*!$%&£! oppressive diet culture

[ajva]

Im very confussed about something, I dont eat alot, or on a regular basis, but when I do eat I get all the essitials...well atleast try to, I dont eat chips, or big out on bon bons or anything, But I just cant lose weight if anything ive packed it on more then lost it, I dont know If its all the caffine I drink thru out the day, ive heard thats a bad thing, or if im just naturally fat, how can my eating help me lose weight, and is the caffine im drinking a bigger issure then the food im eating?
-Dallas

An average comment from caloriecounter.co.uk, also the site of gems like this one:

I hate myself so much. I weigh 140 Lbs. and I am 5'5" I just started not Eating anything, because nothing else works. I have tryed everything and nothing will work, so this is my only option. I don't even care if I die, I would rather be dead than continue life fat. Seriouslly, I hate myself so much. I don't think about anything except for how fat I am. I can't take it anymore. Please help me.

and this:

Recent studies show that fasting can be really good for you in moderation and it doesn't neccasseraly mean no food at all, it can mean just liquids so that you can have soups and things. Fasting should not be 10 days at a time if your nat experienced. Try 1-2 days a week for a while. If you fast not only does it give your organs a little break it also flushes your body out of all toxins and impurities as well as burning off excess fat.

TIPS FOR FASTING-
1) Drink plenty of water do prevent dehydration.
2) boil veg and drink the broth so that you still get essential vitamins.
3) take calcium supplements.
4) meditate and keep your self busy.
5) dont eat loads after ending a fast, slowly re-introduce fruit and fibre first and then the rest a few days later

I HATE THIS FUCKING INJUSTICE!!!!!!!!! IT'S A FUCKING SCANDAL TO BRING UP LITTLE GIRLS TO BELIEVE THAT IF THEY EAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT, AND EXERCISE A CERTAIN AMOUNT, THEN THEY WILL ACHIEVE THE IDEAL WEIGHT AND IF THEY DO NOT IT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH!!!!! IT'S A FUCKING LIE!!!! I WOULD NEVER LOOK SLIM UNLESS I WERE DYING!!! AND IT'S SO ALL-PREVALENT AND ACCEPTED AND INSIDIOUS THAT EVERYBODY BELIEVES IT, EVEN A LITTLE BIT!!! SO LET'S GO OVER THAT AGAIN, AND ASK YOURSELVES THIS TIME HOW MUCH YOU AGREE WITH WHAT I SAID "I WOULD NEVER LOOK SLIM UNLESS I WERE DYING". NO - YOU DON'T FUCKING BELIEVE IT, DO YOU - A PART OF YOU THINKS THAT IF I DIETED AND EXERCISED ENOUGH I WOULD BECAUSE ISN'T THAT THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD? BUT NO IT FUCKING ISN'T BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE WAY THE HUMAN BODY OR THE NORMAL DISTRIBUTION WORK!!!! SO IF EVEN YOU LIBERALS THINK LIKE THIS, AND IF EVEN DOCTORS THINK LIKE THIS THEN WHAT FUCKING HOPE IS THERE THAT WE WILL EVER BE FREE? AAAAAAARGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!! IT MAKES ME SO FUCKING ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comments

yes

[ajva.livejournal.com]

A very eloquent summary of the problem. I'd also note, though, that women tend to want to be slimmer than their male partners want them to be, so there has to be something else going on here. I sometimes wonder if the dieting impulse is a fundamental in some primitive way that is obscured by the fact it is hyped up sociologically by ideas of patriarchy, health, feminism, class politics etc. Maybe the problem goes deeper.

I am something of a natural optimist and would like to think that every social problem can be solved in the long run, but it is difficult to see the solution here, I admit. I wish I understood entirely what the problem was.

Re: yes

[ergotia.livejournal.com]

Yes, but I was careful to say "partners" rather than male partners, and to add the issue of wanting to be accepted and liked generally,not just by partners. There probably is a lot of complex murky pyschological stuff going on in addition to what I specify.

Re: yes

[ergotia.livejournal.com]

For example, we learn to associate food with love or at least parental(and still more often than not this means maternal) approval while still non verbal. For some babies being fed might be the only time they get any sort of physical affection. For some toddlers they may only get a smile when they "eat it all up like a good girl/boy". Even in cases not as extreme as this, children learn to use "the food weapon" on their parents, refusing to eat to get attention, agreeing to eat only certain foods to get attention - and parents use it on their children, rewarding "good" behaviour with food as treat, often "unhealthy " food, such as ice cream for being quiet in a supermarket for example.

So there is a complex series of associations set up at an early age between punishment, reward,mother love, joy , sorrow and food at a very early age. When does body image/awareness come into the mix? Who knows, but a mother putting a six year old child on a diet is clearly gonna have a hell of an impact....and I have not even got onto sexual awareness yet!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Re: yes

[jhg.livejournal.com]

I sometimes wonder if the dieting impulse is a fundamental in some primitive way that is obscured by the fact it is hyped up sociologically by ideas of patriarchy, health, feminism, class politics etc. Maybe the problem goes deeper.

Yes, the available evidence certainly points towards that conclusion.

I wonder what Mr. Romana would have to say about that?


J