Serious Discussion-Stress and Psych Disorders — Page 13

Actually, not a joke. I was a GQ subscriber for over 20 years and did work with them when I was a buyer at Saks. Even when I was thin, I felt FAT.

Or look at Men's Health...

Makes me feel as if I never do enough....

Not to mention age... the supermodels are all so much younger than the situations they are portraying.

The part that intrigues me about this conversation is the objectification of the body, and the issues of self-respect (or lack thereof) which are inherent in that.

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So, how does that make us feel? And how do we react to that?

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Hmm. I suppose it's with a little reluctance I admit I've objectified the "hollywood/model idea" while hating my own body. Always.
Even doing the things I've done recently to make it more like I want it to be have left me very unsatisfied.

I've accepted it.

I "do" enough as it is. I need time for other things.

And besides, I like my food. I'm not giving up anything!

Amen. I often wonder why it is that we even care so much, if we're never satisfied anyway. I mean, if there are people who look, for example, like Cookie (for those who have never met him, he has one of the most perfect male bodies I have ever seen) saying "Makes me feel as if I never do enough....", then why on earth would the rest of us even *bother*? If we're constantly going to be thinking "I could always have just one more inch on the biceps" or "god, If I could lose another pound, I'd be perfect!" and then you *do* lose that pound, and you STILL feel like you did before...then why?

(Apparently all that therapy didn't help as much as I thought!)

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There is a theory known as Objectification Theory.

The premise is that internalizing a third-person’s perspective of our bodies leads to decreased cognitive performance, increased feelings of shame, and restrained eating. There are significant behavioral consequences that follow from objectification.

One should also consider 'objectification' of women, racial minorities, and physically disabled people.

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Updated On: 1/26/06 at 11:42 AM

This is a thread for my wife. She is as fit as Cookie and equally as sexy, but my god if she gains three pounds I have to hear about it all day. Of course, she gained about XX pounds (she would kill me if I put the actual amount) with each pregnancy, so she knows how it is to be "fat."

We also stuggle with addressing the weight of our daughters who tend to be a little "chunky." We have personally dealt with relatives with severe anorexia and bulemia and do not want our daughters to develop problems. I also have morbid obesity on my side of the family. It is difficult to find the balance.

And, for the boys here, let's not forget that the gay scene, particularly in NYC, relies SO much on gym time to define how gorgeous you are. Forget intellect, forget natural beauty, forget anything except how much you bench press and how defined your abs are.
It's a disgusting ideal. That so many homosexuals push themselves to the neglect of the rest of their lives to attain the goal of physical perfection is just sad, sad, sad.
And, with that, I'm going to go eat my Weight Watchers lunch.

I have struggled with this since I was in 7th grade. I used to be really skinny. I mean, I'm not like obese now, but definitely not really thin like before. I've struggled with eating disorders for years and it's still something I deal with every day. I think my sister is a prime example of this. She was a gorgeous size 10/12 girl. She moved to Los Angeles to do film/tv and immediately dropped to a size 0 and below...she's about 5'6-6'7. When we ask her about it, she says "Mom, if I go to an audition, and the girls there are all a size 0 and then I'm a size 4, then they choose the size 0 girls. The camera adds 10 pounds, so if I weigh 120 I look 130... Therefore I have to weigh 110 to look 120." It's just really sad what Hollywood does to people. SHe's not even as pretty anymore because she's just so skinny. SHe just looks like every other skinny chick in Hollywood. I also go to a boarding school for the performing arts and am surrounded by ballerinas/dancers/and basically people who have to stay in shape for their art. So when I'm at school, I see people struggling every day, be it at the gym or in the cafeteria. I wish that I and everyone else would just feel good about ourselves.

I have never been overweight, or even near it. People are shocked to know that I was bulimic for two years. Though the cause of it was not due to body image, rather a lack of control in my life, this disease does not only effect teenage girls. I know many young men who combat the same thing. To this day, I still struggle with food. It is hard for me to eat a full meal and not throw it up. I am not placing this blame on ANYONE except for myself and am ONLY sharing this to show the sad state of affairs in this world... this "Thin is in" has put far too much pressure on those who arent...and it makes me so sad.

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