable way to live. therefore, i love your last sentence 🙂
I believe no one would have an eating disorder if everyone say themselves the way I see myself – like a piece of art made by God – I don’t mean what i said with any arrogance at all it’s just that when you try to cover-up your ‘flaws’ or try to make yourself look more beautiful what you’re really saying is “God didn’t do a good enough job when he created me” and no matter how many pimples I have I just refuse to do that 🙂
I’m a SuperSkinnyWannaBe…And I’m sad to say that this post only motivated me to go further. It is no reflection on you however, it’s a very insightful post. I recently prepared to go abroad for the first time, and I was doing drastic things to lose weight. I did it, I lost 22 pounds in two weeks. The things I put myself through…I was borderline starving myself, eating only a small salad a night, and right after that, I would drink a salt-water solution aimed at “Colon-Cleansing”. I really wish that I could have a more positive outlook on weight like you, but I don’t. And I see my bad habits rubbing off on my little sister. I would starve myself for three days, then binge on junkfood and then have to start over again. What the media is doing to us, mostly women, is shameful. I realise that my obsession is unhealthy, and I’m fine at this weight, yet somehow, I don’t feel like eating tonight…
I hope you are doing alright. I definitely didn’t want this to be seen as a solution. I know there isn’t much I can say. But if you continue to sink further into it, and become really depressed, it may help to go talk to someone. I really truly got depressed the week I obsessing over my eating habits. I can’t imagine living with that kind of pressure everyday. I’m thinking happy thoughts for you waywardchild.
😯 I liked your WordPress template, inspires me to change mine 💡
http://jornaldowhisky.wordpress.com/
Cheers!
Nice fooditude! 🙂 I hope you’ll get things in moderation, too.
I, too, read articles about women on how they’ve gotten slim.. and most of my friends, too, tell me that most of the process of “slimming” down literally means that you have to eat less. And I’m like, “How less is less?”.
Loved your post. Would it be ok to share this on my blog? http://denisewillinger.wordpress.com/
As a massage therapist and spa owner, I hear women saying negative and disparaging things about themselves and thier bodies all the time. Nice to hear there are others who think all women are beautiful! Thanks
Denise
Honestly, I have never thought about celebrities from such a point of view! Rather I took a possibility that they might use some pills, maybe that is because I have seen them in diet pill advertisements.
Who knows … Talking about disorders, I don’t know, can I call something from my experience like eating disorders, I just know that after some while I had low carb diet there something happens, and I start to eat and eat and cannot stop …
I know that afterwards I will feel really bad because the amount of food is too big, but I still cannot do anything. Maybe it is from nerves. I’m not sure, but as well it could simply result of my diet.
Could something like that be called as an eating disorder or cannot it, maybe it is simply my weakness?
I’ve been keeping a food diary as well a long time now and it’s very clear to me why I don’t have the perfect body. You are SO right about everything that it makes me wonder…could we ever get that “fab figure” we desire without starving to death?
I think that we can do a lot also without starving! 🙂 It is possible to chose diets, which let you eat some type of products without no limit, but then other ones are restricted. I mainly can talk just about low carb diet, in which you can eat quite a lot and also you would not feel that you are starving, but important thing is to count grams of carbs, and every day like that …
“…could we ever get that “fab figure” we desire without starving to death?”
Yes. But not if the only two options are to starve or stay flabby.
There are plenty of women, myself included, that do not starve themselves and are not flabby. How do we do it? Personally, the idea of eating in moderation never worked for me. It never worked b/c it always made me feel hungry, like there was something I was missing, and I would fixate on that and end up eating, gaining the weight back and being upset. I switched to a vegetarian diet and that did the trick very quickly. You can try it and see if it works for you (go to pcrm.org) but you don’t have to do that. There are women that are not vegetarians that have attractive bodies. My guess is that they do have to cut out fats and they maybe have to exercise more. If I was not a vegetarian, I would have to do more aerobic exercise than what am doing now.
Just want to offer hope here. I am not immune to gaining weight. I am sad b/c I am reading so many comments with a mantra here that goes: I’m giving up, I’ll never look attractive, I can’t do it b/c I refuse to starve…
That is a powerless mantra. It makes women feel powerless. Get your power back. You have it within you to do it. You have to change the way you look at food and change the way you look at exercise. You have to find what works for you. And in all honesty, you have to ask yourself if you aren’t “getting” something by complaining that you are not starving so you’re flabby. There may be something in that philosophy that “keeps” you where you’re at, and if that’s where you want to be, then great, that works for you, but if not, you have the power to change it –without starving! 🙂
Kudos on your article, and thanks for generating a dialogue on the subject. There’s a song/video by Johnny Diaz called “More Beautiful You” that speaks to the issue, and suggests as you do, that all women are beautiful just the way they are. I’ve heard many accounts of how the song has touched a chord with young girls across the country and helped them to see themselves in a more positive light. I would encourage your readers to give a listen, and to share the lyrics with others who may be struggling with this issue… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXSkd8apbWM
Counting calories is what I do, until a late night after a long day at work, when I actually open the fridge and make that one mistake that ruins my diet. Vegetarianism is a way of life as I see it. I don’t eat meat often cause I feel bad for that soul…silly ha? And you know what?, I’m not that flabby, I’m a medium targeting to small. So the real question is…why aren’t we happy with just the way we look? Could I put the blame on magazines n media?
[…] and people who think that celebrities should be imitated. Fooditude has a nice little post about the rash of confessions about voluntary hunger coursing through Hollywood and her thoughts […]
What makes me laugh are all these sickly thin celebrities who in magazines always say “they eat hamburgers and junk” all the time etc. Look at Posh (I’m using her as an example on the skinny scale- I have no idea what she actually eats) but you do NOT get to than size by eating “like a horse”… at leats these stars admit to having to “starve” themselves…
Actually, you CAN get that size by eating like a horse! Horses don’t eat hamburgers. They graze and they eat fruits and grains. I’m here to tell you that I “eat like a horse” and am thin. If I can do it, why can’t you? I’m petite but I can be fat if I eat the wrong foods.
Try this website: skinnybitch.net
This book hit the New York Times bestseller list. Look at the two thin women authors on the web page. They will show you how to “eat like a horse” and stay thin. You do have to exercise. Their book will prove that a veggie diet is delicous.
First paragraph on their site:
“If you can’t take one more day of self-loathing, you’re ready to hear the truth: You cannot keep shoveling the same crap into your mouth every day and expect to lose weight.”
EAT LIKE A HORSE 😉
I won’t be clicking through – by your very comment you make it clear that you are not knowledgeable. Being a vegetarian will not necessarily make you thin, nor will exercise. People can do all the “right” things and still be overweight for a variety of reasons including thyroid issues and diabetes. Being on a best-seller list only shows how brainwashed people in the US – that skinny people are bitches and we need to be spoken to rudely to be motivated to change. You can keep your book and your advice.
It depends on how you define “thin.” If you define it using the photographs of the actresses above, then that definition is narrow-minded and leaves out many women. “Thin,” in reference to human beings, has nothing to do with size -not in my book. It has to do with fat.
Thin (definition on my word processor): shallow or narrow; of small diameter; having very little body fat; eleven more definitions.
How much fat do we choose to eat? In the western world, the foods we have grown to choose are high in fat. And that fat is typically animal fat, which means it includes cholesterol. And, it is typically fried, which means the oils, because they are heated, turn into harmful substances. Plants are free of cholesterol (except for some products, like palm kernel or coconut oil.)
An Amazon woman can be thin. A woman with bones twice the size of mine can be thin.
The authors of that book state: “BTW, A Skinny Bitch is someone who enjoys food, eats well, and loves her body as a result. It has nothing to do with how much you weigh or what size you are! Skinny Bitches come in all beautiful shapes and sizes!”
I used their book as a reference because it fit with this post. They are diet coaches for models and actresses; one is an expert on nutrition and they both used to work in the modeling industry.
John Robbins was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize on “Diet for a New America” because of the extensive amount of knowledge that book provides on nutrition. He was on the Oprah Show for refusing to take his family’s Baskin-Robbins fortune since its income was derived from the dairy industry, which he exposed. He says, about “Skinny Bitch”: “Any young woman who pays attention to this book will become healthier, thinner, and more powerful.”
Peace-
That’s true. I have heard a lot about that book. I really want to cut out meat and eat all those veggie meats and stuff but I can’t really do that now because I live with my parents and I have to eat whatever is in the house.
[…] Is Not Beautiful September 9, 2010 by Bhetti I was reading through this post by Lindsay at Fooditude and this line struck me: We are all […]
Ya know, I never felt right about that sentence as well. It’s not what I was writing about. Nice blog.
Thanks!
[…] some more Friday Fragment-ness? Check out this post from “Fooditude” about the negative messages that celebrities are sending and magazines […]
interested.thats great, healthy habit its very good for our body
“I have a healthy diet, I workout a few times a week, and I’m active daily. Yet I don’t have the sculpted arms or toned legs that I desire. Why is that? I eat.”
I eat too and my arms and legs are toned (-__-)
I’m 20 though. I’ve never dieted. I exercise now and then (walking and yoga) and I’ve always been thin. OK, my tummy isn’t that flat but I don’t think women are supposed to have completely flat tummies. It’s unnatural.
I can definitely relate to standing in front of the mirror and pointing out my flaws =( It gets worse when you’re with other girls. It becomes a ‘point out your flaws’ party.
Girl 1: “Look at my legs. They’re like match sticks”
Girl 2: “That’s nothing to worry about. Look at my ugly hair”
Girl 3: “At least you don’t have have huge hips like me”
And so it goes on and on…
I’m slowly learning to love myself and everyday it gets easier and I love me a little more each day. I believe you should eat when you’re hungry! Don’t starve yourself. I would never. I can’t even think of doing it
Hi Lindsay,
If you’re interested, write to me at my blog. I will tell you where you can get info on how to do it, living with your parents. You’re not the only one in that position and there is literature out there on that exact subject. 😉
This post is very interesting. I have never suffered from an eating disorder, except for over-eating haha. Really though I see how some people can go from one extreme to the other. When I did keep a food diary, I was also obsessive. But keeping track of my meals didn’t help me to lose the weight I wanted. I realize now that I have to work harder at the gym or run faster and longer on the road. I’m writing my blog about my journey of weight loss and fitness. Feel free to look at my posts and comment on what you think I am doing right or wrong.
Oh nice!this was very interesting!
Great post. I love your “Everything in moderation … even moderation”. It really sums up the whole ideal without getting too deeply into it.
I most defently agree with all of the blogs posted about the article “I’m always hungry”. Every one should be happy with themselves. No one is perfect. We should eat in moderation and enjoy it!!!!. I also read an article about how the sugar in diet cokes can cause you to crave more carbohydrates that you don’t need. You think your doing good by getting a diet coke with your meal and that coke is defeating you, causing you to crave fries…. If we just try to eat our basic food groups in moderation we shouldn’t have to worry about if we are to skinny or to fat. We will live life to the fullest. Don’t judge yourself against these models who are living their lives recklessly. God only gives you one body so take care of it.
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Well written, I totally agree. I’m always hungry too.
This was really inspiring. Thank you. 🙂
Great Post..
correctly selected diet – good health
[…] I’m Always Hungry talks about body image and celebrity culture. […]
I think women of all sizes are beautiful, whether you are small or big. But starving yourself to death is just not right and natural. Why has it become such a hard task for women to love their bodies as it is?
I’ve blogged about some of the skinniest “Zoebots” in Hollywood too, check it out: http://hollywoodremedy.wordpress.com/
What a relevant post! Right now Im a exchange student and as a part of this Im living with a girl that is overweight! It is pretty ovious why, but the thing is that I find my selv panicing and controlling my meals afraid of ending up like her…
But maybe I should just relax, I know whats healthy… And I dont wanna go around being always hungry…
S
http://lifeofsilk.wordpress.com/
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[…] Was reading one that really shook my world. […]
Fabulous post!
I managed to relate to just about everything on there, I’ve recently been having a spell of self consciousness in which I’d hit the scales every morning and every night and become upset at the slightest weight fluctuation. It becomes something that’s really hard to shake off and I’m happy that I’m starting to develop a normal relationship with food again. It’s horrible that that magazine has mentioned all those awful eating habits and then said that those women have great bodies, it’s as if it’s saying that you need to go to those extremes to look like those women and it’s just ridiculous.
It is such a shame that we are taught to see our value as how much we weigh. While so many women obsess about their bodies they have little time to think about the things that do matter. Rather than spending time wanting to be skinny, spend the time wanting to be creative, to be confident, to be compassionate. To excel in something that inspires you. If the man we loved kept telling us how big his bum was or pointing out his extra inch of skin on his stomach .. how quickly would we become bored of his self obsession and self loathing. How proud would we be if instead he joined a local charity and helped the world be a better place. We are being conned by a very clever marketing, diet and cosmetic industry to become inadequate so we buy their products. Turn off the tv, throw away your skinny mags and instead believe in the wonderful person you are.. Go into the world with confidence and make it a happier place. Exercise because it is fun, laugh because you can, and eat healthy because you enjoy it..
True beauty is not our dress size but our ability to shine from within.. Every woman has that ability when they believe in themselves
[…] get cranky when they’re too full, they just go into a food coma, but watch out for those hungry folks, people can get a little edgy. Believe me, I know. I’ve been serving in a restaurant for the […]
Aaaahh.
Women are so concerned about their weight.
For what? Love yourself the way you are, EVERYONE will love you too 🙂
YOU are creating the bad impression, not your weight, just be yourself and everything’ll be chill 😉
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[…] should be able to be more open about how they achieve their slender figure. Have any of you seen this post by Fooditude? She posts in response to a magazine section with quotes of celebrities saying, basically, “I […]