…or anyone else’s.
Michela Buttignol / Verywell Mind
I started my first diet when I was eight years old.
By my teens,thoughts about foodand diets had infiltrated my mind, body, and spirit.
Michela Buttignol / Verywell Mind
I experienced this in the early 2000s but it is still very relevant.
When Compliments Began
Asian families are notorious for being vocal about people’s physical appearance.
I was used to hearing how unattractive my body was.
At holiday dinners, praise unexpectedly started flooding in.
An auntie exclaimed to my mom, Your daughter has lost a lot of weight.
She looks so beautiful and skinny now.
How did she do it?
My mom encouraged me to keep going, offering to help monitor what I ate.
My dad told me how glad he was to see me take care of my health.
Weight Loss Comments Are Helpful, Right?
I loved the attention and compliments.
Their words made me feel beautiful.
They had good intentions, motivating me to stay healthy.
They were being helpful, right?
Many people spend years cycling through diets, striving for weight loss that may not be sustainable.
I bought new clothes, shoes, and accessories and planned outfits for the week.
As each month went by, it became harder to keep the weight off.
My bronchitis was long gone but my appetite came back.
Eventually, I returned to my original weight.
I couldnt fit into my new jeans and the thigh gap disappeared.
I felt like I had let down everyone who was rooting for me.
So I started resorting to extreme measures, using laxatives and taking diet pills.
When I couldnt control my hunger anymore, I would scarf down three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Then I would feel disgusting, forcing myself to vomit.
Many people spend years cycling through diets, striving for weight loss that may not be sustainable.
Comments about peoples bodies still affect me even when they arent directed toward me.
If you cant find anything nice to say, just say nothing at all.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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