Does every girl feel this way about weight?

[Anonymous]

I've struggled with an eating disorder for years, but sometimes I don't know if I am alone in my feelings about weight and diet or if "normal" girls feel this way too.

I just always have this idea that if I just weighed less I'd be happier and life would magically be perfect. I'm 5'8 and I used to be 225 and I thought I had everything...but was being held back by my weight. I thought if I just lost it everything would feel whole and complete.

Every ten pound I expected a magical change, but it never happened. I should know better now, but even at 129lbs I believe that life will be so much better at 120. Once I hit 120 I'm sure I'll want to be 110...and so on.

Do most girls feel like this?

[sadieJ]

Many girl's go through the same thing, eating disorder or not. I've been through a very similar type of situation. Weight loss is addicting and can go to a very unhealthy extreme and in the end is not going to make you truly happy. The best thing for you to do is find out what is making you unhappy, because it's probably not the weight. Weight and body image are more of a shield for something else that may be going on. You have to find a balance between taking care of your body as well as your mind. The 1st step is always admitting that you have a struggle, that's one of the hardest parts, after that it is up to you to change that struggle and find a victory. Which doesn't mean 5'8 110lbs. Don't worry you're not alone.

[Anonymous]

I'd say most girls feel like their lives would be better if their bodies were different, yeah. We're kind of taught to believe that. If you look at the media, how often do you see a fat girl who doesn't have huge problems because of her weight? In weight loss ads, are the people in the "after" photos ever just as sad as they were in the "before" pictures? When women are bullied, what kind of things are they bullied for? The solution offered: change how you look. It's no wonder we think it's the magical cure for all of our problems.

[MothmanIsMagic]

Yep.. I'm exactly what you are now. 5'8" and 128 ish.

I'm down a little ways from where I used to be, but I'm never "thin" enough. I was anorexic for a while and thank goodness I didn't gain it all back.. But yeah, I'm definitely feeling you on this one. :/